18
June 2024
Premier African Minerals
Limited
Zulu Project
Update
Premier African Minerals Limited
("Premier" or the "Company") is pleased to provide this further
update in regard to the Zulu Lithium and Tantalum Project
("Zulu").
Highlights
|
·
|
As previously announced conditioning
tank delivery and commissioning remains on track for completion
during the week commencing 10 July 2024.
|
|
|
·
|
Sale of concentrates on hand is now
expected to proceed on an ex-mine gate basis.
|
George Roach, CEO commented,
"Premier sincerely hope the conditioning tank will be the last
plant modification and on that note, the Board remains confident
regarding the prospects for Zulu and we note that at this time the
development of Zulu, a complete mine, has cost the Company the
better part of US$75 million, and neither this nor the deemed
valuation of Zulu agreed with our take-off partner is reflected in
our current market capitalisation."
Shipment
The lower grade concentrates will
now be sold (conditional on independent laboratory analysis
underway in South Africa) on an ex-mine gate basis, free on truck
from Zulu and payment will be made immediately once the conditions
have been met. Zulu will not be expected to deliver production to
port, nor will Zulu be required to outlay transport and shipping
costs. This will provide a small cash flow benefit.
The
Zulu Plant
It was only possible to optimise the
floatation circuits when Zulu was able to feed the plant at design
capacity. This was achieved only after our Zulu team was able to
resolve the design deficiencies associated with classification of
milled material. It is remarkable and a tribute to our Zulu team
and Enprotec as OEM for the float plant, that the Company was able
to identify this conditioning tank as essential and to have this
ordered and expected to be installed and commissioned by 10 July
2024. Whilst the Company will review the overall plant in some
detail in the Annual Financial Statements due for release on 28
June 2024, it would be remiss not to correct certain
misunderstandings by some shareholders in respect of Zulu's plant,
pit development and water.
Milling Circuit and
Hydrosizers
With the installation of the new
ball mill and after the Zulu team took over and resolved the
deficiencies in the comminution circuit, it was clear that only one
hydrosizer is actually needed. Production from the mill and single
hydrosizer exceeds the 37.5 ton per hour capacity of the float
plant. Running the mill and single hydrosizer continuously would
actually double floatation feed and this is likely to enable
significant capital cost savings if and when plant capacity is
required to increase.
Ore body, Mining and Ongoing Pit
Development
Test work for the correct sorter
solution has now commenced. In the interim, careful management of
the pit and ongoing inspection of ROM ore will suffice. Zulu
accepts a small percentage of ore from other claims it has
registered within its EPO area from a local miner, and this is
complementary to in-pit mining at Zulu as well as offering
employment to local communities. Zulu is not dependent on this
supply.
Pit development is ongoing and as
reported previously, in situ grades in the pit exceed the grades
declared in Zulu's independent resource estimate in those areas
Zulu has taken ore from.
Water Supply
The ongoing drought in Zimbabwe has
been public knowledge for some time, and Zulu has taken steps to
carefully assess water usage in the plant. The water balance as per
the original plant supplier was significantly understated and, as
the Company had also already anticipated that in the first year of
production Zulu's storage dam might not reach capacity during the
lest wet season, Zulu took the following steps to mitigate any
potential water issues:
·
|
The Company had arranged access in
December 2022 from other dams in close proximity to
Zulu.
|
·
|
The Company increased the return
water recovery from Zulu's tailings dam.
|
·
|
The Company reconfigured in plant
process water reticulation including the installation of the
thickener.
|
·
|
The Company constructed an
additional large capacity reservoir at the plant.
|
A copy of this announcement is
available at the Company's website, www.premierafricanminerals.com.
Enquiries:
George Roach
|
Premier African Minerals Limited
|
Tel: +27 (0) 100 201 281
|
Michael Cornish / Roland Cornish
|
Beaumont Cornish Limited
(Nominated Adviser)
|
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7628 3396
|
Douglas Crippen
|
CMC
Markets UK Plc
|
Tel: +44 (0) 20 3003 8632
|
Toby Gibbs/Rachel Goldstein
|
Shore Capital Stockbrokers Limited
|
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7408 4090
|
Nominated Adviser Statement
Beaumont Cornish
Limited ("Beaumont
Cornish"), which is authorised and regulated in
the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority, is
acting as nominated adviser to the Company in connection with this
announcement and will not regard any other person as its client and
will not be responsible to anyone else for providing the
protections afforded to the clients of Beaumont Cornish or for
providing advice in relation to such proposals. Beaumont Cornish
has not authorised the contents of, or any part of, this document
and no liability whatsoever is accepted by Beaumont Cornish for the
accuracy of any information, or opinions contained in this document
or for the omission of any information. Beaumont Cornish as
nominated adviser to the Company owes certain responsibilities to
the London Stock Exchange which are not owed to the
Company, the Directors, Shareholders, or any other
person.
Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements in this
announcement are or may be deemed to be forward looking statements.
Forward looking statements are identified by their use of terms and
phrases such as ''believe'' ''could'' "should" ''envisage''
''estimate'' ''intend'' ''may'' ''plan'' ''will'' or the negative
of those variations or comparable expressions including references
to assumptions. These forward-looking statements are not based on
historical facts but rather on the Directors' current expectations
and assumptions regarding the Company's future growth results of
operations performance future capital and other expenditures
(including the amount. Nature and sources of funding thereof)
competitive advantages business prospects and opportunities. Such
forward looking statements reflect the Directors' current beliefs
and assumptions and are based on information currently available to
the Directors. A number of factors could cause actual results to
differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking
statements including risks associated with vulnerability to general
economic and business conditions competition environmental and
other regulatory changes actions by governmental authorities the
availability of capital markets reliance on key personnel uninsured
and underinsured losses and other factors many of which are beyond
the control of the Company. Although any forward-looking statements
contained in this announcement are based upon what the Directors
believe to be reasonable assumptions. The Company cannot assure
investors that actual results will be consistent with such forward
looking statements.
Glossary
|
"Li2O"
|
Lithium Oxide (Lithia) - an
inorganic lithium compound used to assess lithium
minerals.
|
"m"
|
Meter.
|
"ROM"
|
Run-of-mine.
|
Notes to Editors:
Premier African Minerals
Limited (AIM: PREM) is a multi-commodity mining and natural
resource development company focused on Southern
Africa with its RHA Tungsten and Zulu Lithium projects
in Zimbabwe.
The Company has a diverse portfolio
of projects, which include tungsten, rare earth elements, lithium
and tantalum in Zimbabwe and lithium and gold
in Mozambique, encompassing brownfield projects with near-term
production potential to grass-roots exploration. The Company has
accepted a share offer by Vortex Limited ("Vortex") for the exchange of Premier's
entire 4.8% interest in Circum Minerals
Limited ("Circum"),
the owners of the Danakil Potash
Project in Ethiopia, for a 13.1% interest in the enlarged
share capital of Vortex. Vortex has an interest of 36.7% in
Circum.