Approval to Establish Second Mine in Azerbaijan

RNS Number : 2137D

Anglo Asian Mining PLC

14 May 2012

 



Anglo Asian Mining plc / Ticker: AAZ / Index: AIM / Sector: Mining

14 May 2012

Anglo Asian Mining plc ('Anglo Asian' or 'the Company')

Approval to Establish Second Mine in Azerbaijan

Anglo Asian Mining plc, the AIM listed gold producer, has received approval from the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources for the Development and Production Programme for its Gosha Gold Deposit ('Gosha') in Azerbaijan.  Accordingly, the Company aims to commence the development of Gosha into a small, profitable, high grade underground gold mine producing gold at an average rate of 10,000 to 15,000 ounces per annum for a period of up to five years.

Under the terms of the Production Sharing Agreement ("PSA"), the Company is required to commence development and production of Gosha within one year, as from April 25, 2012 unless otherwise agreed in writing between the parties to the PSA.  Given the Company's intention to construct an agitation leaching plant at the Company's flagship mining operation Gedabek, also in Azerbaijan, the Company intends to request that the Government of Azerbaijan agree that the commencement of the Development and Production Programme is delayed until H1 2013 so that the efforts of the Company can be focussed on the agitation leaching plant construction.  At the same time, the Company aims to implement further drilling campaigns at Gosha in order to increase the economics of the proposed mine.  An update on the agreed date for the commencement of the Development and Production Programme at Gosha will be given in due course.

Anglo Asian CEO Reza Vaziri said, "Receiving approval to push ahead with the development of Gosha is the next step towards fulfilling our strategy to build a multiple gold mine company and unlock the intrinsic value of our large portfolio in Azerbaijan.   Gosha, will be our second gold mine, following in the steps of our first, very successful mine, Gedabek, which is expected to produce circa 54,000 ounces this financial year.   Another deposit, Ordubad, where we recently announced a Notice of Discovery, is also looking very promising, and will, we hope, be developed into a third mining operation in the future."

**ENDS**

For further information please visit www.angloasianmining.com or contact:

Reza Vaziri	Anglo Asian Mining plc	Tel: [phone]
Andrew Herbert	Anglo Asian Mining plc	Tel: [phone]
Ewan Leggat	Fairfax I.S. PLC	Tel: [phone]
Laura Littley	Fairfax I.S. PLC	Tel: [phone]
Felicity Edwards	St Brides Media & Finance Ltd	Tel: [phone]
Isabel Crossley	St Brides Media & Finance Ltd	Tel: [phone]

Notes:

Anglo Asian Mining plc (AIM:AAZ) is a gold producer in Central Asia with a broad portfolio of production and exploration assets in Azerbaijan.  The Company has a 1,962 sq km prospective exploration portfolio, assembled on the back of analysis of historic Soviet geological data and held under a Production Sharing Agreement ('PSA') based on the Azeri oil industry.  The Company developed Azerbaijan's first operating gold/copper mine, Gedabek, which commenced gold production in May 2009.  Gold production for the year ended 31 December 2011 totalled 57,068 oz of gold.

Anglo Asian is actively looking to exploit its first mover advantage in Azerbaijan to identify additional projects, as well as looking for other properties in Central Asia and Caucasia in order to fulfil its expansion ambitions and become a mid-tier gold and base metal production company focussed in these regions.      

 

END

 

 

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