John Miniotis, President and CEO and David O’Connor, Chief Geologist of AbraSilver Resource Corp (TSX.V:ABRA – OTCQX:ABBRF), join us to review the first 3 drill holes and a number of upcoming key targets for the recently commenced 20,000 meter Phase 4 diamond drill campaign on their wholly-owned Diablillos property in Salta Province, Argentina. We also discuss the recently changing political policies in Argentina, including a larger incentive bill passing, making it more economically viable to develop and produce from extractive projects, and is attracting more foreign investment from other global companies into this improving jurisdiction.
We start off having John and Dave recap the recent wide-intercept silver mineralization returned from the first 3 drill holes exploring the SouthWest extension of JAC. Headline Hole DDH 24-004 encountered a wide zone of high-grade silver mineralization, grading 245 g/t Ag over 33.4 meters. Drilling in this zone is designed to convert Inferred Mineral Resources to the Indicated category, within the conceptual open pit boundary. Dave also expands on other drill targets being pursued by the 3 drill rigs in areas with known mineralization, like JAC North, Alpaca, Fantasma, and Cerro Bayo; as well as exploring to the NorthEast extension of the Oculto deposit. This ongoing drilling will expand the known targets will feed data into future resource updates and that the exploration team is looking for more near-surface high-grade silver and gold oxide mineralization to expand and extend the front-end economics of a project development scenario.
We also have John outline the some of the major changes in Argentina since the policies of the newly elected president, Javier Milei, has enacted sweeping reform that has reduced inflation from over 20% down to 4%, is removing barriers to business and foreign investment in the country, and is enacting improvements to infrastructure. In particular the new “Incentive Regime for Large Investments” bill (also nicknamed RIGI) offers a legal framework of tax, customs and exchange incentives to attract investment projects exceeding 200 million dollars.
The key takeaways for AbraSilver would be seeing the income tax drop from 35% down to 25%, removal of FX currency restrictions, and to see a 3-year reduction in export duties of 8% for gold and 4.5% for silver drop down to effectively 0% after the third year. This would mean substantial increase to the NPV of the project economics. Additionally, once the Company puts out a Feasibility Study on the project next year, they would be eligible to file a Stability Agreement, locking in the better taxes and export duties for a 30 year period.
If you have any follow up questions for John or Dave regarding at AbraSilver, then please email me at Shad@kereport.com.
- In full disclosure, Shad is a shareholder of AbraSilver at the time of this recording.
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