6
March 2025
Premier African Minerals
Limited
Corporate Update
Premier African Minerals Limited
("Premier" or the
"Company") provides an
update on the progress of the ongoing refinancing efforts of its
100%-owned Zulu Lithium and Tantalum Project ("Zulu").
Further to the announcement on 21
January 2025, in which Premier announced that the proposed
fundraising of £3.5 million had not closed, the Company is
providing an update on discussions with relevant financial
stakeholders to secure this funding on the best terms for
shareholders. This fund raising had been required to support
the final commissioning and optimisation of the Primary
Spodumene Flotation Plant and purchase of the Secondary Spodumene
Flotation Plant, which Premier continues to believe underpins the
full recommencement of operations at Zulu in due course, and to
address those trade creditors that required immediate full or
partial settlement in order to support the initial 3-to-5-day test
run.
Premier is actively seeking a fully
funded solution for Zulu and actively engaging with all existing
stakeholders, in particular Zulu's prepayment and offtake partner
with whom detailed discussions continue. Whilst this remains our
preferred solution, Premier is also engaged with other new
potential investors. In the absence of a financing solution,
Premier may need to consider alternative options for Zulu in the
interests of its creditors and shareholders, which may include
raising financing at the subsidiary level, a sale of Zulu whilst
keeping it in a state of care and maintenance, the liquidation of
the assets of Zulu, or other options available under Zimbabwean
laws including a corporate rescue of Zulu.
George Roach, CEO commented,
"Based on the extensive test work and design
reviews undertaken in Quarter 3 of 2024, the purchase of a
secondary spodumene float plant of traditional design, and the
opinions expressed by the original float plant OEM and our reagent
supplier, we are confident that when operations resume, we will
produce with improved recoveries and concentrate grade.
In my opinion, to have attended to
the issues associated with the comminution circuit and be able to
supply the required tonnage to the float sections, we have dealt
with the major and potentially most costly components of the plant
and to not complete the final commissioning and optimisation of the
float section now would not make any sense.
It should be noted that we are in
discussions with interested parties both regarding our Mutare Li3
claims and RHA Tungsten with a view to a possible restart of this
mine."
Current Trading
As reported in the interim results
published on 30 September 2024 ("Interim Results"), at the
reporting date of 30 June 2024, the Group's total assets
exceeded the total liabilities by $12.481 million and its
current liabilities exceeded its current assets by $47.815
million. The major component of the current liability excess
comprised the $42.8 million (inclusive of interest)
received from Canmax Technologies Co., Ltd. ("Canmax") as an advance receipt which is
expected to be settled from proceeds from the sale of SC6 to Canmax
from production at Zulu. The balance of liabilities principally
comprised trade creditors incurred by Zulu.
The Zulu plant has not run
since July 2024 and as at 28 February 2025, unaudited total
group liabilities (including amounts due to Canmax under the
Offtake and Prepayment Agreement of $46.353 million including
unsettled interest of $11.7 million) amounted to $64.327 million,
of which group trade creditors including unpaid salaries amounted
to approximately $17 million. The Company continues to require
immediate funding to maintain all essential operational
requirements at both Premier and Zulu. Premier's principal trade
creditors have, to date, continued to remain supportive of Zulu
pending the flotation plant remedial work explained above, and
further reassurances by the Company of its plan that Zulu's
operations will be recommissioned in good time to support a full
settlement.
Market Abuse Regulations
The information contained within
this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside
information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU)
No. 596/2014 as it forms part of UK Domestic Law by
virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018
("UK MAR").
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/Harry Davies-Ball
|
Shore Capital Stockbrokers Limited
|
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7408 4090
|
Andrew Monk / Andrew Raca
|
VSA
Capital Limited
|
Tel: +44 (0)20 3005 5000
|
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.
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.
ENDS