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VIL - Village Main Reef Limited - Village achieves greater resource

Release Date: 12/06/2012 08:57
Code(s): VIL
Wrap Text

VIL - Village Main Reef Limited - Village achieves greater resource confidence in Lesego supported by a robust mining business case VILLAGE MAIN REEF LIMITED (Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa) (formerly known as Village Main Reef Gold Mining Company (1934) Limited) (Registration number 1934/005703/06) JSE Share Code: VIL ISIN: ZAE000154761 ("Village" or the "company") VILLAGE ACHIEVES GREATER RESOURCE CONFIDENCE IN LESEGO SUPPORTED BY A ROBUST MINING BUSINESS CASE - Completed Pre-feasibility Study revealing a robust mining business case returning an IRR of 18.7% and an NPV of R6.7bn - Greater confidence in the ore body after completion of the drilling programme moving 65% of the ore body into the Measured and Indicated Categories - Ore body defined from 300m below surface - previously 700m - Total resource of 204 Mt at an average grade of 5.95 g/t over a width of 1.23m after applying 17% for geological losses. Village is pleased to provide a resource update for the company`s majority owned Lesego Platinum project ("Lesego") situated near Burgersfort in the Limpopo Province, which is being developed with funding support from the Industrial Development Corporation, "IDC", who has a 23% effective stake in the project. The updated mineral resource estimation is based on borehole data generated from a database compiled by the specialist mining consultants, MSA Geoservices (Pty) Ltd "MAS" of all available data from previous and present drill campaigns, up to 31 March 2012. The campaign included shallow drilling results from 300 meters below surface. This latest database includes the results from 116,590 meters of drilling, of which 13,973 meters was from the 2007/8 drilling and 102,618 meters from the 2011/12 boreholes. In total 1,704 meters of core were assayed for Platinum Group Elements (3PGE+Au) as well as Nickel "Ni" and Copper "Cu". The updated resource estimate was prepared by MSA in accordance with the SAMREC Code and signed off by Competent Person, Venmyn (Pty) Ltd "Venmyn". MSA has reduced the overall tonnages by applying a 17% geological loss as recommended by Venmyn as the Competent Person to account for possible losses due to factors such as faulting, pillar losses and potholing. The updated resource estimate reports 39.03Moz 3PGE+Au in 204 Mt of ore. The updated resource width of 1.23m was selected to take account of some of the known mining parameters thus moving the resource closer to what could be expected in a reserve statement In addition, the resource contains combined Ni and Cu of 600,000 tons. The amended resource estimate has improved the measured and indicated categories to 65% from the 55% previously reported. The table below summarises the combined Merensky and UG2 Chromitite Resource Estimate: After Geological loss of 17% Combined Merensky and UG2 Chromitite Resource WIDTH GRADE TONNAGE Moz Cu Ni (g/t) Classification (m) 3PGE+Au (Mt) 3PGE+Au tons tons Measured 1.23 5.61 43.97 7.94 38 235 91 838
Indicated 1.23 6.05 83.65 16.26 71 659 168 353 Inferred 1.22 6.03 76.56 14.83 69 434 160 733
Total Project Mineral 5.95 Resources 204.18 39.03 179 328 420 924 MR Mineral 1.15 5.66 80.47 14.65 Resources 101 277 204 878 UG2 Mineral 1.27 6.13 123.71 24.38 Resources 78 050 216 046 Total Project Mineral 5.95 Resources 204.18 39.03 179 328 420 924 Financial implications The amended results of the Pre-feasibility Study, which was signed off by the lead project consultant, demonstrates that the resource can be economically extracted at 300 kt per month to produce over 500koz of 3PGE + Au and over 8,000 tons of Ni and Cu annually. This indicates a robust business case returning an IRR of 18.7% (real) and NPV of R6.7 billion using a real discount rate of 10% .Long term metal prices of US $2,000 for Platinum, US$750 for Palladium, US$5,100 for Rhodium and US$ 1, 450 for Gold have been applied. These metal prices were obtained from a study commissioned by Stephen Forrest and Associates based in Oxford (UK) dated May 2012. Cumulative cash flow evaluations reveal a peak funding requirement of R7.5 billion, with a payback of 5 years after the start of production. Joint CEO Marius Saaiman commented, "The further work conducted on this ore body has revealed a robust business case to build a mine. With initial indications of an IRR of 18.7% and a NPV of R6,7 billion, we believe that the Lesego project has again revealed itself as a world class ore body. Given the size and scope of the project, we continue to believe that it would be optimally suited to be exploited by a bigger company focused on PGM assets, and as such we continue to engage with potential strategic partners." The DFS phase of the fully funded feasibility study has commenced and is expected to be completed during 2013". Please refer to www.villagemainreef.co.za to view an updated shareholder presentation on Lesego. Contacts: Village Joint CEO | Marius Saaiman | msaaiman@villagemainreef.co.za | 011 274 4603 Vestor | Media and Investor Relations | Louise Brugman | louise@vestor.co.za | 083 504 1186 12 June 2012 Sponsor Java Capital Date: 12/06/2012 08:57:45 Supplied by www.sharenet.co.za Produced by the JSE SENS Department. The SENS service is an information dissemination service administered by the JSE Limited (`JSE`). The JSE does not, whether expressly, tacitly or implicitly, represent, warrant or in any way guarantee the truth, accuracy or completeness of the information published on SENS. The JSE, their officers, employees and agents accept no liability for (or in respect of) any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential loss or damage of any kind or nature, howsoever arising, from the use of SENS or the use of, or reliance on, information disseminated through SENS.

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