Half-yearly report for six months to 30 June 2009

29 September 2009 AIM / PLUS Markets: AAU HALF-YEARLY REPORT FOR SIX MONTHS TO 30 JUNE 2009 Ariana Resources plc ("Ariana" or "the Company"), the gold exploration and development company focused on Turkey, announces its unaudited half-yearly results for the six months ended 30 June 2009. Highlights: * Trial mining on Kiziltepe; first gold production * Acquisition of the Muratdag Gold Project * 401,000 oz Au equivalent in JORC resources * JV discovery of the Salinbas Prospect Dr. Kerim Sener, Managing Director, commented: "During the period the Company made important strides towards the development of its projects in western Turkey. The trial mining of the Kiziltepe deposit demonstrated the Company's ability to deliver on its operational targets, both on time and on budget. With a combined JORC resource of over 401,000 oz gold equivalent across the Kiziltepe and Tavsan deposits, the Company is now well placed to pursue development routes which capitalise on current elevated gold prices. We announced recently the combination of Kiziltepe and Tavsan into a single conceptual entity known as the Red Rabbit Project. The Company is considering a joint venture (JV) on Red Rabbit with a Turkish engineering firm. Such a JV will encompass the necessary feasibility work, environmental impact assessment, engineering design and plant construction required for the advancement of Red Rabbit. In north-eastern Turkey, our JV with European Goldfields has made several significant discoveries. The identification of additional potential in the Ardala South area, the nearby discovery of the high-grade Salinbas Prospect and continued increases in ground holding in this area highlight the value of the JV. At the beginning of a year of unprecedented market uncertainty, the Company raised £500,000 with the support of its largest shareholders. Underpinned by improving market sentiment post-period, the Company successfully raised a further £800,000, which will be devoted to funding the Company through the early stages of its development work on the Red Rabbit Project and to enable focused exploration on Kiziltepe and Tavsan." CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT Although we entered this year with markets clouded by global macroeconomic uncertainty, the Company actively took the decision to follow through with its immediate objectives in western Turkey. After establishing over 401,000 oz Au in JORC resources and the completion of necessary permitting at Kiziltepe towards the end of last year, the Company began trial mining at this location and produced its first gold. The achievement of this significant milestone resulted in a further reappraisal of our two principal projects: Kiziltepe and Tavsan. Both projects are now being evaluated and advanced under the banner of the Red Rabbit Project. Meanwhile our Joint Venture with European Goldfields Limited in the vicinity of the Ardala copper-gold porphyry in north eastern Turkey is providing encouraging exploration success. Red Rabbit Project The conceptual combination of the Kiziltepe and Tavsan projects into a single integrated project - named 'Red Rabbit' - creates a potentially economic 230,000 oz Measured and Indicated and 170,000 oz Inferred JORC resource. Excluding the existing Inferred resources, the combined project satisfies a production rate of 30,000 oz per annum over a period of 7 years. Further exploration at both Kiziltepe and Tavsan is planned with the object of increasing the combined resource base to at least 500,000 oz. Based on the conceptual project outline, the Company envisages mining high-grade ore from Kiziltepe and trucking this material 125km by road to Tavsan. The Tavsan deposit would itself be mined and processed at a heap-leach facility established on site. Low-grade ore from Tavsan would be blended with the high-grade ore arriving from Kiziltepe before being placed on the heap-leach pads. In the same context, the Company will consider the development of the combined project via the staged mining of Kiziltepe and Tavsan, with mining commencing at the high-grade Kiziltepe deposit and concluding with the mining of the low grade Tavsan deposit. The Company intends to pursue components of a feasibility study for the Red Rabbit Project during Quarter 4, 2009. The most critical aspect of this is the metallurgical testwork required to determine the optimal crush size of Kiziltepe and Tavsan ore with respect to cost and recovery. Following this, the Company intends to progress the project rapidly through to feasibility in 2010 by undertaking comprehensive column leach testwork, preliminary mine design and economic modelling. In parallel with these efforts to bring the project to feasibility, the Company is considering a joint venture with a Turkish engineering company to fast-track the project through feasibility and ultimately onto production. Renewed exploration in the area between Kiziltepe and Tavsan has also begun, with the aim of identifying further resource potential in this highly prospective region. Joint Venture Our Joint Venture with European Goldfields Limited in north-eastern Turkey is continuing to yield exploration success. At the Ardala Project, exploration has confirmed that porphyry Cu-Au mineralisation continues to the south of previously mapped and