History..26 Aug 2016 17:23
In May 2014 Perth-based Forte Energy agreed to take over the Slovakian uranium assets of European Uranium Resources (EUU)* based in Canada through a share issue. This was not approved, so Forte agreed to pay $4 million in cash and farm-in for a 50% share in EUU subsidiaries, Ludovika Energy and Ludovika Mining, which operate in Slovakia. The cash was paid in October 2014, and Forte then needed to spend $350,000 pa over ten years to complete the deal. However, in October 2015 Forte terminated the agreement and forfeited its 50% interest in the two companies to EUU due to the government failure to renew exploration licences.
EUU was investigating the Kuriskova and Novoveska Huta uranium deposits as well as other uranium exploration targets in the Slovak Carpathian uranium belt in the east of the country. Kuriskova is about 15 km northwest of Kosice, and Novoveska Huta is about 50 km west of it, near S****ka Nova Ves. Both have potential molybdenum and rare earths by-products.
EUU in 2012 signed an agreement in principle with the Ministry of Economy for mining development to proceed. In April 2015 Ludovika Energy applied to extend the exploration licence for Kuriskova, but the Environment Ministry denied this. Ludovika Energy then applied for rare earths exploration licences over the Kuriskova deposit. EUU and Ludovika undertook legal action against the Environment Ministry regarding non-extension of the uranium permits, and expected compensation on the basis that more than €25 million had been invested in the project. EUU then agreed with a Slovak party to take over all operations, retaining a 25% stake in any financial compensation from legal proceedings. A regional court dismissed the lawsuit in June 2016. In May 2016 EUU changed its name to Azarga Metals Corp. and focused on a Russian copper-silver project.