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Canadian-based Eastplats was formed in 2003 with the objective of becoming a major producer of platinum group metals.
In less than four years the Company has met its objectives by acquiring a portfolio of high-grade platinum and rhodium-rich deposits in South Africa's Bushveld Complex with resources containing over 85 million ounces of platinum group metals. The Bushveld Complex is internationally recognized as containing the world's largest resource of platinum group metals and is geologically unique as it is the world's only source of primary platinum production.
In 2006, Eastplats became Canada's largest platinum group metals producer when it acquired a 69% indirect interest in Barplats Investments Limited. This acquisition was accompanied by a successful Cdn $150 million capital raising campaign, much of which has been invested in the Crocodile River Mine operations.
Eastplats is now an established and growing platinum group metals mining company with assets on both the western and eastern limb of the Bushveld Complex. Based in Vancouver, and listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:ELR), the Alternative Investment Market (AIM:ELR) and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE:EPS), the company's four primary assets are:
Crocodile River
The Crocodile River Mine is located on the western limb of the Bushveld Complex, near the town of Brits in South Africa's North West Province. Initially established in 1987, Crocodile River Mine was heralded as one of the most modern in South Africa at the time. The operation was acquired by Rand Mines Limited. Implats then acquired an interest of 38% and the contract to manage the mine in 1991, but a dramatic decline in metal prices forced the mine's closure later that year.
In 1998 Implats increased its stake in Barplats to 83% and, following an intensive exploration programme, the mine was re-opened in February 2000. The concentrator was refurbished at the same time. The mine was operated successfully as an open pit mine, but a combination of the rising Rand exchange rate and the contractors' inability to mine the operation efficiently using highly mechanized mining methods underground resulted in the mine being placed on care and maintenance in December 2003. The mine was re-opened in 2004 and has since undergone extensive development and refurbishment of surface facilities.
The operation comprises four mining blocks, Maroelabult in the east, Zandfontein in the centre, the Crocette deposits in the west, and the Kareespruit section between Maroelabult and Zandfontein.
Primary access at the Maroelabult section consists of two declines, one for men and material and one equipped with a conveyor belt for rock transport from underground. Steady-state production of 40,000 tonnes a month was achieved in 2007.
The Zandfontein section is equipped with a vertical shaft and primary access consisting of four separate decline roadways from surface. Production is currently being ramped up to 120,000 tonnes a month with a steady-state production schedule for December 2008 of 120,000 tonnes a month. A new conveyor system is in place, extensive underground development is ongoing, and the vertical shaft is being refurbished.
The Crocette section is currently under development. The drilling programme began in June 2006 and production is scheduled to begin in late-2007/early 2008 with anticipated steady-state production of 40,000 tonnes a month.
A tailings retreatment plant was commissioned in 2007 and construction of a chrome recovery plant commenced in mid-2007.
The UG2 Reef is mined at Crocodile River. The UG2 is a distinct chromitite layer, approximately 140 centimetres thick at the mine. The vertical separation between the Merensky Reef and the UG2 is around 225 m at Crocodile River.
The reporting of Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves is in accordance with the principles and guidelines of the South African Code for Reporting of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (The SAMREC Code). The Mineral Resources grade and tonnages are stated in-situ and the Ore Reserves are stated as delivered grade and tonnages.
During financial year 2005, significant effort was made to gain a better understanding of the geological structure of the Crocodile River Mine orebody. A new structural interpretation was developed by Applied Geology Services CC based on previous regional mapping and lineament interpretation, re-interpretation of regional magnetic surveys, an updated borehole database, and underground mapping. The resulting model is considered conservative but robust and consistent with all confirmed data.
Kennedy's Vale
Kennedy's Vale is a very large underground resource containing PGM's in both the UG2 and Merensky Reefs with a high platinum content.
The Kennedy's Vale project comprises PGM minerals rights on several farms in the Steelpoort Valley. Previous exploration on the property was undertaken by Rand Mines, Gencor and Impala Platinum Holdings Limited (Implats) during the period 1985 to 2003.
The existing infrastructure includes two vertical shafts that intersect the UG2 at a depth of approximately 900 m. A drilling programme, which is part of a pre-feasibility study, was completed in 2007.
Both the UG2 and the Merensky Reefs occur at Kennedy's Vale. The UG2 is a distinct chromitite layer, approximately 100 cm thick at Kennedy's Vale separated from the Merensky Reef by some 200 m vertically. The Merensky Reef is 2.5 m thick at Kennedy's Vale.
