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Apr
12
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Alison Metcalfe asked:
Bayfield Ventures is Riding High in the Land of the Golden Horde
By Alison Metcalfe
Bayfield Ventures (TSXV: BYV, FWB: B4N) is sitting tall in its saddle these days. The company – actively exploring in Mongolia’s Turquoise Hill region – has learnt from history, and exhibits more than a few of the qualities prized by the famed 13th century Mongol horsemen: Focus, discipline, flexibility, and diligence in its research. The latest news from the largest operator in Mongolia should have Bayfield sitting even taller.
Ivanhoe Mines (TSX: IVN, NASDAQ: HUGO) said last Wednesday that its draft investment agreement on Oyu Tolgoi has passed through all levels of government. The company, headed by mining icon Robert Friedland, confirmed that the Mongolian government will take a 34% stake in Ivanhoe’s project – a signal that the government has finally found its comfort zone with Western mining companies operating on Mongol soil. Ivanhoe’s shares rose 4% on the news.
According to Bayfield’s president, Don Huston, the Ivanhoe agreement represents a change in the mindset of the Mongolian government. “The next few months will be very pivotal,” he says.
The news essentially provides a green light for investors, signaling that the Mongolian government is increasingly comfortable with mining activity and is softening its approach to the industry as a whole. This does much to allay fears generated last year when the Mongolian parliament proposed a 68% windfall tax on mining profits. Industry insiders say that the tax will not be imposed for 20 years, provided that Ivanhoe and Rio Tinto PLC build a smelter within seven years.
Ivanhoe’s Oyu Tolgoi (also known as Turquoise Hill) is a massive copper and gold porphyry deposit measuring 10 x 9 kilometres in area. According to an independent report based on drilling to April 2005, Oyu Tolgoi contains a measured and indicated resource totaling 1.15 billion tonnes grading 1.30% copper and 0.47 grams per tonne (g/t) gold (a copper equivalent grade of 1.54%). The deposit contains 32.9 billion pounds of copper and 17.3 million ounces of gold. Oyu Tolgoi Project contains an additional Inferred resource of approximately 26.2 billion pounds of copper and 8.4 million ounces of gold. It has a projected lifetime of 35 years with production predicted for 2009.
Bayfield’s website sheds further light on the nature of the region’s geology: “The South Gobi region lies near the boundary of the South Mongolian and the South Gobi tectonic units. Primarily Paleozoic volcanic, sedimentary and intrusive rocks and Mesozoic sedimentary cover underlie the region. Ivanhoe Mines’ Turquoise Hill deposit occurs in an early to mid Paleozoic island arc. The island arc exhibits characteristics typical for calc-alkaline, ‘island arc-type’ Cu-Au ‘porphyry deposits’.”
Bayfield was one of the early junior exploration companies on the scene in Mongolia; the company has been actively exploring in the South Gobi desert region (approximately 550 kilometres south of the capital Ulaanbaatar) of Mongolia for five years, and has held its current land position, consisting of approximately 100,000 hectares, for three years.
Historically, Mongol commanders would seek the highest ground available, from where they could make tactical decisions based on the best view of the battlefield as events unfolded. Bayfield has done just that, by securing key claims on the southwest border of Ivanhoe’s ground between the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold deposit to the east, and the Tavan Tolgoi Coal deposit to the north.
Mr. Huston is confident that the mining climate in Mongolia will only improve. His confidence echoes that expressed by Bayfield’s partner, BHP Billiton– the world’s largest mining company. “They’ve had ample opportunity to walk away…and they have not. They’ve been very supportive.”
Their relationship was cemented in 2005, when BHP signed an Option Agreement to earn a 51% interest in Bayfield’s Mongolian property. BHP started their exploration program on Bayfield’s Mongolian property in October 2005. To date, extensive mapping and airborne geophysical surveys have been carried out, yielding results that encourage further aggressive exploration. When asked about its current direction, Mr. Huston replies, “Bayfield, right now, is in the process of acquiring more land in Mongolia.”
