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ECR Minerals #ECR – Drill Results from BH3DD035 Show Signs of Grade Continuity at Bailieston, Victoria

ECR Minerals plc (LON: ECR), the exploration and development company focused on gold in Australia, is pleased to announce the gold results from hole BH3DD035 from drilling at the HR3 prospect at Bailieston. Early stages of geological interpretation are linking the results from BH3DD035 to adjacent drillholes BH3DD012, BH3DD019 and BH3DD034.*

ECR Minerals has 100% ownership of the Bailieston Project (EL5433) which contains the gold prospects known as HR3, Cherry Tree, Blue Moon and Black Cat. The projects are operated by ECR’s Australian wholly owned subsidiary Mercator Gold Australia Pty Ltd (“MGA”).

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Best result in BH3DD035 was 0.25m @ 16.15 g/t Au from 163.25m drilled depth.
  • Mineralised zones show continuity to adjacent previously drilled intercepts in holes BH3DD012, BH3DD019 and BH3DD034.

ECR CEO Andrew Haythorpe commented: “At last week’s investor presentation I outlined our commitment to continue the intensive drilling campaign into the second half of 2022. The assay results from hole BH3DD035 indicate signs of grade continuity in line with those already recorded at holes BH3DD012, BH3DD019 and BH3DD034, and from a technical standpoint provides our team with confidence in the Maori Anticline campaign outcome. I look forward to reporting the remaining assay results.”

“As I also indicated, along with Technical Director Adam Jones I am personally excited at the prospect of commencing our Blue Moon drilling campaign. With my geologist hat on, this asset presents an intriguing opportunity for us all.”

ECR Chairman David Tang added: “I am very excited by the opportunities that the assay results from Bailieston continue to reveal, and enthusiastic about the future of ECR under Andrew’s leadership.”

*References and links to these previous announcements can be found here:

  • BH3DD012: see RNS dated March 14th 2022 ‘Visible Gold Identified at HR3. Progress of Drilling Continues into the Maori Anticline Target’ Link here to view
  • BH3DD019: see RNS dated March 2nd 2022 ‘Drilling Continues to Extend Gold Mineralisation within the Maori Reef’. Link here to view
  • BH3DD034: see RNS dated June 8th 2022 ‘Multiple High Grade Gold Intercepts from hole BH3DD034 at HR3, Bailieston Victoria’ Link here to view

A link to an image of the holes referenced in this announcement can be found here;

Fig 1: https://www.ecrminerals.com/images/2022/fig1_BH3DD035_220708

BH3DD035

In response to the visible gold observed in BH3DD034 at 149.2m depth, BH3DD035 was drilled in the same direction as BH3DD034 but at a steeper dip with the expected vein target around 175m depth. A quartz vein with similar textures to the veining identified in BH3DD034 was drilled through at 163.25m depth in BH3DD035. Results from this vein revealed 0.25m @ 16.15 g/t Au and is the best intercept from this hole. Once mineralisation was passed the hole terminated at the final depth of 185.15m.

LINK TO ADJACENT DRILLHOLES

Observations show that mineralised zones within BH3DD035 link geologically to adjacent drillholes BH3DD012, BH3DD019 and BH3DD034. The best intercept in BH3DD035 at 163.25m correlates approximately 20m below a stibnite (antimony sulphide) vein in BH3DD019 which revealed an intercept of 0.3m @ 4.59 g/t Au (see RNS 2 March 2022 here). We anticipate that the long awaited assay results from hole BH3DD032, which targeted vein continuity another 20m below hole BH3DD035, and which are due from the assay laboratories shortly, will further add to our understanding of the size and structure of this target zone. We look forward to updating shareholders when those results are received. Quartz veining has been observed in hole BH3DD032 within the expected target zone

Table 1. Summary of drill intercepts containing reportable levels of gold greater than 0.1 g/t Au for BH3DD035 (*highlights in bold).

BH3DD035

From To Grade (g/t Au) Interval (m)
2.9 3.2 0.14 0.3
6.5 7 0.60 0.5
8 9 0.23 1
9 10 0.60 1
16 17 0.64 1
31.5 32.2 0.20 0.7
34.5 35 1.12 0.5
35 36 0.60 1
36 37 0.16 1
40 41 0.15 1
43 44 0.19 1
44 45 0.58 1
45 46 1.01 1
46 47 0.42 1
48 49 0.16 1
50 51 0.20 1
52 52.9 0.38 0.9
52.9 54.2 0.31 1.3
54.2 55 0.87 0.8
55 55.4 1.08 0.4
55.4 55.7 0.60 0.3
55.7 56 0.89 0.3
56 57 0.89 1
57 58 0.17 1
58 59.1 0.49 1.1
59.1 59.3 2.62 0.2
59.3 60 1.35 0.7
60 60.8 0.51 0.8
60.8 61.2 0.41 0.4
61.2 61.5 0.27 0.3
61.5 62 0.24 0.5
62 63 0.15 1
65 66 0.16 1
66 67 0.55 1
67 67.4 1.86 0.4
67.4 68 0.22 0.6
68 69 0.13 1
70 71 0.36 1
71 72 0.35 1
74 74.5 0.33 0.5
74.5 74.8 0.46 0.3
74.8 75 1.60 0.2
76 77 0.21 1
77 78 0.32 1
84 84.6 0.84 0.6
84.6 84.9 4.78 0.3
84.9 86 0.30 1.1
87 88 0.16 1
88 89 0.15 1
90.2 90.4 0.34 0.2
90.4 90.9 1.06 0.5
90.9 91.3 3.72 0.4
91.3 92 0.61 0.7
92 93 0.18 1
100.7 101.1 0.53 0.4
103 103.3 0.65 0.3
103.3 103.45 5.26 0.15
108.4 108.6 0.33 0.2
110.2 111.2 0.63 1
120.5 120.7 0.20 0.2
122.7 123 0.15 0.3
123 123.2 0.51 0.2
123.2 123.4 0.42 0.2
123.4 123.7 0.36 0.3
123.7 124.1 0.29 0.4
126.4 126.8 0.14 0.4
126.8 127.1 0.30 0.3
162.25 163.25 0.62 1
163.25 163.5 16.15 0.25

LOOKING FORWARD STATEMENTS

The Company has now completed spaced drilling along the down-dip extensions of the Maori Anticline within the HR3 Goldfield. Holes have been logged and sampled and we now await the results from the laboratory. At this stage we expect a flow of assay results throughout July, August and September 2022. Our drilling campaign continues to identify narrow veining deeper into the axis of the Maori Anticline over a strike length of approximately 300m, and once the final results are in, the board will determine the next steps for this project area. In addition, as outlined by our CEO Andrew Haythorpe at his presentation at the Proactive One2One event in London on 6 July 2022, the Company plans to commence drilling at its ‘Blue Moon’ prospect in August 2022.

REVIEW OF ANNOUNCEMENT BY QUALIFIED PERSON

This announcement has been reviewed by Adam Jones, Technical Director of Exploration at ECR Minerals plc. Adam Jones is a professional geologist and is a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists (MAIG). He is a qualified person as that term is defined by the AIM Note for Mining, Oil and Gas Companies.

