17 April 2012
VANE Minerals plc (AIM:VML)
("VANE" or the "Company")
Final Results for the year ended 31 December 2011
Notice of Annual General Meeting
1Restated, see note 3
· Appointment of new Chief Executive Officer
· McGhee Peak commenced drilling in late 2011 and resulted in VANE successfully drilling into a clearly identified copper-molybdenum porphyry system. Yuma King and Granite Gap copper targets drilled with negative results
· Pre-feasibility work continues at the Wate uranium project
· High-grade uranium encountered at the Rose project
· Improved production with higher grades from Mexican gold and silver assets
· Diamond drilling programme initiated at McGhee Peak
· Drilling commenced at Peg Leg copper target
· Revenues arising from Mexican gold and silver production remain robust
· U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, announces the withdrawal of northern Arizona federal lands from all new exploration and mining activity
David Newton, Chief Executive, commented:
"The year under review was one of progress for the Company, progress that has accelerated into the current year. The first drilling results from McGhee Peak were encouraging, whilst the qualities of our Mexican assets can now be demonstrated over a meaningful period. VANE is in a robust position both operationally and financially, with the downside risk mitigated by the cash flow generated in Mexico and the profile of our exploration assets strengthened."
VANE also announces that the Annual General Meeting will be held at the offices of Allenby Capital Limited, Claridge House, 32 Davies Street, London W1K 4ND at 10:00 am on 31 May 2012, notice of which will be posted to shareholders along with the report and accounts by 20 April 2012.
For further information, please contact:
VANE Minerals Plc |
+44 (0) 20 7225 4590 |
David Newton, Chief Executive Allenby Capital (Nominated Adviser & Joint Broker) Jeremy Porter/Alex Price |
+44 (0) 20 3328 5656 |
Northland Capital Partners (Joint Broker) Louis Castro Bankside Consultants Simon Rothschild |
+44 (0) 20 7796 8821
+44 (0) 20 7367 8888 |
CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT
The progress that we have made this year in both our copper and uranium exploration programmes and our precious metals production business in Mexico is substantial. Our post year end announcement of initial drilling results at McGhee Peak, where we drilled into a copper-molybdenum porphyry system, is a positive development for the Company and we will announce further drilling results on this property throughout the course of 2012. Our copper exploration programme is exciting interest and despite two negative drilling results in 2011, at our projects at Yuma King and Granite Gap, we remain optimistic for both McGhee Peak and our other identified projects which will continue to be tested throughout the current year.
Our uranium exploration programme in northern Arizona has progressed well through our joint venture with Uranium One. During the year, a NI 43-101 Inferred Resource amounting to 1.118M lbs eU3O8 was confirmed at our Wate project and drilling at our Rose project has produced positive results which we hope to be able to convert into a NI 43-101 compliant resource during 2012.
Post year end, the U.S. Secretary of the Interior announced the anticipated withdrawal from uranium mining activity of one million acres of federal lands in northern Arizona where VANE held substantial interests. Whilst this announcement was disappointing, we had amended our exploration plans in July 2009 such that since then, we have only drilled on state lands, which haven't been affected by the withdrawal. Regardless of this, the Board continues to believe in the long term fundamentals of nuclear energy and the outlook for uranium in 2012 and beyond.
Our Mexican subsidiary, Minerales VANE SA de CV, has made significant progress in increasing its financial contribution to the Group. During the course of 2011, production switched from our 100% owned Diablito Mine to ore produced from our joint venture with the Ruiz Brothers. As a result, grades and recovery rates improved leading to more revenue being generated and we have been able to announce that in the fourth quarter of 2011 the financial contribution from Minerales VANE covered the entire costs incurred by the Company for that quarter.
The fund raising during the year and the appointment of David Newton as our new Chief Executive leaves us in a strong position both financially and operationally and gives us the opportunity to grow the business through further exploration drilling on our copper and uranium assets, whilst the continuing success of our Mexican business provides the funding required to provide financial security for the Company.
