Hickock Mining is evaluating when to open a gold mine. The mine has 48,000 ounces of gold left that can be mined, and mining operations will produce 6,000ounces per year. The required return on the gold mine is 12%, and it will cost $34million to open the mine. When the mine is opened, the company will sign a contract that will guarantee the price of gold for the remaining life of the mine. If the mine is opened today, each ounce of gold will generate an aftertax cash flow of $1400 per ounce. I the company waits one year, there is a 60% probability that the contract price will generate an aftertax cash flow of $1,600 per ounce and a 40% probability that the aftertax cash flow will be $1,300 per ounce.
1. What is the NPV in one year to wait, NPV today for waiting. What is the value of the option to wait?