Final Results - Year Ended 31 December 1999

Griffin Mining Ld 15 June 2000 GRIFFIN MINING LIMITED PRELIMINARY STATEMENT OF RESULTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 1999 INITIAL RESULTS FROM 1999/2000 UNDERGROUND DEVELOPMENT & DRILLING PROGRAMME GRANT OF NEW EXPLORATION LICENCE OVER 102.2 SQ KM SURROUNDING EXISTING CAIJAIYING LICENCE AREA Griffin Mining Limited ('Griffin') has today published its results for the year ended 31 December 1999. Craig Niven, Chairman commented on the results, development programme and new exploration licence as follows. 'The latter half of 1999 and the first half of 2000 has seen Griffin create real value by developing further the Caijiaying orebody and creating a new technology company in which Griffin holds a significant equity stake. The Caijiaying project has been dominated by the underground development programme which was funded from the proceeds of the fund raising of £1.6 million announced in November 1999. Work on the ground commenced in October 1999 and concluded in May this year. The programme has involved extending an existing decline located at the southern end of the main ore body and drives off this decline from which a programme of underground drilling has now been completed. Analytical work arising from this programme is continuing which should provide sufficient information for the Board to take decisions which will determine the future course of action of the company. In summary, the key conclusions that have emerged from the 1999/2000 work programme at Caijiaying are as follows: - The ore body in the southern end of Zone III contains extensive high grade mineralisation. Composite grades of the wider zones range from 6% to 17% zinc and of the narrower zones from 20% to 30% zinc. - The ore body in the southern end of Zone III shows more complex geometry than earlier drilling results indicated. - The combination of the high grades and complex geometry together imply that the most economic mining method for exploitation of the deposit may be by way of underground mining using the existing decline and at some point in the light of the orebody structure from a new decline to be sunk on the northern half of Zone III. Based on the above conclusions, the Board has taken the decision to investigate the possibility of commencing zinc and gold production at Caijiaying. The production decision would be a significant milestone for Griffin. For a relatively small capital cost it would present the opportunity for Griffin to generate cash flows in the short term which should end the company's reliance on the capital markets to fund its ongoing activities. However, a decision by the Board to move forward with production will be based on the requisite economic robustness of the project being demonstrated and the willingness of the capital markets to provide the necessary funding to enable mining and processing of ore to be undertaken on site at Caijiaying. Should either of these criteria not be satisfied, then the Board will have no option but to seek alternative rationalisation strategies for Caijiaying. On 5th June 2000 Griffin's joint venture company in China, Hebei Hua' Ao Development Company Limited, was awarded a three year exploration licence covering 102.2 sq km of highly prospective ground surrounding the existing exploration licence area at Caijiaying. The geology of the area suggests that the new licence area has the potential to host significant copper and/or gold as well as additional zinc and lead. Agreement in principle has been reached with Griffin's Chinese partners to amend the existing joint venture agreement such that Griffin will have a 90% interest in this new licence. The minimum expenditure commitments on the new area are approximately $226,000 over the first three years of the exploration licence. The commitments for the first year have already been met as part of the work conducted in the area during the 1999/2000 development programme at Caijiaying. In January 2000 the Board announced another initiative primarily designed to increase the funding alternatives available to Griffin with the formation of Griff-Tech.com plc. This company was formed as an AIM listed cash shell with a strategy of seeking a major acquisition via a reverse take-over. In May 2000, Griff-Tech announced the acquisition of Future Internet Technologies Limited and a placing to raise £3 million to fund the development of this company. Following this acquisition and placing Griffin holds a 2.4% interest in Future Internet Technologies plc. Griffin shareholders have benefited in two ways from the Griff-Tech initiative. First through the structure which offered all founders shares in Griff-Tech exclusively to Griffin shareholders on a pro rata basis at 1p per share. Second, through the increase in the value of the interest in Future Internet Technologies plc that has been retained by Griffin itself. This initiative was well received by shareholders with a take up of the offer in excess of 85%. With Griff-Tech having now completed the type of transaction that it was created to conclude, the Board is now actively considering similar initiatives. The year has therefore seen the beginning of an evolution of Griffin from a single project mining development company into a company which also has a separate investment activity. Capital market conditions and developments in the new economy provided the catalyst for this change, but it was facilitated by the skills and experience of individuals within Griffin. I view this as a positive way to have started the year 2000.' Further information Craig Niven (Chairman) Telephone: + 44 (0)207 321 2077 Charles Dampney - Charles Stanley Telephone; + 44 (0)1273 486244 Griffin Mining Limited's shares are quoted on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange (symbol GFM) and traded on the Canadian Dealing Network in Toronto (symbol GRFM). 