MARKET ABUSE REGULATIONS (EU) No. 596/2014

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014 (MAR). Upon the publication of this announcement via Regulatory Information Service (RIS), this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

 

ECR Minerals plc Tel: +44 (0) 20 7929 1010
David Tang, Non-Executive Chairman

Andrew Haythorpe, CEO

Email:

info@ecrminerals.com

Website: www.ecrminerals.com
WH Ireland Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 207 220 1666
Nominated Adviser

Katy Mitchell / Andrew de Andrade

SI Capital Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 1483 413500
Broker
Nick Emerson
Novum Securities Limited  Tel: +44 (0) 20 7399 9425
Broker

Jon Belliss

BlytheRay Tel: +44 (0) 207 138 3204
Public Relations
Tim Blythe

 

ABOUT ECR MINERALS PLC

ECR Minerals is a mineral exploration and development company. ECR’s wholly owned Australian subsidiary Mercator Gold Australia Pty Ltd (“MGA”) has 100% ownership of the Bailieston and Creswick gold projects in central Victoria, Australia, has eight licence applications outstanding including two licence applications lodged in eastern Victoria. (Tambo gold project). MGA is currently drilling at both the Bailieston (EL5433) and Creswick (EL6148) projects and has an experienced exploration team with significant local knowledge in the Victoria Goldfields and wider region.

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ECR also owns 100% of an Australian subsidiary LUX Exploration Pty Ltd (“LUX”) which has three licence applications covering 900 km2 covering a relatively unexplored area in Queensland, Australia.

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Following the sale of the Avoca, Moormbool and Timor gold projects in Victoria, Australia to Fosterville South Exploration Ltd (TSX-V: FSX) and the subsequent spin-out of the Avoca and Timor projects to Leviathan Gold Ltd (TSX-V: LVX), Mercator Gold Australia Pty Limited has the right to receive up to A$2 million in payments subject to future resource estimation or production from projects sold to Fosterville South Exploration Limited.

ECR holds a 70% interest in the Danglay gold project; an advanced exploration project located in a prolific gold and copper mining district in the north of the Philippines, which has a 43-101 compliant resource. ECR also holds a royalty on the SLM gold project in La Rioja Province, Argentina and can potentially receive up to US$2.7 million in aggregate across all licences.

ECR Minerals #ECR – Visible Gold Identified at HR3. Progress of Drilling Continues into the Maori Anticline Target

ECR Minerals plc (LON: ECR), the gold exploration and development company focussed on gold exploration in Australia, is pleased to announce a current update on drilling at HR3 including results and geological interpretation completed for BH3DD012, current drilling activities and future drilling plans within EL5433.

ECR Minerals plc has 100% ownership of the Bailieston Project (EL5433) and contains the gold prospects known as HR3, Cherry Tree, Blue Moon and Black Cat. The projects are operated under ECR Minerals plc Australian wholly owned subsidiary Mercator Gold Australia Pty Ltd (“MGA”).

ECR Chairman David Tang commented: ““A significant amount of work has gone into the drilling programme at HR3, and I am delighted to note that following on from the results at hole BH3DD019, we continue to see encouraging and consistent gold grades in BH3DD012 and visible gold in BH3DD034. Importantly we continue to build on our understanding of the Maori Anticline and the regional gold trend ahead of an infill drilling programme.”

“I know Adam and his team are excited by the potential at the Blue Moon prospect, and I look forward to reporting back to you once work commences there.”

“Finally, regarding our search for a new CEO, I am pleased to report we have shortlisted three candidates and we will provide updates to the market in due course, as required.”

HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Diamond drill hole BH3DD012 was drilled 100m south and parallel to the previously announced hole (BH3DD019). Five mineralised zones have been identified and correlated to the Maori Anticline.
  • The best intercepts within each of the five mineralised zones include 0.8m @ 3.81 g/t Au (Zone 1); 0.5m @ 3.87 g/t Au (Zone 2); 0.5m @ 4.26 g/t Au (Zone 3); 0.6m @ 2.25 g/t Au (Zone 4) and 1m @ 0.51 g/t Au (Zone 5).
  • Drilling and sampling of holes BH3DD032, BH3DD033, BH3DD034 and BH3DD035 are currently in progress to follow up best gold intercepts found in BH3DD019. Visible gold has been identified in BH3DD034 at 149.5m downhole.

 

This announcement is written to reference to the following three figures:

Fig 1: BH3DD012 geological section:

https://www.ecrminerals.com/images/2022/fig1_BH3DD012.png

 

Fig 2: Location and plan of recent drilling with current status, HR3:

https://www.ecrminerals.com/images/2022/fig2_Current_drillplan_HR3.png

 

Fig 3: BH3DD034 visible gold

https://www.ecrminerals.com/images/2022/fig3_BH3DD034_vg.png

 

OVERVIEW OF BH3DD012

On 30 February 2022, ECR announced that a series of four holes (BH3DD012, BH3DD014, BH3DD020 and BH3DD021) had been drilled perpendicular to the trend of reef lines within the HR3 Goldfield to aid interpretation of the main faults and folding with known mineralisation. The Company has now received gold results for hole BH3DD012.

BH3DD012 was collared in 100m to the south and drilled parallel to adjacent hole BH3DD019. Geological interpretation is now revealing the main rock-type groupings and the style of mineralised veins that are associated with the Maori Anticline. MGA’s geology team has correlated the veins identified in BH3DD012 to hole BH3DD019, giving further understanding to the structural architecture of the HR3 Goldfield.

Five zones of mineralisation have been identified from hole BH3DD012. (Fig 1)

Zone 1 features a quartz stockwork zone hosted within a massive brittle sandstone rock unit that has a drilled thicknes of 2.7 metres. Best intercepts were 0.8m @ 3.81 g/t Au (from 57.3m) and 0.7m @ 3.32 g/t Au (from 59.3m)

Zone 2 can be linked to the Scoulers Reef structure represented by orthogonal veining within a sheared zone. Mineralisation is broad at a drilled width of 9.3 metres. Two of the highest intercepts included 1m @ 3.75 g/t Au (from 72m) and 0.5m @ 3.87 g/t Au (from 73.8m)

Zone 3 is represented by narrow bedding-laminated sulphidic veins at a drilled depth of 175.5m which returned 0.5m @ 4.26 g/t Au. The veins are hosted with a planar-laminated siltstone which correlates well to the same lithology in hole BH3DD019. Given this good correlation, it is highly probable Zone 3 veins match to the best intercept of 0.5m @ 9.5 g/t Au in BH3DD019 at 99.9m.

Zone 4 consists of a fault with linking stockwork quartz veining. Best result was 0.6m @ 2.25 g/t Au (from 191m drilled depth).

Zone 5 is a minor occurrence of bedded laminated carbonate veining at 255.6m drilled depth. Traces of stibnite (antimony sulphide) were identified in adjacent veining. This zone has only elevated gold, the best result being 1m @ 0.51 g/t Au (from 255.6m).

BH3DD012 was drilled to a depth of 302.1m. The dip angle of bedding, sedimentary depositional indicators (called younging) have located the hinge zone of the Maori Anticline at an approximate depth of 220m down the drill hole. The geology team is currently interpreting the projection of this hinge to the earlier drilling (BH3DD009) near surface.

Table 1. Summary of drill intercepts containing reportable levels of gold greater than 0.1 g/t Au for BH3DD012 (*highlights in bold). Mineralised ‘Zones’ shown in Fig 1.

