GRAPHITE: Nouveau Monde PFS for Matawinie points toward $2B revenues

QUEBEC – Nouveau Monde Graphite of Saint-Michel-des-Saints, Que., says the results of the recent prefeasibility study is “robust” for the West zone of the Tony claim block, part of its Matawinie graphite property 130 km north of Montreal. The report was prepared by Met-Chem. [caption id="attachment_1003720519" align="alignleft" width="357"] Open pit mining of the West zone at Matawinie will be phased over four years. (Credit: Nouveau Monde Graphite.)[/caption] The PFS outlines an undertaking with a 27-year life capable of generating nearly $2.7 billion over its lifetime. The project has a pre-tax net present value of $498.7 million (8% discount), and after taxes the NPV will be $297.2 million (8% discount). It carries an pre-tax internal rate of return of 32.4%, and an after tax IRR of 25.9%. The initial capital expense will be $180.8 million, including a contingency of $22.1 million. Payback after taxes would be 2.6 years. Operating expenses will be $28.0 million per year or $539 per tonne of concentrate. Nouveau Monde says annual production will be 52,000 tonnes of concentrate with a recovery rate above 94%. The finished concentrate will be >97% graphitic carbon (Cg). Additional information is posted at www.NouveauMonde.ca.