Goldplat plc, the AIM quoted gold producer, is pleased to provide an operations update for its two gold recovery businesses in South Africa and Ghana which are both continuing to perform strongly.
Gold Recovery Ghana ('GRG'), the Company's 100 per cent. owned subsidiary, has entered into an agreement with Golden Star (Wassa) Limited ('Wassa'), under which Wassa will undertake contract processing on gold bearing materials sourced and owned by GRG. Wassa has undertaken to process approximately 4,000 tonnes per month which is expected to produce an additional 3,000 - 4,000 oz of gold per year at Goldplat's Ghana recovery operations. This agreement increases the processing capacity of the group and has the potential to generate a significant profit for GRG.
The contract is for an initial period of one year from the date of the agreement and can be extended.
In South Africa, further progress has been made to secure new raw materials, and ensure the long-term supply of gold bearing feedstock for processing. A further agreement has been finalised with AngloGold Ashanti Limited to purchase a total of 20,000 tonnes of gold bearing raw material, with an estimated 3,000 oz of contained gold, from its West Wits operation in South Africa. The Company expects to process this material over a period of six to twelve months.
For further information visit www.goldplat.com or contact:
Demetri Manolis, CEO Goldplat plc Tel: +27 (0) 11 423 1203
James Joyce WH Ireland Limited Tel: +44 (0) 20 7220 1666
David Porter WH Ireland Limited Tel: +44 (0) 20 7220 1666
Bill Sharp Alexander David Securities Ltd Tel: +44 (0)20 7448 9820
David Scott Alexander David Securities Ltd Tel: +44 (0)20 7448 9820
Felicity Edwards St Brides Media & Finance Ltd Tel: +44 (0)20 7236 1177
Isabel Crossley St Brides Media & Finance Ltd Tel: +44 (0)20 7236 1177
Notes
Goldplat plc is an AIM-listed gold producer with operations in Africa. Its strategy is to consolidate its position as a gold producer in Africa and build itself into a highly profitable mid-tier gold company, leveraged through revenue generated from its gold recovery businesses.
The Company has two recovery businesses based in South Africa and Ghana, which, by safely disposing 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'Ivoire, Senegal, the DRC and Mauritania, as well as Ghana.
Goldplat's strategy is to build itself into a highly profitable mid-tier gold producer, through the acquisition of known deposits with targets of between 200,000 and one million contained ounces. Kilimapesa Gold is a wholly owned subsidiary of Goldplat and is developing the potential of the 213 sq km Lolgorien licence area located in the historically producing Migori Archaean Greenstone Belt in western Kenya. Kilimapesa Gold commenced initial production in January 2009 and an aggressive exploration and development programme has resulted in a maiden JORC compliant resource being reported in October 2009. In December 2009 Goldplat plc entered into an agreement with Sanu Exploration (BVI) Limited ('Sanu'), a wholly owned subsidiary of NGEX Resources Inc, to acquire Sanu's option over the 246 sq km Nyieme Gold Project ('Nyieme') located in Burkina Faso. The Nyieme exploration licence includes known high-grade quartz vein structures, with drill core results showing up to 17.83 g/t gold over one metre and 11.67 g/t over five metres. Goldplat has started a programme of trenching and diamond drilling in order to prove up and expand the ore resources.
Additionally, the Company is currently evaluating gold recovery operations in Africa and also has joint venture agreements with Black Economic Empowerment (' BEE') partners in place to take advantage of mining opportunities in South Africa.