We remain confident that the fundamentals for copper, gold, silver and uranium will remain strong in the medium to long term and we would like to thank our investors for their continuing support. We look forward to updating you with our progress throughout the rest of 2012.
Sir Richard Needham
16 April 2012
BUSINESS REVIEW
Review of Operations
2011 was a year of significant developments for VANE. The copper exploration programme was implemented and McGhee commenced drilling in late 2011 resulting in VANE successfully drilling into a clearly identified copper-molybdenum porphyry system. A separate diamond drilling programme has been initiated at that asset to determine whether or not economically viable grades of copper and molybdenum are present. Yuma King and Granite Gap copper targets were drilled earlier in the year with negative results.
Our uranium business progressed well through our joint venture with Uranium One and 2011 saw the confirmation of a NI 43-101 compliant resource at our Wate project and positive drilling results at Rose. In total 14 targets were drilled throughout the year with the results providing us with some further significant exploration targets. The announcement by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, that all federal lands in northern Arizona were being withdrawn from hard-rock mining activity was disappointing, but expected and this had no material impact on the running of the business in 2011, as we had already adjusted our drilling programmes to focus on state lands.
Production of gold and silver from our Mexico business improved significantly throughout the course of 2011. We announced our intention to close our Diablito Mine in 2012 once some remaining high grade ore is mined, and production has focused on ore from our Ruiz joint venture. Throughout 2011, this joint venture produced ore from the La Colorada Mine, being one of a number of mines within the joint venture area, and revenues rose significantly due to substantially higher grades being mined and recovery rates improving at our SDA mill. VANE also completed the building of a Merrill Crowe cyanide leaching plant and by the year end this plant was fully operational.
David Newton, our new CEO, started with VANE on 1 September 2011, and is focusing the business on delivering its exploration strategy in the U.S. and improving the revenue flow from Mexico. Following his appointment, the Company also completed a fund raise in October 2011, which saw the Company raise £1.16 million, before expenses, which provides the Company with greater financial security.
During 2011, the Company drilled two copper exploration targets at Yuma King and Granite Gap which did not result in the discovery of economic mineralisation, and then commenced rotary drilling at its McGhee Peak target. The results of this rotary drilling programme were announced post year end and confirmed that VANE had drilled into a clearly identified copper-molybdenum porphyry system that contained two mineralised zones, located approximately 1 mile apart. A further diamond drilling programme has been initiated in order to determine whether or not this porphyry system contains economically viable grades of these metals.
This is an extremely exciting development for VANE, not only because of what we might go on to discover at McGhee Peak, but also because the discovery of a covered porphyry system verifies the exploration techniques that VANE has been utilising in its exploration programme. Even if it transpires that McGhee Peak is not economically viable, these drilling results provide us with additional confidence that our exploration programme will be successful.
VANE has identified further drilling targets in both southern Arizona and southwest New Mexico which will be drilled in due course, although the permitting process in New Mexico still proves to be frustrating, challenging and time consuming and represents a barrier to the Company being able to accelerate its exploration programme.
"The market that we now find ourselves in is like no other in the history of uranium. Production is far below requirements, which are growing." (as quoted from a report posted on the website of UX Consulting (www.uxc.com) in December 2011).
A licence was granted by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission on 9 February 2012, for the first new nuclear generating plant to be built in the U.S in 30 years. The plant will be built and operated by Southern Company at its Vogtle site south of Augusta, Georgia.
This news corroborates VANE's continued belief in the nuclear industry and its need for fuel. The long-term price of uranium oxide improved from a low in 2010 of US$58/lb to US$62/lb at the close of 2011, and remains steady near that price despite the natural disaster at Fukushima, Japan. The Company agrees with forecasts of continued strengthening of the price due to demand.
During 2011, VANE continued its uranium drilling exploration programme, which included the Rose project which was acquired in July. Drilling on the Wate project was successful in moving the project to pre-feasibility, which our joint venture partner, Uranium One, is overseeing, and at Rose, ore-grade intercepts were encountered in several holes. The drilling results on 8 of the other projects drilled were positive and justify further drilling.
