Interim Results

Griffin Mining Ld 29 September 2003 GRIFFIN MINING LTD 1 Berkeley Street, London, W1J 8DJ, United Kingdom Telephone: + 44 (0)20 7016 8821 Facsimile: + 44 (0)20 7016 9124 E mail: griffin@griffinmining.com 29th September 2003 INTERIM STATEMENT FOR THE 6 MONTHS TO 30 JUNE 2003 CONFIRMATION OF FEASIBILITY STUDY RESULTS Griffin Mining Limited ('Griffin'or the 'Company') has today published its interim results for the 6 months ended 30th June 2003. Losses for the 6 months ended 30th June 2003 were US$247,000 compared to US$109,000 in the same period in 2002. Losses increased due to a fall in foreign exchange profits and interest received. Operating costs increased from US$225,000 in the 6 months to 30th June 2002 to US$279,000 in the same period in 2003 as a result of a weakening US dollar and increased corporate activity, in particular, in completing a feasibility study on the Caijiaying zinc-gold project. Since 30th June 2003, Griffin has completed 2 private placings with institutional investors to raise £2.9 million (US$4.7 million) before expenses. In addition, warrants were granted to existing shareholders of the Company basis of one warrant for every fifteen shares held, exercisable at 12p per share at any time up to 30th September 2003. Should all of these warrants be exercised, the Company will receive a further £830,000 (US$1.33 million) and have cash balances of some US$7 million. The funds raised from the placings and warrant exercise will be used to fund further exploration work and initial construction work at Caijiaying prior to the onset of winter, in particular, portal, ventilation decline and vertical shaft construction. Since the Company's announcement of the results of its feasibility study ('the Study') on the 2nd September 2003, the Company has been inundated by questions concerning the Caijiaying zinc-gold mine by the wider investment community. It may therefore be beneficial to reiterate and confirm the most pertinent points of the feasibility study: 1. The Study was prepared by independent geological consultants, CSA Australia Pty Ltd using mainly Australian experts for the mine process plant and infrastructure and the leading Chinese engineering institute (ENFI) for the mine design to comply with Chinese regulations and costs. The financial model, based upon the results of the Study, was prepared by independent experts Northwind Resources Pty Ltd. 2. The Study applies only to zone III at Caijiaying, which is only a small area of some 1.5 sq km in the overall tenement package held by the Company at Caijiaying of 67 sq km, the vast majority of which has yet to be explored. 3. The ore reserves (based on the previously announced resource estimates compiled by Micromine Consulting) have been optimized by Datamine Consulting and CSA Australia Pty Ltd according to the mine plan. Only those reserves that relate to Phase I of the Caijiaying mine development (i.e. the first 14.5 years) have been included in the ore reserves. 4. In addition to the computer-generated reserve, the mining plan incorporates a manually interpreted Inferred Resource block of higher grade gold mineralisation of 330,000 tonnes at 8.61% zinc, 2.47g/t gold and 36.35g/t silver. This resource block does not include significant other gold intersections such as hole ZK313-14 which produced 8 metres at 11.65 g/t gold, 7.12% Zinc & 31.13 g/t silver from 118 metres. Griffin is planning a gold exploration drilling programme which will initially target this area. 5. The Study confirms a profitable zinc-gold mine at Caijiaying with an initial throughput of 200,000 tonnes per annum to produce 314,250 tonnes of zinc metal and 108,450 kilograms of silver in 586,300 tonnes of concentrates grading 53.6% zinc and 185 g/t silver over the life of the mine. In addition, 39,850 ounces of gold will be produced in bullion. 6. The mine has been designed so that an upgrade of mine production can be readily implemented. The Company expects to increase throughput to 500,000 tonnes per annum as soon practicable. 