Orezone Gold launches $20M bought deal

Burkina Faso-focused developer Orezone Gold (TSXV: ORE) has announced a $20 million bought deal co-led by Canaccord Genuity and PI Financial.

The underwriters will purchase a total of 37.1 million units with each unit comprised of one share and half of a warrant.

Proceeds are intended for advancing the Bombore project and for working capital and corporate purposes.

The underwriters have an option to acquire up to an additional 5.6 million units for proceeds of up to $3 million for 30 days following closing. Closing is expected around Jan. 29.

The Bombore gold project is host to a total oxide reserve of 52.5 million tonnes at 0.69 gram gold per tonne for 1.2 million contained oz. with additional sulphide reserves of 17.6 million tonnes grading 1.19 grams gold per tonne for a total of 675,000 ounces. These are contained within a measured and indicated resource inventory of 107 million tonnes of oxides at 0.55 gram gold and 123 million tonnes of sulphides at 0.8 gram gold.

Last year, the company released a feasibility study for Bombore that outlined a staged oxide-sulphide project producing an average of 117,800 oz. gold annually at all-in sustaining costs (AISCs) of US$730 per ounce.

The associated initial capital for the oxide portion of the project was estimated at US$153 million, with an additional US$63 million allocated for the sulphide expansion commencing operations in the third year. The associated net present value, at a 5% discount rate, has been estimated at US$361 million with a 43.8% internal rate of return.

Orezone is planning on pouring first gold from Bombore in the second half of next year.

At press time in Toronto, Orezone was trading at 51¢ per share with a 52-week range of 39¢ to 88¢ per share.

The company 213.4 million common shares outstanding for a $109-million market capitalization.