Crocodile River Mine to Be Placed on Care and Maintenance; Section 52 Notice Issued
June 24 2013 - 7:22PM
Marketwired Canada
Eastern Platinum Limited (TSX:ELR)(AIM:ELR)(JSE:EPS) ("Eastplats" or the
"Company") reports that a Section 52 Notice in terms of the Mineral and
Petroleum Resources Development Act ("MRPDA") of 2002 was submitted to the
Minister of Mineral Resources of South Africa on June 22, 2013 with respect to
the curtailing of mining operations at the Crocodile River Mine ("CRM"). This
follows the Company's decision to suspend funding for CRM for the reasons
outlined in the news release of April 19, 2013.
On April 22, 2013 Barplats Mines Limited ("BML") issued notices to employees in
terms of Section 189 of the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 ("the LRA") with
respect to a Care and Maintenance and Restructuring proposal for CRM. BML also
requested that the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration
appoint a facilitator for the requisite 60-day consultation process. This
consultation process with the unions and other representatives ended upon the
expiry of the 60-day period on June 21, 2013.
Three unions representing 47% of the total workforce concluded a Settlement
Agreement with the Company and have recommended acceptance to their Members in
return for full and final settlement of all and any claims between the Company
and Members of those unions. One union has not recommended acceptance of the
Company's retrenchment proposal. Employees who do not accept the full and final
settlement proposal will receive the Company's retrenchment package made at the
final facilitated consultation meeting.
As stated in the Section 52 Notice, mining operations at CRM are to be scaled
down with the effect that approximately 92% of CRM's employees are either to be
retrenched or their employment terminated by mutual agreement. The Company will
be meeting all its commitments with respect to its environmental management
programs and the relevant aspects of its Social and Labour Plan.
Production at CRM will be scaled down with effect from June 22 and will cease by
the end of July 2013. Production will not resume until it is clear that there
can be economic and sustainable production from CRM.
Eastplats has made a significant investment in infrastructure at CRM, and BML's
Care and Maintenance proposal for the mine will ensure that the mine remains in
a state of operational readiness in order to take advantage of this investment
and to secure future employment opportunities for when economic conditions and
the operating environment improve.
"This is a very regrettable outcome. However, BML's Care and Maintenance
proposal is the best for all stake holders since nobody wants to see the mine
close permanently. We have been struggling through a perfect storm of increasing
costs on all fronts and depressed metal prices. With ongoing labour unrest that
continues to negatively impact productivity throughout the South African mining
sector, the stagnant commodity market, and rising costs, it has become
impossible to justify continued production operations at this time," stated Ian
Rozier, President and CEO.
Total shares issued and outstanding - 928,187,807
Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information
This press release, which contains certain forward-looking statements, is
intended to provide readers with a reasonable basis for assessing the financial
performance of the Company. All statements, other than statements of historical
fact, are forward-looking statements. The words "believe", "expect",
"anticipate", "contemplate", "target", "plan", "intends", "continue", "budget",
"estimate", "may", "will", "schedule" and similar expressions identify forward
looking statements. These forward-looking statements pertain to assumptions
regarding the price of PGMs, fluctuations in currency markets (specifically the
Rand and the U.S. dollar), the future funding of the Company's projects, the
future development of the Company's projects, the Company's plans for its
properties, the anticipated timing for the awarding of tenders, and the
accounting policies issued but not yet effective for the Company.
Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and
assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently
subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and
contingencies. Known and unknown factors could cause actual results to differ
materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Such factors
include, but are not limited to, the risk of fluctuations in the assumed
exchange rates of currencies that directly impact the Company, such as Canadian
dollar, South African Rand and U.S. dollar, the risk of fluctuations in the
assumed prices of PGM and other commodities, the risk of changes in government
legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic
developments in Canada, the United States, South Africa, or Barbados or other
countries in which the Company carries or may carry on business in the future,
risks associated with mining or development activities, the speculative nature
of exploration and development, including the risk of obtaining necessary
licenses and permits, and assumed quantities or grades of reserves. Many of
these uncertainties and contingencies can affect the Company's actual results
and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or
implied in any forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of, the Company.
Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of
future performance. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to
be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from
those acknowledged in such statements. Specific reference is made to the
Company's most recent Annual Information Form on file with Canadian provincial
securities regulatory authorities for a discussion of some of the factors
underlying forward-looking statements.
The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events
or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable laws.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Eastern Platinum Limited
Ian Rozier
President & C.E.O.
+1-604-685-6851
+1-604-685-6493 (FAX)
info@eastplats.com
www.eastplats.com
NOMAD: Canaccord Genuity Limited, London
Andrew Chubb
+44 (0) 207 7523 8000
NOMAD: Canaccord Genuity Limited, London
Ross Allister
+44 (0) 207 7523 8000
JSE SPONSOR: PSG Capital (Pty) Limited
Johan Fourie
+27 21 887 9602
johanf@psgcapital.com
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