All breccia pipe drilling activities were carried out on state lands in northern Arizona. As anticipated, and previously planned for operationally by VANE, the U.S. Department of Interior withdrew the federal lands in northern Arizona from all hard-rock mining activity where VANE and several companies hold mining claims. Reaction to this move has come from exploration companies, industry support organizations and elected officials in the form of legislative action, as well as judicially in challenging the legality of the withdrawal. The withdrawal is being viewed as "a taking" and investigations are underway into what recourse companies may have to recover losses.
VANE will continue its exploration programme on state lands and has approved drilling plans of operations on 24 projects. The lead projects going into 2012 are the Rose pipe where work will focus on establishing a NI 43-101 resource, and the Square Tank project where a major collapse feature, a strong indicator of a breccia pipe at depth, was identified by early-stage shallow drilling in 2011. VANE geologists continue to identify new exploration targets to add to and prioritize in its portfolio of over 100 targets on state lands. In addition, the company continues to evaluate the economic viability of its North Wash uranium-vanadium project located in southeast Utah.
Minerales VANE SA de CV, significantly improved its financial performance in 2011. Operations continue to be directed from the headquarters located in Acaponeta, Nayarit that include offices, living quarters and analytical facilities.
During the year, production commenced at our Ruiz joint venture, located in La Rastra, Sinaloa. The joint venture has an area of interest covering some 1,500 square kilometres in southern Sinaloa. It includes three separate mining districts; La Rastra, Escuinapa and Rosario as well as four properties owned by the Ruiz family. The La Colorada Mine is currently in production and this has been the source of all joint venture ore for the SDA mill in 2011. Three additional concessions, Maria Fernanda, Valenzuela and Jorge Luis cover three partly developed high-grade veins.
The main financial terms of the joint venture are that profits are to be split 60:40 in favour of VANE, once 150% of all capital costs incurred by VANE have been repaid. For any period where capital costs are still being re-paid then the profits are split 80:20 in favour of VANE. Whilst almost all capital costs associated with commencing production at La Colorada have now been repaid, additional capital costs will be incurred in bringing into production the other concessions and properties within the joint venture.
During 2011, and once production had commenced at the joint venture, VANE halted production at its Diablito Mine and announced that it intends to close this mine during the course of 2012 following the extraction of approximately 3,200 tonnes of high-grade ore. Of these 3,200 tonnes, it is expected that approximately 1,663 tonnes of higher grade ore (c.17 g/T Au and c.1,800 g/T Ag) will be processed directly by the Merrill Crowe cyanide leaching plant, which was built during the course of 2011, and is now fully operational. The remaining ore will be stockpiled in case of any interruptions to supply from our Ruiz joint venture ore. The extraction of these 3,200 tonnes commenced post period end and Diablito is expected to close later in 2012.
During the year, the SDA mill treated 31,466 tonnes of ore and production averaged 2,622 tonnes per month or 105% of target. Averages grades of 4.4 g/T Au and 131 g/T Ag were achieved with an average recovery rate of 73% Au and 69% Ag. 2,706 oz. Au and 73,384 oz. Ag were produced in total for 2011 at a direct production cost of $743.45 per equivalent oz Au or $16.23 per equivalent oz. Ag.
With concentrating and treating facilities strategically situated along a major north-south highway and rail route, the Minerales VANE SA de CV team continues to seek and evaluate acquisition opportunities, both stand-alone mine/mill operations and mine/mill production as potential feed to the SDA mill and cyanide leach-Merrill Crowe plant. We also continue to look both north and south of Acaponeta for opportunities similar to the Ruiz joint venture. This broad area of interest contains both producing mines and significant historic production and represents what we see as a number of opportunities to expand our business.
Revenue for the year has been generated from both the Diablito mine and the Ruiz joint venture and the Income Statement reports total revenue for the year ended 31 December 2011 of £3,678,126 (2010: £2,560,413).
Revenue from Diablito continued to be lower than expected due to lower ore grades. As a result the Company announced the intention to close Diablito in 2012.
