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Company Information for Nautilus Minerals Inc

Company stock charts - 12 Month chart

Exchange TSX; NUS


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Exchange AIM; NUS


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Company Statement

Nautilus Minerals Inc ("Nautilus") is following the lead by the petroleum industry to tap vast offshore resources and is planning to mine high-grade Seafloor Massive Sulphide ("SMS") deposits of copper, zinc gold and silver. Nautilus is in the business of exploring for Seafloor Massive Sulphide ("SMS") deposits which are considered modern day analogues of Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide ("VMS") systems - a prime source of the world's onshore copper, gold, zinc and silver deposits.

Mine planning is well underway for the world's first seafloor copper gold mine in 1,500 metres of water at the Solwara 1 Project in the Bismarck Sea in PNG, 50kms north of Rabaul township.

The Company holds more than 521,000 km2 of tenement licences and exploration applications in the exclusive economic zones and territorial waters of Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Tonga, the Solomon Islands and New Zealand along the western Pacific Ocean's Rim of Fire.

Listed on the Toronto (TSX) and London (AIM) exchanges, Nautilus has among its cornerstone shareholders three of the world's largest resource companies and its alliances and technical partnerships position it as the world leader in underwater exploration of SMS deposits.


Current Operations

Solwara Project - Gold and Base Metals
DELIVERING MINING OPERATIONS ON TIME AND WITHIN BUDGET

The Project Development team is focused on delivering the Solwara 1 Mining System on time, and within budget, for mining operations starting in Q3 2010, subject to timely permitting. Equally important is meeting both environmental, health and safety commitments. Combining skills from onshore mining, dredging and deepwater construction, the team scoped out the specifications for the three main components of the mining system, which are the:

  • Seafloor Mining Tool
  • Riser and Lifting System
  • Mining Support Vessel

The first step in the mining process involves cutting the seafloor material and drawing it into the suction mouth of the Seafloor Mining Tool (SMT) as slurry. It is then transported to a pumping module and lifted up a steel riser pipe to the Mining Support Vessel (MSV) on the surface where the material is dewatered. After dewatering, the ore is transferred to barges on a continuous cycle for shipment to a nearby port facility.In 2007, Nautilus committed approximately US$23 million on environment studies and exploration activities to develop a preliminary geological resource and associated mine plan for Solwara 1. The major focus was on the solwara 1 though there were also  exploration activities that led to the new discoveries of Solwara 5,6,7,8.

Solwara 1
Nautilus has completed a 111 hole drilling campaign on Solwara 1 as part of its initial mine planning and resource modeling. Assay results have confirmed a significant high-grade copper and gold deposit at the Solwara 1 prospect.


SEAFLOOR MINING TOOL (SMT) CONTRACTOn December 18, 2007 the contract for the SMT was awarded to Soil Machine Dynamics of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. The £33 million fixed price contract is for the design and production of two identical 190 tonne SMTs which will be used for production on Solwara 1. The system is designed to operate at production rate of 6,000 tonnes/day. The schedule provides for the completion of assembly, testing and integration work on the MSV to meet the production timeline for the third quarter 2010.

RISER AND LIFTING SYSTEM (RALS) CONTRACT
A second contract with a US $116 million target price was awarded on April 3, 2008 to Technip USA Inc. to provide engineering procurement and construction management services for the Riser and Lifting System ("RALS ") components of the deepwater SMS extraction system, comprising the following:
  • Subsea pumps;
  • Riser pipe;
  • Riser handling system; and
  • Associated deck equipment.

ON-GOING PROJECT DEVELOPMENT WORK
In addition to these major contracts the Project Development team continues its work on mine planning, materials handling, shipping, metallurgical testing and processing studies.

Exploration
Papua New Guinea Exploration

Solwara, means "salt water" in PNG pijin English. Since 2006, Nautilus has used the term 'Solwara' to describe it's PNG exploration projects and prospects during its reconnaissance and drilling campaigns. The Solwara 1 Project and Solwara 2-8 Prospects are on 100% owned Nautilus tenements.

SOLWARA 1
The Solwara 1 Field was first identified by Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in 1996, while Solwara 4 was discovered in 1991. Extensive research campaigns between 1993 and 1997 formed the base line knowledge for what would become more intensive commercial development activities.

