Geophysical Survey Highlights Growth Opportunities at Mt Oxide Project

Overview

True North Copper (ASX:TNC) is entering a transformative and exciting phase as we become Australia’s next copper producer. It’s 2024 and we’re ready to mine our Cloncurry copper project – low-cost, low-risk, fully funded and permitted.

The company’s next mine is the Vero resource at the Mt Oxide project. True North Copper is committed to developing and understanding this phenomenally mineralised project which boasts an updated copper-silver mineral resource estimate of 15.03 Mt at 1.46 percent copper and 10.59 g/t silver for a contained 220 kt copper and 5.13 Moz silver.

Copper demand is rising, in a market of diminishing supply. The global surge in artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, decarbonisation initiatives, and broader macro trends is intensifying the demand for copper.

True North Copper is ready.

Company Highlights

True North Copper is preparing to become Australia’s next copper producer.

True North Copper’s two principal assets are located in northwest Queensland, Australia – a Tier 1 Jurisdiction:

• Cloncurry Copper Project (CCP) – IOCG and ISCG copper-gold deposits proposed for open pit mining operations, with extensive surrounding exploration tenure.
• Mt Oxide Project (Mt Oxide) – IOCG high-grade, globally significant, copper-cobalt-silver deposit subject to re- optimisation studies, and exploration in surrounding tenure.

Cloncurry Copper Project (CCP)

• Mining restart study confirms positive CCP project economics – AU$367 million with free cash flow of AU$111 million, and a pre-tax NPV10 of AU$88 million over a 4.6 year mine life, at US$8,500 per ton copper price and US$1,850 per ounce gold price (0.7 AU$:USD exchange rate).
• Wallace North Mine preparation and mobilisation. Wallace North is scheduled as the first open pit (one of four – Wallace North, Great Australia Mine [GAM], Taipan and Orphan Shear) to be mined as part of the mining restart at the CCP.
• Mining ramp-up will initially build ore stockpiles, with mining expected to start Q4 FY24(AUS). Oxide copper-gold ore will be transported by road train to the Cloncurry Operations heap leach. Sulphide ore will be transported to a nearby concentrator for toll treatment under TNC’s toll-milling agreement with Glencore.
• CCP’s total reserves increased. TNC’s Cloncurry Copper Project (CCP) total reserves currently include 4.7Mt probable ore reserves grading 0.80 percent copper and 0.13g/t gold, containing 37.5 kiloton of copper and 20.0koz of gold.

Projects

Cloncurry Copper Project

Our Cloncurry copper project (CCP) hosts iron oxide copper-gold (IOCG) and iron-sulphide-copper-gold (ISCG) deposits with extensive surrounding exploration tenure. It is built on a strong economic basis and low-risk cost structure.

The CCP currently incorporates two reserves where mining will commence including – the Wallace North maiden resource and the Great Australia mine reserve (GAM):

• GAM includes GAM, Orphan Shear and Taipan deposits) totalling 4.7Mt grading 0.80 percent copper and 0.13g/t gold containing 37.5kt of copper and 20 koz of gold – upgrade to be announced mid-2024.
• Wallace North ore reserve totals 0.7Mt (probable) grading 1.01 percent copper and 0.46g/t gold for 6.8kt copper and 10 koz gold.

TNC’s CCP expansion is ongoing with exploration progressing and advanced projects in strategic locations surrounding the existing CCP operation, promising long-term growth prospects.

Our strategic partnerships, including a binding offtake and toll-milling agreements with Glencore International AG, supported by debt funding secured with Nebari, underscore our operational readiness and position TNC to capitalise on an extremely favourable copper market.

Mining operations will kick-off at the Wallace North open cut pit, targeting higher-grade ores (~1 percent copper) from surface mining. Ore will undergo primary crushing at the Cloncurry operations hub and the toll treatment facility, located within a 40km radius, with a predominant focus on sulphide ores.

All necessary permits for mining are secured across the CCP, bolstered by an established environmental monitoring network with a robust historical database.