Revenue from the Ruiz joint venture exceeded expectations during Q4 due to higher than expected grades and recovery rates.
The Group reported a net loss after tax of £1,603,980 or 0.46p per Ordinary Share for the year ended 31 December 2011 (2010 restated: £2,100,3291 or 0.96p per Ordinary Share1). The Group reported a gross profit of £569,522 (2010: gross loss of £454,906) after charging profit share payments due under the terms of the Ruiz joint venture of £633,996 (2010: £nil) and depreciation of £653,280 (2010: £923,358).
There has been no impairment of intangible exploration and evaluation assets during the year as a result of the change in accounting policy disclosed (2010: £66,2771). Impairment of property, plant and equipment resulted in a charge of £457,131 (2010: £nil) relating to impairment of the Diablito mine.
Other operating income of £109,691 (2010: £nil) relates to the 50 per cent uplift on capital expenditure incurred on the La Colorado mine under the terms of the Ruiz joint venture.
Investment income representing interest received on the Group's cash balances was £939 (2010: £3,613).
Total investment in intangible assets at 31 December 2011 was £4,865,067 (2010: £3,683,7971) reflecting the Group's continued investment in its mineral exploration programme, including the new Wate Mining joint venture.
Property, plant and equipment at 31 December 2011 was £944,953 (2010: £1,961,254) reflecting the continued depreciation of the Diablito mine and Ore processing mill, together with the additional impairment of the Diablito mine of £285,248 (2010: £nil).
Trade and other receivables of £1,170,715 (2010: £504,622) primarily represents amounts owed by joint venture partners.
Trade and other payables of £1,577,446 (2010: £638,721) primarily represents amount due to joint venture partners.
Cash and cash equivalents at 31 December 2011 were £2,299,546 (2010: £2,750,399) which reflects the additional funds raised during October 2011 and the fact that revenue from the Mexico operations are now funding other areas of the Group's activities.
1Restated, see note 3
On 28 September 2011 the Company's Share Option Plan was amended by a resolution of the Remuneration Committee by which the existing share options were cancelled and replaced with new share options, granted with a new exercise price of 1.125p.
On 30 September 2011, the Company issued a further 11,600,000 share options to subscribe for Ordinary Shares of 0.1p each in the Company at an exercise price of 1.125p.
On 27 October 2011, the Company completed a placing of 116,000,000 Ordinary Shares of 0.1p each at a price of 1p per share, resulting in proceeds before expenses of £1,160,000.
VANE, as a diversified exploration company, is well placed with its exciting copper exploration programme in the highly productive southwest USA copper quadrilateral and its uranium exploration and development programme in the high grade breccia pipe district of northern Arizona. The business is substantially de-risked by the revenues earned from VANE's gold/silver production assets in Mexico and it is the funding that this asset provides which will allow VANE to continue to invest in its exploration projects. With the exciting results from drilling at the McGhee Peak project, the Directors are optimistic for the year ahead.
We would like to thank all shareholders for their continued support.
