Vast Resources plc Acquisition Of A 29.41% Interest In The Blueberry Project In The 'golden Quadrilateral' Of Romania
August 15 2018 - 2:00AM
UK Regulatory
TIDMVAST
15 August 2018
Vast Resources plc
("Vast" or the "Company")
Acquisition of a 29.41% interest in the Blueberry Project
in the 'Golden Quadrilateral' of Romania
Vast Resources plc, the AIM listed mining company with operations in
Romania and Zimbabwe, is pleased to announce the acquisition of an
indirect 29.41% interest in the Blueberry Project, which hosts highly
prospective polymetallic mineralisation and is located in the 'Golden
Quadrilateral' of Western Romania ("the Blueberry Project"). The
"Golden Quadrilateral" hosts the prolific Baia de Aries gold mine, the
17.1Moz Rosia Montana Mine and 7.2Moz Rovina Valley Project.
Overview
-- Acquisition of an interest of 29.41% in a brown field perimeter covering
a total of 7.285km(2) in the 'Golden Quadrilateral' of Western Romania:
-- The Blueberry Project is adjacent to the previously producing Baia
de Aries Mine, which operated until 2004 and is reported to have
produced 20% of the historical gold production from the Golden
Quadrilateral
-- Historic work across the perimeter area has demonstrated
prospectivity for gold and polymetallic mineralisation -- sample
values of up to 22.4g/t of gold were obtained from historic soil
sampling
-- Drilling programme and assaying underway, which is anticipated to
deliver sufficient information to support an Inferred JORC Mineral
Resource for gold and other polymetallic minerals including silver,
copper, lead and zinc in one or more of several distinct breccia
pipes
-- Following expiry of the Exploration Licence over Blueberry Project
the holder has the right under the Romanian mining law subject to
satisfaction of certain conditions detailed below, to migrate this
to an Exploitation Licence by 31 December 2018
-- Transaction structured to be non-dilutive to Vast shareholders -- initial
acquisition to be satisfied in new shares in Vast's newly formed
subsidiary EMA Resources Ltd ('EMA') which will be financed at a project
level
-- EMA to be issued with an initial interest of 29.41% (as further set out
below) and the retention of this interest is conditional on EMA procuring
funding of $1 million by 31 August 2018 or such later date as the Vendors
may agree -- the acquisition does not require any regulatory approval in
Romania
-- Intention for EMA to develop into a standalone enterprise significant
enough to justify an Initial Public Offering ('IPO') targeted by the end
of 2019
-- Pre-IPO costs expected to be funded by third party finance and no
material cost commitment for Vast
-- Vast to have management and control of the future mining operations, and
also over the exploration programme and the IPO process in consideration
of a fee equal to 10% of pre-IPO costs
Andrew Prelea, Chief Executive of Vast, commented:
"As shareholders will be aware, my enthusiasm for and confidence in the
reinvigoration of the Romanian mining industry remains a central pillar
of Vast's future growth strategy and I am delighted to present this
acquisition to shareholders. Due to the structure of this transaction,
Vast would benefit from the significant upside potential of developing
the Blueberry Project whilst safeguarding investors from significant
dilution.
"Work has already started at Blueberry and we look forward to reporting
the results of drilling in the coming weeks in order to begin to give
the market a tangible sense of the size and quality of this significant
mineralised system in addition to our path to developing the project and
ultimately crystallising value for Vast shareholders through a proposed
IPO."
Acquisition of Interest in the 'Golden Quadrilateral' of Romania
Vast announces that its newly formed subsidiary EMA Resources Ltd
('EMA') has contracted to acquire the entire share capital of the
Romanian company Blueberry Ridge SRL ('BRL') in consideration of an
undertaking by EMA to issue to the vendors (the 'Vendors') new shares
which will constitute 70.59% of the enlarged ordinary share capital of
EMA. The result, subject to a condition explained below, is that Vast
will retain 29.41% of such enlarged capital subject to a possible
reduction to 26.41% on account of the entitlement by Andrew Prelea,
Chief Executive Officer of the Company, to 10% of Vast's share and as
explained more fully below.
BRL is the holder of the Blueberry Project, an exploration licence over
a brown field perimeter of prospectivity with high gold in an area known
as the 'Golden Quadrilateral' in the Metaliferi Mountains of Romania.
This licence, based on the exploration programme already completed,
gives BRL the right to convert the exploration licence into an
exploitation licence provided it complies with the requirements
concerning this process as set out tin the Romanian mining law. A
summary of these requirements is set out in the penultimate paragraph
under 'further information' below.
