Less Ads, More Data, More Tools Register for FREE

Pin to quick picksPOL.L Regulatory News (POL)

  • There is currently no data for POL

Polo Resources Appoints Operator for Nimini

27 Mar 2012 07:00

RNS Number : 1161A
Polo Resources Limited
27 March 2012
 



27 March 2012

 

 

 

Polo Resources Limited

 

("Polo" or the "Company")

 

 

APPOINTMENT OF PLINIAN CAPITAL LIMITED AS OPERATOR OF NIMINI GOLD PROJECT

 

PLINIAN ACQUIRES 10 PER CENT INTEREST FOR US$2.5 MILLION

 

Polo Resources Limited (AIM, TSX: POL), the natural resources exploration investment company with interests in coal, gold, iron ore and oil and gas, today announces that it has appointed Plinian Capital Limited ("PCL") as operator of the Company's Nimini Gold Project in Sierra Leone.

 

Additionally, Plinian Guernsey Limited ("PGL") an entity 100% owned by the partners of PCL, has subscribed for new shares representing 10 per cent of the issued share capital of Nimini Holdings Limited ("Nimini"), the holding company of the Nimini Gold project, for a total consideration of US$2.5 million, valuing 100 per cent of the Nimini Gold Project at US$25 million.

 

Polo completed the acquisition of 100 per cent of Nimini for an aggregate cash consideration of US$16.5 million in 2011 and invested a further US$1.5 million in exploration and drilling by 31 December 2011.

 

Appointment as Operator

 

Under the appointment agreement, for a three year term, from 26 March 2012, PCL will manage and direct all of Nimini's exploration, development, administrative and production activities in respect of the Nimini Gold Project and shall prepare a feasibility study, the scope of which will be agreed with Polo.

 

PCL is a private equity firm specialising in making investments in mineral resource projects at all stages of development. Its principle expertise lie in gold, silver, copper, nickel, PGMs (platinum group metals) and iron ore, with a global geographic focus in the Americas, Australia and Africa.

 

The principals of PCL include Brad Mills, Managing Director, who was the former CEO of Lonmin Plc and BHP Base Metals who has over 30 years of experience in the mining industry, and Anton Mauve, who is a well-qualified geologist with over 20 years of experience in mining, exploration, planning and strategy.

 

PCL has appointed Chris Davies, BSc (Mining Engineering), MSc (Mineral Production Management), Diploma of Membership of Imperial College, IEP (Insead), FSAIMM, MIMM, C.Eng, who has over 30 years' experience in African mine exploration, development and management, as Chief Operating Officer of Nimini.

 

Subscription for 10 per cent stake in Nimini Holdings Limited

 

Under the terms of a subscription agreement, PGL has subscribed for a 10 per cent interest in Nimini for a total consideration of US$2.5 million (the "Consideration"). The Consideration was funded by PGL by way of a loan (the "Loan") from the Company for US$2.5 million, accruing interest at 3 per cent above LIBOR per annum. The Loan is repayable in the event that the Operator Agreement is terminated for any reason.

 

Following the subscription the parties have signed a shareholders' agreement, under which PGL has the right to appoint two nominees to the board of directors of Nimini, for such time that it continues to hold its 10 per cent stake. Polo has the right under the Shareholders' Agreement to maintain a majority of the directors on the Nimini board.

 

Facility Agreement

 

Polo and PGL have agreed that the Nimini Gold Project shall be funded by way of debt finance, with PGL's pro rata contribution advanced to PGL by Polo under the terms of a secured term loan facility in a maximum amount of US$10 million (the "Facility"). Interest will accrue on the outstanding balance of the Facility at a rate of LIBOR plus 3 per cent. Polo has secured the facility by way of a pledge over the shares PGL holds in Nimini. The Facility is repayable in the event the Operator Agreement is terminated.

 

Brad Mills, Managing Director of Plinian said,

 

"Nimini represents a rare opportunity; to become involved in an extremely high quality project that we expect to be ready for development within 12 months. Plinian's extensive mine development experience with similar projects over the last two years makes this an ideal project for us to operate."

 

Executive Co-Chairman of Polo, Neil Herbert said,

 

"The appointment of Plinian as operator, and their acquisition of a 10 per cent stake in the project, demonstrate the Company's commitment to advancing drilling and moving towards production, and the significant potential of Nimini, recognised by Plinian, to deliver significant shareholder value. The US$25 million valuation agreed with Plinian represents a significant uplift in the value of the project from the time of the acquisition. We are delighted that Plinian has agreed to be our partner for this project and we look forward to positive results from the on-going drilling campaign over the coming months."

 

 

For further information, please contact:

 

Polo Resources Limited

Ian Burns, Finance Director

+ 27 82 404 36 37

Evolution Securities

Neil Eliot, George Price, Chris Sim

+44 (0) 20 7071 4300

Liberum Capital

Chris Bowman, Tim Graham

+44 (0) 20 3100 2228

Blythe Weigh Communications

Tim Blythe, Matthew Neal, Robert Kellner

+44 (0) 207 138 3224

 

Toronto

Borden Ladner Gervais LLP

Jeffery Barnes, Terence Lui

 

+1 416 367 6229

 

About the Company

 

Polo Resources is a natural resources investment company focused on investing in undervalued companies and projects with strong fundamentals and attractive growth prospects. For complete details on Polo Resources: www.poloresources.com.

