Cadence Minerals (LSE:KDNC) - Azteca Restart & Strategic Path to $1.97B Asset

Interview with Kiran Morzaria, CEO, Cadence Minerals

Recording date: 5th September, 2025

Cadence Minerals presents one of the mining sector's most compelling valuation disconnects, trading at a £10 million market capitalization while holding 35% ownership in Brazil's Amapá iron ore project valued at $1.97 billion NPV. The AIM-listed diversified investment company operates what may be one of the most undervalued mining assets in the current market.

The Amapá project stands apart through its fully integrated infrastructure, encompassing mine, railway concession, and port facilities under single ownership. This rare configuration enables the company to target production of 5.5 million tons annually of premium 67.5% Fe grade direct reduction pellets with exceptionally low operating costs of $27 per ton FOB. The integrated supply chain provides both cost leadership and potential third-party revenue streams, with the railway historically carrying 700,000 tons of external material.

CEO Kiran Morzaria emphasizes the infrastructure advantage: "One of the reasons that we can keep this low is because we own our own port. We have effectively a renewable concession on the railway, which will renew every 23 years." This positioning allows competitive delivery to China at $55-60 CFR, maintaining profitability even under pessimistic pricing scenarios.

The investment thesis centers on two key catalysts. The immediate opportunity involves restarting the Azteca plant with just $3.5 million investment to generate 330,000-390,000 tons annually within nine months, providing cash flow and operational validation. Longer-term value creation requires securing strategic partnerships to access the $370 million capital needed for full-scale development.

The company's brownfield advantage, premium product quality, and defensive cost structure position it favorably against market volatility. However, execution depends critically on partnership arrangements, making this a high-leverage play on management's ability to attract suitable joint venture partners while demonstrating operational capability through near-term production.

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