Mr. Huston is quick to acknowledge that, despite the country’s growing pains, the Mongolian government has made an effort to create a friendlier mining climate. The recent news confirms his decision to move forward in the region.
When asked about the political climate in Mongolia, Huston remains focused and optimistic. “We have very good contacts and we’ve opened a full-time office there.” He has held tight in the face of uncertainty, and has benefited from the BHP’s guidance.
Bayfield has two of its technical experts consulting full-time on the Mongolian project.
Allen Cole, B.A., LLB., Bayfield Mongolia LLP’s vice president, has over 20 years of experience in the mineral exploration and development sector, having been Exploration Manager for Fortress Minerals Corp., and Project Manager & Manager of Corporate Development for Entrée Gold Inc., both with projects in Mongolia. Kerry Griffin, AIG, is Bayfield Mongolia LLP’s consulting geologist. Mr. Griffin draws on his extensive experience in Mongolia consulting for both major and junior exploration companies, and has been working on behalf of Bayfield since the spring of this year.
Bayfield is staying true to its winning formula of acquiring strategic landholdings early on in close proximity to known, major deposits, and of forging strong ties with principal players, such as BHP and Goldcorp. Foresight and diligence on the part of management, combined with a tight share structure makes it a horse to bet on.
The company is a diversified junior explorer with gold, copper, and coal prospects. It is presently active in the northwest Ontario goldbelts of Rainy River and Red Lake, with drilling set to commence by July 15th on its Rainy River site, as per its June 28th news release. The company also holds ground in the kimberlite corridors of the Fort à la Corne region, Saskatchewan.
This article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered as a recommendation to buy stock in any company. Although the author has made efforts to verify the information contained herein, the accuracy of all the information cannot be guaranteed. As always, it is recommended that you commit considerable time to completing your due diligence before buying stocks in publicly traded companies. A fee has been paid for the creation and distribution of this article.
EFRAIN
Bayfield Ventures is Riding High in the Land of the Golden Horde
By Alison Metcalfe
Bayfield Ventures (TSXV: BYV, FWB: B4N) is sitting tall in its saddle these days. The company – actively exploring in Mongolia’s Turquoise Hill region – has learnt from history, and exhibits more than a few of the qualities prized by the famed 13th century Mongol horsemen: Focus, discipline, flexibility, and diligence in its research. The latest news from the largest operator in Mongolia should have Bayfield sitting even taller.
Ivanhoe Mines (TSX: IVN, NASDAQ: HUGO) said last Wednesday that its draft investment agreement on Oyu Tolgoi has passed through all levels of government. The company, headed by mining icon Robert Friedland, confirmed that the Mongolian government will take a 34% stake in Ivanhoe’s project – a signal that the government has finally found its comfort zone with Western mining companies operating on Mongol soil. Ivanhoe’s shares rose 4% on the news.
According to Bayfield’s president, Don Huston, the Ivanhoe agreement represents a change in the mindset of the Mongolian government. “The next few months will be very pivotal,” he says.
The news essentially provides a green light for investors, signaling that the Mongolian government is increasingly comfortable with mining activity and is softening its approach to the industry as a whole. This does much to allay fears generated last year when the Mongolian parliament proposed a 68% windfall tax on mining profits. Industry insiders say that the tax will not be imposed for 20 years, provided that Ivanhoe and Rio Tinto PLC build a smelter within seven years.
Ivanhoe’s Oyu Tolgoi (also known as Turquoise Hill) is a massive copper and gold porphyry deposit measuring 10 x 9 kilometres in area. According to an independent report based on drilling to April 2005, Oyu Tolgoi contains a measured and indicated resource totaling 1.15 billion tonnes grading 1.30% copper and 0.47 grams per tonne (g/t) gold (a copper equivalent grade of 1.54%). The deposit contains 32.9 billion pounds of copper and 17.3 million ounces of gold. Oyu Tolgoi Project contains an additional Inferred resource of approximately 26.2 billion pounds of copper and 8.4 million ounces of gold. It has a projected lifetime of 35 years with production predicted for 2009.