BH3DD012

From To Grade (g/t Au) Interval (m) Zone
38 39 0.18 1
41 41.5 0.11 0.5
41.5 42.5 0.41 1
44.5 45.5 0.18 1
48.5 49.5 0.14 1
49.5 50 0.62 0.5
50 50.5 1.54 0.5
50.5 51 0.8 0.5
51 52 0.74 1
52 53 0.33 1
53.7 54.2 1.16 0.5
54.2 54.5 1.38 0.3
54.5 55.5 0.15 1
55.5 56.5 0.28 1
56.5 57.3 0.53 0.8
57.3 58.1 3.81 0.8 ZONE 1
58.1 58.9 1.25 0.8 ZONE 1
58.9 59.3 0.32 0.4 ZONE 1
59.3 60 3.32 0.7 ZONE 1
65 66 0.16 1
66 67 0.82 1
67 68 1.22 1 ZONE 2 (Scoulers Reef)
68 69 1.77 1 ZONE 2 (Scoulers Reef)
69 70 2.28 1 ZONE 2 (Scoulers Reef)
70 71 1.32 1 ZONE 2 (Scoulers Reef)
71 72 1.39 1 ZONE 2 (Scoulers Reef)
72 73 3.75 1 ZONE 2 (Scoulers Reef)
73 73.8 1.24 0.8 ZONE 2 (Scoulers Reef)
73.8 74.3 3.87 0.5 ZONE 2 (Scoulers Reef)
74.3 74.8 1.14 0.5 ZONE 2 (Scoulers Reef)
74.8 75.3 0.73 0.5 ZONE 2 (Scoulers Reef)
75.3 76.3 0.45 1 ZONE 2 (Scoulers Reef)
76.3 76.9 0.15 0.6
76.9 77.4 0.31 0.5
77.4 78 1.02 0.6
78 79 0.98 1
79.5 80 0.28 0.5
80 81 0.24 1
81 81.7 0.74 0.7
81.7 82.3 1.06 0.6
82.3 83 0.77 0.7
126.8 127.3 0.26 0.5
128 129 0.13 1
133.25 134 0.14 0.75
134 135 0.24 1
136 137 0.29 1
138 139 0.19 1
139 140 0.24 1
144 145 0.13 1
145 146 0.17 1
151.1 151.9 0.15 0.8
151.9 152.3 0.13 0.4
175 175.5 0.13 0.5
175.5 176 4.26 0.5 ZONE 3
176 177 0.21 1
183.3 183.8 0.18 0.5
187.3 188.3 0.13 1
189.2 190 0.11 0.8
190 190.3 0.11 0.3
190.3 191 0.16 0.7
191 191.6 2.25 0.6 ZONE 4
191.6 192.2 0.82 0.6
192.2 193 0.7 0.8
193 194 0.38 1
213.5 214 0.17 0.5
215 216 0.18 1
219 220 0.69 1
241.3 242 0.2 0.7
242 242.7 0.27 0.7
248 248.5 0.13 0.5
248.5 249.1 0.14 0.6
249.1 249.8 0.28 0.7
250.5 251 0.14 0.5
251.7 252 0.14 0.3
252 252.8 0.24 0.8
252.8 253.8 0.11 1
253.8 254.6 0.22 0.8
254.6 255.6 0.23 1
255.6 256.6 0.51 1 ZONE 5
256.6 257.6 0.33 1

 

BH3DD034-VISIBLE GOLD IDENTIFIED

Drilling of BH3DD019 showed narrow arsenic-stibnite veining emanating from the Maori Anticline. ECR is currently following up these targets by drilling four additional supporting holes (BH3DD032, BH3DD033, BH3DD034 and BH3DD035). Hole BH3DD033 and BH3DD034 has been completed, now awaiting sampling. BH3DD034 has drilled through a narrow-laminated vein 50mm wide showing a visible speck of coarse gold around 1mm in diameter (Fig 3). This is a typical example of a narrow ‘nuggetty’ vein and shows the low probability of drilling such mineralisation. The vein is supported by a broad halo of hydrothermal sulphide. This hole is in the process of being geologically logged in detail and sampled and further updates will be provided in due course.

FUTURE PLANS

ECR is now starting to see the benefits of utilising its own diamond drill rig operated by an ‘in house’ drill team. The team have been drilling an average of c.35m of good quality core per day, reducing the drill meterage rate compared to contracting out the work.

Since the beginning of 2022, the Company has drilled holes into the northern limits of the Maori Reef and drilled two initial holes under the southernmost soil anomaly underneath the Hard-Up Reef. The geological team is also eagerly awaiting outstanding assay results for drilling completed into the Maori and Hard-Up Reef intersection, which will tie in with the results of this announcement.

Upon completion of the complimentary holes to BH3DD019, we plan to move the drill rig up on the low ridgeline to begin initial drilling into the Scoulers Reef and under the other soil anomalies identified along this ridge. Locations of the planned drilling along with recent drilling is shown in Fig 3. Ultimately, we expect that the outcome of the diamond drilling will provide a detailed understanding of the relationship of veining to structures and the possible control on gold deposition within the veins. This is all preparation work for infill RC drilling at a later date.

Additionally, planning is well under way to follow up the RC drilling completed in 2019 over the nearby “Blue Moon” prospect, also on EL5433.

REVIEW OF ANNOUNCEMENT BY QUALIFIED PERSON

This announcement has been reviewed by Adam Jones, a director of ECR Minerals plc. Adam Jones is a professional geologist and is a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists (MAIG). He is a qualified person as that term is defined by the AIM Note for Mining, Oil and Gas Companies.

MARKET ABUSE REGULATIONS (EU) No. 596/2014

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014 (MAR). Upon the publication of this announcement via Regulatory Information Service (RIS), this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

 

ECR Minerals plc Tel: +44 (0) 20 7929 1010
David Tang, Non-Executive Chairman
Email:

info@ecrminerals.com

Website: www.ecrminerals.com
WH Ireland Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 207 220 1666
Nominated Adviser

Katy Mitchell / Andrew de Andrade

SI Capital Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 1483 413500
Broker
Nick Emerson
Novum Securities Limited  Tel: +44 (0) 20 7399 9425
Broker

Jon Belliss

Blytheweigh Tel: +44 (0) 207 138 3204
Public Relations
Tim Blythe

 

 

ABOUT ECR MINERALS PLC

ECR Minerals is a mineral exploration and development company. ECR’s wholly owned Australian subsidiary Mercator Gold Australia Pty Ltd (“MGA”) has 100% ownership of the Bailieston and Creswick gold projects in central Victoria, Australia, has eight licence applications outstanding including two licence applications lodged in eastern Victoria. (Tambo gold project). MGA is currently drilling at both the Bailieston (EL5433) and Creswick (EL6148) projects and has an experienced exploration team with significant local knowledge in the Victoria Goldfields and wider region.

 

https://mercatorgold.com.au/

 

ECR also owns 100% of an Australian subsidiary LUX Exploration Pty Ltd (“LUX”) which has three licence applications covering 900 km2 covering a relatively unexplored area in Queensland, Australia.

 

https://luxexploration.com/

 

Following the sale of the Avoca, Moormbool and Timor gold projects in Victoria, Australia to Fosterville South Exploration Ltd (TSX-V: FSX) and the subsequent spin-out of the Avoca and Timor projects to Leviathan Gold Ltd (TSX-V: LVX), Mercator Gold Australia Pty Limited has the right to receive up to A$2 million in payments subject to future resource estimation or production from projects sold to Fosterville South Exploration Limited.

 

ECR holds a 25% interest in the Danglay gold project; an advanced exploration project located in a prolific gold and copper mining district in the north of the Philippines, which has a 43-101 compliant resource. ECR also holds a royalty on the SLM gold project in La Rioja Province, Argentina and can potentially receive up to US$2.7 million in aggregate across all licences

ECR Minerals #ECR CEO Interview – Alan Green talks to Craig Brown

Brand Comms CEO Alan Green talks to ECR Minerals #ECR CEO Craig Brown about the company’s flagship gold exploration projects in the heart of Australia’s Victoria Goldfields.

Craig talks about the recent placing to raise a further £2m with Novum Securities at 2.2p, and elaborates on the rationale behind it, before discussing the initial drilling results at the Bailieston Historic Reserve 3 prospect, that led to a fall in the share price despite identifying gold and gold mineralisation.

We look at slides from the current company presentation, and examine the scale of the operations and historic gold grades from the other Bailieston prospects including Blue Moon, Black Cat, HR4 (Cherry Tree, Cherry Tree South) and Yellow & Red Moon.

