Latest news with #AguiaResources
Sydney Morning Herald
24-07-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Aguia Brazilian phosphate project ramps up as fertiliser prices surge
Phosphate prices are booming, and Aguia Resources appears to be riding the wave straight into early cash flows at its Tres Estradas phosphate project in Brazil. Global phosphate prices have jumped as much as 70 per cent in the past year, with Aguia now forecasting a sale price of $200–$230 per tonne for its flagship product. That represents a massive leap from the $120–$140 per tonne it anticipated 12 months ago. The price also compares very favourably with the alternative and largely imported monoammonium phosphate (MAP) fertiliser product, which is trading at $1138 per tonne. The market tailwind delivered a major boost to Aguia's project economics, with independent modelling now projecting a phase one 14-year mine life EBITDA of between $253 million and $298 million, based on conservative price assumptions of $153 per tonne. 'This is developing as a stand-alone business division in Brazil with its own strong growth curve.' Aguia Resources executive chairman Warwick Grigor However, with current prices almost 30 per cent higher than the assumed price in modelling, it's anyone's guess how much further those EBITDA numbers could improve when first sales kick in. Production is set to begin in the first quarter of 2026 at an initial rate of 100,000 tonnes of phosphate per annum, with the company targeting a fast ramp-up to 300,000 tonnes. It has cleverly sidestepped the usual capital expenditure headaches by securing a lease on an existing processing plant operated by Brazilian firm Dagoberto Barcelos, shaving years and millions off its development timelines and costs. Instead of shelling out $26 million for a greenfield build, Aguia's revamped plan will see it spend $3.2 million to get into production, with a further $4.2 million earmarked for capacity expansion. That equates to a total capital outlay of $7.4 million, less than a third of the company's original estimate. Operating costs are similarly lean. Cash costs, including plant leasing, are pegged at $55–$70 per tonne, leaving the company in pole position to generate juicy margins from the get-go.
The Age
24-07-2025
- Business
- The Age
Aguia Brazilian phosphate project ramps up as fertiliser prices surge
Phosphate prices are booming, and Aguia Resources appears to be riding the wave straight into early cash flows at its Tres Estradas phosphate project in Brazil. Global phosphate prices have jumped as much as 70 per cent in the past year, with Aguia now forecasting a sale price of $200–$230 per tonne for its flagship product. That represents a massive leap from the $120–$140 per tonne it anticipated 12 months ago. The price also compares very favourably with the alternative and largely imported monoammonium phosphate (MAP) fertiliser product, which is trading at $1138 per tonne. The market tailwind delivered a major boost to Aguia's project economics, with independent modelling now projecting a phase one 14-year mine life EBITDA of between $253 million and $298 million, based on conservative price assumptions of $153 per tonne. 'This is developing as a stand-alone business division in Brazil with its own strong growth curve.' Aguia Resources executive chairman Warwick Grigor However, with current prices almost 30 per cent higher than the assumed price in modelling, it's anyone's guess how much further those EBITDA numbers could improve when first sales kick in. Production is set to begin in the first quarter of 2026 at an initial rate of 100,000 tonnes of phosphate per annum, with the company targeting a fast ramp-up to 300,000 tonnes. It has cleverly sidestepped the usual capital expenditure headaches by securing a lease on an existing processing plant operated by Brazilian firm Dagoberto Barcelos, shaving years and millions off its development timelines and costs. Instead of shelling out $26 million for a greenfield build, Aguia's revamped plan will see it spend $3.2 million to get into production, with a further $4.2 million earmarked for capacity expansion. That equates to a total capital outlay of $7.4 million, less than a third of the company's original estimate. Operating costs are similarly lean. Cash costs, including plant leasing, are pegged at $55–$70 per tonne, leaving the company in pole position to generate juicy margins from the get-go.