Although preliminary metallurgical test work by Impala reported metal recoveries as high as 93% in the UG2, it is expected that metal recoveries at Kennedy's Vale will be similar to those on other PGM properties and mines in production in the Spitzkop area, with approximately 85% recovery of the PGM in the concentrate. At this time it is expected that Eastplats would receive between 80 and 82.5% of the refined metal value as a result of refinery changes. The concentrate produced from Kennedy's Vale would be platinum and rhodium rich and may command a premium.
In 2006/7 Eastplats conducted Phase 1 (Pre-feasibility) Studies on Kennedy's Vale. Phase 2 studies will include trial mining of the UG2 Reef at Spitzkop and are expected to commence late 2007/early 2008. Qualified consultants with substantial PGM project experience gained on previous PGM projects in South Africa are being used. The work is being undertaken according to strict standards demanded by the SAMREC/SAMVAL codes, and will be JORC compliant. MSA Consultants are supervising all QA/QC requirements to meet these standards. These codes meet the regulatory guidelines for stock exchanges in Canada, the U.S.A., the U.K. and Australia.
Spitzkop
Spitzkop is a mineral property with high grade near surface PGM mineralization occurring in both the UG2 and Merensky reefs with platinum being the dominant ore mineral.
The Spitzkop Project is located on the Eastern Limb of the Bushveld Complex in Mpumalanga Province. Angloplats, the world's largest producer of PGM, is currently planning a series of platinum mines in the UG2 reef in the immediate vicinity to Spitzkop, namely the Helena, De Brochen and Booysendal platinum mines. Aquarius Platinum Ltd. is developing the Everest South mine and Eastplats is conducting a feasibility study on the Mareesburg PGM project.
The New Order rights at Spitzkop are currently registered in the name of Spitzkop Platinum Pty Ltd. ("Spitzplats") and are in good standing. Eastplats entered into a 50:50 Joint Venture Agreement with Spitzplats(April 2005) and subsequently Eastplats acquired a 74% interest in Spitzplats. Spitzplats is an "empowered" company under the Empowerment Charter and fully compliant with South African B.E.E. requirements. The transactions are fully compliant with South African law and the New Mining Act.
The technical data used for the Mineral Resource estimates were generated by Anglo American, Samancor (B.H.P.), Impala and Eastplats. The data used are considered to be of a high quality and to be reliable.
In 2006/7 Eastplats conducted Phase 1 (Pre-feasibility) Studies on Spitzkop. Phase 2 studies will include trial mining of the UG2 Reef at Spitzkop and are expected to commence late 2007/early 2008. Qualified consultants with substantial PGM project experience gained on previous PGM projects in South Africa are being used. The work is being undertaken according to strict standards demanded by the SAMREC/SAMVAL codes, and will be JORC compliant. MSA Consultants are supervising all QA/QC requirements to meet these standards. These codes meet the regulatory guidelines for stock exchanges in Canada, the U.S.A., the U.K. and Australia.
Mareesburg Deposit
In February 2004 Eastplats acquired the rights to a 50% interest in the Mareesburg Platinum Project ("Mareesburg") from Samancor by way of a 50:50 Joint Venture with Lion's Head Platinum Pty ("LHP"). Two other agreements enabled Eastplats to purchase a 51% interest in LHP, which holds a 50% interest in the project, thus increasing the Company's interest in Mareesburg to 75.5%.
LHP is a private South African Black Economic Empowerment company that is fully compliant with the South African Mining Charter, and the Mareesburg transaction represents a mutually beneficial empowerment model created between a major South African mining company and Historically Disadvantaged South African ("HDSA") entrepreneurs and mining professionals backed by international capital.
The Mareesburg property lies in the southern part of the Eastern Bushveld approximately 50 km west of Lydenburg, adjacent to Angloplats' proposed new platinum mine on the farm Der Brochen, and Sylvania's Everest North project. The immediate area around Mareesburg is rapidly developing into a major mining district with platinum and chrome mining currently underway and a number of possible new platinum mines being investigated and developed by Angloplats, Impala Platinum and Aquarius. The majority of these platinum mines are planning to mine the UG2 Reef. Access to the property is good and power lines traverse the area.
South Africa
| David Cohen | Chairman, Director |
| Ian Rozier | President/CEO, Director |
| Merfyn Roberts | Director |
| John Andrews | Director |
| John Hawkrigg | Director |
| Gordon Keep | Director |
| Horng Dih Lee | CFO, VP Finance |
| Barbara Dunfield | Corporate Secretary |
Company Address408 - 837 W. Hastings Street
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CapitalIssued Capital: 669,031,527
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Annual General MeetingNovember | Year EndJune 30th |
Nominated BrokersCanaccord Capital Corporation (Europe) | Nominated AdvisorsCanaccord Capital Corporation (Europe) |
16/05/07 - Canccord Adams
| United Services |
| Endeavour Financial |
| Libra Fund |