McEwen Mining Inc. (NYSE:MUX) Q3 2023 Earnings Call Transcript

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Rob McEwen: That’s a good question. Well, one, we’re contemplating and looking, because we feel our assets are starting – they’ve turned around, and we have a more stable, solid base to push off from. I think if one’s looking, we could use more cash flow, probably a producer or someone who’s, I think, more attractive space would be someone who’s got a permit, so you don’t have to worry about the time delays. It isn’t going to cost a lot of money to put into production, and has some good exploration potential.

Joseph Reagor: Okay, fair enough. And then… [Multiple Speakers]

Rob McEwen: Probably within the Americas.

Joseph Reagor: Yeah, fair thing to add there. And then looking at the balance sheet, so if we ex out the cash that’s in McEwen Copper, you got $6 million in to start the quarter. Do you feel comfortable with that, call it $7 million to $8 million level of cash moving forward? Is there like a certain minimum you guys would like to maintain? Or is there room there to add, say, flow through or something like that in the future to keep advancing projects like stock?

Rob McEwen: We expect our cash balance to grow during the quarter considerably. Flow through, in that we always have exploration. That might be a consideration going forward, just as a way of – an inexpensive way of exploring.

Joseph Reagor: Okay, and if the cash balance does grow a bit for the McEwen parent company, like is there a certain level you’d like to maintain once you get above it, going forward to just provide the proper financial flexibility quarter-to-quarter?

Rob McEwen: That will be very dependent on the market, our share price? We think it’s undervalued at the moment, so not keen to release many shares into an environment like this.

Joseph Reagor: Fair enough. All right, thanks for the color, Rob. I’ll turn it over.

Rob McEwen: Thank you, Joe.

Operator: Your next question comes from the line of John Tumazos with John Tumazos Very Independent Research. Please go ahead.

John Tumazos : Congratulations on all the different progress, especially in Argentina. Rob, how do you think Los Azulis is going to transition from the equity placement stage with a consortium of shareholders and McEwen Mining running the exploration project to one of those great big company mine operators? You know how they like to get presents from their suppliers and act like they are in command. How long do you expect that McEwen will continue to run the exploration project? And when is the right time to let one of those great big beasts tell you what to do?

Rob McEwen: Good question, John. We’ve just raised some money, so that allows us to weather some of the turbulent markets that are around us. We’d like to get to a feasibility or close to a feasibility. We do have conversations with those big companies when they certainly have the expertise to build. But we’re on our way. We’re trying to build a new model here for mining that could make mining more attractive to the general population and more supportive. I think I’d like to see a stronger market for copper before we get into serious discussions with the big ones. And at the same time, our next steps will be talking to some of the large providers of capital, that – so we get a sense of we’d be in a better bargaining position with the majors, knowing what the costs of capital are. So I don’t have a date for you, John, but we’re moving in that direction to get…

John Tumazos : So we’re probably still running the ship for a couple more years.

Rob McEwen: Yes. Yes.

John Tumazos : Thank you. Congratulations on so much progress so quickly now.

Rob McEwen: Thanks, John. I appreciate it.

Operator: There are no further questions at this time. Mr. Rob McEwen, I will turn the call back over to you.

Rob McEwen : Thank you, operator. Thank you fellow shareholders, ladies and gentlemen. The best is yet to come. Thank you.

Operator: That does conclude today’s meeting. We thank you all for joining. You may now disconnect.

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