Interview with Ben Pullinger, President & CEO of ATEX Resources Inc.

Our previous interview: [ Ссылка ]

Recording date: 15th November 2024

ATEX Resources, a copper exploration company with projects in Chile, is well-positioned for significant growth and value creation following a strategic investment from major global miner Agnico Eagle. Agnico has acquired a 13% stake in ATEX with an option to increase its ownership to 20%, providing a strong endorsement of ATEX's projects, team and long-term potential.

ATEX's flagship asset is the Valeriano copper-gold project, which CEO Ben Pullinger, believes could host over 10 million ounces of gold in addition to its large copper resource. With Agnico's backing, ATEX now has the financial strength to aggressively advance Valeriano through expanded drilling and technical studies. The company is currently operating two drill rigs and aims to have five turning by year-end as it works to deliver an updated resource estimate in mid-2025.

Recent drilling has returned some of the highest-grade intercepts to date at Valeriano, including 112m at 1.5% CuEq, demonstrating the potential for higher-grade zones within the deposit. ATEX is also conducting a metallurgical testwork program that will provide valuable data for project optimization and economic studies.

Agnico's involvement brings significant technical expertise to the project. As one of the world's top underground miners, Agnico can provide valuable input to guide exploration, resource delineation, and mine planning as Valeriano advances. This partnership aligns with Agnico's strategy of investing in established mining camps with potential for major, long-life assets - criteria that Valeriano clearly meets.

For ATEX shareholders, the Agnico investment is a major de-risking event that validates the company's assets and strategy. It alleviates funding pressure and allows ATEX to think long-term, optimizing project development rather than rushing studies. Importantly, it demonstrates that ATEX is graduating from a pure exploration story to a company with world-class partners and resources.

While already commanding a C$300 million valuation, CEO Pullinger sees potential for ATEX to reach a billion dollar market cap as it continues to de-risk and expand Valeriano. The company is now on the radar of larger institutional investors and is seeing strong interest in the UK and Europe as well as North America.

With a tight global pipeline of copper development projects, ATEX represents a unique investment opportunity in a critical metal. Copper market fundamentals remain highly attractive, and as Valeriano advances it is positioned to be a strategically important asset that could help meet the world's long-term copper needs.

Through its partnership with Agnico and continued exploration success, ATEX is entering an exciting new chapter in its evolution. As the company delivers on its ambitious goals, it offers significant upside potential for investors who recognize the value of its assets, team and world-class partners.

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