Ariana Resources PLC Reorganisation of Interests in Türkiye

RNS Number : 2704B

Ariana Resources PLC

22 August 2024

 

22 August 2024

AIM: AAU

REORGANISATION OF INTERESTS IN TÜRKIYE AND PRODUCTION UPDATE

Ariana Resources plc ("Ariana" or "the Company"), the AIM-listed mineral exploration and development company with gold project interests in Africa and Europe, is pleased to announce the completion of a merger of Zenit Madencilik San. ve Tic. A.S. ("Zenit") and Pontid Madencilik San. ve Tic. A.S. ("Pontid") in Türkiye. Ariana previously held a 23.5% interest in both Zenit and Pontid via its 100% owned subsidiary, Galata Mineral Madencilik San. ve Tic. A.S.

Highlights:

·   Zenit has acquired 100% of Pontid's shares through an all-share merger; Pontid owned the Salinbas Project.

·  All advanced mines and projects in Türkiye, specifically Kiziltepe, Tavsan and Salinbas ("Assets"), are now held directly through Zenit with Ariana continuing to hold a 23.5% interest in the Assets through its ongoing 23.5% of the enlarged Zenit.

·   Gold and silver production from Kiziltepe and Tavsan continues as planned with c. 8,500 ounces of gold and 66,300 ounces of silver produced to the end of June. 

·    Paid-up capital in Zenit has been increased to 90,544,850 TL (£2,100,000).

·   ​There is therefore no change as a result of this transaction in Ariana's effective interests in the Assets (Figure 1).

 

Dr. Kerim Sener, Managing Director, commented:

"This concludes the process that started in 2021, following the partial divestment in Türkiye to Ozaltin Holding A.S. and the restructuring of our interests in Zenit Madencilik with Proccea Construction Co.

"Due to the different funding structure and requirements of Zenit and Pontid, it was determined at that time to pause the contemplated merger until the Tavsan mine construction was sufficiently advanced. The past two years have witnessed significant progress at Tavsan, held by Zenit along with Kiziltepe, while the Salinbas asset, held by Pontid, has also advanced significantly.

"Accordingly, we have determined that this was the right time to complete the merger as initially planned and provided for in the Shareholders Agreement. This action substantially simplifies the way we hold our interests in Türkiye and helps prepare the ground ahead of our planned ASX listing later in the year. We continue working with our partners in Türkiye to expand our joint interests in Türkiye and potentially further afield.

"Meanwhile, gold and silver production from Kiziltepe and Tavsan continues as planned, with c.8,500 ounces of gold and 66,300 ounces of silver produced to the end of June, recording over US$20 million in revenue. Trucking operations from Tavsan to Kiziltepe have intensified in recent months and are now running at a rate of 50 trucks per day. Meanwhile, a major pre-strip operation has accelerated at the Arzu South pit at Kiziltepe, with the expectation of ore production to recommence from this pit in early 2025."

Figure 1: Organisational chart showing the current group structure, following the merger of Pontid with Zenit, the latter becoming the owner of all advanced assets in Türkiye; Kiziltepe, Tavsan and Salinbas.

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of EU Regulation 596/2014.

Contacts:

 

Ariana Resources plc	Tel: [phone]
Michael de Villiers, Chairman
Kerim Sener, Managing Director
Beaumont Cornish Limited (Nominated Adviser)	Tel: [phone]
Roland Cornish / Felicity Geidt
Panmure Liberum (Joint Broker)	Tel: [phone]
Kieron Hodgson / Atholl Tweedie / Rauf Munir
Zeus Capital Limited (Joint Broker) Harry Ansell / Katy Mitchell / George Krokos Yellow Jersey PR Limited (Financial PR)	Tel: [phone]   Tel: [phone]
Dom Barretto / Shivantha Thambirajah / Bessie Elliot	[e-mail]

 

Beaumont Cornish Limited ("Beaumont Cornish") is the Company's Nominated Adviser and is authorised and regulated by the FCA. Beaumont Cornish's responsibilities as the Company's Nominated Adviser, including a responsibility to advise and guide the Company on its responsibilities under the AIM Rules for Companies and AIM Rules for Nominated Advisers, are owed solely to the London Stock Exchange. Beaumont Cornish is not acting for and will not be responsible to any other persons for providing protections afforded to customers of Beaumont Cornish nor for advising them in relation to the proposed arrangements described in this announcement or any matter referred to in it.

