Regency Mines PLC Findings from Sudan and Ram Resources & DNi update (8645U)

TIDMRGM

RNS Number : 8645U

Regency Mines PLC

06 December 2013

Regency Mines Plc

("Regency" or the "Company")

Initial findings from Jebel Abyad, Sudan

Updates on Ram Resources and DNi

6(th) December 2013

Regency Mines plc, ("Regency" or "the Company"), a mining exploration and mineral investment company with interests in nickel and other minerals in Australia, Africa and Papua New Guinea is pleased to announce the completion of a field programme to the Jebel Abyad concession in Sudan, a project where Regency has farm-in rights under an option agreement with International Mineral Resources (Agrominerals Sudan) Ltd ("IMRAS"), and other updates.

Highlights

   --      Confirmation of exploration model at Jebel Abyad 
   --      Formations of interest identified at Jebel Abyad, samples taken, and results awaited 
   --      19.9% owned Ram Resources Ltd (ASX:RMR) identifies 17 VTEM anomalies at Fraser Range 
   --      Soil sampling survey at Fraser Range to complete this month 

-- Process validation report on the DNi ("Direct Nickel Ltd") lateritic nickel extraction technology near completion

Sudan

Further to the announcement released on 1(st) November, RGM's technical team has completed the reconnaissance exploration programme to the Jebel Abyad concession area. The technical team, supported by an independent consultant with phosphate discovery expertise, geologists from the Sudanese Ministry of Minerals, and a Sudanese logistics team, spent 9 days within the Jebel Abyad concession area exploring for signs of phosphate deposition. Field activities consisted of geological mapping, soil sampling, handheld scintillometer readings and ASTER multispectral imagery analysis.

The exploration model tested and now confirmed was whether the sedimentary rocks of the Jebel Abyad area, assumed to be Upper Cretaceous to Eocene in age, represent an embayment along the southern shore of the Tethyan Ocean, a prolific trend known to host world class phosphate deposits.

During the expedition 141 rock chip samples and 42 soil samples were collected, a selection of which have been shipped to ALS Mineral Laboratories in Ireland for phosphate analysis. Results are expected in the coming weeks.

The technical team is optimistic about their geological observations of the concession. Subject to further interpretation, RGM geologists have identified key geological formations of interest within the concession area.

Logging and sampling of geological sections and fluoroapatite anomalies (generated by applying the USGS spectral library to ASTER satellite imagery) yielded promising results but a thorough assessment of their value can only be determined once all the assay results have been received and studied. Pre-sample result interpretations are encouraging, with the concession's rock package displaying similar characteristics to other renowned phosphate deposits such as those at Turayf and Al Jalamid in Saudi Arabia and Abu Tartur in Egypt.

Pending final laboratory results, due in the next weeks, the team is currently in planning stages for follow up work in early 2014.

Project Manager Gary Hurst comments: "Despite difficulties including a breakdown of our XRF analyser in the field we adapted our programme to concentrate on the eastern side of the Jebel Abyad feature, and accomplished most of the work planned. The outlook remains encouraging."

Australia

19.9% owned Ram Resources Ltd ("Ram"), which holds tenements in the Fraser Range area of Western Australia, near Sirius Resources' key Nova copper-nickel discovery, has announced the identification of 17 Versatile Time-domain Electromagnetic (VTEM) anomalies. A 1,363 line kilometre VTEM survey conducted across Ram's tenements, 20 km to the west of Nova, has identified 17 anomalies including 5 high-priority conductors and 2 magnetic anomalies.

A soil sampling programme is now under way to test these anomalies on a 200m by 200m grid pattern, with results expected this month.

The full announcement is available on the Australian Stock Exchange website at: http://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20131205/pdf/42ldzv8hb3wr6h.pdfm

Direct Nickel Ltd

Regency has a nickel-cobalt joint venture with DNi in Papua New Guinea, which has a license to the DNi technology, and owns c7% of Direct Nickel Ltd. DNi has been conducting testwork at its pilot plant in Perth, WA since the beginning of 2013.

The process validation report on the pilot programme is now nearing completion, with expected delivery during December 2013.

This will enable DNi to progress its partnership with PT Antam towards feasibility and construction of the first commercial plant running the DNi process.

Regency Chairman Andrew Bell comments: "This December, we look to see significant progress made in Sudan, Australia, and DNi. 2013 has not been an easy year but we are ending it strongly".

Enquiries:

 
 Andrew Bell 020 7747 9960 or 07766   Chairman Regency Mines plc 
  474849 
 Colin Aaronson/David Hignell 020     NOMAD Grant Thornton UK LLP 
  7383 5100 
 Nick Emerson 01483 413500            Broker SI Capital Ltd 
  Guy Wheatley 02073828416             Joint Broker Beaufort Securities 
  Rupert Trefgarne 02031288817         Ltd 
                                       Media Relations MHP Communications 
 
 

This information is provided by RNS

The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

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