3rd Jan 2018 07:06
Blenheim Natural Resources plc / EPIC: BNR / Market: AIM / Sector: Investment Company
3 January 2018
Blenheim Natural Resources Plc
("Blenheim" or the "Company")
Completion of Nashwan Lithium Transaction
Blenheim is pleased to confirm that the Ministry of Mines in Mali has granted the Menianbala and Djidje exploration permits in the Bougouni region in Southern Mali to Nashwan Lithium SARL, a wholly owned subsidiary of Nashwan Holdings Ltd ("Nashwan") and that all conditions for the payment of the consideration of £200,000 in cash (the "Cash Consideration") and 75,000,000 ordinary shares of 0.1 pence each in the capital of the Company ("Ordinary Shares"), (the "Consideration Shares") to Harry Sutherland pursuant to the share purchase agreement dated 29 March 2017 and announced by Blenheim on 30 March 2017 have been satisfied.
The Board believes that the permits are highly prospective for lithium being along strike from known discoveries in the southern Mali region, an area rapidly emerging as a significant and exciting lithium province. As part of the transaction, it has been agreed that £100,000 of the Cash Consideration will be used to fund prospecting and exploration work on the licences with no dilution to Blenheim's 30 per cent interest.
Nashwan is a West Africa focussed resource company with an experienced team and proven local partners. The Company believes that this investment in Nashwan provides excellent exposure to one of the world's most prospective mineral regions for the fast-growing lithium market. The Menianbala licence is located between AIM quoted Kodal Minerals' ('Kodal') Bougouni Lithium Project ('Bougouni'), to the east and ASX listed Birimian Limited's Goulamina Lithium Project to the west.
Kodal has reported high grade spodumene mineralisation outcropping at surface with drilling highlights including 47m at 1.51% LiO2 from 32m, 18m at 2.06% LiO2 from 140m, 21m at 1.72% LiO2 from 11m and 18m at 1.69% LiO2 from 37m. Importantly metallurgical testwork conducted by Shandong Ruifu Lithium Co Ltd, one of the largest lithium carbonate producers in China, produced high grade lithium carbonate with low impurities suitable for use in lithium battery production from Bougouni. Furthermore, Birimian has published a Project Feasibility Study for Goulamina which confirmed the potential technical and economic viability of Goulamina with the Project capable of producing 6% Li2O concentrate at an average metallurgical recovery of 80.7%. The Djidje exploration licence ("Djidje") lies adjacent and to the south of Kodal's Bougouni Lithium Project.
A map showing the location of Menianbala and Djidje is available at the Company's website:
http://www.blenheimnaturalresources.com/investments/west-africa-lithium
Blenheim Chairman, Chris Ells, commented, "This investment in Nashwan, in tandem with the 40% interest in Xantus Inc, which holds the Dieba and Nimissila licences, provides Blenheim with a highly significant and exciting strategic foothold in the rapidly developing West African lithium province of Southern Mali. The proximity to both Birimian and Kodal's licence packages, which have already yielded lithium discoveries, provides us with huge confidence in the licences' prospectivity. Exploration has already identified pegmatites and we eagerly await assay results from both licences expected later this month.
We are developing an exciting investment portfolio which provides us with exposure to a number of opportunities with significant re-rating potential in terms of value particularly in the technology metal space. Through Nashwan and Xantus, we have exposure to lithium exploration in Mali and Niger. Our conditional investment in Cobalt Blue Holdings Inc provides exposure to licences contiguous to the proven Nkamouna and Mada Cobalt-Nickel Project in Cameroon and with BrandShield we have exposure to the development of proprietary blockchain-based platforms which will enable resource sector focused companies to conduct transactions globally.
It is important to stress that the development of the licences and the technology referred to above are being funded and managed by the individual investee companies. Blenheim is an investment company , which is building and managing a portfolio of investments. We therefore believe that, with continuing developments across our portfolio, we will have regular updates which will underpin our investment decisions and drive value in the Blenheim share price."
Admission to Trading
Application will be made for the 75,000,000 new Ordinary Shares to be admitted to trading on AIM, which is expected to take place on or around Monday, 8 January 2018. The shares will, on Admission, rank pari passu in all respects with all other Ordinary Shares.
Total Voting Rights
Following admission of shares to trading on AIM, the Company's enlarged issued share capital will comprise 1,126,174,497 Ordinary Shares. The Company does not hold any shares in treasury. Therefore, the total number of Ordinary Shares with voting rights will be 1,126,174,497. This figure may be used by shareholders in the Company as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change in their interest in, the share capital of the Company under the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules.
*Ends*
For further information please contact:
Chris Ells/Charlie Wood | Blenheim Natural Resources Plc | +44 (0)1622 844601
|
Neil Baldwin/Andrew Emmott | Spark Advisory Partners Limited (Nominated Adviser)
| +44(0)203 368 3554
|
Nick Emerson | SI Capital Ltd (Broker) | +44 (0)1483 413500 |
Hugo De Salis /Gaby Jenner St Brides Partners +44 (0)207 236 1177
The information contained within this announcement is deemed to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014. Upon the publication of this announcement, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.
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