drilled outcrops. Modelling of the newly discovered zone is now complete and drill-testing is planned. Approximately 1.5km to the southwest of the main Ardala porphyry, a higher-grade gold zone named the Salinbas prospect has been identified by rock-chip and soil sampling. Detailed mapping and lithological sampling has identified a 230 metre long zone of breccia showing widths of 5 to 15 metres. Rock-chip samples returned grades of between 1.42 and 20.5 g/t Au with an average of 10.8 g/t Au. Other high-grade but more sporadic occurrences are located along strike and parallel to this principal zone of interest. A programme of trenching with follow-up drilling is due to commence on this prospect in the near future. The JV is consolidating its ground holding in this part of the Pontide metallogenic belt and in several newly defined areas, with the aim of undertaking modern, systematic exploration for porphyry Cu-Au and related Au mineralisation. Ariana currently retains 49% of the JV and European Goldfields is continuing to fund exploration and development of the JV licences. Outlook As a focused gold exploration and development Company, our objectives have not changed: we remain committed to establishing economic gold resources in Turkey and then to develop these resources in the shortest timeframe possible. Over the past five years we have established the Company as one of the leading gold explorers operating in Turkey. In this period, we have built up considerable geological and operational expertise within what is currently the most productive gold province in Europe. We are committed to maintaining this strategic position, and are on the threshold of important development and production decisions. Michael Spriggs Chairman 29 September 2009 Contacts: Ariana Resources plc Tel: 020 7407 3616 Michael Spriggs, Chairman Kerim Sener, Managing Director Beaumont Cornish Limited Tel: 020 7628 3396 Roland Cornish Alexander David Securities Limited Tel: 020 7448 9820 Nick Bealer / David Scott Loeb Aron & Company Ltd Tel: 020 7628 1128 Peter Freeman / Frank Lucas Editors' note: About Ariana Resources Ariana is an exploration and development company focused on epithermal gold-silver and porphyry copper-gold deposits in Turkey. The Company is exploring a portfolio of prospective licences selected on the basis of its in-house geological and remote-sensing database, on its own in western Turkey and in Joint Venture with European Goldfields Limited in north-eastern Turkey. The Company's flagship assets are its Sindirgi and Tavsan gold projects. Both projects contain a series of prospects, within two prolific mineralised districts in the Western Anatolian Volcanic and Extensional (WAVE) Province in western Turkey. This Province hosts the largest operating gold mines in Turkey and remains highly prospective for new porphyry and epithermal deposits. These core projects, which are separated by a distance of 75km, are presently being assessed as to their economic merits. The total resource inventory of the Company stands at 401,000 ounces of gold equivalent. Loeb Aron & Company Ltd. and Alexander David Securities Limited are joint brokers to the Company and Beaumont Cornish Limited is the Company's Nominated Adviser. For further information on Ariana you are invited to visit the Company's website at www.arianaresources.com. Ends Ariana Resources Plc Unaudited condensed consolidated interim statement of comprehensive income For the six months ended 30 June 2009 12 months to Note 6 months to 6 months to 31 December 30 June 30 June 2008 2009 2008 Continuing Operations £'000 £'000 £'000 Administrative costs (206) (343) (608) Other income 12 - - Operating Loss (194) (343) (608) Share of loss (2) of associates - (25) Investment income 3 18 29 Loss on ordinary (327) activities before tax for the period (191) (604) Tax (3) - - - Loss for the period (191) (327) (604) Other comprehensive income: Exchange differences on translating (23) foreign operations (40) 25 Other comprehensive income for the (23) period, net of tax (40) 25 Total comprehensive (350) income for the period (231) (579) Loss for the period (327) attributable to Owners of the parent (191) (604) Total comprehensive income attributable (350) to: Owners of the parent (231) (579) Loss per share (pence): Basic (4) 0.14 0.41 0.71 _____ _____ _____ Diluted 0.13 0.41 0.71 _____ _____ _____ Condensed consolidated balance sheet 30 June 30 June 2008 31 December 2009 2008 £'000 £'000 £'000 ASSETS Non-current assets Trade and other 179 receivables 126 126 Land, property, plant 267 and equipment 213 230 Intangible assets 3,711 3,064 3,401 Interest in associates - 24 - Total non-current assets 4,050 3,534 3,757 Current assets Trade and other receivables 174 214 302 Cash and cash equivalents 198 671 143 Total current assets 372 885 445 Total assets 4,422 4,419 4,202 Equity Called up share capital 1,427 927 927 Share premium 4,244 4,282 4,282 Other reserves 720 720 720 Share options 100 85 100 Translation reserve 23 15 63 Retained earnings (2,237) (1,769) (2,046) Total equity 4,277 4,260 4,046 Liabilities Current liabilities Trade and other payables 145 159 156 Total current liabilities 145 159 156 Total equity and 4,419 liability 4,422 4,202 Condensed consolidated interim cash flow statement 6 months to 6 months to 12 months to 30 June 30 June 31 December 