Pegmont PEA: A$124M NPV, 24% IRR
Vendetta Mining Corp.'s Pegmont in Australia (Mount Isa – Cloncurry region, Queensland) has a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) outlining an after-tax NPV of A$124M, an after-tax IRR of 24%, and initial capital of A$170M.
Vendetta Mining Corp.'s Pegmont has reported Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) results for the lead-zinc-silver project in Australia (Mount Isa – Cloncurry region, Queensland). The study headlines an after-tax net present value of A$124M at a 8% discount rate. It reflects Vendetta Mining Corp.'s (VTT.V) latest disclosed economics for the asset.
Economics. The after-tax NPV is A$124M using a 8% discount rate. After-tax IRR is 24%. Initial capital expenditure is estimated at A$170M, with life-of-mine sustaining capital of A$59M. The study models a payback period of 3.5 years. All-in sustaining costs are pegged at 0.71 A$/lb payable lead. Economics are based on US$0.95/lb Pb, US$1.05/lb Zn, US$16.5/oz Ag; exchange rate US$0.75:A$1.0.
Production and mine plan. The project envisions an open-pit & underground operation.
Resources and ownership. Mineral resources: Indicated: 5,758 kt at 6.5% Pb, 2.6% Zn, 11 g/t Ag; Inferred: 8,277 kt at 5.1% Pb, 2.8% Zn, 8 g/t Ag. Royalties and streams: 1.5% NSR royalty to vendor; Queensland state royalties for lead and zinc at 5%.
These figures are extracted from Vendetta Mining Corp.'s technical disclosures and reflect the most recent PEA on file. Compare this project against other developers and producers in our project economics database, and always verify the numbers against the original technical report before making any investment decision.
Our Analysis
The 24% after-tax IRR sits in the lower half of our tracked peer set but clears the 15% practical financing hurdle for developers, though it falls short of the 20%+ threshold typically required for higher-risk single-asset juniors. The 8% discount rate is within standard reporting range but flatters the NPV; a higher rate would compress it materially. The A$124M NPV is roughly 30.9x the company’s market cap—a gap that could signal the market has not priced the asset, or that skepticism exists around financing, permitting, or jurisdictional risk.
Capital intensity is the primary concern: A$170M initial capex equals 137% of NPV, meaning funding risk is acute for a junior with a small market cap. The 3.5-year payback is moderate but does little to offset dilution risk. The study’s price assumptions (US$0.95/lb Pb, US$1.05/lb Zn, US$16.5/oz Ag) are the base case; any sustained weakness in lead-zinc-silver prices would pressure returns. The single most important watch-item is the company’s ability to secure project finance without severe equity dilution.
Our take, benchmarked against the project economics in the Mining Stocks database. Figures are estimates drawn from company technical reports — not investment advice; always verify against the source filing.