Interview with Terry Holohan, CEO & Managing Director of Resolute Mining.
Recording date: 1st May 2024
Resolute Mining, a gold producer operating in West Africa, has undergone a transformative three-year turnaround under CEO Terry Holohan. Despite inheriting significant operational challenges at the company's flagship Syama mine in Mali, Holohan and his team have systematically worked to stabilize and optimize the asset, positioning Resolute for profitable growth.
When Holohan took the helm in 2021, the Syama underground mine and sulphide processing plant were struggling with inconsistent performance. Suboptimal mine sequencing and design issues had hampered a transition to automation, while the processing plant battled frequent roaster instability due to variable ore feed. Holohan's first priority was assembling a team of technical experts to tackle these issues head-on.
"We had to essentially rebuild the plant over a quarter," Holohan recounted. "It was back to basics and joined up thinking required."
With the operation stabilized, Holohan turned to aggressive exploration to drive organic growth. Resolute has added 3 million ounces of gold reserves over the past three years, bringing the total to 10 million ounces. This reserve growth has underpinned an expansion project at Syama that will lift annual production from 200,000 ounces to over 230,000 ounces, utilizing latent capacity in the mill.
Crucially, this growth is being self-funded by Resolute's improving cash generation. The company has eliminated its debt balance and is generating net cash even after funding $20 million in annual exploration. As Syama's expansion lifts production, unit costs are forecast to continue trending lower, significantly expanding margins.
Holohan's turnaround strategy has not been without risks, including a dilutive equity raising early on. However, he emphasized that the raising facilitated vital investments and attracted key North American shareholders who "really bought into the idea that we've got a growing asset here." Holohan sees further potential to scale Resolute into a larger, multi-asset producer over time.
"Over the next five years, everybody internally and with the fund managers and the shareholders, we all know that there's a tier one mine in the making," he stated, referencing the industry's classification for mines producing over 500,000 ounces annually.
Resolute also appears well-positioned to navigate the challenging jurisdictional landscape in West Africa. While Mali has suffered instability and terrorism threats in recent years, Resolute's operations are located in the far southwest of the country near the Cote d'Ivoire border, an area that has remained secure and calm.
While Resolute's turnaround is not yet complete, the company has already demonstrated its ability to deliver operational consistency, with 11 straight quarters of improving production and costs. As it brings additional production online at better margins, Resolute is well-positioned to create value for shareholders in the coming years.
With a proven management team, robust balance sheet, organic growth pipeline, and long-term optionality for further value-accretive M&A, Resolute presents a compelling opportunity for investors looking to gain exposure to an under-the-radar gold producer in the early innings of an operational turnaround.
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