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Ongoing Operations and Covid-19 Response

16 Mar 2020 08:30

RNS Number : 2442G
W Resources PLC
16 March 2020
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16 March 2020

 

W Resources Plc

("W" or the "Company")

Ongoing Operations and Covid-19 Response

W Resources Plc (AIM:WRES), the tungsten, tin and gold mining company with assets in Spain and Portugal, announces an update on measures to protect the safety of its people and ongoing operations in Spain and Portugal in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mining and plant operations at La Parrilla and mining operations at Régua continue with stringent procedures implemented to safeguard personnel and ensure full compliance with the newly implemented State of Emergency in both Spain and Portugal to combat the spread of COVID-19.

Update on Spanish State of Emergency and Extremadura

On 14 March Spain's Prime Minister declared a national State of Emergency. The key measures imposed by the Spanish Government are:

- Circulation of persons and vehicles is restricted only to certain uses linked to health, food, banking, refuelling, work, or any force majeure.

- The Spanish Government can direct companies to produce goods and require employees to attend work, if justified to protect the health of the public.

- All recreational and sport centres are closed (including bars, restaurants, cinemas, theatres and museums).

- Public transport services will be reduced by 50%.

- The availability of transport for goods will be guaranteed.

- Import of goods will continue.

- Energy and gas supplies will be guaranteed.

These measures are being put in place for a period of 15 days; however this period can be extended with the approval of the Spanish Parliament.

The Extremadura Region, where W Resources operates, is one of the less affected areas in Spain. At present, there are some 100 reported cases of infection in the region. With no areas showing a heavy concentration of cases save for a small village which is subject to quarantine at present. The region's low population density and the large distances between big cities has helped to reduce the speed of transmission.

The confinement measures implemented in Spain since Sunday 15 March are strict and W Resources and its operations are in full compliance with all such measures.

La Parrilla Ramp-up Operations Continue

The Company does not expect any direct impact from these measures on its Spanish operations. Transport to work is allowed, and supply of goods and energy is guaranteed. The main resources required to continue operations are energy (explosives, fuel, gas) and personnel. W should not expect disruption to energy supplies and the Company is taking decisive steps to protect personnel.

No W Resources personnel or contractors have been diagnosed as having contracted Coronavirus and the Company has stringent safety and screening processes in place. To protect the safety of personnel, continue operations and in order to comply with general Spanish Government recommendations the Company has taken the following actions over the last two weeks to:

1. Ensure that all personnel who can work from home do so, minimising visits to La Parrilla site. Any person with a cold or any symptoms is required under Spanish law and Company procedure to self-isolate.

2. To the greatest extent possible, ensure shift separation (usually 15-17 people per 7 day, 12 hour shift) to allow a degree of isolation in the event that an employee on any given shift contracts the virus.

3. Restrict any travel from outside Extremadura into La Parrilla, unless strictly necessary.

4. Restrict commercial or professional visits to La Parrilla to those strictly required for the continuity of business.

5. Put in place all the measures needed to minimise or eliminate contact between personnel or contractors that may lead to a potential transmission of the virus.

Portugal

The Portuguese government has also declared a State of Emergency and the specific provisions are expected to be outlined this week. To date Portugal has had a low number of reported cases (approximately 170), no reported deaths (World Health Organisation latest report) and has taken strong preventative action.

Mining operations at Régua in Portugal have a small number of geology and contract mining personnel in attendance. In Portugal, the Company has taken steps to:

1. Ensure working at home for all personnel who can do so.

2. Limit travel from outside the area.

3. Continue modular plant engineering and procurement remotely and suspend any plant construction activities until the situation is resolved.

4. Evaluate suspension of adit mining operations in a safe and orderly way.

5. Request (in light of the extraordinary circumstances) an extension of the trial mine license period for a further 12-18 months. The Company expects this to be approved.

W's main priorities are its personnel and contractors. While mining operations continue, we will continue to review the situation throughout the week and follow advice from the Portuguese Government, amending measures where necessary. Engineering and procurement is continuing remotely.

Michael Masterman, Chairman of W, commented: "It is a very challenging time for Spain and Portugal and the markets in general. Our priority is the safety and health of our personnel and we have worked hard at both our operational sites in La Parrilla and Régua to implement strong and stringent procedures. Ramp-up operations continue at La Parrilla and mining operations at Régua in compliance with the new State of Emergency in both Spain and Portugal. We continue a proactive review of steps to protect our team and in a safe and sensible way continue operations. European Tungsten APT prices are in line with budget at US$240/mtu while LME Tin prices are 10% lower at US$16,000 per tonne in line with falls in LME prices."

