Proposed IFC Strategic Investment

RNS Number : 3120K

Hummingbird Resources PLC

17 August 2012

 

Hummingbird Resources plc

("Hummingbird Resources" or the "Company") (AIM: HUM)

Proposed Strategic Investment from IFC

Highlights

·     IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is proposing making an investment in Hummingbird Resources

·     The potential investment will be IFC's first mining sector investment in Liberia

·     An investment by IFC is not only a strong endorsement of the technical strengths, socio-environmental standards and economic potential of Hummingbird's Dugbe 1 Project, but also provides ongoing access to IFC's expertise in this area

·     An IFC equity investment will help pave the way for potential future debt financing from IFC for the development of the Dugbe 1 Project

The terms of the potential investment are that IFC will make an approximate US$5m investment in the Company at a share price of £0.93, adding to the existing cash reserves of US$11.5m.  Following this investment, IFC will be interested in approximately 3.2 million ordinary shares in the Company, representing approximately 5.7% of the issued share capital.   IFC will also receive half a warrant per share subscribed for at a strike price of £1.4415 with a 5 year term.  The investment is subject only to the execution of final documentation and the approval by the IFC board of directors.

Dan Betts, CEO, said:

"The board has carefully considered the merits of a strategic IFC investment and has unanimously concluded that it is in the best interests of existing Hummingbird Resources shareholders.  Having IFC's approval to their high standard of technical, environmental and political due diligence in this investment will mark a significant endorsement to the viability of the Dugbe 1 Project.

The possibility that IFC could make its first mining sector investment in Liberia with Hummingbird Resources will be a great achievement for the Company.  Investment from IFC brings with it not only a technical and environmental endorsement of the project but also support in these areas as we look to build a mine with access to their experienced team.  An IFC investment also opens up the potential of future debt financing to develop the project, which will increase our optionality as we approach construction."

ENDS

Enquiries:

Hummingbird Resources plc

Daniel Betts, Chief Executive Officer

Thomas Hill, Finance Director

Robert Monro, Head of Business Development [phone]

Liberum Capital Limited

Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker

Tom Fyson / Christopher Kololian [phone]

Jefferies Hoare Govett

Joint Broker

Sara Hale / Thomas Rider [phone]

Yellow Jersey PR Limited

Dominic Barretto

[phone]

Harry Fielder

[phone]

Notes to Editors

Hummingbird Resources plc is an AIM quoted mineral exploration company incorporated in England and Wales and headquartered in London. Since its establishment in November 2005, the Company and its subsidiaries (the "Group") has been active in Liberia, West Africa, and is currently the holder of the largest area of mineral exploration ground in the highly prospective Birimian geological region of eastern Liberia.  The Group's total Resource is 3,817,000 ounces of gold (Indicated Resource of 1,373,000 ounces Gold and Inferred Resource of 2,444,000 ounces gold).

The Group has published a NI43-101 compliant Resource on its Dugbe F deposit of 43.01 million tonnes at 1.27 g/t Au to give 1,765,000 ounces of gold using a lower cut-off grade of 0.5 g/t Au and no upper cut-off grade (Indicated Resource of 1,373,000 ounces of gold at 1.28 g/t Au and an Inferred Resource of 392,000 ounces of gold at 1.23 g/t Au).   In addition, the Group has declared a maiden Inferred Resource on its Tuzon project of 52.8 million tonnes at 1.21 g/t Au to give 2,052,000 ounces gold using a lower cut-off grade of 0.5 g/t Au and an upper cut-off grade of 7.0 g/t Au. Tuzon lies 2.6km to the east of the Dugbe F deposit.  Exploration is being carried out to best industry practices.

The Group currently holds exploration licences covering approximately 7,000 square kilometres in total, which constitutes a significant proportion of eastern Liberia containing the Birimian sequence.

For more information, please visit www.hummingbirdresources.co.uk

 

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