Memorandum of Agreement to Acquire Mining Right...
Goldplat plc / Ticker: GDP / Index: AIM / Sector: Mining & Exploration
23 November 2010
Goldplat plc ('Goldplat' or 'the Company')
Memorandum of Agreement to Acquire Mining Rights in Ghana
Goldplat plc, the AIM quoted gold producer, announces that it has entered into a
Memorandum of Agreement with Gulf Coast Resources Inc ('Gulf'), a Canadian
mining company for the acquisition of Gulf's wholly-owned subsidiary company,
Gulf Coast Resources Limited ('GCR'). Â GCR owns the Banka Mining Concession, a
ten year renewable mining lease for gold and associated minerals covering an
area of 29 square kilometres located in the Amansie East and Asante Akim South
Districts of the Ashanti Region of the Republic of Ghana ('the Banka Mining
Lease').
Overview:
* Memorandum of Agreement signed to acquire GCR and a 90% interest in the 29
sq km Banka Gold Mining Lease located in the prospective Ashanti gold region
in Ghana
* Goldplat has paid Gulf US$50,000 and will undertake a due diligence review
of the Banka Mining Lease and GCR
* Subject to due diligence, acquisition consideration is US$1,500,000 with
Gulf to receive a 1.5 % Net Smelter Return on all gold production from the
Banka Mining Lease
* Detailed geology shows that the conglomerates at the Banka Mining Lease
outcrop on surface and can be traced continually over 4 kms
* Previous exploration include best intersections of 12 meters at 29.42 g/t Au
and 9 meters at 57.7 g/t Au
* Intention to implement a development programme to prove up the economic
viability of the Banka Mining Lease and define a JORC compliant resource
Goldplat CEO Demetri Manolis said, "Banka represents a substantial and exciting
gold prospect in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, a prime district for gold project
development. Â Early work indicates the prospectivity of the licence area and we
have defined a development plan aimed at publishing a JORC resource in due
course. Â Importantly small scale trial production has already taken place. Â This
proposed acquisition represents Goldplat's continued commitment to building on
its position as a gold producer in Africa and creating a highly profitable mid-
tier gold company."
GCR holds a 90% interest in the Banka Mining Lease with the Ghana Government
holding the remaining 10% as a statutory free carried or non-contributing
interest. Â By the terms of the Banka Mining Lease, GCR was granted the exclusive
right to enter, mine, extract and sell gold and diamonds from the area covered
by the Banka Mining Lease subject to the terms and conditions of the Banka
Mining Lease.
On 3 February 2010 GCR applied to the Government for a renewal of the Banka
Mining Lease and the said application is still under consideration by the
Government as at the date hereof pending which GCR has lawfully retained
possession of and interest in the Banka Mining Lease.
The Memorandum of Agreement is intended to lead to the signing of a formal
agreement ('the Formal Agreement'). Â Goldplat has paid Gulf the sum of US$50,000
and will undertake a due diligence review of the Banka Mining Lease and GCR.
Completion of the acquisition is conditional on:
a. completion of successful due diligence by Goldplat,
b. delivery by Gulf of the renewed Banka Mining Lease and EPA Permit to
Goldplat; and
c. delivery by Gulf of a letter from the Minister of Lands and Natural
Resources approving the sale of GCR and assignment of the renewed Banka
Mining Lease to Goldplat.
Following the satisfaction of these conditions Goldplat will purchase GCR and
the 90% interest in the Banka Mining Lease (excluding Plant and Machinery) for a
consideration of US$1,500,000 subject to the retention by Gulf of a 1.5 % Net
Smelter Return on all gold production from the Banka Mining Lease. Â The Company
will pay US$1,000,000 on the completion of due diligence and the renewed Banka
Mining Lease, and a final US$500,000 on the first anniversary.
Banka Mining Lease
The 29 sq km Banka Mining Lease is located approximately 40 km north east of
AngloGold's Obuasi gold mine in the Amansie East and Asante Akim North Districts
of the Ashanti Region in Ghana.
The Banka Mining Lease is underlain by Tarkwaian sediments dipping approximately
60° to the east.  Several bands of conglomerate, separated by greywackes and
arenites, are present on the property and exhibit impressive strike continuity.
 The detailed geology shows that the conglomerates outcrop on surface and can be
traced continually over 4 kms. Â Previous exploration programmes conducted on the
property by GCR have classified the conglomerates into Western and Eastern
zones, the Eastern zone being stratigraphically below the Western zone and the
preferred target for exploration.
Several vertical shafts also exist on the property which have been accessed by
GCR. Â Underground development comprises on-reef drives and sampling has
indicated grades of up to 25 g/t of gold ('Au').
Additionally, three zones from other sampling taken previously in the Eastern
limb of the Banka Mining Licence were reported as follows:
Site A: (located near Tokwae) received assay results ranging from 12.2g/t Au to
34.7g/t Au from samples taken from historic dumps while grab samples from the
reef workings ranged from 1.6g/t Au to 6.7g/t Au.
Site B: (located between Tokwae and Banka) grab samples from the reef returned
assays ranging from 1.5g/t Au and 21.4 g/t Au.
