Wrap Text
CRD - Central Rand Gold Limited - Operational and strategic review and
commencement of offer period suspension of underground mining operations
Central Rand Gold Limited
("CRG" or the "Company" or the "Group")
(Incorporated as a company with limited liability under the laws of Guernsey,
Company Number 45108)
(Incorporated as an external company with limited liability under the laws of
South Africa, registration number 2007/0192231/10)
ISIN: GG00B24HM601
Share code on LSE: CRND
Share code on JSE: CRD
OPERATIONAL AND STRATEGIC REVIEW AND COMMENCEMENT OF OFFER PERIOD
SUSPENSION OF UNDERGROUND MINING OPERATIONS
Acid Mine Drainage ("AMD")
On 7 February 2011 Central Rand Gold Limited announced certain cash conservation
measures pending confirmation from the South African Government of its
commitment and financial participation to the AMD projects in the Witwatersrand
mining basins. The Company further advised that, "Shareholders should be in no
doubt that if a clear and positive way forward is not identified by end of March
2011 the prospects of the Company will need to be evaluated."
The Company has now reviewed the Report to the Inter-Ministerial Committee
published on 24 February 2011 by the Department of Water Affairs of the South
African Government and has attended two meetings with the South African
Government in pursuit of further clarity. The Company has now evaluated its
prospects in terms of the perceived AMD risks and its short-term production
situation and concludes as follows:
- Whilst the publication by the South African Government of the AMD Report and
review thereof in subsequent meetings with Government have been very welcome in
that they have crossed the first hurdle of a commitment towards resolution of
this major environmental issue; however, there remains insufficient clarity on
key issues such as targeted minimum water levels, project engineering and
technology, the role and responsibilities of the interested parties, cost
allocation between interested and affected parties and timing to meet the degree
of definition needed by the Company to continue development and mining at the
present rate.
- The submersible pumps, ordered and paid for by the Company at a cost of
Euro3.5 million , and due for delivery in August 2011 have a capacity to pump 72
million litres of water per day compared to the average daily ingress of 55
million litres. Should it be decided to utilise these pumps and the engineering
already completed for the ERPM South West Vertical shaft dewatering station
these pumps have the capability to dewater the Central Rand Basin and restore
CRG`s Reserves. In the event that these pumps are not utilized for this purpose
the Company will sell them
- The need to have this (or some alternative equivalent) capacity installed by
December 2011 in order to protect the 250 metre below surface (mbs) level and
enable gradual de-watering thereafter, and the timelines inherent in the Western
Utility Corporation`s technical proposals informed the previously published need
for definition by the end of March 2011.
There is much to be done to close the gap between the general commitments of the
Government and the Company`s specific needs. Whilst there is no doubt that this
will all be resolved, everything hangs on the timing, which is disappointingly
uncertain. In the face of these uncertainties concerning depth, the obvious
alternative is to maximise development and mining in the upper levels.
Underground Mining
Mine Development
Underground development has averaged 470 metres per month, in the process
confirming the practicality of the new footwall development programme together
with the re-designed long-hole stoping and support patterns.
In developing ahead of the next planned stopes, between 120mbs to 180mbs, some
30% of the stopes accessed in the current mining area have been found to have
unexpected "double-voids", i.e. not only has the original Main Reef Leader been
extracted but also the Main Reef which was not indicated on the historical
mining plans. Mine planning, based on the trial-mining programme of early 2009,
included only for the loss, for value and "void" reasons, of some 10% of the
ground.
This has the effect of slowing down the rate of access to mineable stopes,
consequently increasing the cost of development per ton of accessible ore, and,
most significantly in the short-term, dramatically reducing immediate revenue
projections. This has unsustainable consequences for the Company`s cash
reserves.
Evidence from development on lower levels suggest that the "double-void"
phenomenon decreases with depth, leading to the interpretation that these voids
are a result of unmapped remnant mining on retreat by the previous mining
operations.
In the face of these "voids" at shallow levels standard mining practice would be
to go deeper, however, as a result of the rising water table, this is not an
option available to the Company in the interim.
Mining Grade
A third-party process aimed at confirming and verifying the planned mining
grades for the immediate mining area was undertaken during March 2011. Current
underground development sampling, surface diamond drilling results and surface
trench sampling results were incorporated into the existing historical database.
The updated database was then re-evaluated by Dr Carina Lemmer. This process
resulted in the verification of the original Resource figures and validated the
in-situ grades incorporated in the mine plan.
Mine Production
The first two footwall-accessed stopes were mined in March 2011, producing
approximately 2.300 tonnes of ore at an in-situ grade of 3.4g/t.
Comparison to a "built-up" head grade, back calculated from in-plant and tails
sampling, indicates a current Mine Call Factor of approximately 65%, compared to
budgeted values of around 75%. Since the Main Reef is breaking cleanly on the
footwall the only conclusion is that a considerable proportion of vintage
hanging wall (over and above the planned-for "middling") is diluting the mined
ore. A programme to refine the blasting and ore-handling techniques, including
trial testing of "split-firing" of middlings plus old hanging from reef is the
next stage.
The "empty tons" associated with this dilution severely impact the cost per
ounce of gold produced and the short-term cash flows while this gap between
planned and actual is being closed.
The optical ore sorter, commissioned in February 2011, will continue to be
optimised to increase removal of waste dilution without sacrificing gold
recovery.
Interim Business Plan
Pending meaningful definition of the engineering, costing and timing issues
surrounding the AMD project it is not prudent to continue with down-dip
development.
Pending clearer definition of the impact of "double-voids" on short-term
reserves it is not affordable to continue development on the upper levels.
