MetalNRG plc
("MetalNRG" or the "Company")
12 October 2017
Strategic Business Update
MetalNRG plc (NEX:MNRG) the natural resource investing company quoted on the NEX Exchange Growth Market in London is pleased to provide a strategic business update for investors.
During the summer months the Company has been working actively in the background, on a number of initiatives. Certain matters are now closing in on a conclusion, however the Company feels it would be prudent to outline the areas of commercial work underway, in order to give shareholders an indication of the activity levels and potential direction of the Company.
Palomino Cobalt, Australia
The Company has two exploration licence applications in progress, covering two different project areas, namely Palomino and Palomino North. The Company has the right to acquire 100% of both projects from our Australian partner, upon successful granting of the respective exploration licences, further details of which can be found within the Company’s announcements dated 29 June 2017 and 24 August 2017.
Whilst the Company originally submitted the applications with a cobalt focus, and cobalt remains a key target metal for both projects, due to their geographic location within the Pilbara region of Western Australia, the application areas may also be prospective for gold. As a number of companies are reported to have discovered potentially significant gold bearing conglomerates elsewhere in this largely underexplored region.
The extent of interest in this region is demonstrated by the fact that in respect of Palomino North, we have been notified, that another mineral company has submitted an application for the same exploration ground as the Company, on the same day we submitted application, and thus MetalNRG’s partner will now be entering into a ballot to determine which party successfully secures the application. MetalNRG has spent A$15,000 to secure the right to 100% of the Palomino North licence, as well as Palomino, when it becomes granted and the Company has also issued one million MetalNRG shares to the vendors. The Company will update shareholders as and when it is known that the application, for Palomino North has been successful or not.
MetalNRG and its Australian partner have received various expressions of interest in the two exploration licence application packages and should suitably attractive formal offers be received we will consider disposal of our interest(s). This does not mean the Company will dispose of any interest, but that the option would be available for consideration by the Company.
In the interim MetalNRG is conducting initial work to assess gold prospectivity on the licences alongside cobalt prospectivity, and further information will be provided to the market when this initial work has been completed.
US Cobalt, United States
The Company announced on 12 July 2017 the acquisition of an 18.18% stake in US Cobalt Pty Limited and the option to increase this to 100% subject to due diligence. Part of the due diligence process was the completion of project licence specific and regional prospectivity review work which was commenced in July as announced on 21 July 2017.
We are now in receipt of an updated report in respect of the US Cobalt project and this is undergoing technical review at present.
This report details findings of the work conducted over US Cobalt’s 100% held Columbia Pass Project (“Projectâ€), which comprises 316 contiguous mineral claims within the Goodsprings Mining District (“Goodspringsâ€), approximately 50km south west of Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.
We intend to provide a more detailed update to the market shortly, however the work programme commenced in July 2017 has defined two prospective belts based on geological and mineralogical studies; the Fredrickson Zinc Lead (“FZPâ€) belt and Swansea Copper Cobalt (“SCCâ€).
Samples from historical surface workings proximal to the Project ranged up to; 6.21% copper, 23.3% zinc, 180g/t silver in the FZP; and 12.6% copper and 1.96% cobalt in the SCC belt.
With both the FZP and SCC belts ranging through the US Cobalt claim blocks, areas for follow-up sampling are well defined.
The Columbia Pass area has a long history of small scale copper, zinc, lead and gold mining. Within the historic copper mines of the SCC belt, cobalt mineralisation was widely noted, but at that time, largely unexploited.
A comprehensive summary of the summer work programme, findings and next steps will be released shortly, following interpretation of the supplied datasets.
Uranium Opportunity
MetalNRG has been approached by a third party wishing to utilise MetalNRG as a listed vehicle for a uranium opportunity. This project opportunity is under review at present and we will update the market should we decide to proceed and achieve a commercial agreement with the third parties involved.
Paul Johnson, Chief Executive Officer of MetalNRG commented: “Although a small company with a market capitalisation of under £1million MetalNRG has been exposed to numerous significant and exciting opportunities in the energy metals and minerals environment. We have outlined certain opportunities above however we are also pursuing a number of additional potential projects, notably in the cobalt space.