West Australian
24-07-2025
- Business
- West Australian
Aguia Brazilian phosphate project ramps up as fertiliser prices surge
Phosphate prices are booming, and Aguia Resources appears to be riding the wave straight into early cash flows at its Tres Estradas phosphate project in Brazil. Global phosphate prices have jumped as much as 70 per cent in the past year, with Aguia now forecasting a sale price of $200–$230 per tonne for its flagship product. That represents a massive leap from the $120–$140 per tonne it anticipated 12 months ago. The price also compares very favourably with the alternative and largely imported monoammonium phosphate (MAP) fertiliser product, which is trading at $1138 per tonne. The market tailwind delivered a major boost to Aguia's project economics, with independent modelling now projecting a phase one 14-year mine life EBITDA of between $253 million and $298 million, based on conservative price assumptions of $153 per tonne. However, with current prices almost 30 per cent higher than the assumed price in modelling, it's anyone's guess how much further those EBITDA numbers could improve when first sales kick in. Production is set to begin in the first quarter of 2026 at an initial rate of 100,000 tonnes of phosphate per annum, with the company targeting a fast ramp-up to 300,000 tonnes. It has cleverly sidestepped the usual capital expenditure headaches by securing a lease on an existing processing plant operated by Brazilian firm Dagoberto Barcelos, shaving years and millions off its development timelines and costs. Instead of shelling out $26 million for a greenfield build, Aguia's revamped plan will see it spend $3.2 million to get into production, with a further $4.2 million earmarked for capacity expansion. That equates to a total capital outlay of $7.4 million, less than a third of the company's original estimate. Operating costs are similarly lean. Cash costs, including plant leasing, are pegged at $55–$70 per tonne, leaving the company in pole position to generate juicy margins from the get-go. On the marketing front, Aguia is already talking bulk offtake deals and forward sales to facilitate funding as it prepares to roll out two key products - its higher-grade 12 per cent Pampafos phosphate oxide product and its sulphur-blended 6.5 per cent Lavratto oxide. Independent field trials have shown both products can go toe-to-toe with much higher-grade Moroccan and MAP phosphate, outperforming them in some applications. Transport-wise, Aguia has signed a mine services agreement with local contractor Construsapper to haul ore from Tres Estradas to the leased plant near Caçapava do Sul, which is strategically positioned 6km from town and connected to five major regional hubs. Notably, the long-term plan involves sourcing ore closer to the plant and potentially building a dedicated processing facility down the line if demand continues to rise. With demand on the rise, Brazil's agricultural footprint is set to balloon from 300 million tonnes of grain in 2024 to 477Mt by 2035, pushing the country's appetite for phosphate-based fertilisers on a strongly upward trajectory - and playing right into Aguia's hand. Backed by independent modelling and robust field data, Aguia's strategy now looks like a textbook case of how to pivot into a rising commodity cycle without breaking the bank. If phosphate prices hold - and they're showing no signs of retreating - Aguia might be on the cusp of becoming one of the more lucrative, low-risk fertiliser plays now on the ASX. Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact:
West Australian
24-06-2025
- Business
- West Australian
Aguia starts Colombian gold exploration to lock in drilling targets
Aguia Resources will kick off surface exploration at its prospective Atocha gold-silver project in Colombia, in a bid to generate new drilling targets at the site where high-grade gold and silver have been identified. Previous rock chip sampling returned gold grades of 19.9 grams per tonne (g/t), 14.65g/t and 14.2g/t, in addition to silver assays up to 3480g/t. The project, which has also returned promising lead, zinc and tungsten grades, sits on 2584.05 hectares in the municipality of Falan, 190 kilometres west of the capital, Bogota. The program will begin work in the project's northeastern corner, following up known mineralised corridors to generate some new drill targets. Aguia's primary exploration target, Veta Grande east, is identified as a vein-type orogenic epizonal intrusion-related gold system. Prospecting and rock chip sampling in 2013-14 returned impressive high-grade samples, including 19.9g/t gold and stellar silver grades in further rock chips, grading 2300g/t, 1955g/t, 1570g/t and 1370g/t silver. From 2021 to 2023, the project was operated by Canadian explorer Baroyeca Gold & Silver, which drilled 43 diamond drill holes for 5083 metres at its highly prospective La Ye target. The better intervals consisted of 0.8m going 20.14g/t gold and 723g/t silver for a silver-equivalent grade of 2233.5g/t and a 0.5m hit grading 13.11g/t gold and 153.8g/t silver for a silver-equivalent grade of 1137.05g/t. A further 0.6m slice at 4.51g/t gold and 364g/t silver rounded out the excellent numbers. Baroyeca conducted a phase one program at La Ye that produced 25 