We move to Creswick and discuss the Dimocks Main Shale geological feature, the historical (2019) grades, license applications and JV implications and the upcoming drilling campaign. Craig then updates on the Tambo Project, and the connection with ECR’s Head Geologist Dr Rodney Boucher before we discuss the Bendigo HQ operation.

Alan and Craig then summarise by looking at the current company valuation vs. assets and work underway.

ECR Minerals #ECR – CEO Craig Brown talks to Alan Green

Brand Comms CEO Alan Green talks to ECR Minerals #ECR CEO Craig Brown about the company’s flagship gold exploration projects in the heart of Australia’s Victoria Goldfields. Taking slides from the latest company presentation, Craig talks about ECR’s wholly owned drill rig, HQ at Bendigo and the £4m funding and extra cash resources owned by the company. We look at the Creswick Gold project located close to the Ballarat Gold Mine before discussing this year’s production numbers at the Fosterville goldmine and how they might compare to assay results and ore grades currently being drilled at the Bailieston HR3 target. Craig looks at Black Cat, Cherry Tree and other targets at Bailieston, before we move onto the blue sky potential at the Tambo Project, and the connection with ECR’s Head Geologist Dr Rodney Boucher. We end with some takeaway points for investors.

ECR Minerals #ECR – Business Operations Update

ECR Minerals plc (LON: ECR), the gold exploration and development company focussed on Australia, is pleased to provide the following update on its activities, which are centred on the Bailieston and Creswick gold projects in Victoria, Australia. Both projects are 100% owned by ECR’s wholly owned Australian subsidiary Mercator Gold Australia Pty Ltd (“MGA”).

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Field mapping and geochemistry currently underway across numerous gold prospects in the Bailieston project area;
  • ECR has acquired a diamond drilling rig capable of drilling as deep as 1,300 metres, due for delivery next month and which will be deployed immediately on an ECR managed drill programme;
  • High priority gold prospects within the Bailieston and Creswick project areas with potential for immediate drilling have been identified.

Craig Brown, Chief Executive Officer of ECR, commented:

“There is continuing interest in ECR’s Bailieston and Creswick projects with regards to potential joint venture or earn in opportunities. However, there can be no guarantee that any transaction will occur. The Company will provide further updates as appropriate.

The engagement we are experiencing is not surprising given the interest in Victoria gold opportunities, as evidenced by the many corporate transactions that we have seen in the area.

ECR is also gearing up to launch next stage exploration campaigns across our properties and we look forward to providing updates as the work progresses

The Directors are very optimistic for the future, and the Company has a robust underlying cash position of £1.65m with which we can confidently push ahead with operational programmes.”

CURRENT EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES

With the approaching end of the Victorian winter, MGA has begun to ramp-up exploration at the Bailieston and Creswick projects. A programme of follow-up field mapping and geochemistry across numerous prospects in the Bailieston project area is currently underway. MGA has recently purchased its own portable Olympus XRF analyser in order to enhance and expedite its geochemical sampling capabilities.

A map of the eastern Bailieston project area showing some of the prospects and features referred to in this announcement can be viewed at:

https://www.ecrminerals.com/images/2020/09/09/prospectsreefs-eastern-bailieston-tenement-area.jpg

Detailed mapping and geochemistry at the Cherry Tree, Cherry Tree South and Black Cat prospects is aimed at locating the surface position of shoots and identifying mineralisation along strike of trends established by historical and recent exploration. This will assist with the consideration of these prospects for drilling.

Cherry Tree (Historic Reserve #4) and Cherry Tree South are along the Bailieston trend and south of the Fosterville-style mineralisation mined in a small open cut in the 1990s at Historic Reserve #1 (HR1).

Rock chip samples were taken by MGA from Cherry Tree and Cherry Tree South as part of a 2018 sampling programme along the Bailieston trend. A total of 58 rock chip samples were taken at Cherry Tree and Cherry Tree South, with 17 samples returning grades of >1 g/t gold and the highest assay result being 8.8 g/t gold.

Field mapping and geochemical sampling at the Kings Cross and Pontings prospects in the Bailieston project area will follow-up earlier results including soil samples of up to 1.79 g/t gold at Kings Cross and rock chip samples of up to 8.31 g/t gold at Pontings.

PURCHASE OF DIAMOND DRILLING RIG AND POTENTIAL FUTURE DRILLING

MGA has recently signed a contract for the purchase of a new Cortech CSD1300G diamond drilling rig complete with spares and all downhole equipment, which is capable of drilling as deep as 1,300 metres. The rig is expected to be delivered in October 2020 and will give MGA an in-house drilling capability, which will be preferable to relying on contractors.

MGA has access to experienced drilling personnel to operate the rig, and it is expected that future drilling can be completed at lower cost and with greater flexibility using MGA’s own rig.

High priority gold prospects within the Bailieston and Creswick project areas which have the potential for immediate further drilling are detailed below. Once the drill rig has been received in Australia, a decision will be taken as to where it should first be put to work.

Bailieston Project – Blue Moon 

Blue Moon is an exciting new gold discovery made by MGA, with intercepts from 2019 reverse circulation (RC) drilling including 15 metres at 3.81 g/t gold from 51 metres downhole (with 2 metres at 17.87 g/t gold) (see announcement dated 14 March 2019 for full details of the drill programme). The best 2019 drilling results came from the western fence line. The host sandstone thins towards the east, where the drill results diminished accordingly.

ECR plans to test whether the mineralisation continues to improve towards the west, subject to gaining surface access. There is also potential to carry out further drilling within the zones already tested, with the objective of establishing an initial JORC Mineral Resource.

Bailieston Project – HR3

Three dimensional (3D) modelling of historical data for the Bailieston Historic Reserve #3 (HR3) and the results of drilling in the area by MGA in 2017 was completed in late 2019 and has assisted in the identification of the architecture of the major folds, structures and cross structures at the prospect. HR3 comprises at least four closely-spaced lines of reef, including the Byron, Dan Genders, Scoulars and Maori Reefs, plus numerous cross-structures. This provides a number of drill-ready targets.

Creswick Project 

Drilling conducted by MGA in 2019 at the Slades Reef prospect covered 300 metres of the 12.5 kilometre strike length of the Dimocks Main Shale (DMS) within ECR’s granted exploration licence (EL) and EL application areas at Creswick. This drilling encountered complex structures at Slades Reef; the cross section shown in ECR’s announcement dated 21 June 2019 showed drilling into interpreted faulted and parasitic folded DMS on an overall west-dipping limb.

Diamond drilling can be utilised to test this structural hypothesis and test the gold-bearing structures identified at Slades Reef where key faults intersect the anticline. Elsewhere at Creswick, field mapping and geochemical sampling could be used to attempt to delineate the surface expression of shoots to the south including Jackass Reef and Mills Reef ahead of potential drilling of these targets.

Review of Announcement by Qualified Person

This announcement has been reviewed by Dr Rodney Boucher of Linex Pty Ltd. Linex Pty Ltd provides geological services to Mercator Gold Australia Pty Ltd, including the services of Dr Boucher, who has a PhD in geology, is a Member and RPGeo of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists and is a Member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Dr Boucher is a Qualified Person as that term is defined by the AIM Note for Mining, Oil and Gas Companies.