In March 2005, Nautilus in joint venture with Placer Dome undertook new exploration at Solwara 1 aboard the MV Genesis with side scan sonar and dredge sampling. The dredge and grab sampling confirmed the grade tenor of earlier sampling by scientific research programmes. The 45 dredge samples averaged 10.8% Cu, 3.7% Zn, 224 g/t Ag and 13.7 g/t Au. A further 51 grab samples collected in 2006 by the DP Hunter survey averaged 9.3% Cu, 4.9% Zn, 136 g/t Ag and 14.7 g/t Au.

Nautilus and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution completed a further exploration cruise to Solwara 1 in August 2006 where a further 11 grab samples confirmed the grade tenor of the grab, dredge and drill core sampling referred to above.

SOLWARA 2,3,4
Nautilus and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution completed an exploration cruise in July and August 2006 to the Solwara 2, 3 and 4 Projects. Geophysical surveying and Remote Operate Vehicle (ROV) grab sampling were completed. The results of this work were:

At Solwara 2, grab sampling confirmed the grade of earlier sampling by scientific research. 37 grab samples averaged 1.3% Cu, 22.8% Zn, 226 g/t Ag and 6.2 g/t Au.

At Solwara 3, grab sampling confirmed the grade of earlier sampling by scientific research. 26 grab samples averaged 1.3% Cu, 22.4% Zn, 488 g/t Ag and 15.4 g/t Au.

At Solwara 4, grab sampling confirmed the grade of earlier sampling by scientific research. 28 grab samples (excluding duplicates) averaged 11.3% Cu, 23.2% Zn, 263 g/t Ag and13.5 g/t Au.

South Western Pacific Exploration

NAUTILUS 2008 EXPLORATION PROGRAM
The 2008 exploration program will focus on expanding the Nautilus project pipeline further with a six month program planned for Tonga and Papua New Guinea. In Tonga, the principal focus will be the Valu Fa ridge, a 300km zone containing a number of known high-grade mineralised systems. In PNG, the focus will be on the prospective brownfield terrain in the vicinity of Solwara 1 and 4.

Nautilus signed a contract with Canyon to provide the vessel, Remote Operate Vehicle (ROV) and drilling equipment for the 2008 exploration and environmental programs.

The combination of this Nautilus managed program with programs being managed by Teck Cominco Limited ensures Nautilus' shareholders will see aggressive exploration being undertaken in 2008 over most of our 154,000 km2 of granted exploration titles. This program will have the potential to increase our resource inventory and deepen our project pipeline.

TECK COMINCO LIMITED 2008 EXPLORATION PROGRAM
Teck Cominco Limited (Teck Cominco) is conducting an offshore exploration program over Nautilus' exploration tenements in the territorial waters of PNG and the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Tonga in 2008. At the completion of this program Teck Cominco will have the right to elect to enter into joint ventures with Nautilus in up to six countries, earning between 40% and 50% (depending on the country) by the expenditure of US$25 million in that specific country area (March 31, 2008).

Phase 1
Teck Cominco completed the first phase of its $US12 million 2008 offshore exploration program May 7, 2008 with the demobilisation of the MV Sepura in Port Moresby. This phase involved a 28-day bathymetric mapping program within the territorial waters of PNG that was designed to define targets for subsequent geochemical surveying and ROV based sampling.

The dedicated crew of technical, safety, and logistics personnel has been able to complete this program on time and under budget, without a single lost time injury or safety incident and with greater seabed coverage than was originally planned. We are excited by both the quality of the data and the results which are a significant improvement on previous data sets.

Teck Cominco geologists and geophysicists worked with Nautilus personnel to interpret this new data and prioritise targets for Phase 2.

Phase 2
Teck Cominco commenced Phase 2 May 15, 2008 with the departure from Singapore of the vessel DEA Surveyor. This 150-day program will involve geochemical surveying and sampling, and ROV based sampling in PNG and Tonga. Part of this program will involve following up on targets defined by surveys completed by the MV Sepura in PNG in Phase 1.

Tenement Coverage
Papua New Guinea (PNG) Tenements
As of March 31, 2008 Nautilus had been granted 33 exploration licences and has a further 57 tenements in applications, in the Bismarck and Solomon Seas, encompassing some 205,000 km2 in area. Teck Cominco has the option to utilise the US$12 million option payment from the recent early exercise of Nautilus options, to conduct and manage a ship based exploration program in 2008 in PNG.