DJ Newton KK Hefton
Chief Executive Officer Chief Operating Officer
CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENT
For the year ended 31 December 2011
|
Note |
2011 £ |
Restated 2010 £ |
|
|
|
|
Continuing operations |
|
|
|
Revenue |
|
3,678,126 |
2,560,413 |
Cost of sales |
|
(2,474,608) |
(3,015,319) |
Profit share payments |
|
(633,996) |
- |
|
|
|
|
Gross profit/(loss) |
|
569,522 |
(454,906) |
|
|
|
|
Operating expenses |
|
(261,488) |
(279,372) |
Administrative expenses |
|
(1,342,346) |
(1,216,650) |
Impairment of property, plant and equipment |
|
(457,131) |
- |
Impairment of intangible exploration and evaluation assets |
|
- |
(66,277) |
Impairment of available for sale investment |
|
- |
(213,571) |
Other operating income |
|
109,691 |
- |
|
|
|
|
Operating loss |
|
(1,381,752) |
(2,230,776) |
|
|
|
|
Investment income |
|
939 |
3,613 |
Finance costs |
|
(147,919) |
(145,515) |
|
|
|
|
Loss before taxation |
5 |
(1,528,732) |
(2,372,678) |
|
|
|
|
Taxation |
|
(75,248) |
272,349 |
|
|
|
|
Loss for the year attributable to owners of the parent company |
|
(1,603,980) |
(2,100,329) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loss per Ordinary Share |
6 |
|
|
Basic and diluted |
|
(0.46p) |
(0.96p) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
For the year ended 31 December 2011
|
|
2011 £ |
Restated 2010 £ |
|
|
|
|
Loss for the year attributable to owners of the parent company |
|
(1,603,980) |
(2,100,329) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other comprehensive income |
|
|
|
Exchange differences arising on translation of foreign operations |
|
(200,224) |
170,252 |
Income tax relating to components of other comprehensive income |
|
32,340 |
(86,598) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(167,884) |
83,654 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total comprehensive income for the year attributable to owners of the parent company |
|
(1,771,864) |
(2,016,675) |
|
|
|
|
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
As at 31 December 2011
|
|
2011 £ |
Restated 2010 £ |
|
|
|
|
Non-current assets |
|
|
|
Intangible assets |
|
4,865,067 |
3,683,797 |
Property, plant and equipment |
|
944,953 |
1,961,254 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
5,810,020 |
5,645,051 |
|
|
|
|
Current assets |
|
|
|
Inventories |
|
363,720 |
432,158 |
Trade and other receivables |
|
1,170,715 |
504,622 |
Cash and cash equivalents |
|
2,299,546 |
2,750,399 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,833,981 |
3,687,179 |
|
|
|
|
Total assets |
|
9,644,001 |
9,332,230 |
|
|
|
|
Current liabilities |
|
|
|
Trade and other payables |
|
(1,577,446) |
(638,721) |
Taxation |
|
(2,640) |
(2,646) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1,580,086) |
(641,367) |
|
|
|
|
Non-current liabilities |
|
|
|
Convertible loan notes |
|
(1,483,409) |
(1,455,380) |
Deferred tax |
|
(12,523) |
(113,741) |
Provisions |
|
(54,510) |
(45,375) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1,550,442) |
(1,614,496) |
|
|
|
|
Total liabilities |
|
(3,130,528) |
(2,255,863) |
|
|
|
|
Net assets |
|
6,513,473 |
7,076,367 |
|
|
|
|
Equity |
|
|
|
Share capital |
|
19,263,627 |
19,147,627 |
Share premium account |
|
5,838,030 |
4,868,863 |
Share option reserve |
|
396,679 |
310,701 |
Other reserves |
|
261,220 |
261,220 |
Cumulative translation reserves |
|
29,595 |
197,479 |
Retained deficit |
|
(19,275,678) |
(17,709,523) |
|
|
|
|
Equity attributable to owners of the parent company |
|
6,513,473 |
7,076,367 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY
For the year ended 31 December 2011
|
Share capital |
Share premium account |
Share option reserve |
Other Reserves
|
Cumulative translation reserves |
Retained |
Total |
|
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As at 1 January 2010 as previously stated |
19,010,811 |
2,359,071 |
280,161 |
261,220 |
71,586 |
(15,870,681) |
6,112,168 |
Restatement (note 3) |
- |
- |
- |
- |
42,239 |
261,487 |
303,726 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As at 1 January 2010 restated |
19,010,811 |
2,359,071 |
280,161 |
261,220 |
113,825 |
(15,609,194) |
6,415,894 |
Transactions with owners in their capacity as owners |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Issue of equity shares |
136,816 |
2,673,385 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
2,810,201 |
Expense of issue of equity shares |
- |
(163,593) |
- |
- |
- |
- |
(163,593) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total transactions with owners in their capacity as owners |