The major focus of the mining in the next 3- 4 month period will be further
investigation of viable methods to reduce dilution in the currently available
stopes.
The implications of the above on the Company`s short term business plan can be
summarised as follows:
- Underground capital development operations will be suspended effective 30
April 2011 after opening up the next stoping level which appears to have minable
reef with fewer "double-voids".
- The currently available stopes will be mined out, thereby generating near term
cashflow. This is expected to yield 30,000 tons of reef at an in-situ (Main Reef
plus Middling) grade of 3.14 g/t. This programme, which will take three months,
will also be utilised to develop and refine blasting and waste separation
techniques.
- A study into the feasibility of selectively mining appropriate areas by
conventional handheld in-stope drilling in order to reduce dilution and improve
grade selectivity as an additional methodology is currently underway.
- To the extent affordable, a programme of surface and underground drilling to
verify the presence of Main Reef (i.e. to define the "double-void" issue) in
near-term mining reserves will be undertaken
- Except for underground exploration work, underground operations will be placed
on a "care and maintenance" basis following extraction of the the immediately
available stopes.
- Surface mining of currently defined SAMREC and JORC Exploration Target
Material (between 63 000 tonnes and 76,000 tonnes at an expected head grade of
approximately 3.2g/t) will continue until exhausted; this is expected to occur
around September 2011.
- The commercial viability of treating all existing ore through a third-party
toll treating agreement will be reviewed.
- A financial feasibility study of processing high grade tailings will be
completed.
- In the interim CRG`s metallurgical operations will continue to process all
surface and underground ore. If a decision is made to toll treat, or if all
stock piles have been depleted, the metallurgical plant will be cleaned out to
recover all in-process stock.
- The Company will commence a process of reducing its staff complement to ensure
alignment with the above business plan.
The Company currently has cash and near cash resources in the approximate amount
of US$10million and is thus expected to have sufficient cash resources to meet
all outstanding commitments until mid-2012.
Strategic Review
The Company`s very substantial gold resource base remains intact and in part has
recently been reconfirmed. Work to demonstrate economically viable extraction
has progressively eliminated certain approaches and has highlighted the keys to
success - which future planning intends to deliver. A combination of this focus,
plus much clearer direction from Government on dealing with AMD pumping and
treatment, together with the consequent ability to physically access the
relatively "double-void" free deeper levels, should allow the Company to show
its real value.
Given resolution and progress on the above-listed uncertainties, the Company
expects to be able to re-assess its prospects by end of October 2011. Part of
this re-assessment will be the questions of further funding and possible other
corporate actions.
In the interim, given the continued difficulties and uncertainties faced by the
Company, the Board continues to look at all strategic options for the Company
one of which could lead to an offer for the entire issued share capital of the
Company. However, this option is at an early stage and there can be no certainty
that an offer for the Company will be forthcoming.
Note: The potential quantity and grade described by the term "Exploration
Target" is conceptual in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to
define a Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result
in the definition of a Resource. Further exploration work is ongoing and
includes trial mining and processing of this shallow target to establish grade
and orebody continuity, mineability, dilution and throughput characteristics
For further information, please contact:
Johan du Toit +27 (0) 11 674 2304
Patrick Malaza +27 (0) 11 674 2304
Enquiries:
Evolution Securities Limited +44 (0) 20 7071 4300
Chris Sim / Neil Elliot
Macquarie First South Advisers (Pty) Ltd +27 (0) 11 583 2000
Annerie Britz / Melanie de Nysschen/ Yvette Labuschagne
Buchanan Communications Limited +44 (0) 20 7466 5000
Bobby Morse / Katharine Sutton / James Strong
Disclosure requirements of the Takeover Code (the "Code")
Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Code, any person who is interested in 1% or more of
any class of relevant securities of an offeree company or of any paper offeror
(being any offeror other than an offeror in respect of which it has been
announced that its offer is, or is likely to be, solely in cash) must make an
Opening Position Disclosure following the commencement of the offer period and,
if later, following the announcement in which any paper offeror is first
identified. An Opening Position Disclosure must contain details of the person`s
interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant
securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any paper offeror(s).
An Opening Position Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(a) applies must
be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day
following the commencement of the offer period and, if appropriate, by no later
than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the announcement
in which any paper offeror is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in
the relevant securities of the offeree company or of a paper offeror prior to
the deadline for making an Opening Position Disclosure must instead make a
Dealing Disclosure.
Under Rule 8.3(b) of the Code, any person who is, or becomes, interested in 1%
or more of any class of relevant securities of the offeree company or of any
paper offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals in any relevant
securities of the offeree company or of any paper offeror. A Dealing Disclosure
must contain details of the dealing concerned and of the person`s interests and
short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each
of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any paper offeror, save to the extent that
these details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8. A Dealing Disclosure
by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm
(London time) on the business day following the date of the relevant dealing.
If two or more persons act together pursuant to an agreement or understanding,
whether formal or informal, to acquire or control an interest in relevant
securities of an offeree company or a paper offeror, they will be deemed to be a
single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3.
Opening Position Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company and by
any offeror and Dealing Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company,
by any offeror and by any persons acting in concert with any of them (see Rules
8.1, 8.2 and 8.4).
Details of the offeree and offeror companies in respect of whose relevant
securities Opening Position Disclosures and Dealing Disclosures must be made
can be found in the Disclosure Table on the Takeover Panel`s website at
www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk, including details of the number of relevant
securities in issue, when the offer period commenced and when any offeror was
first identified. If you are in any doubt as to whether you are required to make
an Opening Position Disclosure or a Dealing Disclosure, you should contact the
Panel`s Market Surveillance Unit on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.
Date: 29/03/2011 10:10:02 Supplied by www.sharenet.co.za
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