27 Jun 2008 09:04
Annual General Meeting and Trading Update
27 June 2008: Titanium Resources Group ("The Company") today held its Annual General Meeting. Speaking at the AGM, Walter Kansteiner, Chairman, said:
"I would like to take the opportunity to update shareholders on a number of developments affecting your company.
"Demand for our titanium dioxide products remains robust with recent supply constraints in certain producing countries resulting in prices for all titanium feedstocks strengthening since the beginning of 2008. We continue to see rising spot prices for titanium dioxide products.
"We have made excellent progress with many of the plant upgrades to our operations in Sierra Leone, including the upgrade to the dry processing plant and the construction of the new heavy fuel oil power plant which will significantly reduce fuel costs.
"Unfortunately the commissioning and start up phase for Dredge D2 took longer than initially planned. As a result, there has been an adverse impact on estimated production levels for the year. Dredge D2 is now operational and shipments of product from D2 are ongoing. We anticipate that levels of production for the remainder of this year will be broadly in line with our original expectations for that period.
"As previously announced, there have been delays with Dredge D3. We now expect D3 to be operational in the first half of 2009.
"We have recently appointed a new General Manager for the Sierra Rutile mine, Jacobus Ockert Grove. We are particularly pleased that Jacobus has agreed to join us, given his strong track record of working in the industrial minerals sector for Anglovaal and across the mining industry for companies such as Placer Dome and Barrick Gold. He has previously run an andalusite plant, a zircon plant and a refractory minerals trading company.
"We are also pleased to welcome two new representatives of the Sierra Leone Government as Directors of Sierra Rutile Limited as part of the long standing arrangements between the mine and the Government. Mr. Arthur Harvey and Mr. Mohamed O. Mansaray have replaced the previous representatives and we continue to deepen our excellent relationship with the new Administration as together we reinforce the role which SRL plays as a beacon of good corporate practice in Sierra Leone.
"We continue to undertake drilling in our Exclusive Prospecting Licence on Turner's Peninsula. Initial exploration indicates the presence of heavy minerals.
"As I stated in the Company's Annual Report, we continue to consider our options with regard to our non-core operations.
"I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the employees of our company who have contributed so much in making your Company an operation we can all be proud of."
Ends
For further information:
Titanium Resources Group
Len Comerford, Chief Executive
Walter Kansteiner, Non-executive Chairman +44 (0) 207 321 0000
www.titaniumresources.com
Nominated Adviser
David Nabarro, Nabarro Wells & Co. Limited +44 (0) 20 7634 4705
Arbuthnot
John Prior +44 (0)20 7012 2000
Aura Financial
Michael Oke/Andy Mills +44 (0) 207 321 0000