136,816 |
2,509,792 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
2,646,608 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loss for the year as restated |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
(2,100,329) |
(2,100,329) |
Other comprehensive income for the year as restated |
- |
- |
- |
- |
83,654 |
- |
83,654 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total comprehensive income for the year as restated |
- |
- |
- |
- |
83,654 |
(2,100,329) |
(2,016,675) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Share- based payments |
- |
- |
30,540 |
- |
- |
- |
30,540 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As at 1 January 2011 restated |
19,147,627 |
4,868,863 |
310,701 |
261,220 |
197,479 |
(17,709,523) |
7,076,367 |
Transactions with owners in their capacity as owners |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Issue of equity shares |
116,000 |
1,044,000 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1,160,000 |
Expense of issue of equity shares |
- |
(74,833) |
- |
- |
- |
- |
(74,833) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total transactions with owners in their capacity as owners |
116,000 |
969,167 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1,085,167 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loss for the year |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
(1,603,980) |
(1,603,980) |
Other comprehensive income for the year |
- |
- |
- |
- |
(167,884) |
- |
(167,884) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total comprehensive income for the year |
- |
- |
- |
- |
(167,884) |
(1,603,980) |
(1,771,864) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Share-based payments |
- |
- |
123,803 |
|
- |
- |
123,803 |
Transfer to retained earnings in respect of options |
- |
- |
(37,825) |
- |
- |
37,825 |
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As at 31 December 2011 |
19,263,627 |
5,838,030 |
396,679 |
261,220 |
29,595 |
(19,275,678) |
6,513,473 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW STATEMENT
For the year ended 31 December 2011
|
|
2011 £ |
Restated 2010 £ |
|
|
|
|
Operating activities |
|
|
|
Loss before taxation |
|
(1,528,732) |
(2,372,678 ) |
|
|
|
|
Investment income |
|
(939) |
(3,613) |
Finance costs |
|
147,919 |
145,515 |
|
|
|
|
Adjustments for: |
|
|
|
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment |
|
660,794 |
929,939 |
Impairment of property, plant and equipment |
|
457,131 |
|
Impairment of exploration and evaluation assets |
|
- |
66,277 |
Impairment of available for sale investment |
|
- |
213,571 |
Decommissioning |
|
9,616 |
- |
Share-based payments |
|
123,803 |
30,540 |
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes |
|
(158,953) |
(106,582) |
|
|
|
|
Operating outflow before movements in working capital |
|
(289,361) |
(1,097,031) |
Decrease in inventories |
|
68,438 |
372,042 |
Increase in trade and other receivables |
|
(826,417) |
(130,371) |
Increase in trade and other payables |
|
938,578 |
186,468 |
|
|
|
|
Cash used in operations |
|
(108,762) |
(668,892) |
Income tax paid |
|
(6) |
(933) |
Interest paid |
|
(119,744) |
(120,286) |
|
|
|
|
Net cash used in operating activities |
|
(228,512) |
(790,111) |
|
|
|
|
Investing activities |
|
|
|
Interest received |
|
939 |
3,613 |
Purchase of property, plant and equipment |
|
(173,557) |
(181,137) |
Purchase of intangible exploration and evaluation assets |
|
(1,176,978) |
(794,406) |
|
|
|
|
Net cash used in investing activities |
|
(1,349,596) |
(971,930) |
|
|
|
|
Financing activities |
|
|
|
Proceeds from issue of shares |
|
1,160,000 |
2,810,201 |
Expenses of issue of shares |
|
(74,833) |
(163,593) |
Finance lease payments |
|
- |
(1,858) |
|
|
|
|
Net cash from financing activities |
|
1,085,167 |
2,644,750 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents |
|
(492,941) |
882,709 |
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year |
|
2,750,399 |
1,818,959 |
|
|
|
|
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes |
|
42,088 |
48,731 |
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year |
|
2,299,546 |
2,750,399 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
For the year ended 31 December 2011
1. GENERAL INFORMATION
VANE Minerals plc (the 'Company') is domiciled and incorporated in the United Kingdom under the Companies Act 2006. The address of the registered office is Metic House, Ripley Drive, Wakefield, WF6 1QT.