The extent of opportunities available has led to an intensive work period over the summer and a reduced amount of market communications. News flow is vital to market engagement, trading volumes and share price performance and it is my intention to enhance the forward news flow as we crystallise new opportunities.
We are moving into what I believe will be a very exciting and value generative period in the Company’s life cycle. I would like to thank shareholders who have demonstrated patience, commitment and support in recent months as we have continued our work.
Investors should be absolutely aware that until formal market announcements are made confirming commercial agreements, there is no certainty that a commercial transaction will be concluded.â€
The Directors of the Company accept responsibility for the contents of this announcement.
The technical information contained in this disclosure has been read and approved by Mr Nick O'Reilly (MSc, DIC, MAusIMM, FGS), who is a qualified geologist who acts as Competent Person. Mr O'Reilly has visited the US Cobalt project site and met with the exploration personnel. Mr O'Reilly is a Principal consultant working for Mining Analyst Consulting Ltd which has been retained by MetalNRG PLC to provide technical support.
Contact details:
MetalNRG plc Paul Johnson (Chief Executive Officer) |
+44 (0) 7766 465617 |
NEX Exchange Corporate Adviser PETERHOUSE CORPORATE FINANCE LIMITED Guy Miller Mark Anwyl Corporate Broker +44 (0) 1483 413500 SI CAPITAL Nick Emerson Andy Thacker |
+44 (0) 20 7469 0930 |
Notes for Editors:
MetalNRG is quoted on the NEX Exchange Growth Market in London with the stock code MNRG and is a natural resource investing company.
NEX Exchange:
Investors wishing to consider trading in NEX Exchange Growth Market quoted shares can access this market from numerous brokers, a full list of which can be accessed through the following link:
http://www.nexexchange.com/for-investors/find-a-broker/
The list accessed through the link above includes certain brokers offering online trading of NEX Exchange quoted shares.
The Investing Policy of the Company is as follows:
The Company’s Investing Policy is to invest in and/or acquire companies and/or projects within the natural resources and/or energy sector with potential for growth and value creation, over the medium to long term. The Company will also consider opportunities in other related sectors if the Board considers there is an opportunity to generate an attractive return for Shareholders. This will include natural resource technologies and fintech opportunities offering leverage to resource identification, processing, recording, storage and trading businesses.
Where appropriate, the Board may seek to invest in businesses where it may influence the business at a board level, add their expertise to the management of the business, and utilise their significant industry relationships.
The Company’s interests in a proposed investment and/or acquisition may range from a minority position to full ownership and may comprise one investment or multiple investments. The proposed investments may be in either quoted or unquoted companies; be made by direct acquisitions or farm-ins; and may be in companies, partnerships, earn-in joint ventures, debt or other loan structures, joint ventures or direct or indirect interests in assets or projects.
The Board may focus on investments where intrinsic value can be achieved from the restructuring of investments or merger of complementary businesses. The Board expects that investments will typically be held for the medium to long term, although short term disposal of assets cannot be ruled out if there is an opportunity to generate an attractive return for Shareholders. The Board will place no minimum or maximum limit on the length of time that any investment may be held. The Company may be both an active and a passive investor depending on the nature of the individual opportunity.
Where the Company builds a portfolio of related assets it is possible that there may be cross-holdings between such assets. The Company does not currently intend to fund any investments with debt or other borrowings, but may do so if appropriate. Investments in early stage assets are expected to be mainly in the form of equity, with debt potentially being raised later to fund the development of such assets. Investments in later stage assets are more likely to include an element of debt to equity gearing. The Board may also offer new Ordinary Shares by way of consideration as well as cash, thereby helping to preserve the Company’s cash for working capital and as a reserve against unforeseen contingencies including, for example, delays in collecting accounts receivable, unexpected changes in the economic environment and operational problems.
The Board will conduct initial due diligence appraisals of potential business or projects and, where they believe further investigation is warranted, intend to appoint appropriately qualified persons to assist. The Proposed Board believes its expertise will enable it to determine quickly which opportunities could be viable and so progress quickly to formal due diligence. The Company will not have a separate investment manager. The Company proposes to carry out a comprehensive and thorough project review process in which all material aspects of a potential project or business will be subject to rigorous due diligence, as appropriate.