TNC’s operational strategy involves a phased approach to mine development, with plans to commence mining operations in 2024 and manage capacity ramp-up throughout 2025.

Cloncurry Operations Hub

The Cloncurry operations hub is strategically located to the CCP’s four open pit deposits including: Great Australia, Orphan Shear, Taipan and Wallace North.

The COH is located 2 kilometres from the township of Cloncurry and provides essential infrastructure, technical systems and support to all of TNC’s project operations. An active oxide heap leach and solvent extraction (SX) processing plant, mine buildings, site administration facilities, workshops, open pit mine facilities, onsite explosive magazines, site storage, water management systems and existing site power supply are located at the COH.

Cloncurry Copper Project – Project Economics

• Mining 4.8Mt of ore over an initial 4.6 year mine life, at a low strip ratio of 4.2, delivering 35kt copper and 29 koz gold contained metal (based on existing JORC reserves)
• Anticipated mine revenue of AU$367 million with free cash flow of AU$111 million, and a pre-tax NPV10 of AU$88 million, demonstrating strong operating economics at US$8,500/t copper price and US$1,850/oz gold price (0.7 AU$:USD exchange rate).
• Payback expected within six months post mining restart, driven by favourable commodity prices and low all-in sustaining cost (AISC) of US$2.65/lb copper.
• Low up front capex of AU$1.5 million leverages existing infrastructure, while peak operating expenditure is estimated at AU$2.2 million.
• Sulphide and oxide ore production – two copper products. copper sulphide (LoM approx. 90 percent) + copper sulphate (LoM approx. 10 percent).
• Mineral concentrate grade 22-26 percent copper (with gold/silver credits).
• Sulphide Ores more than88 percent expected recovery.
• Transitional Ores more than 77 percent expected recovery.
• Very low deleterious elements in mineral concentrate.

Cloncurry Copper Project – Exploration 2024

• CCP expansion and exploration focused on rapid copper-gold-ore source growth.
• With more than 80 prospects located within a 30-kilometre radius of the CCP, TNC is focused on significant expansion and the exploration potential for additional copper-gold-cobalt-silver mineralisation to be brought into the production fold including large-scale company transformative major discoveries.
• Thanks to our successful 2023 Exploration Program we have identified through a systematic approach, and analysis at a mineral system scale, the following new targets:
  • Cloncurry Copper Project – eight new drill targets at Greater Australian and Copperhead in new Induced Polarisation.
  • Salebury and Rocklands South – Compelling untested geophysical anomalies in historic data.
  • Mt Norma- untested surface anomalies and down plunge resource extension targets on mining lease within 30 kilometres of the Cloncurry operations hub.
  • Wynberg, Notlor, Marimo Trend and Tanbah limited historic exploration significant copper-gold in surface sampling and drilling, limited testing.

Management Team 

Ian McAleese – Executive Chairman

Ian McAleese worked as a mine geologist at Mt Isa, Jabiluka and Bougainville for 15 years before moving into copper concentrate marketing on Bougainville. On returning to Australia in 1987, he worked initially as a mining analyst and subsequently as a portfolio manager specialising on investment in mining companies for a number of large investment institutions. McAleese then returned to the mining industry in business development and investor relations roles for a number of coal mining companies, including Macarthur Coal and Whitehaven Coal. After retiring from Whitehaven Coal in late 2020, he joined Duke Exploration as a non-executive director just prior to the Duke Exploration IPO. In December 2022 he became the non-executive chair of True North Copper.

Bevan Jones – Managing Director

Bevan Jones is a seasoned operations officer offering nearly 30 years of experience in mine management across a diverse range of commodities and has a proven track record in directing business improvement initiatives and operational transformation. Jones’ previous roles include chief operating officer at Karora Resources (TSX:KRR), as well as general manager of Gold Fields Limited’s (JSE:GFI) St Ives Gold Mine in WA, where he executed transformative growth strategies and delivered exceptional operational results. Most recently, Jones was the managing director at Brisbane-based Extra Mining Solutions, where he played a leading role in establishing the company focusing on business transformation and operational excellence. Jones gained international operational experience as chief operating officer of BCM Group International in West Africa, general manager of the Wetar Copper Mine in Indonesia and general manager of the Hidden Valley Mine in Papua New Guinea, as well as mining manager of Barrick Gold’s Lumwana Copper Mine in Zambia.