MARKET ABUSE REGULATIONS (EU) No. 596/2014 

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014 (MAR). Upon the publication of this announcement via Regulatory Information Service (RIS), this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: 

ECR Minerals plc Tel: +44 (0)20 7929 1010 
David Tang, Non-Executive Chairman   
Craig Brown, Director & CEO   
Email:info@ecrminerals.com   
Website: www.ecrminerals.com   
    
WH Ireland Ltd Tel: +44 (0)161 832 2174 
Nominated Adviser   
Katy Mitchell/James Sinclair-Ford   
    
SI Capital Ltd Tel: +44 (0)1483 413500 
Broker   
Nick Emerson   

ABOUT ECR MINERALS PLC

ECR is a mineral exploration and development company. ECR’s wholly owned Australian subsidiary Mercator Gold Australia Pty Ltd has 100% ownership of the Bailieston and Creswick gold projects in central Victoria, Australia.

Following the sale of the Avoca, Moormbool and Timor gold projects in Victoria, Australia to Fosterville South Exploration Ltd (TSX-V: FSX), ECR has the right to receive up to A$2 million in payments subject to future resource estimation or production at those projects.

ECR has earned a 25% interest in the Danglay gold project, an advanced exploration project located in a prolific gold and copper mining district in the north of the Philippines, and holds a royalty on the SLM gold project in La Rioja Province, Argentina.

Insatiable Gold Demand Set To Continue – ECR On The Cusp Of ‘Great’ Ness.

Insatiable Gold Demand Set To Continue – ECR On The Cusp Of ‘Great’ Ness. 

With the US Fed signalling a more relaxed approach to inflation in its end of month policy meeting, gold rebounded sharply after falling from August highs of  $2,075oz as markets interpreted Fed Chairman Jerome Powell’s comments to mean that low interest rates are here for years to come.

Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank believes that the Fed’s shift to let inflation and employment run higher will keep interest rates low for years to come, thereby lifting the appeal of non-interest-bearing gold.“There’s still room for bullion to set new all-time highs, although that may take time,” Hansen commented. “Powell’s speech did not threaten the bullish narrative for gold and silver.”

“Low interest rates for longer, a weaker dollar, massive amounts of stimulus and the increased demand for inflation hedges are likely to continue to drive demand for both metals,” he added.

Peter Hug, division head for precious metals at Kitco News is of the view that conditions have not changed for gold and silver.

Speaking to Kitco News on following the Fed meeting, Hug said conditions are positive for gold due to the amount of fiscal support provided by banks.

“The macro picture has not changed. Every central bank in the world has got their foot on the pedal, and I don’t think they’re going to take their foot off the pedal probably until the end of 2021.”

Old Gold projects resurfacing

The ever present strength in gold is sustaining huge levels of investor interest in junior gold explorers. As mining geologists take fees for their work in shares as well as cash, droves of canny investors are now following geologists on social media to try to get the early inside line to any upcoming projects, even to the point of investing into the company owning /operating the project as soon as a new appointment is announced. A successful drilling campaign can of course have a transformational effect the valuations of small cap explorers with quality projects, meaning that professional fees can potentially multiply in value. 

The outlook for gold being what it is, many dormant mining projects are being re-examined and feasibility studies revisited. The latest tools, survey techniques and digital / desktop assets available to mining engineers have proved transformative in the search for precious metals within existing dormant assets and mines around the world.  And as many projects have some infrastruture already in place, opportunities to ‘fast track’ such developments are ever present.

Mining Giants Lined Up for Fast Tracking 

The major mining companies around the world today all started somewhere. Many will have started life as microcap exporation companies, developing assets into production, and using the proceeds to fund other projects. In some cases, the fuding will have come from existing shareholders. With others a farm-in agreement will be reached with another mining company to share or bear the developments costs, which sees the partner ‘earn-in’, usually at an increasing level of project ownership as the money is spent.

The current ‘pedal to the metal’ approach to monetary easing is providing a perfect backdrop for project developments of this nature, and has created fertile hunting ground for the world’s leading mining companies seeking lucrative farm-in opportunities.  Equally, the project potential may see active investors support the board and go it alone.

AIM listed ECR Minerals (AIM: ECR) is a company on the cusp of a series of game changing deals. The company 100% owns Bailieston and Creswick projects in Central Victoria, Australia, and also has financial interests in the Avoca, Moormbool and Timor projects following the sale of those licenses to TSX-V listed Fosterville South Exploration Ltd. In addition ECR owns a 25% interest in the Danglay epithermal gold project in the north of the Philippines and a net smelter royalty agreement from the sale of the SLM gold project in Argentina.

Creswick

Creswick is situated within the Dimocks Main Shale, a geological feature considered to be highly prospective for gold, and which extends some 15km from the mining centre of Ballarat. ECR’s exploration licenses cover approximately 7km of this region. Following drilling results in 2019,  a highest grade duplicate result of 80.97 g/t gold came from a 1 metre interval that originally assayed 44.63 g/t, confirming the original findings. A study by pre-eminent consulting geochemist Dr Dennis Arne, whose experience includes extensive consultancy at the highly successful Fosterville gold mine in Central Victoria, underlined the significant gold exploration potential at Creswick, and ‘nuggety gold mineralisation’.

Bailieston

Bailieston is also at the centre of the current gold exploration boom in Victoria, close to the world-class Fosterville mine owned by Kirkland Lake Gold. Mining giant Newmont has a license application in for ground immediately to the north of ECR’s Black Cat prospect, plus an open cut gold mine was operated at Bailieston by Perseverance Corporation in the 1990’s. Quality samples have been logged from drilling by ECR at the Blue Moon prospect in 2019, including a 17.8g/t sample from a 2 metre interval, confirming Blue Moon as a new gold discovery. The Bailieston license areas also include a raft of other prospects, namely HR3, Cherry Tree, Red Moon and Yellow Moon.

Mining Major Joint Ventures and Drilling

Having previously sold three Victoria licences (Avoca, Moormbool and Timor gold exploration projects) for upfront cash and royalties to TSX-V listed Fosterville South Exploration Ltd, along with a raft of warrant exercises, ECR is now fully funded to continue drilling at its 100% owned Creswick and Bailieston projects through to the end of 2021.

In a recent ShareTalk podcast here, ECR CEO Craig Brown provided some background on the most recent developments. He confirmed that several earlier offers to partner in the projects had been rejected, and that mining majors were interested in Creswick and the highly prospective Dimocks Main Shale gold trend that runs through Creswick from the Ballarat gold mine.  Citing some of the most recent gold asset sales in the region, Brown stated that both Creswick and Bailieston projects were superior in quality to many in the region, and that value could be realised in a Greatland Gold type asset sale and free carry deal structure. 

Progress and site visits are being hampered somewhat by the COVID lockdown – any teams flying in from other states are subject to a 14 day quarantine. But as regards the immediate future of both Creswick and Baileston, one thing is abundantly clear. ECR will commence drilling at one or both projects in the coming weeks, and given the ultra-bullish long term outlook for gold, mining majors seeking a JV will be keen to strike a deal sooner rather than later.

Currently valued at just GB£12m, many investors believe ECR is on the cusp of ‘Great’ Ness – a transformational Greatland Gold esque deal. Despite the lockdown restrictions, the insatiable demand for gold looks set to continue for the next 18 months – near perfect conditions for junior gold miners with superior quality assets. 

References:

Kitco: https://www.kitco.com/news/video/show/Kitco-NEWS/2957/2020-08-28/Every-central-bank-in-the-world-has-got-their-foot-on-the-pedal–Peter-Hug#_48_INSTANCE_puYLh9Vd66QY_=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kitco.com%2Fnews%2Fvideo%2Flatest%3Fshow%3DKitco-NEWS

Share Talk: https://www.pscp.tv/w/choS9jF4blFyWHlrQW5rall8MWt2SnBla0xBbWt4RVXUWZxBJJOsdYs2rhJuzDRWVD0-zN2rj-l_AWcuc8bF

ECR Minerals #ECR – Successful Reconnaissance Drilling at Black Cat Gold Prospect Victoria, Australia

ECR Minerals plc (LON:ECR), the precious metals exploration and development company, is pleased to announce the findings of the reconnaissance rotary air blast (RAB) drilling programme recently completed at the Black Cat gold prospect, which is located within the Bailieston gold project area (EL5433) in the state of Victoria, Australia.

