Trading Statement
Goldplat plc / Ticker: GDP / Index: AIM / Sector: Mining &
Exploration
21 July 2008
Goldplat plc ('Goldplat' or the 'Company')
Trading Update
Goldplat plc, the AIM quoted gold producer, is pleased to provide a
trading update prior to announcing its results for the year ending 30
June 2008, to outline the strong progress made across its portfolio
of projects in South Africa, Ghana and Kenya. Both the Company's
gold recovery plants are performing well and ahead of management
expectations, with production and revenues steadily increasing.
Furthermore, its gold operation in Kenya is on track, with an aim to
commence production in Q4 2008 and new acquisition opportunities
throughout Africa are under review.
Goldplat CEO Demetri Manolis said, "We continue to show strong
growth, with both recovery businesses performing ahead of
expectations and our Kenyan Lolgorien gold exploration and production
project advancing as planned. We look forward to a busy period ahead
and a positive reaction to the announcement of our year end results
in September 2008."
South Africa
Having invested in new machinery and upgraded existing equipment to
enable more materials to be processed efficiently, operations at the
South African gold recovery business are going from strength to
strength. Costs are being reduced and margins increased. Stocks of
materials for processing have increased to record levels of circa
45,976 oz of precious metals and discussions are underway with a
number of leading gold producers for further new business
opportunities.
The Company is reviewing various mining opportunities within South
Africa in tandem with its new Black Economic Empowerment partner,
Vunani Limited, as well as discussing a BEE partner for Goldplat
Recovery (Pty) Limited itself.
Ghana
The Ghanaian recovery plant has performed well since it commenced
production at the beginning of the year, with the plant now running
at full capacity. New supplies of raw materials have been secured
for future processing, enabling full capacity to be maintained. The
smelter is now operational and the first samples of gold purchased
from the artisanal workers have been smelted. The bullion produced
assayed in excess of 85% gold.
The Company now has 89,000 tonnes of artisanal tailings stockpiled
estimated to contain up to 35,365 oz, based on representative samples
of gold, which exceeds nine years of current production capability.
Kenya
Goldplat's 50% owned Lolgorien gold operation continues to gain
momentum. With artisanal tailings frequently being delivered to the
site, over 1,100 tonnes of stockpile is now registered. Phase II of
the staged development programme is underway, and as a result the
total strike length now exposed has been extended to 93 metres. Chip
sampling assay results indicate that the entire strike has an average
gold value of 6.9 g/t Au over a stope width of 1.27 metres containing
a 42 metres stretch of 10.13 g/t over 1.4 metres.
In addition, the adit has been fully equipped with rails which allow
the use of 'coco pans' to transport the broken ore to the tipping
point. Production efficiencies have increased markedly as a result.
An exploration agenda has been set with the initiation of diamond
drilling comprising 14 holes for a total drill length of 500 metres.
These holes are designed to intersect the quartz vein some 30-40
metres down-dip from the current on-reef development. The
information from the drilling programme, together with that from the
adjacent development, will be modelled in 3D using Datamine software,
and used to produce a resource statement. The close proximity of the
sampling points should allow for a high confidence resource. To date
over 350 tonnes of ore has been stockpiled at the plant site in
readiness for the bulk sampling phase. Phase II is budgeted to cost
US$200k and remains within budget.
An additional US$500k investment and refurbishment programme is also
underway aimed at bringing the plant into production in Q4 2008.
Equipment has been purchased from South Africa and is scheduled to
arrive at the plant at the end of the month.
Developments to local infrastructure are being implemented by the
Rural Electrification Authority ("REA"). The REA has embarked on an
electrification programme for the local town, Lolgorien, which is
expected to be completed by the end of September 2008. This
development is likely to be of considerable benefit to the operation
as it precludes the use of expensive and inefficient diesel
generators.
Qualified Person
This announcement has been reviewed by Mr Mark Austin. Mr Austin is
the group geologist for Goldplat and has more than 25 years' relevant
experience in the field of activity concerned. 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 visit www.goldplat.com or contact:
Demetri Manolis, CEO Goldplat plc Tel: +27 11 423
1203
James Joyce /Sarang Shah WH Ireland Limited Tel: 020 7220
1666
Isabel Crossley / Felicity Edwards St Brides Media & Tel: 020 7236
Finance Ltd 1177
Notes
Goldplat plc is an AIM-listed gold producer with operations in
Africa. Its strategy is to create a mid-tier mining house focused on
gold production leveraged through revenue generated from its gold
recovery businesses.
The Company has two recovery business based in South African and
Ghana, which, by safely disposing of mining by-products, fulfil an
important aspect of the mines' environmental management programmes.
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,. 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 is expanding into gold mining through the acquisition of
known deposits with targets of between 200,000 and one million ounces
of ore contained. To this end, in a 50/50 JV, it is developing the
potential of the highly prospective 213 sq km Lolgorien licence area
located in the historically producing Migori Archaean Greenstone Belt
in western Kenya, with a view of establishing a mining operation in
the short term. A number of other potential projects across Africa
are under review.
Glossary of Terms
STRIKE: the horizontal direction of a planar body (90º to the dip
direction)
TAILINGS: the residues from the processing of ore
ADIT: a near-horizontal tunnel driven into a hillside
DRIVE: a tunnel on strike that is developed on ore
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