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Stratex International Plc
Joint Venture with Thani Ashanti on Afar Epithermal Project and Private
Placement at Premium
Stratex International Plc ('Stratex' or 'the Company') has signed a binding
Heads of Agreement with Thani Ashanti, an AngloGold Ashanti Limited joint
venture company ('the Agreement'), to fast-track development of the Company's
2,780 sq km land position in the prospective Afar Depression of eastern Ethiopia
and Djibouti. Additionally, the Company has completed a private placement by
Thani Ashanti of US$500,000 into Stratex ('the Placing').
Highlights
� Placement by Thani Ashanti of US$500,000 into Stratex at 30% premium to
20-day moving average share price prior to date of signing the Agreement
� Thani Ashanti can earn 51% of the Afar Project by spending US$3 million on
exploration and development over two years
� First year commitment from Thani Ashanti of US$1 million, which will
include a 3,000 metre drill programme to fast-track exploration of the Megenta
gold discovery, a licence area of the Afar Project
� Thani Ashanti can spend an additional US$4 million on any one licence of
the Afar Project to acquire further 19%
� All Ethiopian and Djibouti assets to come under the ownership of Stratex's
wholly-owned subsidiary company, Stratex East Africa Ltd ('SEA')
� Thani Ashanti to earn 5% stake in SEA further to spending half of its US$1
million first year commitment
� Heads of Agreement subject to all required regulatory approvals including
without limitation, the South African Reserve Bank
Stratex Executive Chairman David Hall said, "We are delighted that Thani Ashanti
is becoming a shareholder in Stratex and, more importantly, a cornerstone
investor in SEA, which will hold the assets in our expanding Ethiopian and
Djibouti portfolio. This deal signals the first major gold mining company moving
into Ethiopia and the Republic of Djibouti and highly endorses the exciting gold
potential of the Afar Depression. Our Megenta hot spring epithermal gold
discovery in eastern Ethiopia is an exciting drill target with excellent surface
gold indications and high grades within multi-phase hydrothermal breccias, which
will be drill tested under this Agreement; the progress of which I look forward
to communicating to our shareholders in the coming months.
"We will, in addition, aggressively explore and evaluate the multiple target
areas that we have now secured under licence in the Afar Depression within both
Ethiopia and Djibouti, ensuring that we realise maximum value for Stratex, its
shareholders and Thani Ashanti."
Detailed Information
Stratex and Thani Ashanti have signed a binding Heads of Agreement with respect
to five licence blocks that comprise the Tendaho Exclusive Exploration Licence
('EEL') in the Afar Depression of Ethiopia and six EEL's in the Republic of
Djibouti (collectively 'the Afar Project').
Under the terms of the Agreement, Thani Ashanti can earn 51% of the Afar Project
by expending a total of US$3 million on exploration and development over two
years. Thani Ashanti is committed to expending US$1 million in the first twelve
months and this will include a 3,000 metre drill programme to test the Megenta
prospect in Ethiopia. Subsequently Thani Ashanti must expend a further US$2
million in the second year to earn 51% in the project.
Thani Ashanti may then earn an additional 19% (for a total of 70%) in any one
EEL by further expenditure of US$4 million within four years on that EEL from
the start of the Agreement.
Thani Ashanti is also investing US$500,000 into Stratex via a private placement
at a 30% premium to the 20-day moving average share price prior to the date of
signing. Stratex will use the proceeds of the Placing to develop Stratex's
Ethiopian and Djibouti portfolio not included in the Afar Project; this wider
portfolio includes the Company's Shehagne, Berahale, and Tigray EEL's in
northern Ethiopia and the Gedemsa EEL in the Central Ethiopian Rift.
SEA, presently owned 100% by Stratex, will hold all Stratex's Ethiopian and
Djibouti assets, including the Afar Project, Shehagne, and Berahale, the Tigray
and Gedemsa EEL's and any new Stratex projects started in that region. Thani
Ashanti will acquire a 5% of SEA (and thereby 5% of all Stratex's current East
African interests) once it has expended 50% of its first year commitment of US$1
million.
The Heads of Agreement is subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions
precedent including the approval of the Reserve Bank of South Africa, relevant
bodies under the AIM Rules for Companies governing companies quoted on the AIM
market of the London Stock Exchange and all relevant government and regulatory
agencies, including without limitation in each of Ethiopia and Djibouti as
required.
Megenta Project
Stratex has undertaken detailed geological and structural mapping, along with
channel-chip rock sampling at its wholly-owned Megenta hot-spring gold discovery
in the Afar Depression region of Ethiopia. Megenta is currently the most
advanced exploration target within the Afar Project. Sampling completed to date
has focused on silica structures, specifically on zones containing chalcedonic
ribs and veinlets, which potentially indicate the tops of epithermal gold veins
that have significant vertical extensions at depth. The 'Hyena Zone' yielded a
highest surface value of 16.75 g/t Au (with 8.8 g/t Ag) from a prominent 0.5
m-wide silica rib. The Hyena Zone appears to be related to intersecting
structures defining an area of maximum dilation, and hence fluid circulation,
which is a common gold focus within epithermal systems.
The 500 m long 'Gazelle Zone', is located 500 m to the north-east of the Hyena
Zone and also contains significant values including 2.46 m grading 2.29 g/t Au.
Overall chalcedonic ribs are developed over some six square kilometres providing
multiple targets for gold mineralisation.
Many similarities exist between the Midas, Hycroft and Wind Mountain mines of
the Great Basin in Nevada and the mineralisation being identified by Stratex in
the Afar Depression and the East African Rift Valley further to the south.
Common to all project areas is the strong structural control, proximity to
hot-spring activity, and a typical geochemical association of gold with arsenic,
mercury and antimony. Furthermore, fluid boiling textures associated with white
banded chalcedony, akin to those of Midas, have been observed at Megenta. These
are key indicators of potential high-grade gold and silver precipitation.
The low-sulphidation deposits of Nevada are reasonably distinct but share many
common attributes to the Megenta discovery in the Afar Depression. The key point
of the Nevada deposits is their tendency to cluster along key controlling
structures. With a greater level of understanding of the Megenta structural
framework it is highly probable that already-identified alteration and
hot-spring occurrences associated with the Megenta faults may lead to further
discoveries throughout the Afar Depression and the East African Rift Valley.
Thani Ashanti
Thani Ashanti is a Strategic Alliance between AngloGold Ashanti Limited and
Thani Investments LLC, a privately-held company based in Dubai, United Arab
Emirates. The Alliance is targeting the Middle East and North Africa region and
is active in Egypt and Eritrea