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ZEOTECH LIMITED — AGM Information 2012
Nov 29, 2012
66115_rns_2012-11-29_1627667e-4c1c-43c1-b72a-dc32299daa12.pdf
AGM Information
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CHAIRMAN’S ADDRESS TO ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING FRIDAY, 30TH NOVEMBER 2012, 1:30 PM PERTH TIME
Year in review
Ladies and gentlemen,
For Laconia Resources, the year 2012 has been an active and transformational one in the Company’s history, marked by the acquisition of Rasuhuilca, our flagship Peruvian gold silver project finalised in June this year and continuing exploration success at Lennon’s Find our leading West Australian project. Laconia Resources’ progress this year has set it in firmly on the path to becoming a precious metals producer.
The Rasuhuilca Project is an advanced gold and silver project located in Peru, one of the world most exciting mining destinations. Peru is a leading minerals producer in South America with favourable mining laws and infrastructure and with boundless opportunities still remaining for discoveries. Less than 1% of the country is currently being mined and only 14% has ever been staked. Peru is the world’s largest producer of silver, second largest in copper, third in zinc and sixth in gold.
Rasuhuilca has an existing resource reported in accordance with the JORC code of 360,000t @ 1.97 g/t gold 1 and 1.79 g/t silver . We are currently undertaking a confirmation study to update an existing feasibility study and are commencing a 2,200m drilling campaign. The campaign is aimed at the numerous high grade gold and silver targets already identified and will test for what we believe is the potential for an extensive copper gold porphyry system. Earlier this month we added to our potential ground position by negotiating to enter into an option agreement to earn up an 80% interest in an additional 11 licences adjacent to the Rasuhuilca Project and prospective for the same type of epithermal mineralisation. This ‘bolt on’ addition means we are well placed to secure our objective of having a producing mining operation at Rasuhuilca in 2014.
The Rasuhuilca Project represents a major strategic move for Laconia allowing it to participate in one of the world’s most sought after mining precincts with an advanced stage project, a clear pathway to production and major exploration potential for additional high-grade precious metals and also for large scale copper gold porphyry systems.
Heartfelt thanks must go to Ian Stuart and his team for the identification of this project, the arduous acquisition process and the daunting amount of work required in a short time to prepare the Project for its next stage of development. Rasuhuilca is clearly a ‘game changer’ for Laconia and represents the best way for us to add much needed shareholder value.
Turning closer to home the leading West Australian Project, Lennons Find also enjoyed exploration success. A 42 hole drill program was completed in August 2011 targeting infill and deeper mineralisation. Significant intercepts were recorded outside the existing Hammerhead Mineral Resource which led to an updated Mineral Resource estimate. A 117% increase in total tonnes from the previous estimate was achieved.
This year also saw the appointment of two new Board members, Dr Saliba Sassine and Mr Vincent Algar, appointed in June and July respectively. Both Dr Sassine and Mr Algar have extensive experience in capital raising for exploration companies. Mr Algar is exploration geologist with over 20 years’ experience in Western Australia and South Africa and is consulting to the management team providing additional technical expertise for the increased suite of Projects Laconia now holds. Dr Sassine joins us following the acquisition of Gold Mines of Peru Limited, a company in which he has a major shareholding and the principal asset of which is the Rasuhuilca Project. Following this acquisition Gold Mines of Peru Limited is now a major shareholder of Laconia.
1 Refer ASX Release 25 January 2012.
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Laconia has established an office in Peru and recently added Nick Shakesby to its management team as Chief Operating Officer for Peru. Nick is highly experienced in establishment, development and operations in the exploration, mining and civil construction industries having worked throughout Latin America, Asia and West Africa. Nick is fluent in Spanish and has the requisite skill set to bring the Rasuhuilca project to production.
On the financial side, I am pleased to report that in September this year we completed a 1 for 2 rights issue which was fully underwritten to raise $1.8m following a successful placement of $457,000 to new investors. These capital raisings, completed in an incredibly tough market environment for junior exploration companies will allow Laconia to pursue all of its near term exploration objectives and in particular to commence the drilling program at Rasuhuilca.
It was unfortunate that this raising had to be undertaken in such difficult market conditions and also at a time when the market has not rec ognised the value inherent in our Projects. On the other hand the low valuation at which the raising had to be conducted has afforded the opportunity for all existing shareholders to increase their holding via the rights issue component at a highly attractive price and for a small group of new shareholders to enjoy a ground floor entry opportunity in to our stock.
From where we stand today, your Board and I sincerely believe that Laconia Resources now has a bright future after some admittedly dark times. In early 2010 the failure of our then lead Western Australian project close on the heels of our highly successful IPO in October 2009 was a major setback and was exceedingly painful for all our fellow shareholders, management and employees. This setback has since being compounded by a pervasive negative market sentiment towards junior explorers and a capital raising environment that many leading brokers and commentators have gone on record as saying is the worst in 30 years.
Despite this perfect storm of problems, Ian and his team have continued to drive Laconia forward through the further development of our West Australian Projects and then to secure the highly successful acquisition of Rasuhuilca in Peru and then quickly aim to add to that ground position.
Overall, and in closing I would like to reiterate that we are exceedingly well placed for further tangible progress in 2013 as we move towards our 2014 production objective.
The Board and I are confident that 2013 will be marked as the year in which Laconia is again appreciated by the market. We do not under estimate the extent and difficulty of the tasks that lie ahead but we believe we have the right combination of projects, people and hard won experience.
We look forward to bringing you positive news over the coming months and trust that through continued hard work, focus and teamwork we will achieve our exploration and development objectives which will lead to substantial rewards for all of our shareholders.
Matthew Howison
Chairman
ENDS
For further information please contact:
Ian Stuart Sam Burns Managing Director Media and Investor Relations Laconia Resources Six Degrees P: +61 8 9486 1599 M: 0400 164 067 E: [email protected] E: [email protected] www.laconia.com.au
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About Laconia Resources
Laconia Resources is a Perth-based emerging precious and base metals exploration and development Company with a South American focus. The recently acquired Rasuhuilca gold-silver development project in Peru complements the Company’s existing portfolio of precious and base metal projects in Western Australia. A Feasibility Study was completed at Rasuhuilca 2008 and Laconia aims to bring it into production as a highgrade, small-tonnage operation, and utilise the project’s revenues to unlock its exploration upside.
In Western Australia, the Company has a portfolio of advanced mineral projects in the Murchison and Pilbara regions, across 35 granted tenements covering an approximate 955km2. The Company has determined JORC compliant resources at its projects at Lennons’ Find, (Cu-Ag-Pb-Zn-Au), and most recently at Rasuhuilca in Peru (Au-Ag). The Company is focused on targeted exploration of its project areas, and further definition and expansion of its Resource base at its advanced projects.
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