Interim Results

KENMARE RESOURCES PLC 8 October 1999 KENMARE RESOURCES PLC ('Kenmare') Interim Results for the Six Months Ended 30 June, 1999 MOMA-CONGOLONE TITANIUM PROJECT Kenmare has now taken over all the assets owned by the BHP Joint Venture; these included circa $400,000 worth of field vehicles, trucks, laboratory equipment, camp equipment, etc. This has allowed us to smoothly take over the operation of the project. BHP's chief field geologist is now working for Kenmare in the same capacity and their laboratory manager is now running our analytical laboratory. Drilling was restarted 3 weeks after we took over control of the assets. The licences have been formally handed back from the JV to Kenmare. We are concentrating on drilling a high-grade zone which the BHP field team discovered immediately prior to their departure. Our drilling in this zone is continuing and has demonstrated to date a resource containing 3 million tonnes of ilmenite at 7% Total Heavy Minerals. This grade is twice the grade of the main deposit in Moma, known as Namalope. While there is already sufficient mineral to justify a 30-year mine at Namalope, the presence of a high-grade zone has a significant effect on the economics. We are in discussion with interested parties concerning an entry into the project and are hopeful of a positive outcome. ANCUABE GRAPHITE MINE Superior Graphite Inc. has been the distributor of the graphite products from the Ancuabe Graphite mine for 5 years. Last year they injected $1.2 million into the project, in addition to the provision of working capital. However, this year they have been experiencing problems in their core businesses and have reviewed their involvement in the natural flake graphite market. As a consequence of this review, they informed us recently that they would be terminating their European distribution contract and withdrawing the provision of working capital to the project. Negotiations with Superior have not been successful in getting them to alter their programme. While GDAS is now capable of performing its own distribution function, the withdrawal of working capital leaves the project with a requirement for circa $2.0 million to fund ongoing operations. The Government which is an equity partner in the project, has been informed of the situation and is considering providing the required capital. In the meantime, it is necessary to put the plant on a care and maintenance basis. It is not yet possible to quantify the effect, but this development may have an impact on the Group Balance Sheet. Before we received the news from Superior, Kenmare, working with the European Investment Bank, was well advanced in the preparations for a possible expansion of the production facility, as customer demand remains strong. However this cannot be considered without the prior injection of the necessary working capital. EXPLORATION The recent increase in the price of gold has had a positive effect on our gold exploration properties. We have experienced a direct increase in the interest of potential joint venture partners with one major mining company already signing a confidentiality agreement. CORPORATE Our unaudited Profit and Loss Account for the six months ending 30th June 1999 is set out as part of this statement. The increased output from the graphite project resulted in an increase in turnover. However, as a result of the BHP withdrawal, no fee was paid to Kenmare during 1999 in respect of the Mineral Sands Joint Venture Agreement. This contributed to the increased loss for the period. Charles Carvill Chairman INTERIM REPORT The Group's unaudited Consolidated Profit & Loss Account for the six months ended 30th June 1999 is as follows : 6 months to 6 months to 30 June 99 30 June 98 IR£ IR£ Turnover 1,429,920 1,076,028 ------------------------------ Loss before Taxation (1,037,313) (888,854) Taxation - - ------------------------------ Loss Attributable to the Group (1,037,313) (888,854) ============================== Loss per Share (0.95p) (0.81p) ============================== The Interim Statement is posted to all shareholders and is available for inspection at Chatham House, Chatham Street, Dublin 2, Ireland.
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