2001 Chairman's Statement

Kenmare Resources PLC 20 June 2002 Kenmare Resources plc ('Kenmare' or 'the Company') 2001 Chairman's Statement In our last annual report, I outlined Kenmare's focus on converting the Moma Titanium Minerals Deposit into an operating mine. The main task areas are the negotiation of sales contracts and the arranging of the necessary funding. I am delighted to say that we have had considerable success in both these areas. In May 2002 Kenmare signed an offtake agreement with one of the world's largest users of TiO2 feedstocks. This contract was signed, despite a generally soft market following the US economic slowdown. It represents a significant proportion of the project's ilmenite output and we anticipate it forming the cornerstone of our evolving offtake arrangements. In addition to this contract, we have reached outline agreement with consumers of zircon. The agreements cover our total anticipated zircon output. We are working with these parties to develop bankable documents. We are also in discussion with several other major ilmenite and rutile consumers although these discussions are not at such an advanced stage. On funding, we appointed N. M. Rothschild & Sons Ltd. as our financial advisor in June of last year. Working with Rothschild and the Government of Mozambique, we have finalised our Mineral Licensing Agreement, signed an Implementation Agreement covering an Industrial Free Zone from which the project benefits, and agreed a power tariff formula. These activities were completed by the end of January 2002, allowing us to approach the Development Finance Institutions. I am pleased to say that these funders reacted positively and, subject to due diligence, satisfactory completion of the offtake negotiations and raising of additional equity, have provided expressions of interest to provide senior and/ or mezzanine finance amounting to circa US$280 million. This total exceeds the Project's likely debt requirement by some US$70 million, providing Kenmare with increased confidence that these expressions of interest can, in the course of the next few months, be converted into the required +/-US$210 million of firm loan commitments. The funding institutions are advancing their interest concurrently with marketing negotiations. We have appointed an independent engineering company who will work on behalf of the lenders to assess the project, and legal counsel who will represent the lenders on project related legal issues such as the drawing up of documentation. The inaugural meeting of the lenders committee occurred in June. In the meantime, Kenmare has completed the largest equity capital raising in its history. €16.4 million was raised in May 2002 from institutions and private shareholders. This money will be used principally for the due diligence process, and for various aspects of final design which are still ongoing. Funds will also be used for the dismantling of the separator plant purchased from BHP and payments on that plant. When debt arrangements are complete the residual amount will be contributed to the project as equity. The loss for 2001 arises largely from the provision for the remaining value of the Niassa Gold Mineral Interest. As outlined in the 2001 Interim Report, this was due to the low gold price and the decision to focus Company resources on the Moma Project. During the year Peter McAleer joined the Board. Peter has worked in the resource industry for 25 years and has been involved with the funding of many successful mining projects. He has been a great help to the executive as they work to structure a very complicated funding situation. In summary, we have signed with a major consumer and are advanced in other market negotiations; we have raised €16.4 million; we have negotiated the Minerals Licensing and Implementation Agreements; we have received expressions of interest from lenders; we have appointed legal counsel and independent engineer to the lenders, and we have held the inaugural lending meeting. We are dedicated to continuing to push this project forward with all possible speed. Charles Carvill, Chairman For more information: Tony McCluskey Financial Director +353 1 6710411 or +353 87 6740346 Tom Byrne Murray Consultants +353 1 6614666 or +353 86 8104224 Tim Blackstone Blackstone Communications +44 207 2512544 www.kenmareresources.com 20 June, 2002 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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