ECR’s wholly owned Australian subsidiary Mercator Gold Australia Pty Ltd (“MGA”) has 100% ownership of the Bailieston project.

Readers are advised to review ECR’s announcement dated 4 February 2019 regarding the initiation of the Black Cat drilling programme, which can be viewed at the following link:

https://polaris.brighterir.com/public/ecr_minerals/news/rns/story/w1mok9w

HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Reconnaissance RAB drilling programme targeted numerous quartz reefs at Black Cat with a total of 18 shallow holes for 485 metres of drilling;
  • Significant intersections are reported in Table 1 below and include 7 metres at 1.76 g/t gold from 35 metres in BCD11, 3 metres at 4.26 g/t gold from 16 metres in BCD18, and 1 metre at 6.3 g/t gold from 18 metres in BCD03;
  • The potential for supergene enriched mineralisation at the water table interface and for deeper primary mineralisation could be investigated by drilling deeper holes;
  • The Black Cat prospect is located immediately south of ground recently applied for by Newmont Mining, and is among the high priority targets identified by the geophysical interpretation and targeting study completed for MGA in late 2017;
  • Important geological insights have been generated by the drilling programme, which will guide further exploration at Black Cat and other prospects in the Bailieston gold project area.

Craig Brown, Chief Executive Officer of ECR Minerals plc, commented: “This was a valuable reconnaissance programme at a gold prospect which had never been drilled before, located immediately south of ground recently applied for by a subsidiary of Newmont Mining.

The drilling targeted numerous quartz reefs with 18 holes drilled in total. Most of the locations had some historical gold mining activity, and all of them had positive previous rock chip sampling results.

I am delighted with the positive outcomes from this programme. As well as some encouraging grades, the drilling has provided important geological information which may help vector further exploration in the project area towards achievement of ECR’s prime strategic objective, which is the discovery of a multi-million ounce gold deposit.”

Further Information

Rotary air blast (RAB) drilling is a low-cost method well suited to the first pass, reconnaissance testing required at the Black Cat gold prospect. Eighteen holes were drilled, to a maximum depth of 47 metres downhole, for a total of 485 metres.

Full details of all drill holes are reported in the tables below. A map showing the location of the drill holes may be downloaded at the following link:

https://www.ecrminerals.com/black-cat

Composite samples representing 3 or 4 metre downhole lengths were initially compiled from the drill cuttings and sent to be fire assayed for gold. After receipt of the assay results, composites which returned anomalous gold grades were re-sampled on a metre by metre basis. This second set of samples was sent for fire assay, and the intersections reported in this announcement are based on those assay results. All assays were carried out at On Site Laboratory Services in Bendigo, Victoria.

Each of the three main quartz reefs that were worked historically at Black Cat is around 350m long. Drill holes were located along each of these reefs, especially near the most significant workings.

Discussion of Results

The main Black Cat reef comprises a series of en-echelon quartz lenses within a shear zone, as is found at various other reefs within the Redcastle goldfield, and for this reason the drilling completed did not always intersect the quartz veined sections. Apart from the quartz veined material that was mined historically, there exist siliceous pyritic sandstones and heavily fractured limonitic siltstones that can also be auriferous.

Hole BCD11 was drilled at the southern end of the main reef and the intersection of 7 metres at 1.76 g/t gold is associated with a diorite dyke and a zone of significant quartz veining at the footwall of the dyke in the host sandstone.

Narrow high-grade zones were intersected in BCD03 (1 metre at 6.3 g/t gold from 18 metres) and BCD18 (3 metres at 4.26 g/t gold from 19 metres) on two separate reefs, the main reef and the north reef, both of which appear to be shoot types of mineralisation because of the discontinuity along strike which has been established by other drill holes. In the case of both BCD03 and BCD18, no quartz veining was observed in the drill cuttings where gold was found to occur. The gold-mineralised intersections here are associated with limonitic siltstone.

The drilling indicates that there is typically a supergene enriched zone near surface that reaches a vertical depth of around 10 metres. There remains potential for additional supergene enrichment near the water table (approximately 50 metres), and for higher gold grades in deeper primary mineralisation. The three most significant intersections are all on different reefs and each could be investigated further by deeper drilling.

Further exploration could also focus on larger nearby structures that may be the source of the gold mineralisation, such as the Moormbool and Black Cat faults.

Table 1

Significant Intersections from Q1 2019 RAB Drilling at the Black Cat Gold Prospect

EL5433, Victoria, Australia

NB: intersections reported are apparent width with a cut-off grade of 0.3 g/t gold

Hole ID From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Grade g/t gold Reef
BCD01 16 18 2 0.58 North extension
BCD03 18 19 1 6.3 North
BCD08 0 3 3 0.68 Main
BCD11 35 42 7 1.76 Dyke
BCD15 8 9 1 1.08 Main
BCD18 16 19 3 4.26 Main

COMPETENT PERSON STATEMENT

This announcement has been reviewed by Neil Motton BAppSc (Hons), MAusIMM (CP), FSEG, a geological consultant to the Company’s wholly owned subsidiary Mercator Gold Australia Pty Ltd with more than 30 years of professional experience. Mr Motton is a qualified person as that term is defined by the AIM Note for Mining, Oil and Gas Companies.

MARKET ABUSE REGULATIONS (EU) No. 596/2014

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014 (MAR). Upon the publication of this announcement via Regulatory Information Service (RIS), this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

ECR Minerals plc Tel: +44 (0)20 7929 1010
David Tang, Non-Executive Chairman
Craig Brown, Director & CEO

Email: info@ecrminerals.com

Website: www.ecrminerals.com

WH Ireland Ltd Tel: +44 (0)161 832 2174
Nominated Adviser
Katy Mitchell/James Sinclair-Ford
SI Capital Ltd Tel: +44 (0)1483 413500
Broker
Nick Emerson

ABOUT ECR MINERALS PLC

ECR is a mineral exploration and development company. ECR’s wholly owned Australian subsidiary Mercator Gold Australia Pty Ltd has 100% ownership of the Avoca, Bailieston, Creswick, Moormbool and Timor gold exploration projects in central Victoria, Australia and the Windidda gold project in the Yilgarn region, Western Australia.

ECR has earned a 25% interest in the Danglay epithermal gold project, an advanced exploration project located in a prolific gold and copper mining district in the north of the Philippines. An NI43-101 technical report was completed in respect of the Danglay project in December 2015 and is available for download from ECR’s website.

ECR’s wholly owned Argentine subsidiary Ochre Mining has 100% ownership of the SLM gold project in La Rioja, Argentina. Exploration at SLM has focused on identifying small tonnage mesothermal gold deposits which may be suitable for relatively near-term production.

