Final Results
Eurasia Mining PLC
28 June 2001
PRESS RELEASE
PRELIMINARY ANNOUNCEMENT OF AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31
DECEMBER 2000
* New Technical Leadership set in place at Board Level
* Focused programme for large shallow Platinum Group Metals targets in
established provinces; provision made in the accounts for historic
gold projects
* Major land acquisition programme under way in Urals and South Africa
following:
* Discovery of high-grade palladium veins and broad disseminated
targets
* Doubling of Anglo Platinum alluvial Platinum Joint Venture
* Successful fund raising for new targets through £405,000 share
placing in May 2001
Highlights from Chairman's and Deputy Chairman's Statements:
Significant new strategic directions have been adopted by the Company since
our last Annual Report was published. Key amongst these are: concentration
of the Company's resources on large shallow Platinum Group Metals ('PGM's')
targets; introduction at Board level of experienced technical and mining
business expertise; focus on the acquisition of large scale targets of high
value which should attract the attention of major mining groups; and last,
seeking opportunities in the Bushveldt complex in South Africa, site of the
world's largest repository of PGMs.
A key component for the delivery of the above strategy has been the
recruitment to your Board of Dr. Michael Martineau, initially as a Director
and, since February, as Executive Deputy Chairman. Michael Martineau brings
with him an established record of leading successful exploration teams and
companies and in the development of mines - most recently with SAMAX Gold Inc,
which he founded in 1989 and which was sold to Ashanti Goldfields Company for
US$140 million following the discovery and development of gold mines in
Tanzania.
In addition, in May 2001 Mr William (Bill) Anderson, who has been responsible
for the development of the Company's Platinum-Palladium projects in Russia
since 1997, was promoted to the Board as Operations Director.
Our decision to concentrate on PGM exploration has been fully justified by the
continued strength of both price and demand. Sustained demand, particularly
for Platinum, is predicted to underpin the planned mine expansions and new
developments.
We are encouraged by the presence in the Urals of major players such as Anglo
Platinum and Placer Dome. While investment in Russia has its difficulties we
believe that the Company is well placed on account of its local partner
relationships and depth of knowledge of the Russian market to manage such risk
factors effectively.
The Company's prime near term objective will be to define a major alluvial
Platinum deposit within the current Anglo Platinum joint venture that could be
developed as a substantial low cost producer within a three year time frame.
Additional licence applications are being made and negotiations have been
initiated with local operators to achieve this.
In the slightly longer term the recent discovery of broad zones of Palladium
mineralisation by Eurasia is a technical breakthrough that has the potential
to be an entirely new Palladium mining province. Within this Eurasia already
holds a key position. New applications currently in progress are designed to
build on this. The major effort will be on defining the centres for this type
of mineralisation with a grade capable of supporting a substantial open pit
mine.
In early 2001 following the appointment of consultants and site visits the
Company embarked on a programme of land acquisition on selected targets on
open ground in the Bushveldt complex of South Africa. The objective is to
acquire sole risk exploration projects with capacity for rapid advancement and
subsequent development probably in partnership with a major company.
In view of the Company's concentration on Platinum Group Metals, we have
considered it prudent to make provision for our historic expenditure on gold
projects in the accounts.
The Company is aware of the need to create wider recognition of the Company's
projects and of the progress achieved to date. The appointment of WH Ireland
in September 2000 as broker and the subsequent arrangement of a £405,000 share
placing in May 2001 is part of the strategy to develop the liquidity and
market in the Company's shares. The application and negotiation for ground is
necessarily a competitive area where secrecy is required. With the award of
the first of our applications in the Urals and the finalisation of the South
African agreements we look forward to the regular release of progress reports.
