(All amounts expressed in Canadian dollars unless otherwise stated)
LEXAM EXPLORATIONS INC. (TSX VENTURE: LEX)(PINK SHEETS:
LEXEF)(FRANKFURT: D2Q) is pleased to announce financial results for
the fourth quarter and year ending 2008, an update on the Baca Oil
and Gas Project in Colorado, USA and Otish Uranium Project in
Quebec, Canada.
FOURTH QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS & SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
- Baca Oil & Gas: Preliminary Injunction Hearing date set
for May 20, 2009. Lexam intends to vigorously defend its mineral
rights in order to proceed with the oil and gas exploration.
- Otish Uranium: Results from final core drill holes have been
received. Highlights include: 0.072% U3O8 over 6.33 m, incl. 0.196%
U3O8 over 1.46 m.
- Treasury: Lexam's financial position remains strong. As of
December 31, cash and securities totaled $8,262,701 and no
long-term liabilities.
FINANCIAL RESULTS
Fourth Quarter - 2008
For the three and twelve months ending December 31, 2008, Lexam
reported a loss of $817,223 ($0.02 per share) and $2,705,730 ($0.06
per share) compared with a gain of $3,351,205 ($0.07 per share) and
a gain of $12,094,138 ($0.25 per share) in the respective periods,
2007. The net income recorded during both periods for the prior
year was primarily attributable to the gain recorded on the sale of
the Company's Nevada and Yukon properties.
The loss during the fourth quarter of this year was due to
permitting and legal expenses associated with the Baca Oil and Gas
Project ($0.3 million), exploration at the Otish Uranium Project
($0.7 million) and administrative expenses ($0.2 million).
At the end of the fourth quarter Lexam had a working capital of
$9.6 million, compared with working capital of $10.5 million in
2007.
The complete fourth quarter and year-end report, including
management's discussion and analysis, financial statements, and
notes can be found on the Company's website at
www.lexamexplorations.com and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
BACA OIL & GAS PROJECT - COLORADO, USA
The Baca Oil and Gas Project is located in south-central
Colorado, USA. Lexam owns 75% of the oil and gas rights. The
remaining 25% is owned by ConocoPhillips. Lexam is advancing the
project and is planning to drill two natural gas wells that will
reach depths of 4,265 m.
During the Fourth Quarter, Lexam announced that the United
States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) had issued a Finding of No
Significant Impact (FONSI). The USFWS' decision was reached based
on the results of an Environmental Assessment (EA) conducted by the
Service under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The
USFWS environmental review process lasted 15 months and involved
extensive public meetings, participation, and comment by all
interested parties. This decision by the USFWS was the final
approval required before Lexam could move forward with its planned
exploration for oil and gas.
The purpose of the EA is to ensure that exploration is conducted
in a reasonable manner that protects the project's surface and
other resources. The EA includes specific terms and conditions
applicable to Lexam's proposed exploration that are designed to
accomplish this objective.
The Baca Project has been consistently challenged by opposition
groups and on November 3, 2008, the San Luis Valley Ecosystem
Council (SLVEC) made a motion to reopen litigation against the
USFWS. The SLEC maintains that the USFWS decision to issue a FONSI
based on the EA does not comply with NEPA.
During the First Quarter of 2009, the District Court of Colorado
ordered that the motion to reopen litigation against the USFWS be
allowed to proceed. Since reopening the case Lexam has successfully
made a motion to intervene in the courts proceedings in order to
vigorously defend its right to mineral exploration. A Preliminary
Injunction Hearing date has been set for May 20, 2009.
On April 3, 2008, Lexam announced that the Colorado Oil and Gas
Conservation Commission (COGCC) had renewed the Company's state
permits to drill. Since Lexam was not able to complete the wells
within the stated one year time frame the permits expired in April
2009. As the Company expects to successful prevail against the
SLVEC in its attempt to seek a preliminary injunction, Lexam will
be filing applications with the COGCC in order to renew the
previously approved permits.
OTISH URANIUM PROJECT - QUEBEC, CANADA
The Otish Uranium Project is located in north-central Quebec,
Canada. In January 2007, Lexam entered into an option to earn 50%
of the project from Golden Valley Mines by spending $3 million over
three years. To date, approximately $3.2 million has been spent by
Lexam and as a result is now executing its option to earn 50% of
the project from Golden Valley Mines.
