28 Jan 2013 07:00
BERKELEY MINERAL RESOURCES PLC
("BMR" or "The Company")
Ascot technical team now in Zambia
Further to the Company's announcement of 11 December 2012, BMR has appointed Ascot Group Ltd ("Ascot") to draw up the plans for its beneficiation plant to be installed at the Kabwe mine site in central Zambia. Ascot has developed particular expertise in processing base metal tailings at various former mines in the Balkans region and has previously worked with Yunnan Xiangyun Feilong Nonferrous Metal Company ("Feilong").
Ascot has received the reports resulting from metallurgical testing of material from the tailings at Kabwe carried out by Feilong during the period July to December 2012. It is also in possession of the historic data relating to the former mine processing procedures.
A technical team from Ascot, headed by its CEO Ray Power, has now arrived in Zambia to survey and inspect the tailings on the ground at Kabwe in co-operation with BMR's local management. Following their inspections, Ascot will prepare a final metallurgical flow chart for the preferred process to be implemented to optimise the commercial exploitation of the tailings. When this is completed, a finalised pre-feasibility study for the processing of both the washplant and leachplant tailings can be produced.
It is intended that Ascot oversee and manage the design finalisation, installation and commissioning of our lead and zinc beneficiation plant in Zambia in accordance with the MOU signed with Feilong.
Masoud Alikhani, Chairman, commented:
"We are pleased that the team from Ascot Group is now in Zambia and look forward to receiving their conclusions in February on how we can swiftly commence to maximise the returns we can expect from our stockpile assets at Kabwe".
This release has been reviewed by Dennis Human, B.Sc. (Hons), Bus. Admin (Hons), MGSSA, Consulting Geologist to the Company, who is a Qualified Person in accordance with the guidance note for Mining, Oil & Gas Companies issued by the London Stock Exchange in respect of AIM Companies.
28th January 2013
For further information please contact:
Berkeley Mineral Resources Plc
Masoud Alikhani, Chairman
020 7408 1181
Seymour Pierce
Stewart Dickson / Julian Erleigh (Corporate Finance)
Jeremy Stephenson / Richard Redmayne (Corporate Broking)
020 7107 8000
Lothbury Financial Services
Michael Padley /Gary Middleton
020 3440 7620.