28 June 2001
Listing: Alternative Investment Market, London Stock Exchange
Code: EUA
Web Site: www.eurasia-mining.plc.uk
Email: info@eurasia-mining.plc.uk
For further information please contact:
Michael Martineau - Executive Deputy Chairman Tel: + 44 (0) 20 7976 1222
Laurie Beevers - WH Ireland Tel: + 44 (0) 7903 164 004
John Molyneux - WH Ireland Tel: + 44 (0) 20 7397 3000
Tim Blackstone - Blackstone Business Communications Tel: + 44 (0) 20 7251 2544
CONSOLIDATED PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT
For the year ended 31 December 2000
2000 1999
£ £
Administrative expenses (506,602) (741,254)
Impairment write-off (3,721,489) -
Loss from continuing activities before interest (4,228,091) (741,254)
Profit on partial disposal of a - 70,835
subsidiary
Interest receivable & similar items 285,886 90,113
Interest payable & similar charges (1,241) (2,364)
Loss from continuing activities before taxation (3,943,446) (582,670)
Taxation - -
Loss on continuing activities after taxation (3,943,446) (582,670)
Minority interest 481 (20,451)
Retained loss for the financial year (3,942,965) (603,121)
Loss per share (17.10)p (6.01)p
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
At 31 December 2000
2000 1999
£ £
Fixed assets
Intangible - Exploration, development and production - 1,649,706
interests
Tangible - Exploration, development and production 2,341,148 3,694,368
interests
Tangible - Other 233,242 275,870
Investments 66,859 61,762
Total fixed assets 2,641,249 5,681,706
Current assets
Debtors 95,574 61,959
Cash at bank 504,266 21,710
Total current assets 599,840 83,669
Creditors - amounts falling due within one year (215,441) (3,009,715)
Net current assets/(liabilities) 384,399 (2,926,046)
Total assets less current liabilities 3,025,648 2,755,660
Creditors - amounts falling due after more than one year (951,223) -
Net assets 2,074,425 2,755,660
Capital and reserves
Called-up share capital 1,391,942 4,167,556
Share premium account 5,792,289 3,246,336
Capital redemption reserve 3,539,906 -
Profit and loss account (8,671,698) (4,679,027)
Equity shareholders' funds 2,052,439 2,734,865
Minority interest 21,986 20,795
2,074,425 2,755,660
CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW STATEMENT
For the year ended 31 December 2000
2000 1999
£ £
Net cash flow from operating activities (816,488) (495,722)
Returns on investments and servicing of 28,358 (419)
finance
Capital expenditure and financial (379,379) (244,732)
investment
Acquisitions and disposals - 36,847
Cash outflow before use of liquid (1,167,509) (704,026)
resources and financing
Financing
Issue of ordinary shares 1,875,001 675,700
Repayment of loan stock (224,936) -
Increase/(decrease) in cash in period 482,556 (28,326)
Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement in net debt
Increase/(decrease) in cash in the period 482,556 ( 28,326)
Cash outflow from debt 224,936 -
Change in net debt resulting from cash 707,492 (28,326)
flows
Translation difference (93,698) ( 49,694)
Conversion of loan stock to equity 1,394,994 144,156
Movement in net debt in period 2,008,788 66,136
Net debt at 1 January 2000 (2,455,745)(2,521,751)
Net debt at 31 December 2000 (446,957)(2,455,615)
Notes
1. The financial information set out above does not constitute the
Company's statutory accounts for the years ended 31 December 2000 or 1999 but
is derived from these accounts. Statutory accounts for 1999 have been
delivered to the registrar of companies, and those for 2000 will be delivered
following the Company's Annual General Meeting. The auditors have reported on
those accounts; their reports were unqualified and did not contain statements
under Section 237(2) or (3) of the Companies Act 1985.
2. The financial information has been prepared under the historical
cost convention and in accordance with applicable accounting standards.
In common with many exploration companies, the Company raises finance for its
exploration and appraisal activities in discrete tranches to finance its
activities for limited periods only. Further funding is raised as and when
required.
The Directors are of the opinion that the Company will require to raise
additional financial resources to enable the Group to undertake an optimal
programme of exploration and appraisal activity over the next twelve months.
Accordingly, the Directors intend either to raise further funds or to engage
an additional funding partner as appropriate during the course of the next
twelve months.
In addition, the Company has convertible debt which falls due for repayment in
October 2002. To the extent to which it is not converted into Shares, some or
all of such debt may therefore fall to be repayable in cash. The Company may
require additional funding at such time to meet any cash repayment.
Whilst the Directors are confident that funding will be available to the
Group, there can be no guarantee that this will be the case. The financial
statements do not include any adjustments, particularly in respect of tangible
fixed assets, stocks, investments, loans and provisions for winding up which
would be necessary if the Company and Group ceased to be an ongoing concern.
3. Reconcilliation of operating loss to operating cashflows
2000 1999
£'000 £'000
Operating loss (4,228) (741)
Depreciation and impairment charges 3,737 93
(Increase)/decrease in debtors (33) 121
(Decrease)/increase in creditors (292) 31
Net cash outflow from operation activities (816) (496)
4. Copies of the Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31
December 2000 will be mailed to the shareholders on 28 June 2001 and will be
available, free of charge from the Company's registered office at 14-16 Regent
Street, London SW1Y 4PH for a period of 14 days from the date thereof.