Interim condensed consolidated financial
statements
31 DECEMBER 2023
ioneer Ltd
ABN 76 098 564 606
ioneer Limited |
Contents |
31 December 2023 |
Directors' report | 2 |
Auditor's independence declaration | 6 |
Interim condensed consolidated statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income | 7 |
Interim condensed consolidated statement of financial position | 8 |
Interim condensed consolidated statement of changes in equity | 9 |
Interim condensed consolidated statement of cash flows | 10 |
Notes to the interim condensed consolidated financial statements | 11 |
Directors' declaration | 18 |
Independent auditor's review report to the members of ioneer Limited | 19 |
The directors of ioneer Ltd present their report, together with the condensed consolidated financial statements of ioneer Ltd ('ioneer' or the 'Company') and its controlled entities (collectively the Group) for the six months ended 31 December 2023 ('half-year') and the Auditor's review report thereon. The financial statements are presented in US dollars.
Directors
The following persons were directors of the Company during the whole of the financial period and up to the date of this report, unless otherwise stated:
Mr. J.D. Calaway (Executive Chairman) | Appointed Non-executive Director 5 April 2017, Executive Chairman 1 July 2020 |
Mr. B. Rowe (Managing Director) | Appointed 1 August 2017 |
Mr. A. Davies (Non-executive Director) | Appointed 22 May 2017 |
Mr. S. Gardiner (Non-executive Director) | Appointed 25 August 2022 |
Ms. R. McKinney-James (Non-executive Director) | Appointed 1 February 2021 |
Ms. M. Walker (Non-executive Director) | Appointed 1 February 2021 |
Results and review of operations
The Group reported a consolidated comprehensive loss of $2.6m for the half year ending 31 December 2023 (2022: loss: $6.3m).
Further details of the Group's performance can be found in the 'Summary of Performance and Financial Position' review on page 4.
Principal activities
The principal activity of the Group continues to be the development of the Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Project ('Rhyolite Ridge' or 'Project') in Nevada, United States of America.
Rhyolite Ridge is one of the largest lithium and boron deposits in the world and has the potential to become a strategic, long-life source of lithium and boron. The Project is located close to existing infrastructure and is well positioned to become a major US domestic lithium producer capable of supplying a meaningful portion of future American lithium demand.
No significant change in the nature of these activities occurred during the half year.
Significant changes in the state of affairs
There were no significant changes in the state of affairs of the Group during the half year.
Matters subsequent to the end of the financial period
The directors are not aware of any matter of material circumstance which has arisen since the end of the half year ending 31 December 2023 which would be expected to have a material effect on the financial and operating performance or results of the Group.
Dividends
The directors have determined that there will be no dividend paid in respect of the half year ending 31 December 2023 (2022: $nil). No dividends have been proposed or paid since the start of the financial year.
Operating and financial performance
The operating and financial performance review forms part of the Directors’ Report and has been prepared in accordance with section 299A of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth). The information provided aims to assist users to better understand the operations and financial position of the Group.
Summary of performance and financial position
Half year ended | | Unit | | 31 Dec 2023 | | | 31 Dec 2022 | | | % Change | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Total operating cash flows | | $'000 | | | (4,554 | ) | | | (7,286 | ) | | | 37 | % |
Investing cash flows | | $'000 | | | (20,376 | ) | | | (16,873 | ) | | | (21 | %) |
Financing cash flows - equity | | $'000 | | | 8 | | | | (122 | ) | | | 107 | % |
Total cash decreased in the half year | | | | | (24,922 | ) | | | (24,281 | ) | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net loss after tax | | | | | (2,747 | ) | | | (5,811 | ) | | | 53 | % |
Balance as at | | Unit | | 31 Dec 2023 | | | 31 Dec 2022 | | | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Cash | | $'000 | | | 27,989 | | | | 69,297 | | | | (60 | %) |
Capitalised exploration for period | | $'000 | | | 19,959 | | | | 15,157 | | | | 32 | % |
Net assets | | $'000 | | | 196,294 | | | | 198,315 | | | | (1 | %) |
| | | | | | 31 Dec 2023 | | | 31 Dec 2022 | | | % Change | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Mineral Resource: | | Measure and Indicated | | mt | | | 294.5 | | | | 127.0 | | | | 131.9 | |
| | | | mt | | | 65.7 | | | | 19.5 | | | | 236.9 | |
Mineral Resource: | | Total (1) | | mt | | | 360.2 | | | | 146.5 | | | | 145.8 | |
(1) | Further detail on Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves can be found in the Group’s annual consolidated financial statements as at 30 June 2023. |
The Group recorded a loss from ordinary activities for the period of $2.7 million (2022: loss $5.8 million).