Table 2

Hole Details (MGA94) – Q1 2019 RAB Drilling at the Black Cat Gold Prospect

EL5433, Victoria, Australia

Hole ID Easting Northing Depth Azimuth Dip Location
BCD01 307822 5931871 34 220 -60 NW trench
BCD02 307803 5931848 31 37 -60 NW trench
BCD03 307871 5931678 33 226 -60 North reef
BCD04 307860 5931690 30 225 -60 North reef
BCD05 307958 5931126 20 2 -60 Dyke
BCD06 307813 5931772 24 45 -60 North reef ext.
BCD07 307820 5931780 13 45 -60 North reef ext.
BCD08 307901 5931272 16 25 -60 Main reef
BCD09 307898 5931262 26 20 -60 Main reef
BCD10 307890 5931314 26 225 -60 Main reef
BCD11 307961 5931133 47 10 -60 Dyke
BCD12 307940 5931016 30 215 -60 South reef east end
BCD13 308005 5931113 42 13 -60 Dyke
BCD14 307936 5931145 36 10 -60 Dyke
BCD15 307865 5931340 9 220 -60 Main reef
BCD16 307867 5931343 13 220 -60 Main reef
BCD17 307879 5931330 28 226 -60 Main reef
BCD18 307895 5931302 27 225 -60 Main reef
Total 485

Table 3

Complete Results of Q1 2019 RAB Drilling at the Black Cat Gold Prospect

EL5433, Victoria, Australia

NB: intersections reported are apparent width with a cut-off grade of 0.3 g/t gold

Hole ID From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Grade g/t gold Reef
BCD01 16 18 2 0.58 North extension
BCD02 No significant intersections
BCD03 18 19 1 6.3 North
BCD04 No significant intersections
BCD05 No significant intersections
BCD06 No significant intersections
BCD07 No significant intersections
BCD08 0 3 3 0.68 Main
BCD09 No significant intersections
BCD10 No significant intersections
BCD11 35 42 7 1.76 Dyke
BCD12 No significant intersections
BCD13 No significant intersections
BCD14 No significant intersections
BCD15 8 9 1 1.08 Main
BCD16 No significant intersections
BCD17 No significant intersections
BCD18 16 19 3 4.26 Main

ECR Minerals #ECR – Annual Financial Report & Notice of AGM

ECR Minerals plc is pleased to announce its audited financial statements for the year ended 30 September 2018. The information presented below has been extracted from the Company’s Annual Report and Accounts 2018.

Copies of the Annual Report and Accounts 2018 together with a notice of annual general meeting will be posted to shareholders today and will be available shortly on the Company’s website www.ecrminerals.comand from the Company’s registered office at Unit 117, Chester House, 81-83 Fulham High Street, Fulham Green, London SW6 3JA. The text of the notice of annual general meeting is provided below.

Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014 (MAR). Upon the publication of this announcement via Regulatory Information Service (RIS), this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

ECR Minerals plc Tel: +44 (0)20 7929 1010
David Tang, Non-Executive Chairman
Craig Brown, Director & CEO
Email:info@ecrminerals.com
Website: www.ecrminerals.com
WH Ireland Ltd Tel: +44 (0)161 832 2174
Nominated Adviser
Katy Mitchell/James Sinclair-Ford
SI Capital Ltd Tel: +44 (0)1483 413 500
Broker
Nick Emerson

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This announcement may include forward looking statements. Such statements may be subject to numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and therefore actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements. Any forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as of the date hereof (unless stated otherwise) and, except as may be required by applicable laws or regulations (including the AIM Rules for Companies), the Company disclaims any obligation to update or modify such forward-looking statements because of new information, future events or for any other reason.

The Directors of ECR Minerals plc (the “Directors” or the “Board”) present their report and audited financial statements for the year ended 30 September 2018 for ECR Minerals plc (“ECR”, the “Company” or the “Parent Company”) and on a consolidated basis (the “Group”)

Chairman’s Statement

Over the past year, ECR has continued to advance and augment its portfolio of gold exploration projects in Australia, which is one of the world’s principal gold producers and one of the foremost destinations for global mining investment.

During the financial year ended 30 September 2018 and since the year-end the Company’s wholly owned Australian subsidiary Mercator Gold Australia Pty Ltd (“MGA”) has carried out extensive exploration work in the state of Victoria, with drilling completed at two prospects in the Avoca gold project area during calendar year 2018, followed by drilling at the Creswick gold project in February 2019, and at the Blue Moon and Black Cat prospects in the Bailieston gold project area later the same month. The results of these programmes are discussed in the Chief Executive Officer’s report, to the extent which they are available. I am pleased to note that drilling results announced to date have included some significant intercepts at Blue Moon, the most exciting being 2 metres at 17.87 g/t gold from 57 metres downhole in BBM007, within a zone of 15 metres at 3.81 g/t gold from 51 metres.

In late 2018, the Group moved into another world-class Australian gold province, the Yilgarn Craton in Western Australia. MGA has made nine exploration licence applications over a 1,600 square kilometre land package which has been identified as a potential greenstone-hosted orogenic gold exploration opportunity with significant potential to contain Archaean greenstones buried beneath Permian cover sequences of the Canning Basin.

Importantly, ECR is moving forward from a position of financial strength, having raised £1.35 million (before costs) during calendar year 2018, and with the potential for more than £2 million of further funding to come into the Company through the exercise of warrants issued to investors as part of those fundraisings.

I would like to welcome Sam Garrett to the Board as a non- executive director. Mr Garrett, who is a resident of Australia, holds a Bachelor of Science degree with First Class Honours in Geology and a Master of Economic Geology degree, both from the University of Tasmania. He also holds a Master of Applied Finance degree from Macquarie University in Australia. Mr Garrett has over 30 years of exploration management, project assessment and operational experience working for large multi-national and junior mining and exploration companies in ten countries including Australia, Argentina and the Philippines. I am sure that Sam has a valuable contribution to make as a director of ECR.

Christian Dennis resigned as a non-executive director of the Company in July 2018, to focus on his other business interests. The Board would like to thank Christian for his service as a director of ECR and wish him well for the future.

Pleasingly, the gold price has made a healthy start to 2019 by returning to levels in excess of USD 1,300 per troy ounce, and we are hopeful that macroeconomic conditions will see the price rise further in the near future. Regardless, the Board remains confident in ECR’s strategic objective of discovering a multi-million ounce gold deposit, and we look forward to reporting further progress towards this goal.

Chairman

28 March 2019

Chief Executive Officer’s Report

The Group’s concentration on gold exploration in the state of Victoria, Australia, continued apace during the year, as did the exploration boom across the Victorian gold province as a whole. The latter has been driven in large part by the success story which has unfolded at the Fosterville gold mine, which produced more than 350,000 ounces of gold in 2018 and is firmly established as Victoria’s largest gold producer.

At the same time, we have expanded our footprint to Western Australia by applying for a package of nine exploration licences in the Yilgarn Craton, which comprise the Windidda gold project, and maintained our presence in Argentina at the SLM gold project in La Rioja Province.

We are also continuously evaluating potential new opportunities and will engage with those, such as the Windidda project, that we determine may have the potential to enable the achievement of ECR’s primary strategic objective, which is to generate value for shareholders through the discovery of a multi-million ounce gold deposit.

By convention, much of this Chief Executive Officer’s Report relates to activities which have taken place after 30 September 2018. Diamond drilling at the Bung Bong, Monte Christo and Blue Moon prospects was completed prior to the year-end, as was rock-chip sampling in the Byron and Cherry Tree areas. Reverse circulation (RC) drilling at Blue Moon and the Creswick project and rotary air blast (RAB) drilling at the Black Cat prospect has taken place in the current financial year.

GOLD EXPLORATION IN VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA

In Victoria, ECR’s wholly owned Australian subsidiary Mercator Gold Australia Pty Ltd (“MGA”) has 100% ownership of six exploration licences: Avoca (EL5387), Bailieston (EL5433), Creswick (EL006184), Moormbool (EL006280 and EL006913) and Timor (EL006278).

MGA has pending applications for four further exploration licences, two south and south west of the existing licence at Creswick; and two others in the vicinity of the Bailieston and Moormbool project areas, to secure available ground south and south east of a licence applied for by Newmont Exploration Pty Ltd.

