Our opinion on the current state of ORIONMIN(ORN)Orion Minerals (ORN) is an Australian exploration company which is listed on the JSE (September 2017) and on the Australian Stock Exchange in Sydney. It is trying to find funding for its copper and zinc mine in Prieska.
The Prieska mine was previously operated by Anglovaal, but stopped operating in 1990 after 20 years during which it extracted more than 1 million tons of zinc and 430 000 tons of copper concentrate. The main problem with the mine is flooding. Orion hopes to exploit this resource with a mechanised approach and minimum labour.
Vedanta Resources, which runs the Gamsberg mine next to Orion's resource, is looking at building a smelter that could service all the mines in the area and even resources from Namibia. Once construction begins on the Prieska mine, they will need to pump out nearly 9 million cubic meters of water from the existing structure. Production is expected to begin in 2024.
Mining exploration is probably one of the riskiest investments on the JSE. At 30th September 2023 the company had $15,74m in cash.
On 17th April 2024 the company asked for a halt on the trading in its shares because of a "...material announcement on exploration results at Okiep copper mine." On 22nd April 2024 the company announced a "Spectacular High-Grade Copper Intercept at Okiep Copper Project, Flat Mines Area 49m at 4.89% Cu including 10.23m at 12.47% Cu." This caused the share price to jump from 19c to 24c.
Investors should be very careful of this loss-making penny stock and maintain a strict stop-loss level.
On 25th June 2024 the company requested an immediate stop to trading in its shares pending an announcement.
On 28th August 2024 the company announced that it had been granted a key water use licence for the Okiep copper mine.
In its results for the six months to 31st December 2024 the company reported a headline loss per share of 0,01c compared with 0,07c in the previous period (AUD). The company said, "The operating loss for the previous corresponding period reflected an unrealised foreign exchange loss of AUD0.51 million and exploration expenditure of AUD6.73 million."
In our view, this is a volatile penny stock engaged in a particularly risky venture.
On 3rd April 2025 the company announced that Errol Smart would step down as CEO and be replaced by Anthony Lennox with immediate effect.