The nature of the Group's operations and its principal activities are the evaluation and acquisition of mineral exploration targets, principally gold, silver, copper and uranium targets in the United States, and the development and operation of mines in Mexico.
2. BASIS OF PREPARATION
The financial information set out above is abridged and does not constitute the Company's statutory financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2011. The financial information has been extracted from the financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2011, which have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board and as adopted by the European Union, and were approved by the board on 16 April 2012 and on which the auditors' have reported without qualification.
No statement has been made by the auditor under section 489(2) or (3) of the Companies Act 2006 in respect of these abridged financial statements.
The statutory financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2011 will be posted no later than 20 April 2012 to shareholders and, once approved, will be delivered to the Registrar of Companies following the Annual General Meeting on 31 May 2012.
Copies of the Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2011 will be available on the Company's website (www.vaneminerals.com) from 17 April 2012 and from the Company Secretary, VANE Minerals plc, Metic House, Ripley Drive, Normanton, WF6 1QT.
During 2011 the Group changed its accounting policy relating to the impairment of intangible exploration and evaluation assets. In previous periods impairment reviews for exploration and evaluation assets were carried out on a project by project basis, with each project representing a potential single cash-generating unit. Under the amended accounting policy impairment reviews are carried out on a cost pool basis. Where the exploration and evaluation assets concerned fall within the scope of an established full cost pool the assets are tested for impairment together with all development and production assets associated with that cost pool, as a single cash-generating unit. Management considers that this policy provides more relevant information and is more appropriate to the nature of the Group's exploration activities and is more consistent with usual practice.
As a result, the comparative financial information for the year ended 31 December 2010 has been restated with the adjustments made to the opening balances of assets, liabilities and equity for prior period restatements that occurred before the earliest period presented.
Accordingly, an adjustment has been made retrospectively increasing E&E assets by £664,008 with a corresponding increase in equity as at 31 December 2010.
A summary of the adjustments made to restate the prior year's financial statements is as follows:
|
|
|
Consolidated Balance Sheet |
||
|
|
|
E&E
£
|
Accumulated deficit
£ |
Cumulative translation reserves £ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
At 1 January 2010 as previously stated |
|
2,567,140 |
(15,870,681) |
71,586 |
|
Impairment |
|
303,726 |
261,487 |
42,239 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
At 1 January 2010 restated |
|
2,870,866 |
(15,609,194) |
113,825 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
At 31 December 2010 as previously stated |
|
3,019,789 |
(18,322,320) |
146,268 |
|
Impairment |
|
664,008 |
612,797 |
51,211 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
At 31 December 2010 restated |
|
3,683,797 |
(17,709,523) |
197,479 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Consolidated Income Statement |
||
|
|
|
Impairment of E&E assets £
|
Loss for the year £
|
Loss per share £ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
For the year ended 31 December 2010 as previously stated |
|
(417,587) |
(2,451,639) |
(1.12p) |
|
Impairment |
|
351,310 |
351,310 |
0.16p |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For the year ended 31 December 2010 restated |
|
(66,277) |
(2,100,329) |
(0.96p) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Consolidated Cash flow Statement |
|
|
|
|
Loss before taxation £
|
Impairment of E&E assets £
|
|
|
|
|
|
For the year ended 31 December 2010 as previously stated |
|
(2,723,988) |
417,587 |
|
Impairment |
|
351,310 |
(351,310) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
For the year ended 31 December 2010 restated |
|
(2,372,678) |
66,277 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
For management purposes, the Group is organised into two operating divisions: the USA and Mexico. These divisions are the basis on which the Group reports its segment information.