7. The Company will continue to drill underground for further zinc and gold resources during the financing, construction and commissioning of the zone III mine. Mladen Ninkov, Chairman, commented as follows: 'Even with the inevitable increase in costs associated with the completion of a feasibility study for Caijiaying, the financial results must be very pleasing for our shareholders. These results continue to reflect tight management control of costs and augers well for the Caijiaying mine being brought into production on time and on budget.' Further information Mladen Ninkov - Chairman Telephone: +44(0)20 7016 8821 Roger Goodwin - Finance Director Telephone: +44(0)20 7016 8821 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 SUMMARISED PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT (expressed in thousands US dollars) 6 months to 6 months to Year to 30/06/2003 30/06/2002 31/12/2002 Unaudited Unaudited Audited $000 $000 $000 Income Gains on the disposal of investments - 8 8 Net operating expenses (279) (225) (462) Operating (Loss) (279) (217) (454) Foreign exchange profits 13 74 159 Interest receivable and similar income 19 34 65 (Loss) on ordinary activities before taxation (247) (109) (230) Taxation on loss on ordinary activities - - - (Loss) for the financial period (247) (109) (230) (Loss) per share (cents) (0.2) (0.1) (0.2) GRIFFIN MINING LIMITED CONSOLIDATED SUMMARISED BALANCE SHEET (expressed in thousands US dollars) 30/6/2003 30/6/2002 31/12/2002 Unaudited Unaudited Audited $000 $000 $000 Fixed Assets Intangible assets 5,903 5,190 5,617 Tangible assets 2 2 2 5,905 5,192 5,619 Current Assets Portfolio investments 28 28 29 Accounts receivable 2 11 10 Prepaid expenses 30 14 13 Cash and deposits 1,178 2,218 1,737 1,238 2,271 1,789 Current liabilities Creditors and accrued expenses (141) (45) (87) Net current assets 1,097 2,226 1,702 Total net assets 7,002 7,418 7,321 Capital and reserves Share capital 1,036 1,033 1,036 Share premium 15,537 15,516 15,537 Contributing surplus 3,690 3,690 3,690 Investment revaluation reserve (846) (845) (844) Foreign exchange reserve (58) 152 152 Profit & loss account (12,357) (12,128) (12,250) Shareholders' equity interests 7,002 7,418 7,321 Attributable net assets per share (cents) 7 7 7 Number of shares in issue 103,557,248 103,257,248 103,557,248 GRIFFIN MINING LIMITED CONSOLIDATED SUMMARISED CASH FLOW STATEMENT (expressed in thousands US dollars) 6 months to 6 months to Year to 30/06/2003 30/06/2002 31/12/2002 Unaudited Unaudited Audited $000 $000 $000 Net cash (outflow) from operating activities (236) (178) (285) Investing activities Interest received 19 34 65 Payments to acquire intangible fixed assets (341) (219) (648) Payments to acquire tangible fixed assets (1) - - Net cash (outflow) from investing activities (323) (185) (583) Net cash (outflow) before financing (559) (363) (868) Financing Issue of ordinary share capital - - 24 Expenses paid in connection with share issue - - - - - 24 (Decrease) in cash and cash equivalents (559) (363) (844) Reconciliation of operating (loss) to net cash (outflow) from operating activities Operating loss (279) (217) (454) Depreciation 1 1 1 (Gains) on sale of investments - (8) (8) Receipts on the sale of investments - 8 8 (Increase) in debtors (9) (6) (4) (Decrease) / increase in creditors 54 (24) 17 Other non-cash income, including exchange differences (3) 68 155 (236) (178) (285) GRIFFIN MINING LIMITED STATEMENT OF TOTAL RECOGNISED GAINS AND LOSSES (expressed in thousands US dollars) 6 months to 6 months to Year to 30/06/2003 30/06/2002 31/12/2002 Unaudited Unaudited Audited $000 $000 $000 (Loss) for the period (247) (109) (230) Unrealised (losses) / gains on investments (1) 12 13 Currency translation differences in foreign currency net investments (71) (20) (21) Total (losses) recognised in the period (319) (117) (238) Losses and profits for the financial year are the same as those on an historical cost basis. GRIFFIN MINING LIMITED NOTES TO THE INTERIM FINANCIAL STATEMENT 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. Copies of this interim report are being sent to all registered shareholders. Additional copies are available from the Company's London office, 1 Berkeley Street, London W1J 8DJ. 3. Losses per share have been calculated on the basis of the net loss after taxation of $247,000 and the weighted average number of shares in issue in the period ended 30 June 2003 of 103,557,248. There is no dilutive effect of outstanding share purchase options. 4. 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 2002 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 2002 statutory financial statements upon which the auditors' opinion is unqualified. 5. Reconciliation of shareholders' funds. 6 months to 6 months to Year to 30/06/2003 30/06/2002 31/12/2002 Unaudited Unaudited Audited $000 $000 $000 Total (losses) recognised in the period (319) (117) (238) Issue of Ordinary Shares in the period - - 24 Net reduction shareholders' funds (319) (117) (214) Opening shareholders' funds 7,321 7,535 7,535 Closing shareholders' funds 7,002 7,418 7,321 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange R NKAKQOBKDPCB
UK 100