Two years ago, when the Board of Directors at Skyharbour Resources
Ltd. (TSX-V:SYH) asked Jordan Trimble to find a new direction for
the Vancouver-based mining micro-cap, his choice may have seemed
like mission impossible: uranium. Trimble and the team behind
Skyharbour recognized a unique opportunity given the industry was
still writhing from the bursting of the uranium bubble in 2007, the
2008 global financial meltdown, and Japan's 2011 Fukushima nuclear
plant disaster. He knew uranium prices were at their lowest in
years. But with the world's unquenchable appetite for energy, he
also saw an undervalued market and a lot of upside potential. "I
looked at a number of commodities, and uranium really stood out for
me," says Trimble, who was appointed as the company's President and
CEO in June 2013. "Being a contrarian, there's an unprecedented
opportunity in the uranium space."
Skyharbour Resources is well positioned to prosper as the
uranium market gains strength. To pool geological expertise and
funding, it joined forces last year with Athabasca Nuclear Corp.
(TSX-V:ASC), Noka Resources (TSX-V:NX) and Lucky Strike Resources
(TSX-V:LKY) to form the Western Athabasca Syndicate Partnership,
which controls a massive, 287,130-hectare (709,513-acre) collection
of five properties the bulk of which is on the western side of
Saskatchewan's uranium-rich Athabasca Basin. The group will spend
$6 million over the two years to explore the area. Skyharbour is
responsible for providing only $1 million of that total. The
syndicate model is a unique, cost-efficient and operationally
effective structure to conduct a large exploratory program without
substantial equity dilution to shareholders.
Skyharbour Resources also owns a 60 per cent stake in the Mann
Lake uranium project on the east side of the basin, 25 kilometres
southwest of Cameco's McArthur River Mine. Trimble says Northern
Saskatchewan boasts the world's largest reserves of high-grade
uranium, which offers some shelter from commodity price volatility.
Saskatchewan is also known for its stable, pro-mining business
environment. "The basin," he says, "is really one of the only
places in the world where you want to be looking for uranium right
now."
With Trimble at the helm, Skyharbour Resources has built a
strong team with a proven track record for delivering shareholder
value. The company's directors include industry veterans Jim
Pettit, the Chairman of the Board, and Don Huston, Skyharbour's
former president and CEO.
Tom Drolet, the company's new Technical Advisor and a former
president and CEO for Ontario Hydro International, believes that
several factors – including the 72 nuclear power plants expected to
come online by 2022 in China, Russia, India and other countries –
will help increase share prices for senior and intermediate uranium
producers going forward – with junior firms following soon after.
The impact of Russia's annexation of Crimea could accelerate this
trend. "Watch out for Russian aggression as it may affect supply
from Kazakhstan," he says, "and demand increases on the China side
may move markets a bit earlier."
The board also brings impressive uranium expertise with
geologist Rick Kusmirski, the company's Head Technical Advisor and
former Exploration Manager for uranium giant Cameco Corp. From 1999
until 2012, Kusmirski was vice-president of exploration and later
president and CEO of JNR Resources, helping to boost the uranium
firm's stock from 10 cents a share to over $4 a share. JNR was
ultimately acquired by Denison Mines Corp.
Skyharbour's flagship Preston Uranium Property in the basin's
Patterson Lake region is the largest single landholding near
Fission Uranium Corp.'s Patterson Lake South high-grade uranium
discovery and the recent discovery made by NexGen Energy on the
Rook 1 Project.
Uranium mineralization in this part of the basin is quite
shallow and basement-hosted. Skyharbour and its syndicate partners
have already carried out more than $2 million in exploration on the
property and have identified over a dozen high-priority drill
targets. The company along with its syndicate partners are in the
midst of their first drill program and are one of the few groups in
the area drilling this winter season.
With only 35 per cent of the property systematically explored so
far, they have already identified 15 high-potential drill targets
using techniques similar to those employed by Fission and NexGen.
"We're highly encouraged by what we've seen to date," says Trimble.
"It has greatly exceeded our expectations and illustrates the
strong discovery potential our property boasts."
On the eastern side of the basin, Skyharbour acquired a
60-per-cent interest in the 3,473-hectare Mann Lake Uranium Project
in January from Canterra Minerals. The purchase makes Skyharbour
one of the only small-cap mining companies with a land position in
this highly prolific part of the Athabasca Basin. Nearby deposits
and mines include Cameco's McArthur River Mine and Millennium
deposit as well as Denison's Phoenix deposit.
In March, Vancouver-based International Enexco Ltd. announced a
high-grade discovery on the Mann Lake Joint Venture property, which
sits adjacent to Skyharbour's Mann Lake holding. Days later,
Denison Mines announced plans to acquire International Enexco and
their 30 percent interest in the Mann Lake Joint Venture with
Cameco and AREVA Resources Canada. Between 2006 and 2008, over $3
million in exploration was carried out on Skyharbour's Mann Lake
property including two drill programs. Trimble says work may resume
there sooner than later. "Mann Lake could very well be the dark
horse for the company going forward," he goes onto say. "The
previous drilling intersected zones with elevated uranium and boron
values which bodes well for future exploration and discovery
potential on the property."
All in all, Skyharbour is one of the only small-cap mining
companies that offers investors exposure to two of the most active
areas of the Athabasca Basin: Patterson Lake on the west side and
Mann Lake on the east side. Investors are starting to take note.
The company just completed a non-brokered placement of over
$700,000, with strong investor interest increasing the financing
from the initial target of $500,000. Trading volume has increased
significantly, and the company's share price recently hit a 52-week
high of 18 cents. The stock has gradually increased over the past
year. "That's indicative," says Trimble, "of the shareholder value
we've been creating and will continue to create in the company."
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CONTACT: Skyharbour Resources (TSX-V:SYH)
777 Dunsmuir Street - Suite 1610
Vancouver, BC V7Y 1K4
Telephone: (604) 687-3376
Toll Free: 1-800-567-8181
Fax: (604) 687-3119
Email: info@skyharbourltd.com
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