Final Results

Griffin Mining Ld 30 April 2002 Griffin Mining Limited 4th Floor, the Linen Hall, 162-168 Regent Street, London, W1R 5TE, United Kingdom Telephone: + 44 (0)20 7663 9855 Facsimile: + 44 (0)20 7663 9856 E mail: griffin@griffinmining.demon.co.uk 30th APRIL 2002 PRELIMINARY STATEMENT OF RESULTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2001 Griffin Mining Limited ('Griffin'or the 'Company') has today published its results for the year ended 31 December 2001. Losses for the financial year were down from USD608,000 in 2000 to USD543,000 in 2001, with operating costs reduced from USD629,000 in 2000 to USD422,000 in 2001. Losses for the financial year 2001 included an exceptional charge of USD250,000 in respect of discontinued operations in Burkina Faso. Mladen Ninkov, Chairman commented as follows: 'The financial results for the year are most satisfactory considering the considerable progress made by the Company in advancing Caijiaying closer to production, which has included, the granting of our long anticipated Chinese mining licence. The first priority for Griffin in the second half of 2001 was to complete the remaining matters required under the Chinese Mining Law to convert Griffin's exploration licence over the Caijiaying zinc gold project into a mining licence. It took all of 2001 and the beginning of 2002 to complete the matters required to lodge the application for a mining licence including an Environmental Impact Study, Staged Geological Report, Chinese Feasibility Study and numerous other studies and reports. In the prosperous new Chinese Year of the Horse, Griffin was rewarded for its perseverance, patience and expertise by being granted its mining licence. This was a momentous event for the Company, for the Chinese mining industry and for the world mining industry in general. Griffin was able to accomplish something never previously achieved by any mining company. It was granted the first ever mining licence (over a base metals deposit) in the Peoples Republic of China to a foreign controlled joint venture company under the Chinese Mining Law of 1998. The Company's focus has now turned to completing all matters necessary to begin the construction of the mine and processing plant at Caijiaying so that the mine can be commissioned as soon as feasibly possible. A number of critical steps will be required to be completed prior to construction taking place. The first of these is the completion of a resource and reserve statement drafted by independent resource geologists, according to acknowledged international standards, to provide comfort to the commercial banks that a long enough mine life exists at Caijiaying to support repayment of the project finance extended for the construction of the Caijiaying mine. To achieve that goal, Griffin has agreed to drill a minimum of 6 deep diamond drill holes in the northern section of the Caijiaying deposit. Drilling is to begin in May and should be completed by July 2002. Assuming the drilling programme produces the anticipated results, the Company expects to move ahead with enhancing the Chinese Feasibility Study into a bankable feasibility study of western standard. This means editing and adding to the Chinese Feasibility Study including incorporating the above mentioned independent resource statement, the design of the underground decline and the metallurgical work completed by the Company. With the final bankable feasibility study in hand, the Company with its financial advisor, Endeavour Financial Corporation, will approach, negotiate with and, hopefully, enter into a project financing arrangement with one or more commercial banks. With financing in place, the Company would then move into the design, procurement and construction stage leading to the commissioning of the plant. Griffin remains confident of China as a country in which to do business and as a place of continuing exciting opportunities. The Company is well placed to take advantage of these opportunities. The entry of China into the World Trade Organization at the end of 2001, the continuing growth in the Chinese economy and the country's falling zinc production all augur well for the operations of Griffin in China. Griffin has continued to initiate and investigate transactions both within and outside its traditional mining base to try to add real value to its shareholders. The Company will continue in 2002 to look at mining and non-mining transactions which meet its strict investment parameters' Further information Roger Goodwin - President Telephone: +44(0)20 7663 9855 Charles Dampney - Charles Stanley Telephone: +44(0)20 7739 8200 Griffin Mining Limited's shares are quoted on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange (symbol GFM). The Company's news releases are available on the Company's web site: www.griffinmining.com GRIFFIN MINING LIMITED CONSOLIDATED PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT For the year ended 