/NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE
UNITED STATES/
TSX Venture Exchange
Trading Symbol: ARC
VANCOUVER, April 1, 2014 /CNW/ - Arian Resources Corp. ("Arian" or "Company") - ARC: TSX-V.
Mr. Zahir (Zip) Dhanani, CEO and Chairman of Arian, is pleased to announce the completion of the acquisition of
the past producing, high-grade Perlat copper-gold-silver-cobalt mine in
Albania, through the acquisition of all of the shares of Balkan
Resources Inc., which owns the mine.
The TSX Venture Exchange has accepted for filing a share purchase
agreement dated March 25, 2014, between Balkan Resources Inc. (BRC),
Balkan Resources Sh.p.k. (BRS) and the Company, whereby the Company has
acquired the issued and outstanding shares of BRS that owns the Perlat
exploitation permit that is located in Albania.
Consideration is $4-million, of which $2-million is payable on June 30,
2015 and another $2-million payable on December 30, 2016.
In addition, five million common shares have been issued to Balkan as
part of the closing. The company must expend a total of $13,218,400 in
exploration expenses over a three-year period.
On the date that a concentrate emanating from the Perlat exploitation
license has been accepted by a smelter, the Company will make a cash
payment of $2-million to BRC and will have the option to either pay BRC
a further $3-million or issue three million common shares, subject to
further exchange review and acceptance. If a concentrate from the
license has not been accepted by a smelter by Dec. 31, 2018, then the
Company will make a cash payment of $2-million.
Upon commercial production Balkan will receive a 2.5% Net Smelter Return
for the duration of the life of the mine.
Zahir Dhanani, Chief Executive Officer of Arian, comments: "Having
acquired a high grade copper-gold project with a substantial historic
resource and, having raised an initial round of capital to begin the
work required to put the project back into production, Arian has begun
the process that we believe will create substantial shareholder value
going forward."
A detailed description of the exploration results and mining history of
the Perlat deposit is contained in the Company's January 30, 2014 news
release. In summary, the 200 hectare Perlat exploitation permit
contains a significant, high grade historic resource. The project is
permitted for mining for 21 years, with a 25 year renewal option.
Contained within the easily accessed and well serviced Perlat permit is
the past producing Perlat copper-cobalt mine which is one of eleven
volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposits mined from a linear trend
within the Mirditë and Pukë Districts.
Extensive drilling on the project totalling 165,213 meters commenced in
1975 by the Albanian Geological Service and the Albanian state run
Rubik Geological Enterprise. At the time the exploration focus was
copper and cobalt but more recent work has identified significant gold
and zinc credits.
The VMS mineralization at Perlat is of the Cyprus-type and consists of
small massive sulphide lenses and disseminated sulphides in altered
volcanic rocks comprise a number of zones which vary from 4 to 20
metres in thickness. The dominant sulphide minerals are pyrite and
chalcopyrite with minor sphalerite and marcasite. The mineralization
lies on a north-northeast trend extending for over 2 kilometres.
Mining commenced on the northern portion of the Perlat deposit in 1979
and continued until 1991 at the time of the collapse of communism in
Albania and of low copper prices. The mine, which includes two shafts
on the northern portion of the deposit and an exploration shaft and
drive on the southern portion of the deposit, was decommissioned in
1997.
To support the mine operations extensive underground development was
undertaken. Though production statistics are not available, nine
mineralized lenses were mined by sub-level caving. Lower grade ore
from the mine was sent to mills at either Kurnesh or Rreshen whilst
high grade ore was sent directly to a smelter in Rubik.
The Rubik Geological Enterprise has presented historic Mineral Resources
for portions of the Perlat Deposit in 1979, 1983, 1986 and most
recently in 1993. These historic Mineral Resources were classified
under the Russian "reserve" classification system into Categories A, B,
C1 and C2 in order of decreasing confidence where:
-
Category A means reserves are known in detail (usually defined by
underground workings);
-
Category B includes reserves outlined by exploratory workings and/or
closely spaced drilling;
-
Category C1 includes reserves defined at the project by a drilling grid of 50m by
45m; and
-
Category C2 refers to less well defined reserves indicated by geological and/or
geophysical information confirmed by drill holes at spacing between
50m x 45m and 100m x 60m.
A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the
historical estimate as current mineral resources, the issuer is not
treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources
In 1986 undiluted geological "reserves" of Category B+C1 (likely equivalent to Indicated to Inferred Resourced by modern
definition standards) totalling 2,565,155t grading 2.202% Cu and "reserves" of Category C2 (likely equivalent to Inferred Resources by modern definition
standards) totalling 1,186417t grading 1.779% Cu were estimated at a cut off of 0.7% Cu. An unknown amount of this was
mined in the following 5 years to when the mine was closed in 1991.
Between 1986 and 1992 additional drilling was conducted in the southern
and central portions of the Perlat Deposit. This work resulted in additional Category C1 "reserves" totalling 635,746t at a grade of 3.491% Cu and Category C2 "reserves" totalling 344,044t at a grade of 2.845% Cu were estimated (undiluted geological "reserves" at a 0.7% Cu cut-off).
These resources in the southern portion of the Perlat Deposit were
never mined.
After acquiring the property in 2006 Balkan Resources Inc. drilled 18
holes totalling over 5,000 metres. Hole P-32-2008 confirmed the
previous results of the mineralization in the northern portion of the
Perlat Deposit. From a depth of 316.1m, a 7.02m zone of mineralization was intersected
which contained 7.33% copper, 6.31 g/t gold 31.46 g/t silver and 0.16%
zinc.
Chad Ulansky, PGeo, is the qualified person under National Instrument
43-101 who has reviewed the technical disclosure in this news release
and is responsible for the technical information contained in this
release.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Zahir Dhanani, President
About Arian Resources Corp.
Arian Resources Corp. is a junior exploration company with a focus on
the exploration of prospective mineral properties in Albania.
This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but
not limited to comments regarding the closing the transactions
contemplated by the Acquisition. Forward-looking statements address
future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and
uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those
currently anticipated in such statements and Arian undertakes no
obligation to update such statements, except as required by law.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider
(as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange)
accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
SOURCE Arian Resources Corp.
For further information, contact Zahir Dhanani at 604.248.5175 or via email at zip1@shaw.ca.