Vast is of the opinion, based on the known geology of the Blueberry
Perimeter, the extensive historical mining activities and together with
the expected results of the exploration drilling now undertaken, that
the potential of EMA together with its subsidiary BRL will be such that
EMA may justify an IPO as a standalone enterprise.
Vast has agreed with the Vendors to use reasonable endeavours both to
manage the process by which EMA achieves an IPO by 31 December 2019 and
to procure finance for EMA of up to $2 million which is the amount
estimated to be needed for pre-IPO costs, including repayment of a
proportion of the exploration drilling costs already incurred. Of this,
$1 million is to be raised by 31 August 2018 or such later date as the
Vendors may agree, satisfaction of which is a condition of Vast's
retention of 29.41% of the enlarged share capital of EMA. Any shares
that fall to be issued to pre-IPO financiers will dilute the interests
of the Vendors and of Vast rateably.
Under the agreement between Vast and the Vendors, a shareholders
agreement is to be drawn up under which one of the Vendors will have a
seat on the Board; there will be usual provisions concerning
circumstances where a unanimous decision of shareholders is required;
but Vast will have management control of the IPO process and of the
direction of the ongoing resource evaluation process and Vast will be
entitled to a fee equal to 10% of EMA's pre-IPO costs.
It is the intention that Vast will have management and control of future
mining operations which will be carried out through a gravity process
for the free gold and otherwise by a floatation process which will
separate out all the polymetallic minerals. It is not intended that
cyanide will be employed for the gold extraction. Metallurgical test
work to determine the optimal extraction method will be undertaken.
Further information on Blueberry
-- The Blueberry perimeter of 7.285km(2) is a brownfield area of
prospectivity in the Golden Quadrilateral located in the immediate
vicinity of the now closed Baia de Aries mine. The Golden Quadrilateral
has significant areas of polymetallic prospectivity (copper, zinc and
lead coupled with particularly high gold and silver) and has been
estimated to have produced approximately 55 million ounces of gold in the
past. Also in the Golden Quadrilateral are Rosia Montana with a reported
NI 43-101 Resource of 17.1 million ounces of gold and 81 million ounces
of silver (SRK Consulting - October 2012) and Euro Sun Mining's, Rovina
Valley project with a reported 7.2 million ounces of gold and 1.4 billion
pounds of copper (AGP Mining Consultants -- NI 43-101 -- July 2012).
-- Mineralisation styles within the Blueberry perimeter
-- Mineralisation is developed in the form of breccia 'pipes',
polymetallic quartz -- carbonate veins and metasomatic replacement
deposits on the lithological boundaries between andesite,
limestones and schists.
-- Within the perimeter, a number of breccia pipe localities are
indicated on surface geological plans. These localities have been
the subject of the recent drilling programme. The breccia pipes
occur as Phreatomagmatic collapse and / or eruptive breccias and
range in size from 20m -- 150m in diameter, with known depths of
up to 1 000m. The breccia occurrences take a quasi-circular form
with a central dip direction suggesting the presence of a deeper
intrusive structure.
-- Polymetallic sulphide bearing veins are developed adjacent to the
breccia pipes in areas of intense fracturing. The veins are
typically 100m -- 400m in length, 50m -150m vertical extent and
approximately 1m wide. Zinc and lead are the main minerals with
copper being subordinate. References to 44 veins are made to and
documented in historical literature and maps.
-- Metasomatic replacement deposits form either in the limestone
lithologies or on the boundaries between the limestones, andesites
and schists.
-- Gold mineralisation is more prevalent in the breccia pipes and
occurs as free gold or inclusions within sulphides. The area is a
type locality for sylvanite, a gold -- silver telluride, which has
been observed in core from the recent drilling program. Further
mineralisation takes the form of auriferous pyrite whereby
fine-grained gold is included in the crystal lattice of the pyrite
structure.
-- The gold (dominant) and polymetallic (subordinate) mineralisation
is spatially associated to the andesite intrusive structures with
hornblende +/- pyroxene (Afini structure), while the polymetallic
(dominant) and gold (subordinate) mineralisation is spatially
associated to the quartz andesite intrusive structure with
hornblende +/- biotite (Ambru i M lai structure).
-- Polymetallic mineralisation is more prevalent in the vein systems
and the metasomatic replacement bodies with a lower tenor of gold.
Zinc and lead are the main economic with copper being subordinate
but locally elevated in places.
-- A detailed assessment of the geology and of historical sample results on
the Blueberry perimeter was given in a doctoral thesis by Professor Calin
T ma from Babe -- Bolyai University (Cluj): Structures of Endogenic Brief
(Brief Pipe -- Breccia Dyke) and Petrolmetalogenia Rosia Montana
(M.Metaliferi) 2007. It records extensive rock samples taken at an
average grade of 1.47 g/t Au with a range of 1.2 to 2.9 g/t.