31 December 2001 (expressed in thousands US dollars) 2001 2000 $000 $000 Income Gains on the disposal of investments - 39 Net operating expenses (422) (629) Other income - 22 Provisions in respect of continuing operations - (55) (Loss) / profit on disposal of discontinued operations (250) 58 Operating (loss) (672) (565) Foreign exchange gains / (losses) 47 (85) Interest receivable and similar income 82 42 (Loss) on ordinary activities before taxation (543) (608) Taxation on ordinary activities - - (Loss) for the financial year (543) (608) (Loss) per share (cents) (0.6) (1.5) GRIFFIN MINING LIMITED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET As at 31 December 2001 (expressed in thousands US dollars) 2001 2000 $000 $000 Fixed assets Intangible assets 4,985 4,542 Tangible assets 3 4 4,988 4,546 Current assets Portfolio investments 17 501 Accounts receivable 12 261 Prepaid expenses 7 18 Cash and deposits 2,581 370 2,617 1,150 Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year Accrued expenses (32) (64) Creditors (38) (67) Net current assets 2,547 1,019 Total net assets 7,535 5,565 Capital and reserves Share capital 1,033 4,100 Share premium 15,516 13,154 Contributing surplus 3,690 - Investment revaluation reserve (857) (372) Foreign exchange reserve 173 160 Profit & loss account (12,020) (11,477) Equity interests 7,535 5,565 Number of shares in issue 103,257,248 41,003,551 Attributable net asset value per share $0.07 $0.14 GRIFFIN MINING LIMITED STATEMENT OF TOTAL RECOGNISED GAINS AND LOSSES For the year ended 31 December 2001 (expressed in thousands US dollars) 2001 2000 $000 $000 (Loss) for the financial year (543) (608) Unrealised (losses) / gains on investments (485) 392 Currency translation differences in foreign currency net investments 13 3 Total gains and losses recognised in the year (1,015) (213) Losses and profits for the financial year are the same as those on an historical cost basis. GRIFFIN MINING LIMITED CASH FLOW STATEMENT For the year ended 31 December 2001 (expressed in thousands US dollars) 2001 2000 $000 $000 Net cash (outflow) from operating activities (420) (1,039) Investing activities Interest received 82 42 Payments to acquire intangible fixed assets (434) (488) Payments to acquire tangible fixed assets (2) - Receipts from the disposal of discontinued operations - 88 Net cash (outflow) from investing activities (354) (358) Net cash (outflow) before financing (774) (1,397) Financing Issue of ordinary share capital 3,101 285 Expenses paid in connection with share issue (116) (19) 2,985 266 Increase / (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 2,211 (1,131) Reconciliation of operating (loss) to net cash (outflow) from operating activities Operating loss (672) (565) Taxation - - Depreciation 3 5 (Gains) on sale of investments - (39) Receipts on the sale of investments - 71 Payments to acquire investments - (114) Provisions in respect of continuing operations - 55 Losses / (profits) on disposal of discontinued operations 250 (58) Decrease / (increase) in debtors 10 (16) (Decrease) in creditors (61) (303) Other non-cash income, including exchange differences 50 (75) (420) (1,039) Notes: 1. This statement has been prepared using accounting policies and presentation consistent with those applied in the preparation of the statutory accounts of the Company. 2. The summary accounts set out above do not constitute statutory accounts as defined by Section 84 of the Bermuda Companies Act 1981 or Section 240 of the UK Companies Act 1985. The summarised balance sheet at 31 December 2001 and the summarised profit and loss account, summarised cash flow statement and summarised statement of total recognised gains and losses for the year then ended have been extracted from the Group's 2001 statutory financial statements upon which the auditors' opinion is unqualified. The results for the year ended 31 December 2000 have been extracted from the statutory accounts for that period which contain an unqualified auditor's report. 3. The annual report and accounts for 2001 will be sent by post to all registered shareholders shortly. Additional copies are available from the Company's London office, 4th Floor, The Linen Hall, 162-168 Regent Street, London. W1R 5TE. 4. Losses per share have been calculated on the basis of the net loss after taxation of US$543,000 (loss US$608,000 in 2000) and the weighted average number of shares in issue in the year ended 31 December 2001 of 85,098,010 (40,834,868 in 2000). There is no dilutive effect of share purchase options. 5. Reconciliation of shareholders' funds 2001 2000 $000 $000 Total (losses) and gains recognised in the year (1,015) (213) Issue of ordinary shares in the year 2,985 275 Net additions to shareholders' funds 1,970 62 Opening shareholders' funds 5,565 5,503 Closing shareholders' funds 7,535 5,565 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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