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Quarterly Update

30th Apr 2015 10:33

RNS Number : 8342L
Wildhorse Energy Limited
30 April 2015
 



30 April 2015

AIM/ASX Code: WHE

 

MARCH 2015 QUARTERLY REPORT

 

The Board of Wildhorse Energy Limited (the "Company" or "Wildhorse") presents its March 2015 quarterly report.

· In April 2015, the Company entered into an agreement to acquire Australia Salt Lake Potash Pty Ltd ("ASLP") which holds two large scale, high grade sulphate of potash ("SOP") brine projects in Western Australia (the "Projects"). Following shareholder approvals, completion is expected to occur in early June 2015.

The Projects have potential for producing substantial tonnages of Sulphate of Potash (SOP) and/or Sulphate of Potash Magnesia (SOPM) based on:

o Excellent chemistry of highly saline brines characterised by highly elevated concentrates of dissolved potassium, magnesium, sulphates and elemental ratios considered most suitable for SOP and SOPM production.

o Large salt lakes featuring high potential recharge from large drainage basins.

o Very favourable arid climatic conditions for potential year round, cost effective production of potash salts using conventional evaporation and crystallisation ponds.

o Good access to transport infrastructure.

· The Lake Wells Project comprises an area of 1,126 km2 substantially covering the Lake Wells playa near Laverton. The playa has been extensively drilled and sampled, with a high average dissolved potassium (K) content of 5,220 mg/L and brine chemistry which favours potential production of SOP by conventional methods. The high catchment area to lake ratio also indicates good brine recharge potential.

· The Lake Ballard Project comprises 775 km2 and is located 350 km to the south-west of the Lake Wells Project. Historical sampling indicates highly elevated potassium contents in the brines and the project also has a large catchment area, very good evaporation potential and access to excellent transport infrastructure and the Goldfields gas pipeline.

· The Company successfully completed its five for one renounceable entitlement issue raising $3.8 million (before costs) placing the Company in a strong financial position to progress its current projects and new projects.

· The Company appointed Mr Matthew Syme, a highly experienced resources company director, as a Non-Executive Director.

The Board believes that this acquisition provides the Company with the opportunity to build a high margin business supplying an increasingly sought after value adding agricultural product to both domestic and international markets. The Board looks forward to making further announcements to the market as the Projects progress.

 

OPERATIONS

Australia Salt Lake Potash

ASLP's primary focus is on the Lake Wells Project and Lake Ballard Project, which are both located in Western Australia covering a total area of 1,901 km2 of salt lake basins.

ASLP was founded to capitalise on the quality of Australia's unique salt lake brine resources, cost-effective production conditions and the growing demand for high-value sulphate of potash (SOP), a chloride-free potassium fertiliser, and its by-products.

Sulphate of Potash (K2SO4) is a premium fertiliser product, currently commanding a 30% premium over the more common Muriate of Potash (KCl), due to its high potassium content, absence of chlorine, suitability for high value crops such as fruit and nut orchards, oil palms, tea crops and other leafy fruit and vegetables. The global market for SOP is around 5.5 mtpa and current market prices are around US$700 per tonne. Australia presently imports all of its SOP requirements.

The potential for production of SOP and SOPM based on pond evaporation from inland salt lakes in Australia has been recognised for some time. Salt lake evaporation projects are substantial producers of Potash and other minerals from operations in North and South America, the Middle East and China. Production of primary SOP from salt lake evaporation enjoys an inherent and a substantial cost advantage over the secondary (Mannheim) process, which produces around 70% of SOP globally.

Wildhorse will acquire 100% of the shares in ASLP, an Australian private company which holds the Projects. The commercial terms of the acquisition, which are subject to approval by Wildhorse shareholders, include the issue of 15 million Wildhorse shares at completion and 22.5 million performance shares subject to various performance conditions to ASLP shareholders.

For additional information on the commercial terms, potash market and project details refer to the Company's announcement released on 9 April 2015. Furthermore, two exploration licences for the Lake Ballard Project were granted in late April.

