Interview with Elaine Ellingham, President & CEO of Omai Gold Mines Corp.

Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/omai-gold-mines-tsxvomg-fast-track-to-production-on-43moz-gold-resource-project-in-guyana-5390

Recording date: 11th September 2024

Omai Gold Mines is rapidly emerging as a compelling investment opportunity in the junior gold mining sector, with its flagship project in Guyana poised for significant growth and development. The company's strategic position in the underexplored Guiana Shield, combined with robust project economics and substantial resource expansion potential, makes it an attractive prospect for investors seeking exposure to the gold market.

Led by experienced President & CEO Ela Ellingham, Omai has been aggressively exploring its project for the past three years, consistently expanding its resource base. The company recently released a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) that demonstrates strong project fundamentals, even when based on conservative assumptions. The PEA outlines an operation capable of producing an average of 142,000 ounces of gold annually over a 13-year mine life, with a Net Present Value (NPV) of $556 million at a 5% discount rate and an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 19.8%, using a gold price of $1,950 per ounce.

Importantly, these figures are based on only 45% of the current resource and cover just one of two known deposits on the property. This conservative approach suggests significant upside potential as Omai continues to expand its resource base and optimize its development plans. The company recently completed a $13 million financing, with 90% participation from funds, providing the capital needed to accelerate its exploration efforts.

Omai's project benefits from several key advantages. The deposit extends over 2.4 kilometers, with zones showing continuity along strike, providing numerous targets for resource expansion. Management has also observed that gold grades tend to increase with depth, suggesting that future drilling could potentially add higher-grade material to the resource. At current gold prices (around $2,500/oz), the project's economics improve dramatically, with the NPV potentially reaching $950 million and the IRR increasing to about 28%.

The company's strategy focuses on systematically de-risking and advancing the project towards production. With two drill rigs currently operating and a target of drilling approximately 4,000 meters per month, Omai is well-positioned to deliver a steady stream of news flow and potential catalysts for share price appreciation.

From a macro perspective, Omai stands to benefit from several industry trends. Major gold producers are facing declining reserve bases and struggling to replace depleted ounces, driving interest in junior explorers with significant resource potential. The gold mining sector has also seen increased M&A activity as larger companies seek to bolster their project pipelines. Omai's potential for a 20-30 year mine life makes it particularly attractive to mid-tier and major producers looking to establish a long-term presence in a new jurisdiction.

While investing in junior mining companies carries inherent risks, Omai's strong fundamentals, exploration upside, and strategic appeal make it a compelling consideration for investors seeking exposure to the gold sector. The company's clear strategy, predictable geology, and significant resource expansion potential offer an attractive risk-reward profile.

As CEO Elaine Ellingham states, "We know exactly where we want to drill and as I said, the one slice between 200 and 300 meters gave us over a million ounces. That's the focus at two grams. So we're basically stepping out 150 meters and we know from the drilling we've done it's fairly predictable. We think we can build that up and target a fairly significant deposit."

For investors looking to gain exposure to a potentially world-class gold asset in an emerging mining jurisdiction, Omai Gold Mines presents an opportunity worth serious consideration. As the company continues to advance its project and demonstrate its value, it may attract increased attention from both investors and potential strategic partners in the mining industry.

View Omai Gold Mines' company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/omai-gold-mines

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