TONGA Tenements
As of March 31, 2008, Nautilus had been granted 16 offshore exploration licences covering 78,977 km2, being an area containing most known prospects within the 1887 Proclamation Area of the Kingdom of Tonga in the western Pacific. The exploration licences granted in Tonga cover a strike of over 900 kms of highly prospective geology known to contain Seafloor Massive Sulphide (SMS) occurrences. Nine of the 16 granted titles in Tonga (Core Titles) licences are 100% owned by Nautilus with the other seven Tongan licences subject to an option by Teck Cominco to enter into a joint venture.

SOLOMON ISLANDS Tenements
As of March 31, 2008 Nautilus had been granted 14 tenements covering 10,641 km2 in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Solomon Islands, continuing the Company's tenement holding in the highly prospective Woodlark Basin to the east of PNG. The licences granted in the Solomon Islands are an extension of our highly prospective Woodlark Basin tenements to the east of PNG. All of the Solomon Island licences are 100% owned by Nautilus.

FIJI Tenements
As of March 31, 2008 Nautilus has applied for 9 tenements covering 18,341 km2 in the EEZ of Fiji.

NEW ZEALAND Tenements
As of March 31, 2008 Nautilus has applied for 1 tenement covering 48,200 km2 in New Zealand's EEZ. 


Geographical Spread

Western Pacific


Board of Directors and Key Management

Directors
A. Geoffrey LoudonChairman and Non-Executive Director
Stephen RogersPresident, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director
David HeydonNon-Executive Director
David De WittNon-Executive Director
Russell DebneyNon-Executive Director
A. Farhad MoshiriNon-Executive Director
John O'ReillyNon-Executive Director

Management
Anthony O'SullivanChief Operating Officer
Shontel NorgateChief Financial Officer
Michael JohnstonVice-President -- Corporate Development
Scott TrebilcockVice-President -- Business Development
Mel TogoloPNG Country Manager
Paul TamoepeauTonga Country Manager

Company Address

Suite 1050
625 Howe Street
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6C 2T6

Telephone:+1 (416) 551-1100
Facsimile:+1 (416) 792-0871
Website:http://www.nautilusminerals.com

Additional Address/Key Contact

Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Nautilus Minerals Nuigini Pty Ltd
Level 1, Deliotte Tower
Douglas Street Port Moresby, PNG
PO Box 1161, Port Moresby, PNG

Tel: +675 321 1284
Fax +675 321 1685

Nuku'alofa, Tonga, South Pacific
Nautilus Minerals Tonga #1 Ltd
2nd Floor, Kupu House
Fatafehi Road, Nuku'alofa
Tonga, South Pacific
PO Box 893 , Nuku'alofa, Tonga, South Pacific

Tel: +676 21 733
Fax +676 21 734

Capital

Common Shares;146,625,182
Warrants;15,083,086
Options;13,572,306
Fully Diluted;175,280,574

Nominated Brokers

Numis Securities Limited
10 Paternoster Square
London EC4M 7LT
Switchboard +44 20 7260 1000

Nominated Advisors

Nominated Adviser and Broker
Numis Securities Limited
10 Paternoster Square
London EC4M 7LT
Switchboard +44 20 7260 1000

Major Shareholders

Gazmetall Hiolding (Cypruss) Limited(22.4%)
Teck Cominco Limited(7.2%)
Anglo American plc(5.7%)

Related News

14/10/08 - Nautilus Minerals and Teck Cominco Discover a Number of High Grade Seafloor Massive Sulphide Systems in PNG and Tongan Waters.
10/01/08 - Nautilus Minerals In At The Deep End
21/08/07 - Waves From The Sub-Prime Mortgage Shambles Hit Canadian Mining Companies
12/06/07 - Nautilus Minerals On Track For Seafloor Mining Before End 2009
08/02/07 - Nautilus Minerals Tops up Its War Chest With A View To First Production From The Seabed in 2009

Most Recent Statement

12/11/08 - Nautilus Minerals Announces US$266 Million at September 30, 2008
05/11/08 - Anglo American Increases Stake in Nautilus to 11.1%
03/11/08 - Nautilus Minerals Locks Down Major Equipment Cost and Maintains Build Schedule
17/10/08 - Directorate Change
03/10/08 - Nautilus Submits Mining Lease Application
17/09/08 - Teck Cominco Discovers Four High-Grade Copper-Gold-Zinc SMS Systems in Tonga

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