Last checked at 28 Nov 2017 07:00
28 November 2017
KEFI Minerals plc
("KEFI" or the "Company")
COURT DISMISSES ALL CLAIMS AGAINST KEFI
KEFI Minerals (AIM: KEFI), the gold exploration and development company with projects in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is pleased to announce that a court ruling by the Federal Supreme Court of Ethiopia (the "Court") eliminates KEFI's potential liability regarding an inherited claim for damages. This follows a judgement earlier this year that reduced the Company's liability from US$12 million to US$0.6 million as announced on 2 May 2017.
As previously announced and reported in the Company's statutory accounts, the original claim for damages of US$12 million (approximately ETB240 million) had been lodged against KEFI in 2014. The claim was based on the impact of exploration field activities conducted between 1998 and 2006, a period which pre-dated KEFI's involvement in the Tulu Kapi Gold Project.
These exploration activities comprised the construction of drill pads and access tracks. No objections had been made until 2014 when certain parties from outside the Tulu Kapi district raised the matter and initiated court action against KEFI.
The Oromia Regional Supreme Court earlier this year rejected 95% of these claims as having no legal basis and reduced KEFI's potential liability to US$0.6 million.
KEFI's appeal to the Court with regards to the remaining US$0.6 million has now succeeded and the Company is no longer liable for any damages.
If another appeal is raised, which remains a possibility, KEFI would defend its position on the basis that it remains firmly of the belief, on legal advice and as previously reported, that it has no contingent or actual liability.
Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure
Certain information contained in this announcement would have been deemed inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 until the release of this announcement.
ENQUIRIES KEFI Minerals plc |
|
Harry Anagnostaras-Adams (Executive Chairman) | +357 99457843 |
John Leach (Finance Director) | +357 99208130 |
|
|
SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP (Nominated Adviser) |
|
Ewan Leggat, Jeff Keating, Soltan Tagiev | +44 20 3470 0470 |
|
|
Brandon Hill Capital Ltd (Joint Broker) |
|
Oliver Stansfield, Alex Walker, Jonathan Evans | +44 20 7936 5200 |
|
|
RFC Ambrian Ltd (Joint Broker) |
|
Jonathan Williams and Charlie Cryer | +44 20 3440 6800 |
|
|
Beaufort Securities Ltd (Joint Broker) |
|
Elliot Hance | +44 20 7382 8300 |
|
|
IFC Advisory Ltd (Financial PR and IR) |
|
Tim Metcalfe, Heather Armstrong | +44 20 3053 8671 |
NOTES TO EDITORS
KEFI Minerals plc
KEFI is the operator of two advanced gold development projects within the highly prospective Arabian-Nubian Shield, with an attributable 1.93Moz (100% of Tulu Kapi's 1.72Moz and 40% of Jibal Qutman's 0.73Moz) gold Mineral Resources (JORC 2012) plus significant resource growth potential. KEFI targets that production at these projects generates cash flows for further exploration and expansion as warranted, recoupment of development costs and, when appropriate, dividends to shareholders.
KEFI Minerals in Ethiopia
The Tulu Kapi gold project in western Ethiopia is being progressed towards development, following a grant of a Mining Licence in April 2015.
Following completion of KEFI's Definitive Feasibility Study for Tulu Kapi, the Company is now refining contractual terms for project construction and operation. Latest estimates are that gold production may be brought forward to c. 144,000 oz pa over 7 years by increasing processing capacity, as compared with the DFS estimates of c. 100,000oz pa for a 10-year period. All-in Sustaining Cost estimates (including operating, sustaining capital and closure but not including leasing and other financing charges) remain
All aspects of the Tulu Kapi (open pit) gold project have been reported in compliance with the JORC Code (2012) and subjected to reviews by appropriate independent experts. These plans now also reflect the agreed construction and operating terms with project contractors, and have been independently reviewed by experts appointed for the project finance syndicate.
A Preliminary Economic Assessment has been published that indicates the economic attractiveness of mining the underground deposit adjacent to the Tulu Kapi open pit, after the start-up of the open pit and after positive cash flows have begun to repay project debts.
KEFI Minerals in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
In 2009, KEFI formed G&M in Saudi Arabia with local Saudi partner, Abdul Rahman Saad Al Rashid & Sons Company Limited ("ARTAR"), to explore for gold and associated metals in the Arabian-Nubian Shield. KEFI has a 40% interest in G&M and is the operating partner. To date, G&M has conducted preliminary regional reconnaissance and has had five exploration licences ("ELs") granted, including Jibal Qutman and the more recently granted Hawiah EL that contains over 6km strike length of outcropping gossans developed on altered and mineralised rocks with all the hallmarks of a copper-gold-zinc VHMS deposit.
At Jibal Qutman, G&M's flagship project, Mineral Resources are estimated to total 28.4Mt at 0.80g/t gold for 733,045 contained ounces. The shallow oxide portion of this resource is being evaluated as a low capital expenditure heap-leach mine development.
ARTAR, on behalf of G&M, holds over 20 EL applications. ELs are renewable for up to three years and bestow the exclusive right to explore and to obtain a 30-year exploitation (mining) lease within the area. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has instituted, and is further overhauling, policies to encourage minerals exploration and development, and KEFI Minerals supports this priority by serving as the technical partner within G&M. ARTAR also serves this government policy as the major partner in G&M, which is one of the early movers in the modern resurgence of the Kingdom's minerals sector.