Bayfield’s website sheds further light on the nature of the region’s geology: “The South Gobi region lies near the boundary of the South Mongolian and the South Gobi tectonic units. Primarily Paleozoic volcanic, sedimentary and intrusive rocks and Mesozoic sedimentary cover underlie the region. Ivanhoe Mines’ Turquoise Hill deposit occurs in an early to mid Paleozoic island arc. The island arc exhibits characteristics typical for calc-alkaline, ‘island arc-type’ Cu-Au ‘porphyry deposits’.”
Bayfield was one of the early junior exploration companies on the scene in Mongolia; the company has been actively exploring in the South Gobi desert region (approximately 550 kilometres south of the capital Ulaanbaatar) of Mongolia for five years, and has held its current land position, consisting of approximately 100,000 hectares, for three years.
Historically, Mongol commanders would seek the highest ground available, from where they could make tactical decisions based on the best view of the battlefield as events unfolded. Bayfield has done just that, by securing key claims on the southwest border of Ivanhoe’s ground between the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold deposit to the east, and the Tavan Tolgoi Coal deposit to the north.
Mr. Huston is confident that the mining climate in Mongolia will only improve. His confidence echoes that expressed by Bayfield’s partner, BHP Billiton– the world’s largest mining company. “They’ve had ample opportunity to walk away…and they have not. They’ve been very supportive.”
Their relationship was cemented in 2005, when BHP signed an Option Agreement to earn a 51% interest in Bayfield’s Mongolian property. BHP started their exploration program on Bayfield’s Mongolian property in October 2005. To date, extensive mapping and airborne geophysical surveys have been carried out, yielding results that encourage further aggressive exploration. When asked about its current direction, Mr. Huston replies, “Bayfield, right now, is in the process of acquiring more land in Mongolia.”
Mr. Huston is quick to acknowledge that, despite the country’s growing pains, the Mongolian government has made an effort to create a friendlier mining climate. The recent news confirms his decision to move forward in the region.
When asked about the political climate in Mongolia, Huston remains focused and optimistic. “We have very good contacts and we’ve opened a full-time office there.” He has held tight in the face of uncertainty, and has benefited from the BHP’s guidance.
Bayfield has two of its technical experts consulting full-time on the Mongolian project.
Allen Cole, B.A., LLB., Bayfield Mongolia LLP’s vice president, has over 20 years of experience in the mineral exploration and development sector, having been Exploration Manager for Fortress Minerals Corp., and Project Manager & Manager of Corporate Development for Entrée Gold Inc., both with projects in Mongolia. Kerry Griffin, AIG, is Bayfield Mongolia LLP’s consulting geologist. Mr. Griffin draws on his extensive experience in Mongolia consulting for both major and junior exploration companies, and has been working on behalf of Bayfield since the spring of this year.
Bayfield is staying true to its winning formula of acquiring strategic landholdings early on in close proximity to known, major deposits, and of forging strong ties with principal players, such as BHP and Goldcorp. Foresight and diligence on the part of management, combined with a tight share structure makes it a horse to bet on.
The company is a diversified junior explorer with gold, copper, and coal prospects. It is presently active in the northwest Ontario goldbelts of Rainy River and Red Lake, with drilling set to commence by July 15th on its Rainy River site, as per its June 28th news release. The company also holds ground in the kimberlite corridors of the Fort à la Corne region, Saskatchewan.
This article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered as a recommendation to buy stock in any company. Although the author has made efforts to verify the information contained herein, the accuracy of all the information cannot be guaranteed. As always, it is recommended that you commit considerable time to completing your due diligence before buying stocks in publicly traded companies. A fee has been paid for the creation and distribution of this article.
EFRAIN