Site C: old workings were deemed extensive, on-reef trenches of 1.2 metres and
2.7 metres assayed at 19.92g/t Au and 28.11g/t Au respectively.
EquiGold NL completed 2,699 metres of Reverse Circulation drilling in 42 holes
on the three sites with the highest concentration of drill holes on site C.
 Previous drill results through C-Zone include intersections of 12 meters at
29.42 g/t Au and 9 meters at 57.7 g/t Au. Â These are the reported grades to
date, however further work will be required to fully evaluate the extent of the
gold mineralisation.
Table 1 outlines a non-JORC compliant mineral resource statement calculated from
previous exploration programmes. Â It comprises resources from Zones B and C at
the project and is calculated to 100m below surface. Â This resource is limited
in its aerial extent however collation of all the current data available will
result in a clearer understanding of the orebody.
Table 1
+--------------+--------------+---------+-----------+---------+-------+
|Location |Classification| Â |Grade (g/t)| Tonnes| Oz Au|
+--------------+--------------+---------+-----------+---------+-------+
|C-Zone Block 1| Indicated | Reef | 3.90| 13,700|1,718 |
+--------------+--------------+---------+-----------+---------+-------+
|C-Zone Block 2| Indicated |Grit/reef| 3.27| 372,100|39,126 |
+--------------+--------------+---------+-----------+---------+-------+
|C-Zone Block 3| Inferred | Reef | 1.75| 540,000|30,386 |
+--------------+--------------+---------+-----------+---------+-------+
|B-Zone | Inferred | Reef | 3.35|1,263,600|136,111|
+--------------+--------------+---------+-----------+---------+-------+
|Total | Â | Â | 2.95|2,189,400|207,341|
+--------------+--------------+---------+-----------+---------+-------+
The Newmont gold mine, Akyem, lies 35 kms along strike to the east and that the
orebody is comprised of a low grade high tonnage open-pittable resource in
excess of 7 million oz Au.
Conditional on completion it is the Company's intention to undertake a work
development programme to enable a JORC compliant resource to be calculated.
Qualified Person
This announcement has been reviewed by Mr. Mark Austin, the group geologist for
Goldplat who has more than 25 years of relevant experience in the field of
activity concerned. Â He is a fellow of the Geological Society of South Africa
('GSSA') and has consented to the inclusion of the material in the form and
context in which it appears.
* * ENDS * *
For further information visitwww.goldplat.com or contact:
Demetri  Manolis Goldplat plc Tel: +27 (0) 11 423 1203
James Joyce WH Ireland Limited Tel: +44 (0) 20 7220 1666
Felicity Edwards St Brides Media & Finance Ltd Tel: +44 (0)20 7236 1177
Hugo de Salis St Brides Media & Finance Ltd Tel: +44 (0)20 7236 1177
Notes
Goldplat plc is an AIM-listed gold producer with operations in Africa. Â Its
strategy is to consolidate its position as a gold producer in Africa and build
itself into a highly profitable mid-tier gold company, leveraged through revenue
generated from its gold recovery businesses.
The Company has two recovery businesses based in South Africa and Ghana, which,
by safely disposing mining by-products, fulfil an important aspect of the mines'
environmental management programmes. Â The South African plant is located near
the centre of the East Rand Goldfield and raw material feedstocks are sourced
from many of the major South African mining companies, including AngloGold
Ashanti, Goldfields, Harmony, DRD Gold and other smaller producers. Â The Ghana
plant, located in the free port of Tema, provides access to raw materials from
mines in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Benin, Cote D'Ivorie, Senegal, the DRC and
Mauritania, as well as Ghana.
Goldplat's strategy is to build itself into a highly profitable mid-tier gold
producer, through the acquisition of known deposits with targets of between
200,000 and one million contained ounces. Â Kilimapesa Gold is a wholly owned
subsidiary of Goldplat and is developing the potential of the 213 sq km
Lolgorien licence area located in the historically producing Migori Archaean
Greenstone Belt in western Kenya. Â Kilimapesa Gold commenced initial production
in January 2009 and an aggressive exploration and development programme has
resulted in a maiden JORC compliant resource being reported in October 2009.
In December 2009 Goldplat plc entered into an agreement with Sanu Exploration
(BVI) Limited ('Sanu'), a wholly owned subsidiary of NGEX Resources Inc, to
acquire Sanu's option over the 246 sq km Nyieme Gold Project ('Nyieme') located
in Burkina Faso.  The Nyieme exploration licence includes known high-grade
quartz vein structures, with drill core results showing up to 17.83 g/t gold
over one metre and 11.67 g/t over five metres.
Additionally, the Company has entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with Gulf
Coast Resources Inc ('Gulf'), a Canadian mining company for the acquisition of
Gulf's wholly-owned subsidiary company, Gulf Coast Resources Limited ('GCR').
 GCR owns the Banka Mining Lease, a ten year renewable mining lease for gold and
associated minerals covering an area of 29 square kilometres located in the
Amansie East and Asante Akim South Districts of the Ashanti Region of the
Republic of Ghana.
[HUG#1464628]
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Source: Goldplat plc via Thomson Reuters ONE