15 Mar 2012 11:46
15 March 2012
Origo Partners PLC
Investee Company Update - Kincora Copper acquires new Mongolian property
Origo Partners Plc ("Origo") is pleased to announce that its portfolio company Kincora Copper ("Kincora" or the "Company"), has reached an agreement in principle with Forbes & Manhattan Inc. ("F&M") to acquire mineral exploration licences adjoining its Bronze Fox project in Mongolia.
Following the transaction, Toronto listed Kincora will hold licenses that cover an area close to 60,000 hectares, located 120km northeast of the Oyu Tolgoi project and on the same copper belt. The Company is expected to spend US$2 million on the exploration of the newly acquired license areas, formerly explored by Ivanhoe Mines, over the next two years.
The licences, which include the Tourmaline Hills copper gold project, an area assigned as a high priority target by Ivanhoe, were acquired from a subsidiary of Temujin Mining Corporation ("Temujin"), a private Mongolian mid-stage copper-gold exploration and development company. Under the terms of the transaction, Temujin, which is ultimately owned by F&M, a leading Canadian merchant bank, will be issued with up to 35 million shares in Kincora, representing a maximum 12.6 per cent equity stake. 20 million shares are being granted on completion of the transaction and the remaining 15 million shares will be issued conditional on the discovery of 1 million ounces of inferred gold within the license areas which contain large gold zones.
On completion of the transaction, Origo will hold a 28 per cent equity stake in Kincora, falling to 25 per cent if the full 15 million deferred shares are issued.
Commenting on today's announcement, Chris Rynning, the CEO of Origo, said:
"We are pleased that Kincora has reached this agreement in principle with F&M. The acquisition will consolidate a large contiguous area of prospective ground which has been subject to successful historic exploration work including significant surface sampling, IP and drilling, confirming the presence of multiple gold resource target areas. Temujin also hosts the extension of the West Kasulu copper mineralised zone"
"We continue to see a great deal of potential in Mongolia and Kincora remains our primary vehicle for developing copper and gold prospects in the country. This transaction will significantly enhance Kincora's prospects and we believe that the enlarged company will be in a stronger position to further develop the Bronze Fox and Tourmaline Hills deposits."
For further information about Origo please visit www.origoplc.com or contact:
Origo Partners Plc Chris Rynning Niklas Ponnert |
chris@origoplc.com niklas@origoplc.com
|
Nominated Adviser and Broker: Liberum Capital Limited Simon Atkinson / Richard Bootle
| +44 (0)20 3100 2222 |
Public Relations: Aura Financial Andy Mills / Nina Legge | +44 (0)20 7321 0000 |
Notes to editors:
Origo Partners:
·; Origo is an AIM-listed private equity investor and strategic consultancy business which provides its shareholders with exposure to China-linked investment opportunities.
·; Based in Beijing, Origo has a significant portfolio of investments in a range of industrial sectors, including metals and mining, agriculture, renewable energy/clean tech and technology, telecom and media.
·; Origo invests directly in high growth Chinese companies as well as in companies based around the world with significant exposure to Chinese export markets.
·; Origo has a wholly-owned Mongolian subsidiary in Ulaanbaatar, providing corporate finance and advisory services to local investee and non-investee companies seeking to raise development funds and to assist portfolio companies in their development.
Kincora Copper
·; Kincora Copper Limited is a mining exploration and development company focused on copper-gold deposits in Mongolia. Its key asset is the Bronze Fox (Buyant License) copper-gold deposit located in southeast Mongolia along the Oyu Tolgoi copper belt.
·; Bronze Fox (Buyant License) is located approximately 140km to the northeast of the world-class Oyu Tolgoi copper/gold project, and is 250km from the Chinese border.
Tourmaline Hills
·; The Tourmaline Hills deposit, which is also known as Manlai Licenses, is located immediately to the western and northern boundaries of the Company's Buyant License 15000X; in an area of known porphyry copper deposits.
·; The Bronze Fox Intrusive Complex (BFIC) copper-gold resources owned by Kincora and Tourmaline Hills Intrusive Complex (THIC) are both located just over 100km to the north-north-east of the giant copper-gold deposit Oyu Tolgoi, within the same geological group.
·; Licence 15075X (Southern) Manlai is approximately 480km south of Ulaanbaatar and 190km north of the Chinese border. The license area is 24,670.37 hectares. License 15076X (Northern) Manlai is approximately 460km south of Ulaanbaatar and 205km north of the Chinese border. The license area is 15,208.54 hectares.
·; The Manlai Licenses lie on an east-west trending splay off the Zuunbayan fault zone, which is also thought to control the location of porphyry style copper and gold mineralization at Suvarga, Tsagaan Suvarga, Shuteen and Olut Ulaan and possibly Kharmagtai. This equates to a belt with a 150km strike length with Kincora's licenses stretching 27km by 38km.