 

Golden Eagle Uranium and Vanadium Project

The Golden Eagle Uranium and Vanadium Project holds nine U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Uranium/Vanadium Mining Leases, covering 22.7 km2 located in the Uravan Mineral Belt, Colorado USA.

Technical reports for a number of the leases have been drafted based on historic data, however, exploration drilling and core analysis need to be completed in order to finalise these reports. The leases will expire eight years after the courts complete their review of the Record of Decision (ROD) published in 2014 in the Federal Register and the DOE allows the lease holders to resume activates on their leases.

It should be noted that the lease can be held beyond their expiration through continued renewals and the continuation of lease maintenance, including exploration work and future production. Historically these DOE leases have been renewed for 10 year periods after the expiration date; existing leases issued to past Lessee's have been renewed dating back to 1974.

Wildhorse also possess an option on Gold Eagle Mining Inc (GEMI) leases; GEMI has three DOE properties of which two have active operating permits.

The Company has commenced a technical review of existing exploration information to determine the most appropriate manner to undertake further exploration activities.

Mecsek Hills Uranium Project

As part of the Company's ongoing restructuring efforts and decision to cease all activities in Europe, the Board resolved to divest of its holdings in the Mecsek Hills Uranium Project. As a result, the Company is continuing with its efforts to divest of its interest in this Project to extract the best value for shareholders. It is also noted that with effect from 31 December 2014, the Hungarian government has deemed the Project joint venture entity ("Magyar Uran Zrt") a company of national importance, which may impact on the sale process.

 

CORPORATE

General Meeting of Shareholders

The Company expects to issue a Notice of General Meeting for shareholders in the near future to obtain shareholders' approval for the acquisition of ASLP and the issue of consideration securities under the Share Sale Agreement.

Entitlements Issue

The Company successfully completed the entitlements issue under the prospectus lodged with ASIC and ASX and announced on 15 December 2014 and posted to Shareholders on 24 December 2014. The Company received applications for 19,158,525 Shares under the Offer and placed all of the 28,010,305 shortfall shares issuing a total of 75,668,830 fully paid ordinary shares (New Shares) to raise $3,783,441 (before costs). Following the completion of the entitlements issue, the Company's issued share capital comprises 90,802,586 ordinary shares.

Summary of Exploration and Mining Tenements

 

As at 31 March 2015, the Company holds the following interests in the listed tenements:

 

Location

Name

Resolution Number

Percentage Interest

31 March 2015

Hungary

Pécs

PBK/6947/3/2006

100%

USA - Colorado

C-SR-10

C-SR-10

80%

USA - Colorado

C-JD-5A

C-JD-5A

80%

USA - Colorado

C-SR-11A

C-SR-11A

80%

USA - Colorado

C-SR-15A

C-SR-15A

80%

USA - Colorado

C-SR-16

C-SR-16

80%

USA - Colorado

C-WM-17

C-WM-17

80%

USA - Colorado

C-LP-22A

C-LP-22A

80%

USA - Colorado

C-LP-23

C-LP-23

80%

 

Competent Persons Statement

The information in this report that relates to Exploration Results, Mineral Resources or Ore Reserves for Potash is extracted from the report entitled 'Acquisition of Large Scale High Grade Potash (SOP) Projects' dated 9 April 2015. This report is available to view on www.wildhorse.com.au. The information in the original ASX and AIM Announcement that related to Exploration Results, Mineral Resources or Ore Reserves for Potash was based on, and fairly represents, information compiled by Mr Ben Jeuken, who is a member Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Mr Jeuken is employed by Groundwater Science Pty Ltd, an independent consulting company. Mr Jeuken has sufficient experience, which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity, which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves'. The Company confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information including in the original market announcement. The Company confirms that the form and context in which the Competent Person's findings are presented have not been materially modified from the original market announcement.

 

For further information please visit www.wildhorse.com.au or contact:

Sam Cordin

Wildhorse Energy Limited

Tel: +61 8 9322 6322

Colin Aaronson/Jen Clarke/Jamie Barklem

Grant Thornton UK LLP

Tel: +44 (0)207 383 5100

 

This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
 
END
 
 
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