6 November 2024
Premier African Minerals
Limited
Zulu and Corporate
Update
Premier African Minerals
Limited ("Premier" or the "Company") is pleased to provide a
further update on the operations at the Zulu Lithium and
Tantalum Project ("Zulu") and the rescheduled General Meeting
to be held at the Chesterfield Mayfair Hotel, 35 Charles Street,
London W1J 5EB, United Kingdom at 15:30 on 11 November 2024
("Rescheduled GM").
Rescheduled
GM
As announced on 22 October 2024,
Premier postponed the General Meeting originally scheduled for 23
October 2024 when it became clear that a significant shareholder's
CREST vote had not been properly captured within the CREST system
at the time. The Rescheduled GM will be held at 15:30 on 11
November 2024 and shareholders are reminded that, while the
deadline for shareholders who hold their shares through Depositary
Interests was 15.30 today, voting in person remains possible and
shareholders who hold their interests through a depository should
ensure that they have a letter of representation to vote at the
meeting. Shareholders who intend to vote through a Form of Proxy
must do so by no later than 15.30 on 7 November 2024.
The vote is critical to the Company
and shareholders are encouraged to ensure that they exercise their
right to vote in the Rescheduled GM.
The Company will also stream the
Rescheduled GM by a webinar that will allow direct access to the
meeting from any internet linked computer or smart device.
Shareholders can download via the link the link below:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87039519758
The Notice of the Rescheduled GM
with the Form of Proxy was posted to shareholders and remains
available together with this announcement for download on the
Company's website:
https://www.premierafricanminerals.com/investors/circulars-and-notices
Zulu
Operations
Whilst the operations at Zulu remain
on hold at this time, it is important to note the
following:
Ø
|
Further interpretation of test work
results suggests that with minor reagent adjustment the plant
should deliver spodumene at grade and at acceptable recoveries as
currently configured.
|
Ø
|
Fabricated inserts when available
will be expected to improve on spodumene grade and
recovery.
|
Ø
|
Due Diligence by potential alternate
investors is progressing.
|
Ø
|
A return to production is
immediately possible subject only to finance.
|
Following the announcement 17 October 2024, the
Company is pleased to report that on-going interpretation of
results from current float test work supports the ability to
achieve a reduction in retention time in the spodumene cleaner
cells through a minor variation in the reagents in use. The
proposed variation will result in a lower viscosity in the froth
layer and a quicker flow rate from the cleaner cells.
As previously described, the only aspect of the
Zulu plant that is not fully commissioned is the spodumene recovery
circuit and in conjunction with the previously described plant
fixes, this reagent change now represents a potential third option
and, in this case, will have no capital cost
requirement.
Central to plant operations is finance. The
Company continues to pursue various key options regarding the Zulu
project as announced on 30 September 2024 in the interim results
and summarised below:
Ø
|
The possible sale of Zulu in its
entirety,
|
Ø
|
Secure an investment partner into
Zulu via a partial sale.
|
Ø
|
Enter into a Joint Venture;
or
|
Ø
|
The installation of the additional
spodumene float plant based on self-funding and retention of
ownership.
|
George Roach, CEO
commented, "The latest test work and the resource update
recently announced together with all the running time on the plant,
has once again confirmed that the remaining obstacle to production
is to achieve grade and recovery through the spodumene section of
the float plant. The fix proposed by Enprotec and the reagent
variation should now allow for continuous operations when proven.
To this end, the Company will seek when possible to bring the plant
into operation for a limited period to prove this. A limited budget
will be allocated for a short 3-to-5-day test run of the plant
using ore already mined and ready to feed.
This short run will also afford other parties
the opportunity to access the plant.
Throughout the challenges we have faced with
this project, the facts remain that Zulu is a built mine with all
the fundamentals in place which needs to be properly financed to be
put into operation".
The person who arranged the release of this
announcement on behalf of the Company was George Roach.
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
|
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.
In addition, the Company holds a 19% interest
in MN Holdings Limited, the operator of the Otjozondu Manganese
Mining Project in Namibia.
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.
Ends