2009 2008 2008 £'000 £'000 £'000 Cash flows from operating activities Cash generated from operations (100) (363) (613) Net cash outflow from operations (100) (363) (613) Cash flows from investing activities Purchase of land, property, plant and equipment - (231) (231) Purchase of an interest in (26) associate - (25) Purchase of intangible assets (310) (832) (1,125) Interest received 3 14 28 Net cash used in investing activities (307) (1,075) (1,353) Cash flows from financing activities Proceeds from issue of share capital 462 927 927 Net cash proceeds from financing activities 462 927 927 Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 55 (511) (1,039) Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 143 1,182 1,182 Cash and cash equivalents at 671 end of period 198 143 Notes Ariana Resources Plc Notes to the unaudited consolidated interim financial statements For the six months ended 30 June 2009 1. General information Ariana Resources Plc (the "Company") is a public limited company incorporated and domiciled in Great Britain. The addresses of its registered office and principal place of business are disclosed at the end of this report. The Company's shares are listed on the Alternative Investment Market of the London stock Exchange. The principal activities of the Company and its subsidiaries (the "Group") are related to the exploration for and development of gold and other minerals in Turkey. The unaudited consolidated interim financial statements are presented in Pounds Sterling (£), which is the parent company's functional and presentation currency, and all values are rounded to the nearest thousand except where otherwise indicated. The financial information set out in this interim report does not constitute statutory accounts as defined in Section 435 of the Companies Act 2006. The Group's statutory financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2008, prepared under IFRS, have been filed with the Registrar of Companies. The auditor's report on those financial statements was unqualified and did not contain a statement under Section 237(2) of the Companies Act 1985. 1(a). Basis of preparation These financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, and the accounting policies have been applied consistently throughout the Group for the purposes of preparation of these condensed consolidated interim financial statements. The financial information for the twelve months ended 31 December 2008 has been derived from the Group's audited financial statements for the period as filed with the Registrar of Companies. It does not constitute the financial statements for that period. The auditor's report on the statutory financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2008 was unqualified and did not contain any statement under Section 237(2) or (3) of the Companies Act 1985. The amendment to IAS1 (Revised) Presentation of Financial Statements released in September 2007 redefines the primary statements and expands on certain disclosures within these. The group's primary statements have been amended to reflect the presentation required and the adoption of this amendment has had no impact on Group earnings or equity in the current or prior periods New IFRS accounting standards and interpretations not yet adopted The directors together with their advisers are in the process of evaluating the impact of standards and interpretations that have not yet become effective. Listed below are those standards and interpretations most likely to impact the Group: - IAS 23 Borrowing Costs (revised 2007) (effective 1 January 2009) - IAS 27 Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements (Revised 2008) (effective 1 July 2009) - Amendment to IFRS 2 Share-based Payment - Vesting Conditions and Cancellations (effective 1 January 2009) - IFRS 3 Business Combinations (Revised 2008) (effective 1 July 2009) - IFRS 8 Operating Segments (effective 1 January 2009) - IFRIC 11 IFRS 2 - Group and Treasury Share Transactions (effective 1 March 2007) IFRS 8 Operating Segments replaces the segmental reporting requirements of IAS 14 Segment Reporting. The key change is to align the determination of segments in the financial statements with that used by management in their resource allocation decisions. This standard is not expected to have significant impact on existing disclosure Based on the Group's current business model and accounting policies it is felt that the other standards and/or interpretations are unlikely to have a material impact on the Group's earnings or shareholders' funds. IFRS 1 First time adoption of IFRS: the Group has elected the business combinations exemption, which allows the Company not to restate business combinations prior to 1 January 2006. The Group has elected to apply the transitional provisions under IFRS 6 which permits the existing accounting policy under UK GAAP for accounting for and capitalisation of mineral exploration costs, to be used for IFRS purposes. The Group has chosen not to restate items of property, plant and equipment to fair value at the transition date. 1(b). Significant accounting policies Basis of consolidation The consolidated financial statements incorporate the financial statements of the Company and entities controlled by the Company. Control is achieved where the Company has the power to govern the financial