Economy
BacTech Announces High Grade Silver Results from Telamayu Drilling
By Dipo Olowookere
BacTech Environmental Corporation on Tuesday announced the results of the first 47 samples (35 routines and 12 control samples) from 3 holes drilled on a 60-hole drill program (approximately 600 m in total) at the company’s joint venture Silver-Copper-Tin tailings remediation project at Telamayu, Bolivia.
The purpose of the program is to verify earlier work carried out by BacTech’s partner, Mining Corporation of Bolivia, the Bolivian state mining company, and to provide material for upcoming metallurgical work. Additional results will be released in batches over the next few weeks.
Telamayu is an historic mill town situated next to Atocha, Bolivia. Over the past 80 years, the mill has treated material from 2 local mines (Tasna and Animas).
The tailings from the mill make up the Antigua tailings, the subject of these assays, and the much larger Nuevo tailings.
Previously, COMIBOL engaged individuals to dig test holes on the tailings (five wells of 1.5mx 1.5mx10m) with bulk samples taken every meter as well as channel samples. The test holes showed a tin grade of 0.97% and a silver content of 408 g/t.
Upon completion of the execution of the contract with COMIBOL for the remediation and exploitation of the old tailings of Telamayu, which was subsequently approved by the Bolivian Congress and endorsed by an express law, BacTech had access to documents that COMIBOL’s Environment Department had prepared in 2004-2005. These documents present a proposal for the exploitation of the “old tailings dam of Telamayu”.
Specifically, the documents deal with work to be carried out for the evaluation of the dam’s potential, the technical options for metal extraction, the proposed type of plant to be employed and an estimate of the project’s profitability.
The historical data and grades presented above are relevant to the further exploration of the project, which the Company is currently undertaking with a drill program.
BacTech is conducting a tailing evaluation program with approximately 60 holes to be drilled with the Vibracore system with systematic core sampling meter by meter. At present, 65% of the drilling program has been completed and approximately 600 core samples were sent in for chemical analysis.
The results from the 3 first holes are as follows (weighted average, uncut):
Hole ID X Y Z From To Width, m Gold, g/t Silver, g/t Tin, % Copper Soluble, % Copper Total, %
G5X 788 769 7 681 660 3 671 0,00 12,20 12,20 0,12 396,10 1,55 0,97 1,69
H5 788 774 7 681 687 3 671 0,50 12,10 11,60 0,26 504,87 1,56 0,87 1,75
F6 788 775 7 681 642 3 671 0,50 11,90 11,40 0,28 260,11 2,55 0,16 0,29
Admittedly, only 8% of the material has been assayed to date, but these values have exceeded our expectations.
Samples consist of half NQ-size diamond core that are split on site, prepared at the Spectrolab laboratory, an ISO accredited laboratory at the Technical University of Oruro, Bolivia and assayed for gold, silver, tin and copper by fire assay for silver and by Atomic absorption or total fusion for the base metals.
The QA-QC program of the Company includes insertion of certified standards every 20 samples, blanks at least every 20 samples and core duplicates every 20 samples. The remaining half core is retained onsite for verification and reference purposes.
The sampling results from this drill program will be the underpinning of a resource estimation following the guidelines established by Canadian National Instrument 43-101 reporting. Once the drilling program has been completed, the Company will immediately begin metallurgical test work to determine the appropriate method for metal recovery. A complete NI 43-101 Preliminary Economic Assessment (“PEA”) will then be completed.
“It was a bit tricky in the beginning of the drill program as we discovered a cement-like layer up to 1 meter thick that the Vibracore had a hard time getting through. Alterations were made to the program and, at the time of writing, we are in the final stages of the program,” said Ross Orr, President and CEO of BacTech.
Kamil Khobzi, an engineer and Qualified Person under NI 43-101, who has visited the property, has read and approved this release.
Finally, the Company also announced that it has closed a CAD$30,000 tranche of the current financing. The financing is a 5-cent unit consisting of 1 common share of the Company and 1/2 (one half) of a common share purchase warrant. One full warrant plus 10 cents buys an additional common share for 2 years from the closing of this tranche.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc has declared the first interim dividend in its history after posting its financial results for the first half of 2026, reflecting robust earnings growth, improved operating efficiency and stronger capital market activity.
The board approved an interim dividend of N1.00 per ordinary share for the six months ended June 30, 2026, citing the company’s strong cash generation, resilient balance sheet and confidence in the sustainability of its earnings.
The interim payout represents about 56 per cent of the total dividend of N1.78 per share paid for the 2025 financial year, underscoring its strong earnings momentum while preserving financial flexibility to invest in technology, innovation and future growth.
CSCS recorded one of the strongest financial performances in its history during the review period, with total operating income rising by 92 per cent to N18.51 billion from the corresponding period of 2025.
The growth was driven by higher transaction fee income as capital market activity strengthened, continued expansion in depository services, increased collateral management revenues and stronger contributions from data and technology-enabled services. Investment income also improved as the company optimised its investment portfolio.
Despite the sharp rise in revenue, operating expenses increased by only 38 per cent, reflecting disciplined cost management and the scalability of the company’s business model.
