TSI.L Regulatory News (TSI)

Blenheim Natural Resources plc / EPIC: BNR / Market: AIM

17 January 2018

Blenheim Natural Resources Plc

("Blenheim" or the "Company")

General Meeting Statement

Blenheim Natural Resources Plc, the AIM-quoted investment company, announces that at today's General Meeting, to be held at 12 noon, where the Company is seeking, inter alia, shareholders' approval of resolutions necessary to facilitate its acquisition of up to 49% of Cobalt Blue Holdings Inc, as announced on 30 November 2017, Chairman, Chris Ells, will make the following statement.

"The last 12 months has been a transitional time for the Company, during which we have made excellent progress in delivering on our investment strategy to build shareholder value. As an investment company, primarily targeting the natural resource space, Blenheim has made a number of investments which it believes provides the Company with exposure to opportunities with significant re-rating potential in terms of value, particularly in the technology metal space.

"The Board believes that there is a step change occurring in commodity demand cycles, pricing and trading. With this in mind, the Company's primary investment focus has been on metals including lithium and cobalt, both key constituents in the manufacture of batteries for electric vehicles, and where it believes strong market and positive pricing dynamics are set to continue. Its investment strategy has been to gain exposure to highly prospective exploration opportunities, run by companies which have experience in both their geographical regions of operation and in successfully advancing mineral development projects which have the right address and have already yielded strong potential to host discoveries.

"Accordingly, Blenheim now has exposure to prospective lithium licences in Southern Mali and Niger, which are being advanced by first-class exploration teams. In particular, the Malian interests are situated in one of the world's most prospective mineral regions for the fast-growing lithium market permits and is in close proximity to known discoveries in the south of the country, an area rapidly emerging as a significant and exciting lithium province.

"In terms of cobalt, the proposed investment into Cobalt Blue Holdings Inc, will, following shareholders' approval, provide a substantial land package that surrounds the Nkamouna and Mada Cobalt-Nickel Project in Cameroon, again a highly prospective region which has strong development potential.

"To broaden our exposure and widen our re-rating potential, the Company also recently invested in leading global cyber security company, BrandShield Ltd ("Brandshield"). BrandShield is a global leading online brand protection and anti-fraud company with a portfolio of multi-nationals including Visa, New Balance, KTM Sportmotorcycle, Radisson Hotels and Swisscom. It is expanding its solution to the crypto-currency and blockchain industry, making it well-placed to develop blockchain-based solutions for the natural resources sector. 

"Additionally, the Company has investments in Kalahari Key Mineral Exploration Company Pty Limited, a company set up by an experienced team of explorers to search for base and platinum group metals in Botswana, and in IGS (International Geoscience Services) Limited, a global consulting group. The Board will continue to support the investee companies and look for additional value accretive opportunities to further enhance our investments.

"The Board is extremely excited about the potential of its investment portfolio and receiving updates from each investee company as they advance their individual projects. We would like to thank investors for their support in this highly active period, and with developments on-going across the portfolio, we look forward to providing shareholders with regular updates which we hope will underpin our investment decisions. Blenheim remains in a strong financial position and the Board looks forward to the upcoming year and beyond."

The information contained within this announcement is deemed to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014. Upon the publication of this announcement, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.

*Ends*

For further information please visit www.blenheimnaturalresources.com or contact: