Interview with Pascal Hamelin, President & CEO of Abcourt Mines Inc.

Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/abcourt-mines-tsxvabi-new-quebec-producer-positioned-for-growth-cash-flow-buybacks-8051

Recording date: 3rd December 2025

Abcourt Mines (TSXV:ABI) has successfully transitioned from exploration to production at its Sleeping Giant mine in Quebec, representing an increasingly rare case study in debt-financed mine development that avoids the severe shareholder dilution typical of traditional equity-financed builds. The company secured $12 million in financing from Nebari—including C$8 million initial tranche, $2 million follow-on, and $2 million used to buy down the Triple Flag NSR royalty from 2% to 1.5%—and commenced gold production.

October 2025 production reached 475 ounces whilst operating at conservative staffing levels and building mill circuit inventory. Management projects cash flow positivity by Q2 2026 at approximately 700 ounces monthly production, with current monthly burn rate below $1 million. The Nebari credit facility includes a two-year interest-only period until July 2027, providing critical runway to demonstrate operational consistency and build cash reserves before principal repayments commence.

The operational leverage inherent in Abcourt's asset base is substantial. The company operates an 800-tonne-per-day mill (permitted for 950 tonnes per day) currently running at less than 45% capacity. Management targets 350 tonnes per day by autumn 2025, with the mill processing all current mine production in approximately eight hours on day shift only. Plans include expanding to two shifts in early 2026 and eventually four shifts as production scales, providing a clear pathway to meaningful production growth without major capital investment.

The constraint on production growth is labour availability rather than geological or metallurgical factors. CEO Pascal Hamelin explicitly stated: "It's not the feed, it's the people, that's the problem you're trying to solve for." The company has invested in infrastructure to address recruitment challenges, including a sleep camp commissioned in September 2024 with Phase Two expansion pending permit approval.

The current mine plan supports seven years producing 25,000–33,000 ounces annually, with variation driven by grade. Management's strategic priority centres on extending mine life to 10+ years through three underground drill rigs at Sleeping Giant, then increasing mining fronts to utilise full mill capacity. This narrow-vein, high-grade mining approach—room-and-pillar methods targeting veins 30 centimetres to one metre wide—inherently limits tonnes but maximises grade, with underground samples showing visible gold exceeding 300 g/t.

The Flordin discovery adds significant exploration upside. Systematic work exposed 300 metres of strike length grading 5 g/t gold over 15–20 metres width at surface, located 138 kilometres from existing mill infrastructure within a potential two-kilometre mineralised corridor. Abcourt has planned 20,000 metres of drilling for 2026—winter programmes targeting the eastern extension towards Agnico Eagle's adjacent property boundary, spring/summer/autumn programmes targeting northwestern extensions—entirely funded from operating cash flow.

Management and directors hold approximately 30% ownership, having consistently supported development through equity investments. Shareholders have expressed preference for share buybacks over dividends once balance sheet permits, with capital allocation decisions driven by financial strength rather than arbitrary timelines.

Sustained gold prices above US$4,000 per ounce have fundamentally improved narrow-vein deposit economics. Every US$100 increase translates to approximately US$2.5–3.3 million in additional annual revenue at current production guidance. The investment case depends on execution during the 18-month ramp-up period, successful miner recruitment, and drilling success at both assets to extend mine life and confirm district-scale potential at Flordin.

View Abcourt Mines' company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/abcourt-mines-inc

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