and operating policies of an entity so as to obtain benefits from its activities. The results of subsidiaries and associates acquired or disposed of are included in the consolidated income statement from the effective date of acquisition or up to the effective date of disposal, as appropriate. Where necessary, adjustments are made to the financial statements of subsidiaries to bring their accounting policies into line with those used by other members of the Group. All intra-group transactions, balances, income and expenses are eliminated in full on consolidation. Income and expense recognition The Group's only income is interest receivable from bank deposits. Interest income is accrued on a time basis, by reference to the principal outstanding and the effective rate of interest applicable. The effective interest rate is the rate that exactly discounts estimated future cash receipts through the expected life of the financial asset to the net carrying amount of the financial asset. Operating expenses are recognised in the income statement upon utilisation of the service or at the date of their origin and are reported on an accruals basis. Group companies The results and financial position of all the Group entities (none of which has the currency of a hyperinflationary economy) that have a functional currency different from the presentation currency are translated into the presentation currency as follows: - monetary assets and liabilities for each balance sheet presented are translated at the closing rate at the date of that balance sheet. Non-monetary items are measured at the exchange rate in effect at the historical transaction date and are not translated at each balance sheet date. - income and expenses for each income statement are translated at average exchange rates (unless this average is not a reasonable approximation of the cumulative effect of the rates prevailing on the transaction dates, in which case income and expenses are translated at the dates of the transaction); and - all resulting exchange differences are recognised as a separate component of equity. On consolidation, exchange differences arising from the translation of monetary items receivable from foreign subsidiaries for which settlement is neither planned nor likely to occur in the foreseeable future are taken to shareholders' equity. When a foreign operation is sold, such exchange differences are recognised in the income statement as part of the gain or loss on sale. Investments in associates An associate is an entity over which the Group is in a position to exercise significant influence, but not control or joint control, through participation in the financial and operating policy decisions of the investee. Significant influence is the power to participate in the financial and operating policy decisions of the investee but is not control or joint control over those policies. The results and assets and liabilities of associates are incorporated in these financial statements using the equity method of accounting except when classified as held for sale. Investments in associates are carried in the balance sheet at cost as adjusted by post-acquisition changes in the Group`s share of the net assets of the associate, less any impairment in the value of individual investments. Losses of the associates in excess of the Group`s interest in those associates are not recognised. Intangible assets Intangible assets represent the cost of acquisition by the Group of rights, licences and know how. Such expenditure requires the immediate write-off of exploration and development expenditure that the Directors do not consider to be supported by the existence of commercial reserves. All costs associated with mineral exploration and investments are capitalised on a project-by-project basis, pending determination of the feasibility of the project. Costs incurred include appropriate technical and administrative expenses but not general overheads. If an exploration project is successful, the related expenditures will be transferred to mining assets and amortised over the estimated life of the commercial ore reserves on a unit of production basis. Where a licence is relinquished or a project abandoned, the related costs are written off. Where the Group maintains an interest in a project, but the value of the project is considered to be impaired, a provision against the relevant capitalised costs will be raised. The recoverability of all exploration and development costs is dependent upon the discovery of economically recoverable reserves, the ability of the Group to obtain necessary financing to complete the development of reserves and future profitable production or proceeds from the disposition thereof. Impairment of tangible and intangible assets At each balance sheet date, the Group reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible and intangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any). Where it is not possible to estimate the recoverable amount of an individual asset, the Group estimates the recoverable amount of the cash-generating unit to which the asset belongs. Where a reasonable and consistent basis of allocation can be identified, corporate assets are also allocated to individual cash-generating units, or otherwise they are allocated to the smallest group of cash-generating units for