Segment information about these divisions is presented below. The tables show the geographic segmentation of the Group. Activities in Mexico are currently concerned with gold and silver mining. Activities in the USA are split between research for further gold, silver and copper properties, and research and evaluation of potential uranium properties.
|
2011 £ |
Restated 2010 £ |
||
Income statement |
|
|
||
Revenue |
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mexico |
3,678,126 |
2,560,413 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Segmental results |
|
|
||
|
USA |
(591,579) |
(720,221) |
|
|
Mexico |
(10,405) |
(728,059) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total segment results |
(601,984) |
(1,448,280) |
|
|
Unallocated results |
(926,748) |
(924,398) |
|
|
Current and deferred tax |
(75,248) |
272,349 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loss after taxation |
(1,603,980) |
(2,100,329) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Depreciation |
|
|
||
|
USA |
6,345 |
6,581 |
|
|
Mexico |
654,449 |
923,358 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
660,794 |
929,939 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Impairment |
|
|
||
|
USA |
- |
66,277 |
|
|
Mexico |
457,131 |
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total segment impairment |
457,131 |
66,277 |
|
|
Unallocated impairment |
- |
213,571 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total impairment |
457,131 |
279,848 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2011 £ |
Restated 2010 £ |
||
Balance Sheet |
|
|
|||
Segment Assets |
|
|
|||
|
USA |
6,006,967 |
4,040,693 |
||
|
Mexico |
2,539,598 |
3,203,874 |
||
|
|
|
|
||
|
Total segment assets |
8,546,565 |
7,244,567 |
||
|
Unallocated assets |
1,097,436 |
2,087,663 |
||
|
|
|
|
||
|
Total assets |
9,644,001 |
9,332,230 |
||
|
|
|
|
||
Segment Liabilities |
|
|
|||
|
USA |
881,443 |
78,580 |
||
|
Mexico |
627,781 |
463,978 |
||
|
|
|
|
||
|
Total segment liabilities |
1,509,224 |
542,558 |
||
|
Unallocated liabilities |
1,606,141 |
1,596,918 |
||
|
Current and Deferred Tax |
15,163 |
116,387 |
||
|
|
|
|
||
|
Total liabilities |
3,130,528 |
2,255,863 |
||
|
|
|
|
||
Capital Additions |
|
|
|||
|
USA |
1,176,978 |
794,406 |
||
|
Mexico |
223,543 |
181,137 |
||
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
1,400,521 |
975,543 |
||
|
|
|
|
||
Net Assets |
|
|
|||
|
USA |
5,125,524 |
3,962,113 |
||
|
Mexico |
1,896,654 |
2,634,763 |
||
|
|
|
|
||
|
Total segment net assets |
7,022,178 |
6,596,876 |
||
|
Unallocated net (liabilities)/assets |
(508,705) |
479,491 |
||
|
|
|
|
||
|
Total net assets |
6,513,473
|
7,076,367
|
||
All the assets of the Group relate to the mining operations in Mexico and research, evaluation and mining in the USA. The business segmentation effectively follows the geographic segmentation given above. The Group's revenue was generated from one customer.
The loss for the year has been arrived at after charging/(crediting):
|
|
2011 £ |
2010 £ |
|
|
|
|
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment |
660,794 |
929,939 |
|
Staff costs |
864,704 |
560,569 |
|
Operating leases - land and buildings |
60,221 |
63,965 |
|
Non-recoverable VAT |
19,789 |
- |
|
Net foreign exchange losses/(gains) |
5,532 |
(118,151) |
|
Operating expenses - exploration and evaluation costs expensed |
261,488 |
279,372 |
|
|
|
|
|
6. LOSS PER ORDINARY SHARE
Basic loss per Ordinary Share is calculated by dividing the net loss for the year attributable to owners of the parent company by the weighted average number of Ordinary Shares outstanding during the year. The calculation of the basic and diluted loss per Ordinary Share is based on the following data:
|
|
2011 £ |
Restated 2010 £ |
|
|
|
|
Losses |
|
|
|
Losses for the purpose of basic loss per Ordinary Share being net loss attributable to owners of the parent company |
(1,603,980) |
(2,100,329) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of shares |
Number |
Number |
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average number of shares for the purposes of basic loss per Ordinary Share |
347,899,000 |
218,376,369 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loss per Ordinary Share |
|
|
|
Basic and diluted |
(0.46p) |
(0.96p) |
|
|
|
|
|
Due to the losses incurred in 2011 and 2010, there is no dilutive effect from the existing share options or convertible loan notes.