Craig Gouws – Chief Financial Officer

Craig Gouws, a chartered accountant, has extensive Australian and international experience as a CFO and board of director with a demonstrated history of successfully leading financial operations across diverse industries and international markets. Gouws holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Post Graduate Diploma in Accounting from the University of Cape Town and is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and a member in South Africa.

Peter Brown – Chief Operating Officer

Peter Brown has held senior management roles in the resources sector, both domestically and internationally, including recent positions at Round Oak Minerals and Diatreme Resources where he oversaw project development and operations. Brown has diverse experience and an impressive track record that demonstrates his ability to successfully deliver projects and foster positive relationships with all project stakeholders.

He has managed discovery programs for gold, copper and chromite in South America, Japan, Vietnam and Indonesia, including government and community relations. He also drove improvements and provided training in mine geology, resource evaluation and mine technical services at prominent mines such as Mt Muro Gold Mine, George Fisher Mine and Peak Gold Mines. Additionally, Brown played a significant role in reviving abandoned satellite projects at Peak Gold Mines.

Other achievements include successfully re-permitting and constructing the 1-Moz Toka Tindung Gold Mine in Indonesia as director of Indonesian companies and general manager at Archipelago Resources; leading the permitting, engineering redesign and construction of the 0.8-Moz Mt Carlton Gold Mine in Queensland; the successful development of Mt Carlton and Pajingo projects, which contributed to the establishment of Evolution Mining; and recommissioning and developing several mining projects in the Mount Isa and Cloncurry region.

Sven Sewell – Sustainability & Net Zero Manager

Sven Sewell has over 25 years’ experience working in a range of environmental fields, including environmental consulting, environmental regulation and within the industry.

For the 15 years prior to joining TNC, Sewell held senior environmental positions at several operating mines across northern Australia. At those operations, he was generally the most senior environment, responsible for all aspects of permitting, compliance, rehabilitation and general environmental management. Sewell’s experience in northern Australian mines includes several new and established gold, uranium and bauxite operations.

Sewell holds a BSc (with honours) in environmental science.

Mark Brown – General Manager, Cloncurry Operations

With more than 30 years of domestic and international mining industry experience, Mark Brown offers a comprehensive skill set grounded in practical resource sector execution and invaluable leadership experience. His career journey has been marked by a commitment to safety, operational excellence, and fostering positive work cultures.

Brown has held a variety of senior leadership operational roles throughout his career, overseeing various aspects of mining operations. He has extensive experience across all mining regulatory and compliance aspects and has expertise in health and safety management including emergency response, crisis management, contractor management, and comprehensive incident investigations.

Michelle Ellis – Cloncurry Projects Exploration Manager

Michelle Ellis retains over 15 years’ mineral exploration, resource and mining experience predominantly in iron-oxide-copper-gold deposits and terrains across South Australia and Northwest Queensland.

Over the past 11 years, she has actively explored a range of commodities and deposit styles throughout the Mount Isa Inlier.

Ellis has an MSc in economic geology, MSc in environmental management and BSc in applied science – geoscience, and is a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.

Rhonda Freeman – Group Manager (Human Resources)

Rhonda Freeman has more than 18 years’ experience attracting top talent, fostering employee development and helping organisations develop safe and supportive work environments. She has worked extensively across the resource sector, including for large national-wide drilling companies.

Freeman has worked for mining companies across a variety of geological settings including brown coal, black coal, uranium, mineral sands and oil & gas. She brings a diverse skill set specific to the resource sector, having worked across all commercial aspects of drilling operations including as an exploration manager.