-- The Blueberry Perimeter encircles the old Baia de Aries Mine which is
reported to have produced from six breccia pipes contained therein 20% of
the historical gold production from the Golden Quadrilateral which is
reported to total 55 million ounces of gold. This mine was closed and
rehabilitated with finance from an EU project following Romania's
accession to the EU, as a result of which the area is currently excluded
from exploration or mining operations. Under the proposed new Romanian
mining law expected to come into force in 2018 this exclusion will end
with the consequence that BRL will be well placed to apply for an
exploration licence over this area. Obtaining of this licence will carry
the additional benefit of access to all the historical records of the old
Baia de Aries Mine.
-- Previous work on the Blueberry Perimeter from records directly available
to Vast includes 159 soil samples, 98 rock samples and 25 drill holes.
The partially recorded information history derived therefrom is positive
and encouraging and shows that the area as a whole is open to
mineralisation.
-- An anomaly has been verified by Vast from nine additional soil samples,
and a simple contour of gold sample values obtained has indicated
elevated gold in the samples centred around a breccia pipe indicated on
the local geological maps of the area. Sample values of up to 22.4g/t of
gold were obtained in the historical soil sampling programmes.
-- Vast has been involved in the planning of a further exploration programme
(the 'Planned Exploration Programme') involving 6,800 metres of targeted
drilling, assaying and associated works. In the opinion of Vast the
Planned Exploration Programme is likely to provide sufficient information
to estimate at least an Inferred JORC Mineral Resource for gold and other
minerals in one or more distinct breccia pipes.
-- The greater part of the Planned Exploration Programme has now been
completed although the assays from the drill cores are awaited. This has
been financed to date by the Vendors. The Vendors have agreed to bear
the cost of the first 1,200 metres of drilling. The balance of the costs
of drilling, assaying and other works incurred by the Vendors will be
refunded out of the $2 million pre-IPO finance to be raised.
-- Under the Romanian mining law, BRL has the right to be granted an
exploitation licence giving it the right to mine on the giving of a
satisfactory final exploration report by 3 October 2018. The subsequent
application for the exploitation licence must be submitted by 31 December
2018 and accompanied by a feasibility study, development plan,
environmental impact and rehabilitation study and a social impact
assessment. Arrangements for this process are in hand but are subject to
the assay results from the Planned Exploration Programme being as
expected.
-- Andrew Prelea has been engaged with investigation and negotiations on
Blueberry since before he joined the Company. Blueberry is a 'Joint
Asset' of which Andrew Prelea is entitled to a 10% interest as referred
to in the Company's announcement of 1 March 2018 following his
appointment to the Company as a Director. As therein stated, in order to
eliminate conflicts of interest, it was and remains the intention of both
the Company and of Andrew Prelea to negotiate terms under which Andrew
Prelea's interests in the Joint Assets are exchanged for special option
rights to acquire shares in the Company subject to approval by
shareholders of the Company at a General Meeting. On account of this
intention no shares in EMA are being issued to Andrew Prelea at present
pending further discussion on the special option rights.
Qualified Person
The information in this report that relates to Exploration Targets,
Exploration Results, Mineral Resources or Ore Reserves is based on
information compiled by Mr Craig Harvey, the Chief Operating Officer for
Vast and a full-time employee and Director of the Company. Mr Harvey is
a Competent Person who is a Member of the Australian Institute of
Geoscientists and of the Geological Society of South Africa, a
Recognised Professional Organisation included in a list that is posted
on the ASX website from time to time.
Mr Harvey has sufficient experience that is relevant to the style of
mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the
activity being undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in
the 2012 Edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration
Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves'. Mr Harvey consents to the
inclusion in the report of the matters based on his information in the
form and context in which it appears.
**ENDS**
For further information, visit www.vastresourcesplc.com or please
contact:
Vast Resources plc www.vastresourcesplc.com
Andrew Prelea (Chief Executive Officer) +44 (0) 20 7236 1177
Beaumont Cornish - Financial & Nominated www.beaumontcornish.com
Adviser +44 (0) 020 7628 3396
Roland Cornish
James Biddle
Brandon Hill Capital Ltd -- Joint Broker www.brandonhillcapital.com
Jonathan Evans +44 (0) 20 3463 5016
SVS Securities Plc -- Joint Broker www.svssecurities.com
Tom Curran +44 (0) 20 3700 0100
Ben Tadd
St Brides Partners Ltd www.stbridespartners.co.uk
Susie Geliher +44 (0) 20 7236 1177
Charlotte Page
The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the
Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market
Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014 ("MAR").
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
August 15, 2018 02:00 ET (06:00 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2018 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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