 

Editors' Note:

 

About Ariana Resources:

Ariana is an AIM-listed mineral exploration and development company with an exceptional track-record of creating value for its shareholders through its interests in active mining projects and investments in exploration companies. Its current interests include a major gold development project in Zimbabwe, gold production in Türkiye and copper-gold exploration and development projects in Cyprus and Kosovo.

 

Ariana owns 100% of the Dokwe Gold Project ("Dokwe") in Zimbabwe. Dokwe is made up of the Dokwe North and Dokwe Central gold deposits which are located in the Tsholotsho District near the city of Bulawayo. The deposits have a combined JORC Measured, Indicated and Inferred Resource of over 1.83 million ounces of gold (as at June 2024) and the project represents the largest undeveloped gold project in Zimbabwe.

 

The Company holds 23.5% interest in Zenit Madencilik San. ve Tic. A.S. a joint venture with Ozaltin Holding A.S. and Proccea Construction Co. in Türkiye which contains a depleted total of c. 2.2 million ounces gold equivalent (as at March 2024, using a price ratio of 90 Ag to 1 Au). The joint venture comprises the Kiziltepe Mine and the Tavsan and Salinbas projects.

 

The Kiziltepe Gold-Silver Mine is located in western Türkiye and contains a depleted JORC Measured, Indicated and Inferred Resource of 171,700 ounces gold and 3.3 million ounces silver (as at March 2024). The mine has been in profitable production since 2017 and has been producing at an average rate of c.22,000 ounces of gold per annum. A Net Smelter Return ("NSR") royalty of 2.5% on production is being paid to Franco-Nevada Corporation.

 

The Tavsan Gold Mine is located in western Türkiye and contains a JORC Measured, Indicated and Inferred Resource of 311,000 ounces gold and 1.1 million ounces silver (as at March 2024). Following the approval of its Environmental Impact Assessment and associated permitting, Tavsan is being developed as the second gold mining operation in Türkiye and is currently in construction. A NSR royalty of up to 2% on future production is payable to Sandstorm Gold.

 

The Salinbas Gold Project is located in north-eastern Türkiye and contains a JORC Measured, Indicated and Inferred Resource of 1.5 million ounces of gold (as at July 2020). It is located within the multi-million ounce Artvin Goldfield, which contains the "Hot Gold Corridor" comprising several significant gold- copper projects including the 4 million ounce Hot Maden project, which lies 16km to the south of Salinbas. A NSR royalty of up to 2% on future production is payable to Eldorado Gold Corporation.

 

Ariana owns 75% of UK-registered Western Tethyan Resources Ltd ("WTR"), which operates across south-eastern Europe and is based in Pristina, Republic of Kosovo. The company is targeting its exploration on major copper-gold deposits across the porphyry-epithermal transition. WTR is being funded through a five-year Alliance Agreement with Newmont Mining Corporation (www.newmont.com) and is separately earning-in to up to 85% of the Slivova Gold Project.

 

Ariana owns 61% of UK-registered Venus Minerals PLC ("Venus") which is focused on the exploration and development of copper-gold assets in Cyprus which contain a combined JORC Indicated and Inferred Resource of 16.6Mt @ 0.45% to 0.80% copper (excluding additional gold, silver and zinc.

 

Ariana owns several investments in listed and private companies via its Australian subsidiary Asgard Metals Pty. Ltd. ("Asgard"), which also provides technical input into the various investee company exploration programmes. Investments have been made in high-value potential, discovery-stage mineral exploration companies located across the Eastern Hemisphere and within easy reach of Ariana's operational hubs in Australia, Türkiye, UK and Zimbabwe. Its most advanced interest is through a 5.5% holding of Panther Metals Limited (ASX: PNT).

 

Panmure Liberum Limited and Zeus Capital Limited are brokers to the Company and Beaumont Cornish Limited is the Company's Nominated Adviser.

 

For further information on Ariana, you are invited to visit the Company's website at www.arianaresources.com.

 

Ends.

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