As a result, operating profit surged by 186 per cent to N10.11 billion, while profit before tax climbed by 115 per cent to N13.21 billion. Earnings per share also rose significantly to 190.1 kobo from 109.1 kobo in the corresponding period of 2025.
The organisation also recorded improvements in operating efficiency. Its cost-to-income ratio declined to 45.4 per cent from 63.2 per cent a year earlier, while operating profit margin improved to 54.6 per cent from 36.8 per cent.
According to the company, the results demonstrate not only the benefits of stronger market activity but also the resilience of its operating model and its ability to convert revenue growth into higher profitability, improved shareholder returns and sustainable long-term value creation.
Commenting on the interim dividend, the Chairman of CSCS Plc, Mr Temi Popoola, said the board’s decision reflected confidence in the firm’s financial strength, earnings quality and long-term strategic direction.
He said the strong performance was driven not only by increased market activity but also by sustained improvements in operational efficiency, disciplined cost management and the continued diversification of revenue streams.
Mr Popoola noted that the Board remained committed to balancing shareholder returns with investments in technology, innovation, resilience and new growth opportunities that would strengthen CSCS’ position as Nigeria’s leading financial market infrastructure and one of Africa’s foremost post-trade institutions.
The chief executive of CSCS Plc, Mr Shehu Yahaya Shantali, attributed the strong performance to the resilience of the entity’s business model, the dedication of its workforce and the confidence of market participants.
He said the first-ever interim dividend demonstrated the company’s ability to translate strong earnings growth and improved operating efficiency into enhanced shareholder value.
Mr Shantali added that CSCS would continue to strengthen its core market infrastructure, invest in technology and innovation, diversify its revenue base and enhance value creation for stakeholders while supporting the development of Nigeria’s capital market.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The national scale long-term issuer rating of Axxela Limited has been upgraded by GCR Rating to A+(NG), just as its short-term issuer rating was affirmed with a stable outlook.
The rating firm upgraded the long-term issue rating for Axxela Funding 1 Plc’s N16.4 billion series 1 senior unsecured bond to A+(NG), while the N11.5 billion series 1 senior secured bond was lifted to A+(NG)(EL).
GCR noted in a note that the actions reflect the leading gas and power portfolio company’s robust business model, strong earnings performance, and sustained financial profile, reinforcing its ability to deliver long-term value while maintaining financial discipline.
Axxela’s recent achievements have been driven by its continued focus on responsible growth, customer satisfaction, and creating lasting value for national development.
“The ratings upgrade by GCR is a strong endorsement of Axxela’s disciplined approach to business. Beyond recognising our financial strength, it reflects the resilience of our business model and the confidence in our strategic direction.
“Over the past few years, we have continued to make significant strides across the business by expanding our natural gas infrastructure, strengthening our operational footprint, advancing our sustainability agenda, and maintaining an unwavering commitment to operational excellence and safety,” the chief executive of Axxela, Mr Moshood Olajide, commented on the development.
As the company continues to advance its long-term growth strategy, the upgraded ratings reinforce confidence in Axxela’s credit profile, financial resilience, and ability to create enduring value for investors, customers and other stakeholders.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) have strengthened their partnership to deploy digital identity technology, aiming to combat illegal mining and enhance security in Nigeria’s mining sector.
Speaking while receiving the Director-General and management of NIMC on a courtesy visit to his office in Abuja, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr Dele Alake, described the commission as a critical institution in Nigeria’s development architecture, stressing that effective governance could not be achieved without a credible identity management system.
“NIMC occupies a critical position in translating policy into reality. It is pivotal to the development of any nation because governance today is driven by data, technology and credible identity systems,” he added.
He noted that inadequate identification systems had weakened enforcement efforts over the years, allowing illegal mining activities to flourish in mineral-rich communities.
“Without identification, we cannot trace or track, and insecurity will flourish. In the solid minerals sector, we need effective monitoring of both legal and illegal operations.
“A credible identity ecosystem will strengthen regulation, improve enforcement and support our efforts to sanitise the sector,” Mr Alake said.
The minister identified technology, statistics, data gathering and digital identity as critical enablers for evidence-based policymaking, improved regulatory oversight, efficient licensing, investment promotion and national development.
On her part, the DG of NIMC, Mrs Abisoye Coker-Odusote, highlighted several opportunities for collaboration between both institutions, noting that the newly enacted NIMC Act has positioned Nigeria to fully embrace a digital governance ecosystem.
She explained that deeper integration of identity management into the solid minerals sector would facilitate database integration across government institutions, enhance regulatory compliance, strengthen security and law enforcement, improve monitoring of operators, and provide stronger support for the implementation of Community Development Agreements (CDAs) in mining host communities.
Mrs Coker-Odusote added that NIMC’s upgraded digital infrastructure is capable of supporting government institutions in building reliable databases, improving transparency and delivering more efficient public services.
Both institutions said they would immediately begin implementing technology-driven initiatives under the partnership, expressing confidence that expanding access to trusted digital identities for miners and other eligible residents would enhance accountability and strengthen governance in the solid minerals sector.
