Launched in 2017, the Investment Battlefield has fast become one of the highlights of Investing in African Mining Indaba.

The exciting ‘Dragon’s Den’ style event provides a platform for junior mining companies with a market cap below $50m to pitch their project to a panel of high-profile investors.
 

The Investment Battlefield is a key platform to elevate the profiles of emerging mining companies with projects in Africa.

Not only does it bring the most exciting projects to the forefront, the winner is awarded a free exhibition stand and speaking slot at the next Investing in African Mining Indaba, as well as publicity and Investor Relations Service opportunities.
 

Investment Battlefield: the road to success

In shining a spotlight on junior miners and their projects, the Battlefield serves as a springboard to share their stories and launch themselves into the investment community.

Canadian company Thor Exploration, after winning in 2018 experienced a great deal of interest and just 14 months after the event received a $78m financial package for their Segilola Gold Project based in Osun State, Nigeria.

“It was ground-breaking in terms of getting out from under the radar and increasing our exposure,” says Thor President and CEO Segun Lawson. “It was the first time getting the story out to a more global investing audience. We had investors from Australia, North America, the UK and South Africa all there to listen.”

After their win, media at Investing in African Mining Indaba and in Nigeria took an immediate interest in Thor. Lawson was asked for several onsite interviews (on camera and live on radio) and over the next few days, more than 30 articles were published about Thor and the Segilola project.

It wasn’t long after that investors from the US and the UK were requesting to visit the Segilola project in person. At the following Investing in African Mining Indaba, Thor announced that the project had reached and completed the definitive feasibility or bankable stage, validating the economics of the project. Two months later, Africa Finance Corporation announced their approval of a $78m financing packaging for the construction and ramp-up of Segilola.

Read the full Thor Exploration case study and interview with Segun Lawson.