intercepts grading more than a significant 7.6g/t gold-equivalent, or 200g/t silver-equivalent, at a width greater than 0.5m. It followed this up with a phase two program at La Ye West, in which 25m step-out drill holes delineated a mineralised shoot with several strong mineralised hits towards the northeast. Silver-equivalent grades comprised 0.64m at 447.38g/t from 71.6m and 0.4m going 304.68g/t from a depth of 48m. The company also released an updated independent technical report on the project, evaluating the geology, mineralisation and mineral potential of its ground. At the Veta NW prospect, the previous operators sampled a series of chips from exposures of the gold-bearing vein. To the northwest, the vein is exposed in a tributary creek about 100m outside the western boundary of the project ground. The vein within the project boundary was covered by thick gravel. Solid rock chip grades of 9g/t gold and 1030g/t silver, 19.9g/t gold and 311g/t silver and 7.1g/t gold with 525g/t silver were identified. Additional veins across the project grounds show similar mineralisation styles and comparable grades, and Aguia will now follow them up with further work. Aguia's flagship Santa Barbara gold project is about 1.5 hours' drive from Atocha. The company recently plunged the first two holes of a 25-hole campaign into Santa Barbara and struck mineralised quartz veins and key fault structures. The hits appear to confirm its geological model and point to a potentially much bigger gold system. The company released an internal study in April estimating a head-turning exploration target of two to four million tonnes of material grading up to 30g/t gold at Santa Barbara. Its small processing plant has had a facelift and is now churning out 30 tonnes per day of ore. That figure is expected to leap to 50tpd by July when a new primary crusher comes online. Aguia also holds the Tres Estradas phosphate project in Brazil, where the company plans to eventually pump out 300,000tpa of product. It is eyeing processing operations beginning in January next year on its organic phosphate product, Pampafos. Recent field trials showed Pampafos rivals the performance of top-shelf imported fertilisers at a fraction of their price. Aguia recently leased a processing plant in Caçapava do Sul from century-old agricultural limestone firm Dagoberto Barcellos SAS. That may turn out to be a genius move, as it avoids the need for a capital raise for a new plant and its considerable associated shareholder dilution. Aguia secured a 10-year lease on the fully operational Dagoberto Barcellos processing plant for what appears to be a modest $43,000 monthly fee and a one-off payment of $1.36 million. Management believes the outcome was significantly better, in terms of time and money saved, than spending $30 million on a new production facility to achieve the same capacity. After a $1.97 million refurb and small capital expenditure outlay at the mine site, local mine services firm Contrasaper is expected to turbocharge mining activities at the project. Aguia is building up a range of solid-looking projects in South America. If they come to fruition as planned, it may place the company well and truly in the sights of market punters and investors.
Sydney Morning Herald
24-06-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Aguia starts Colombian gold exploration to lock in drilling targets
Aguia Resources will kick off surface exploration at its prospective Atocha gold-silver project in Colombia, in a bid to generate new drilling targets at the site where high-grade gold and silver have been identified. Previous rock chip sampling returned gold grades of 19.9 grams per tonne (g/t), 14.65g/t and 14.2g/t, in addition to silver assays up to 3480g/t. The project, which has also returned promising lead, zinc and tungsten grades, sits on 2584.05 hectares in the municipality of Falan, 190 kilometres west of the capital, Bogota. The program will begin work in the project's northeastern corner, following up known mineralised corridors to generate some new drill targets. Aguia's primary exploration target, Veta Grande east, is identified as a vein-type orogenic epizonal intrusion-related gold system. Prospecting and rock chip sampling in 2013-14 returned impressive high-grade samples, including 19.9g/t gold and stellar silver grades in further rock chips, grading 2300g/t, 1955g/t, 1570g/t and 1370g/t silver. 'The Atocha project sits in the richest colonial primary silver district in Colombia and accounts for one of the highest grades in the world.' Aguia Resources executive chairman Warwick Grigor From 2021 to 2023, the project was operated by Canadian explorer Baroyeca Gold & Silver, which drilled 43 diamond drill holes for 5083 metres at its highly prospective La Ye target. The better intervals consisted of 0.8m going 20.14g/t gold and 723g/t silver for a silver-equivalent grade of 2233.5g/t and a 0.5m hit grading 13.11g/t gold and 153.8g/t silver for a silver-equivalent grade of 1137.05g/t. A further 0.6m slice at 4.51g/t gold and 364g/t silver rounded out the excellent numbers. Baroyeca conducted a phase one program at La Ye that produced 25 intercepts grading more than a significant 7.6g/t gold-equivalent, or 200g/t silver-equivalent, at a width greater than 0.5m.