 

 

About Plinian

 

Plinian Capital LLP is a private equity firm specialising in making investments in mineral resource discovery, development, production and turn-around. Plinian utilises its deep industry knowledge of commodity fundamentals and market cycles, exploration, operations and financial management to identify hidden value in mineral resource investments. It funds its investments with a combination of principal's capital, co-investments and funds under management to capture this value and then advance projects to their maximum-return value their investors. Exit strategies include vertical commodity roll-ups to create critical mass for public companies, IPOs, or sales to strategic buyers. Plinian is an active investor and seeks management and board representation in all of its investments.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT

 

The AIM Market of London Stock Exchange plc does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential values, the future plans and objectives of Polo Resources Limited. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, achievable or recognizable in the near term.

 

Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. These and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements are based on the estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. Polo Resources Limited assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances or management's estimates or opinions change.

 

This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
 
END
 
 
MSCUNVWRUAAOUAR
Date   Source Headline
4th Mar 20199:18 amRNSHibiscus Petroleum - Investment Update
19th Feb 20193:08 pmRNSHibiscus Petroleum - Investment Update
14th Feb 20191:09 pmRNSResponse to Press Speculation
7th Feb 20198:36 amRNSTR-1: Notification of major holdings
22nd Jan 20197:00 amRNSResult of Annual General Meeting
17th Jan 201912:24 pmRNSGCM Resources PLC - Investment Update
16th Jan 20193:56 pmRNSHibiscus Petroleum - Investment Update
7th Jan 201910:19 amRNSCELAMIN HOLDINGS LTD - INVESTMENT UPDATE
31st Dec 201810:57 amRNSNOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
21st Dec 20187:38 amRNSRESULTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018
11th Dec 201810:41 amRNSCelamin Holdings Ltd - Investment Updates
5th Dec 201811:08 amRNSHibiscus Petroleum - Investment Update
30th Nov 20183:37 pmRNSGCM RESOURCES PLC - INVESTMENT UPDATE
28th Nov 20189:03 amRNSHIBISCUS PETROLEUM - INVESTMENT UPDATE
27th Nov 201812:30 pmRNSGCM RESOURCES PLC - INVESTMENT UPDATE
22nd Nov 201812:06 pmRNSCelamin Holdings NL - Investment Updates
15th Nov 20182:32 pmRNSCelamin Holdings NL - Investment Update
31st Oct 20187:00 amRNSCELAMIN HOLDINGS NL - INVESTMENT UPDATE
17th Oct 20181:27 pmRNSHibiscus Petroleum - Investment Update
9th Oct 201811:51 amRNSHIBISCUS PETROLEUM - INVESTMENT UPDATE
8th Oct 20183:29 pmRNSCELAMIN HOLDINGS - INVESTMENT UPDATE
8th Oct 20183:08 pmRNSCELAMIN HOLDINGS - INVESTMENT UPDATE
1st Oct 201810:36 amRNSCelamin Holdings - Investment Update
30th Aug 20182:41 pmRNSHIBISCUS PETROLEUM - INVESTMENT UPDATE
28th Aug 20187:00 amRNSHIBISCUS PETROLEUM - INVESTMENT UPDATE
7th Aug 20181:12 pmRNSWEATHERLY INTERNATIONAL PLC - INVESTMENT UPDATE
31st Jul 201810:57 amRNSWEATHERLY INTERNATIONAL PLC - INVESTMENT UPDATE
27th Jul 20183:12 pmRNSChange of Adviser
17th Jul 20187:00 amRNSCELAMIN HOLDINGS LTD - INVESTMENT UPDATE
3rd Jul 201810:02 amRNSCELAMIN HOLDINGS NL - INVESTMENT UPDATE
27th Jun 20189:26 amRNSAWARD OF SHARE OPTIONS
27th Jun 20189:21 amRNSAWARD OF SHARE OPTIONS
14th Jun 20185:36 pmRNSCELAMIN HOLDINGS NL - INVESTMENT UPDATE
13th Jun 20182:39 pmRNSWEATHERLY INTERNATIONAL PLC - INVESTMENT UPDATE
4th Jun 20187:00 amRNSWEATHERLY INTERNATIONAL PLC - INVESTMENT UPDATE
1st Jun 20189:46 amRNSHIBISCUS PETROLEUM - INVESTMENT UPDATE
22nd May 20189:53 amRNSWEATHERLY INTERNATIONAL PLC - INVESTMENT UPDATE
10th May 201810:20 amRNSForm 8.3 - Weatherly International
2nd May 20184:22 pmRNSCELAMIN HOLDINGS NL ? INVESTMENT UPDATE
27th Apr 20189:16 amRNSCELAMIN HOLDINGS NL INVESTMENT UPDATE
26th Apr 20184:19 pmRNSWEATHERLY INTERNATIONAL PLC ? INVESTMENT UPDATE
25th Apr 20187:00 amRNSWEATHERLY INTERNATIONAL PLC ? INVESTMENT UPDATE
5th Apr 20183:15 pmRNSWEATHERLY INTERNATIONAL PLC - INVESTMENT UPDATE
4th Apr 20185:56 pmRNSHIBISCUS PETROLEUM - INVESTMENT UPDATE
4th Apr 20183:38 pmRNSHIBISCUS PETROLEUM - INVESTMENT UPDATE
3rd Apr 20185:51 pmRNSWEATHERLY INTERNATIONAL PLC - INVESTMENT UPDATE
28th Mar 20187:00 amRNSINTERIM RESULTS
22nd Mar 20187:19 amRNSGCM RESOURCES PLC - INVESTMENT UPDATE
12th Mar 20187:00 amRNSGCM RESOURCES PLC - INVESTMENT UPDATE
23rd Feb 20183:26 pmRNSHIBISCUS PETROLEUM - INVESTMENT UPDATE

Due to London Stock Exchange licensing terms, we stipulate that you must be a private investor. We apologise for the inconvenience.

To access our Live RNS you must confirm you are a private investor by using the button below.