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 1999 (expressed in thousands US dollars) 1999 1998 $000 $000 Income (Losses) / gains on the disposal of investments (179) 147 Net operating expenses (774) (711) Provisions in respect of continuing operations (74) (1,976) Release of negative goodwill - 490 Operating (loss) (1,027) (2,050) Foreign exchange gains / (losses) 4 (10) Interest receivable and similar income 17 31 (Loss) on ordinary activities before taxation (1,006) (2,029) Taxation on ordinary activities - - (Loss) on ordinary activities after taxation (1,006) (2,029) Minority interests - 375 (Loss) for the financial year (1,006) (1,654) (Loss) per share (cents) (4.2) (10.0) GRIFFIN MINING LIMITED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET As at 31 December 1999 (expressed in thousands US dollars) 1999 1998 $000 $000 Fixed assets Intangible assets 5,122 4,344 Tangible assets 259 263 5,381 4,607 Current assets Portfolio investments 82 165 Accounts receivable 10 14 Prepaid expenses 3 11 Cash and deposits 1,501 408 1,596 598 Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year Accrued expenses (155) (119) Creditors (364) (85) Net current assets 1,077 394 Negative goodwill (288) (288) Total net assets 6,170 4,713 Capital and reserves Share capital 3,895 2,099 Share premium 13,084 12,587 Investment revaluation reserve (764) (911) Foreign exchange reserve 266 243 Profit & loss account (10,978) (9,972) Equity shareholders' funds 5,503 4,046 Equity minority interests 667 667 Equity interests 6,170 4,713 Number of shares in issue 38,946,501 20,993,779 Attributable net asset value per share $0.14 $0.19 GRIFFIN MINING LIMITED STATEMENT OF TOTAL RECOGNISED GAINS AND LOSSES For the year ended 31 December 1999 (expressed in thousands US dollars) 1999 1998 $000 $000 (Loss) for the financial year (1,006) (1,654) Unrealised gains / (losses) on investments 147 (194) Currency translation differences in foreign currency net investments 23 72 Total gains and losses recognised in the year (836) (1,776) 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 1999 (expressed in thousands US dollars) 1999 1998 $000 $000 Net cash (outflow) from operating activities (381) (246) Investing activities Payments to acquire intangible fixed assets (819) (1,093) Payments to acquire tangible fixed assets - (7) Payments to acquire subsidiary undertakings - (14) Net cash (outflow) from investing activities (819) (1,114) Net cash (outflow) before financing (1,200) (1,360) Financing Issue of ordinary share capital 2,774 1,728 Expenses paid in connection with share issue (481) (362) 2,293 1,366 Increase in cash and cash equivalents 1,093 (6) Reconciliation of operating (loss) to net cash (outflow) from operating activities Operating (loss) (1,027) (2,050) Interest received 17 31 Taxation - - Depreciation 4 4 (Losses) / Gains on sale of investments 179 (147) Receipts on the sale of investments 51 230 Provisions in respect of continuing operations 74 1,976 Release of negative goodwill - (490) Decrease / (increase) in debtors 12 155 Increase/(decrease) in creditors 287 57 Other non-cash income, including exchange differences 22 (12) (381) (246) 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 1999 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 1999 statutory financial statements upon which the auditors' opinion is unqualified. The results for the year ended 31 December 1998 have been extracted from the statutory accounts for that period which contain an unqualified auditor's report. 3. The annual report and accounts for 1999 will be sent by post to all registered shareholders shortly. Additional copies are available from the Company's London office, 5th Floor, 4 New Burlington Street, London. W1X 7FE. 4. Losses per share have been calculated on the basis of the net loss after taxation of US$1,006,000 (loss US$1,654,000 in 1998) and the weighted average number of shares in issue in the year ended 31 December 1999 of 24,200,537 (16,457,940 in 1998). There is no dilutive effect of outstanding warrants to purchase 1,957,050 shares at 9 pence and share purchase options to purchase 2,475,000 shares at $0.24 because the exercise prices of the warrants and share purchase options were greater than the weighted average market price of the Company's ordinary shares in the year. 5. Reconciliation of shareholders' funds 1999 1998 $000 $000 Total gains and (losses) recognised in the year (836) (1,776) Issue of ordinary shares in the year 2,293 2,991 Shares to be issued - (780) Net additions to shareholders' funds 1,457 435 Opening shareholders' funds 4,046 3,611 Closing shareholders' funds 5,503 4,046
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