The net assets of ioneer decreased slightly to $196.3 million as at 31 December 2023, from $197.4 million at 30 June 2023, due primarily to a lower cash balance offset by continued investment in the Rhyolite Ridge asset and lower total liabilities.
Exploration and evaluation expenditure for the first half of FY2024 was $20.0 million (first half FY2023 $15.2 million) incurred advancing the engineering and permitting of the Project.
Cash at 31 December 2023 was $28.0 million (30 June 2023: $69.3 million).
Highlights for the half year ended 31 December 2023
State & Federal permitting process
● | Rhyolite Ridge continued to advance through the NEPA permitting process with no major issues or delays. Key milestone achieved, including completion by Bureau of Land Management of the draft EIS. |
● | Endangered Species Act Section 7 Consultation began informally with the submittal and approval of the ERTI Buckwheat Protection Plan. |
● | The Company collected 3,600 Tiehm's buckwheat seeds from plants grown in our conservation center, in addition to the Rae Selling Berry Seed Bank completing the collection of an additional 8,000 seeds at site. |
Geotechnical Program
● | Successful geotechnical drilling program completed on time and on budget. |
● | Drilling program completed coverage of the southern and southeastern sections of the South Basin and provided valuable information for the NEPA evaluation that will also feed into the updated resource and quarry design. |
Engineering and Vendor packages
● | Engineering design now at a mature stage requiring only minimal spend ahead of FID and commencement of construction. |
● | ioneer and Eco Pro expanded the existing partnership with an MOU covering potential future development of the Rhyolite Ridge lithium clay resource (currently excluded from Project design and economics). |
Environmental performance
The Group holds exploration licences issued by the relevant government authorities which specify guidelines for environmental impacts in relation to exploration activities. The licence conditions provide for the full rehabilitation of the areas of exploration in accordance with regulatory guidelines and standards. There have been no known breaches of the licence conditions.
In late December 2022, Rhyolite Ridge Project advanced into the final stage of federal permitting with the decision by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to publish a Notice of Intent (NOI) in the Federal Register. This marked a major milestone toward the completion of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process and approval of the Project’s Plan of Operations (“Plan”).
The Plan is the foundational permitting document for the Project and will become the basis for compliance during operations and closure. Under the Plan, there will be no Project-related direct impacts to any of the subpopulations of Tiehm’s buckwheat.
The Project continues to progress through NEPA with a draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) expected to be completed and distributed to the public during Q1 2024. The Company continues to work closely with the BLM and USFWS to keep both the NEPA process and the Section 7 Endangered Species Act (ESA) progressing in tandem. To date, no unexpected issues or areas of concern have been identified.
A significantly expanded groundwater model was submitted to the BLM, to account for the increase in pumping of water from the 2020 5-year quarry to the current 2022 17-year quarry.
Auditor's independence declaration
A copy of the auditor's independence declaration as required under section 307C of the Corporations Act 2001 is set out immediately after this directors' report.
Rounding of amounts
The Group is of a kind referred to in Corporations Instrument 2016/191, issued by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, relating to 'rounding-off'. Amounts in this report have been rounded off in accordance with that Corporations Instrument to the nearest thousand dollars, unless otherwise stated.
This report is made in accordance with a resolution of directors, pursuant to section 306(3)(a) of the Corporations Act 2001.
On behalf of the directors
/s/ James D Calaway | |
James D Calaway |
Chairman |
|
21 February 2024 |
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