A full update on quarterly production for the March quarter will be provided in April 2020.

Enquiries:

W Resources Plc

Michael Masterman

T: +44 (0) 20 7193 7463

www.wresources.com

Grant Thornton UK LLP

Colin Aaronson / Seamus Fricker

T: +44 (0) 20 7383 5100

Joint Broker

Turner Pope Investments (TPI) Ltd

Andy Thacker / Zoe Alexander

T: +44 (0) 203 657 0050

www.turnerpope.com

Joint Broker

Alternative Resource Capital / Shard Capital

Alex Wood

T:+44 (0) 207 186 9004

www.altrescap.com

Damon Heath

T:+44 (0) 207 186 9952

www.shardcapital.com

Alma PR

Justine James

M: +44 (0) 7525 324431

wres@almapr.co.uk

 

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.
 
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Date   Source Headline
25th Mar 20204:36 pmRNSPrice Monitoring Extension
16th Mar 20208:30 amRNSOngoing Operations and Covid-19 Response
10th Mar 20207:00 amRNSRégua and La Parrilla Update. Director Retirement
10th Mar 20207:00 amRNS£756,000 Placing to Spanish Investors at 0.36p
18th Feb 20207:00 amRNSNew Loan Facility and Extremadura Grant Update
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20th Jan 20207:00 amRNSConversion of Directors' Loans
9th Jan 20208:33 amRNSFirst Shipment from New Concentrator Plant
8th Jan 20207:00 amRNSNon-Executive Director Appointment
18th Dec 20197:00 amRNSAdditional $5 Million Facility. La Parrilla Update
5th Dec 20197:00 amRNSFinance Update
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21st Oct 20197:00 amRNSFirst Ore Fed to La Parrilla Concentrator Plant
30th Sep 20198:00 amRNSHalf-year Report to 30 June 2019
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9th Sep 20194:14 pmRNSCorrection - Corporate and EUR 5.3 m Grant Update
9th Sep 201910:02 amRNSCorporate and EUR 5.3 m Grant Update
29th Aug 20197:00 amRNSLa Parrilla Concentrator Construction Complete
16th Aug 201911:39 amRNSDirector/PDMR Shareholding
14th Aug 20192:48 pmRNSDirector/PDMR Shareholding
7th Aug 20197:00 amRNSLa Parrilla Tungsten & Tin Mine Update
5th Aug 20195:12 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
28th Jun 201912:42 pmRNSResult of AGM
28th Jun 20197:00 amRNSLa Parrilla Update
19th Jun 20197:01 amRNSHaulage and Crushing Contract Signed for Régua
19th Jun 20197:00 amRNSLa Parrilla and São Martinho Update
7th Jun 20197:00 amRNSLa Parrilla Mining Contract Awarded
3rd Jun 20192:46 pmRNSNotice of AGM and Annual Report
29th May 20198:12 amRNSJoint Broker Appointment
22nd May 20197:00 amRNSExercise of Warrants by Directors
21st May 20197:00 amRNSLa Parrilla Jig Commissioned with First Ore
9th May 20197:00 amRNSAdvance on 5.3m EUR Grant through Extremadura Bank
2nd May 20197:00 amRNSLa Parrilla Update and Mine Blast
30th Apr 201911:57 amRNSFinal Results for the Year Ended 31 December 2018
29th Apr 201912:15 pmRNSMajor Shareholding Notification
18th Apr 201911:00 amRNSPrice Monitoring Extension
18th Apr 20199:31 amRNSEarly Exercise of Warrants
16th Apr 20197:00 amRNSJig & Mill Plant Completed for Commissioning
1st Apr 20197:00 amRNSHigh Grade Tungsten Intersections at Régua
18th Mar 20197:00 amRNSUpdate on La Parrilla and on Portuguese assets
5th Feb 20197:00 amRNSLa Parilla Mine Update and Issue of Shares
20th Dec 20187:00 amRNSLa Parrilla Mine's First Crushed Ore
10th Dec 20187:00 amRNSMechanical Completion of La Parrilla Crusher Plant
3rd Dec 20187:00 amRNSFirst Tungsten Shipment from the La Parrilla Mine
27th Nov 201810:50 amRNSPlacing to Raise £1.5m
23rd Nov 20187:00 amRNSTPI Investor Evening - 10 December
20th Nov 20184:19 pmRNSGrant of Share Options

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