which a reasonable and consistent allocation basis can be identified. Intangible assets with indefinite useful lives and intangible assets not yet available for use are tested for impairment annually, and whenever there is an indication that the asset may be impaired. Recoverable amount is the higher of fair value less costs to sell and value in use. In assessing value in use, the estimated future cash flows are discounted to their present value using a pre-tax discount rate that reflects current market assessments of the time value of money and the risks specific to the asset for which the estimates of future cash flows have not been adjusted. If the recoverable amount of an asset (or cash-generating unit) is estimated to be less than its carrying amount, the carrying amount of the asset (cash-generating unit) is reduced to its recoverable amount. An impairment loss is recognised immediately in the income statement, unless the relevant asset is carried at a revalued amount, in which case the impairment loss is treated as a revaluation decrease. Where an impairment loss subsequently reverses, the carrying amount of the asset (cash-generating unit) is increased to the revised estimate of its recoverable amount, but so that the increased carrying amount does not exceed the carrying amount that would have been determined had no impairment loss been recognised for the asset (cash-generating unit) in prior years. A reversal of an impairment loss is recognised immediately in the income statement, unless the relevant asset is carried at a revalued amount, in which case the reversal of the impairment loss is treated as a revaluation increase. 2. Accounting estimates and judgements The Group makes estimates and assumptions regarding the future. Estimates and judgements are continually evaluated based on experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. In the future, actual experience may deviate from these estimates and assumptions. The estimates and assumptions that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next financial year are discussed below: * Capitalised mining costs The recovery of the value of the Group's exploration mining projects is reviewed in the light of future production estimates based upon ongoing geological studies. Over the longer term the actual mineable resources achieved may vary significantly from the current estimates. The Group periodically updates estimates of resources in respect of its exploration mining projects and assesses those for indicators of impairment relating to its capitalised costs. * Carrying value of property, plant and equipment The Group monitors internal and external indicators of impairment relating to its property, plant and equipment. Management has considered whether any indicators of impairment have arisen over certain assets. After assessing these, management has concluded that no impairment has arisen in respect of these assets during the period and subsequently. * Useful lives of tangible assets Plant and equipment are depreciated over their useful lives. Useful lives are based on management's estimates and are periodically reviewed for continued appropriateness. * Fair value of financial instruments The Group determines the fair value of financial instruments that are not quoted, based on estimates using present values or other valuation techniques. Those techniques are significantly affected by the assumptions used, including discount rates and estimates of future cash flows. * Share-based payments In order to calculate the charge for share-based payments as required by IFRS 2, the Group makes estimates principally relating to assumptions used in its option-pricing model as set out in note11. * Shareholder warrants The shareholder warrants entitle shareholders to a number of common shares based upon the number of shares they subscribed for at the date of issue of the warrant instrument. The warrants relate to a transaction with the equity holders as opposed to a transaction in exchange for any goods or service. The equity component of the instrument is not considered material and there is no liability component arising as a result of these warrants. Upon exercise of the warrant the proceeds received, net of attributable transaction costs, are credited to share capital and where appropriate share premium. * Trade and other receivables Trade and other receivables are recognised initially at fair value and subsequently restated for any impairment. A provision for impairment of trade receivables is established when there is objective evidence that the Group will not be able to collect all amounts due according to the original terms of the receivables. 3. Tax The Group has incurred tax losses for the period and a corporation tax charge is not anticipated. 4. Loss per share The calculation of basic loss per share is based on the loss attributable to ordinary shareholders of £191,000 divided by the weighted average number of shares in issue during the period, being 139,263,918 (fully diluted weighted average number of share amounts to 145,760,462). The full Half-Yearly-Report is published on the Company's website: www.arianaresources.com. ---END OF MESSAGE--- This announcement was originally distributed by Hugin. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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