In 2008, Lexam and Golden Valley Mines completed 69 holes
totalling 2,800 m of diamond drill core in the Mistassini portion
of the project. Drill highlights that were released during 2008,
include: 0.14% U3O8, over 5.6 m (meters) and 0.42% U3O8 over 2.4 m,
including 1.63% U3O8 over 0.6 m and including, 2.02% U3O8 over 0.4
m.
Additional drilling announced during February 2009 included
0.072% U3O8 over 6.33 m, incl. 0.196% U3O8 over 1.46 m.
The objective of the drill program was to confirm and then
expand the historically documented uranium mineralization. Drilling
successfully accomplished these goals and has outlined new
high-grade mineralization as highlighted by the drill results
above. The U3O8 mineralization is shallow, located approximately 20
m below surface and the estimated thickness of the zone is 5 m. The
mineralization is located in two separate zones that are separated
by 2.4 km. The exploration potential between these two areas
remains untested.
Lexam and Golden Valley Mines are currently in the process of
evaluating the data from the 2008 exploration program. The
objective of this work is to help quantify the uranium discovered
thus far, identify targets that possess high-grade potential for
follow up drilling in 2009 and, if warranted, prepare a NI 43-101
resource estimate.
During 2008, Lexam received a provincial rebate totalling
$347,867 from the Quebec government in connection with 2007
exploration expenditures. The amount relates to the provincial
government's rebate program that is designed to promote mineral
exploration, particularly in Quebec's northern areas. The Company
expects an approximate rebate of $899,154 based upon the completed
exploration expenditures last year.
RUBICON MINERALS - 4.4 MILLION SHARES ($8.4 MILLION)
In early 2007 Lexam announced that it had traded its Nevada
properties for Rubicon common shares. Since then, Rubicon has
announced a series of encouraging drill results from its Phoenix
Gold Project, located in the heart of the prolific Red Lake gold
district of Ontario that have increased the value of these shares
versus Lexam's base value.
Highlights from Rubicon's 2009 exploration drilling include:
173.7 g/t gold over 2.5 m and 260.5 g/t gold over 0.5 m.
Lexam owns approximately 4.4 million shares of Rubicon that have
a current market value of $8.4 million (as of April 27, 2009). It
is important to note that Lexam has prepaid taxes in relation to
these shares based on Rubicon's price at the time the shares were
received (US$2.00 per share). Therefore, Lexam is not required to
pay any additional tax until Rubicon's shares exceed US$2.00 per
share.
The Company has no current intention to sell any additional
shares of Rubicon, since it is providing Lexam shareholders a
unique way to benefit from the rising gold price and Rubicon's
growing discovery.
Michael P. Rosatelli, P. Geo. is a "Qualified Person" as defined
in National Instrument 43-101 and is responsible for the technical
information presented in this news release regarding the Otish
Uranium Project.
About Lexam
Lexam Explorations is a North American based energy exploration
company. The company is advancing the Baca Oil & Gas Project
located in south-central Colorado, USA, which is 75% owned by Lexam
and 25% by ConocoPhillips and has an option to earn 50% interest in
Golden Valley Mines' Otish Basin uranium project located in Quebec,
Canada.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT
Some of the statements contained in this release are
"forward-looking statements". Such forward-looking statements
involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors
that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to
differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or
achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking
statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from anticipated results include risks and uncertainties
such as: ability to raise financing for further exploration and
development activities; risks relating to estimates of reserves,
deposits and production costs; extraction and development risks;
the risk of commodity price fluctuations; political, regulatory and
environmental risks; and other risks and uncertainties in the
reports and disclosure documents filed by Lexam from time-to-time
with Canadian securities regulatory authorities. 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. The complete fourth quarter report
including management's discussion and analysis, financial
statements and notes can be found on our Company's website at
www.lexamexplorations.com and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
Contacts: Lexam Explorations Inc. Ian J. Ball VP, Corporate
Development (647) 258-0395 or Toll Free: (866) 441-0690 (647)
258-0408 (FAX) Lexam Explorations Inc. Stefan M. Spears VP,
Strategic Development (647) 258-0395 or Toll Free: (866) 441-0690
(647) 258-0408 (FAX) info@lexamexplorations.com
www.lexamexplorations.com Lexam Explorations Inc. Corporate Head
Office 99 George Street, 3rd Floor Toronto, ON M5A 2N4
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