In early February 2019, MGA commenced a reverse circulation (RC) drilling programme at Creswick, which was followed by a second RC programme at the Blue Moon prospect in the Bailieston gold project area. In parallel, a rotary air blast (RAB) programme was carried out at the Black Cat prospect, which is also within the Bailieston gold project area.

The Company announced assay results in respect of three holes drilled at Blue Moon on 14 March 2019, with results from a further nine holes expected to be announced soon. Assay results from drilling at Black Cat and Creswick are also expected to be announced in the near future. From the announced Blue Moon results, significant intersections included 2 metres at 17.87 g/t gold from 57 metres down hole in BBM007, within a zone of 15 metres at 3.81 g/t gold from 51 metres.

Bailieston Gold Project – EL5433

The Bailieston project is at the epicentre of the current gold exploration boom in Victoria, being located close to the highly successful Fosterville mine owned by Kirkland Lake Gold. This point is underlined by the arrival of Newmont Exploration in the district with an application for ground immediately to the north of the Black Cat prospect.

Blue Moon Prospect

The focus of activities in the Bailieston project area for the past year has been the Blue Moon prospect. This was identified as a high priority prospect in early 2018 when Dr Rodney Boucher, an experienced Victorian gold geologist, commenced a review of all available data on MGA’s exploration licences (at that time numbering four licences), complemented by geological mapping and geochemical surveys in selected areas. The purpose of this work was to help define targets for a diamond drilling programme extending across a number of MGA’s prospects.

The geochemical surveys utilised a portable XRF to delineate proxy minerals associated with gold. An arsenic- anomalous zone up to 40 metres wide and more than 200 metres long was identified at Blue Moon, and previous work showed anomalism over a further 150 metres to the west. Previous rock chip samples included results of 12.1, 10.1 and 7.0 g/t gold, and previous soil surveys identified gold to 5.0 g/t.

The diamond drilling at Blue Moon was intended to test the arsenic and antimony anomalies identified by the soil geochemical survey completed by MGA in early 2018. Positive results from the drilling were announced in July 2018.

Diamond drill holes BBM001 and BBM002 were designed to establish the dip of the host sandstones and assess the potential for gold mineralisation. Intercepts of 5.45 metres at 0.12 g/t gold from 33.95 metres and 10.0 metres at 0.16 g/t Au from 43.8 metres were obtained in BBM001 and BBM002, respectively. Upon drilling faulted, stockworked sandstone in the first two holes, BBM003 was drilled down dip to test the nature of the cross-cutting faults and veins and to obtain a large number of samples for analysis. An intercept of 39.5 metres at 0.3 g/t gold from 24.2 metres, including 2.7 metres at 1.12 g/t gold from 60 metres, was obtained in BBM003. Intersections given in this paragraph are apparent width.

The gold mineralisation intersected is hosted in an approximately 5.5 metre wide medium-grained sandstone within a thick bioturbated shale. Diorite sills have intruded along the margins of the sandstone. The sandstone is metamorphosed to quartzite and the brittle host showed stockwork vein development in each of the three holes. Small iron-oxide pseudomorphs thought to be of arsenopyrite and pyrite were disseminated throughout the quartzite. Deep weathering of the sandstone meant that no samples of fresh rock could be obtained from the diamond drill holes to verify the minerals.

The high repeatability of the assay results from MGA’s diamond drilling at Blue Moon supports the hypothesis that the prospect is a disseminated gold occurrence comparable to some of the mineralisation exploited at the Fosterville mine approximately 50km away.

Given the deep weathering and the potential for gold depletion in the oxidised sulphides, it was considered possible that higher grades would be encountered at depth in the fresh (un-weathered) rock. Obtaining samples from fresh rock was a key objective of the drilling completed at Blue Moon in February 2019.

The twelve reverse circulation (RC) holes (BBM004-15) completed at Blue Moon by MGA aimed to intercept the sandstone on 50 metre spacing across three sections and to gain samples from beneath the oxide zone.

Assay results have been announced for holes BBM007, BBM006 and BBM004, and have shown both high grade intervals and significant widths of anomalous gold grades. As well as 2 metres at 17.87 g/t gold from 57 metres down hole in BBM007, within a zone of 15 metres at 3.81 g/t gold from 51 metres, an intersection of 3 metres at 3.88 g/t gold from 170 metres down hole within a zone of 11 metres at 2.42 g/t gold from 169 metres in hole BBM006 has been announced. Intersections given in this paragraph are apparent width.

These results indicate that a high grade zone exists within the target sandstone host. Further drill results and interpretation will be required to understand any concentration of mineralisation within shoots.

The base of the oxide zone was at 64 metres in BBM007 within the host sandstone. Visible gold was seen in three samples (3 metres at 13.4 g/t gold from 57-60 metres) and it is possible these are elevated gold values as a result of supergene enrichment close to the base of the oxide zone. BBM004 & 6 intercepted the host sandstone beneath the oxide zone. Logging recorded estimates of up to 4% pyrite and 2% arsenopyrite with minor quartz. No visible gold was seen in these samples.

In addition to Blue Moon, two further prospects with similar characteristics at surface, namely anomalous arsenic and broad areas of quartz float, have been identified within an approximately 3km radius. MGA will be further assessing these prospects, referred to as Red Moon and Yellow Moon, in the months to come.

Black Cat Prospect

Black Cat is among the high priority targets identified by the geophysical interpretation and targeting study completed for MGA by Terra Resources in late 2017 and has not been previously drilled. The prospect is immediately south of ground recently applied for by Newmont Exploration and contains 220 metres of historical workings along three known lines of quartz reef. Strong gold-in-soil anomalism in some areas indicates unworked reefs may remain to be discovered, and rock chip sampling of quartz-poor material indicates potential for disseminated gold. Rock chip samples at Black Cat have returned encouraging grades up to 11.3 g/t gold.

Rotary air blast (RAB) drilling is a low cost method well suited to the first pass testing required at Black Cat, and a 450 metre RAB programme commenced in February 2019.

Other Prospects at Bailieston

Away from Black Cat and the ‘Moon’ prospects, exploration work at Bailieston included 151 surface rock chip samples to help assess targets in the Byron and Cherry Tree areas, which contain numerous northwest trending quartz reefs, including the Byron, Scoulars and Maori reefs that were drilled by MGA in 2017. Of these samples, 51 returned gold grades in excess of 0.5 g/t, with the highest being 67.4 g/t. Of the high grade samples, 26 were re-assayed in accordance with common QA/QC practice, and the repeat assays demonstrated good consistency with the first round of assays.

Creswick Gold Project – EL006184

The Creswick project targets gold mineralisation hosted within the Dimocks Main Shale (DMS), which extends over a 15km trend from the mining centre of Ballarat to the south, approximately 7km of which is covered by EL006184 and MGA’s two exploration licence applications. In the project area, the DMS is an approximately 25 metre wide shale containing bedding and cleavage-parallel auriferous quartz veins. Only two holes have previously been drilled to test the DMS within EL006184, both in the 1990s. The results of this drilling included an intercept of 2 metres at 12.28 g/t gold. The best previous drill intercept into the DMS elsewhere is 2 metres at 176 g/t gold.

Avoca Gold Project – EL5387

MGA drill-tested two gold prospects in the Avoca project area in April and May 2018, also following Dr Boucher’s data review, mapping and geochemical surveying. Five holes were completed at the Bung Bong prospect using a diamond core rig. Thereafter, the rig moved to the Monte Christo prospect, where two holes were drilled. Assay results were announced in early June 2018.

All five holes at Bung Bong and the two holes at Monte Christo fulfilled their intended purpose, which was to test the structural architecture of the target areas. The holes were the first ever drilled at both Bung Bong and Monte Christo, and gold mineralisation was intersected at both prospects, although no high-grade shoots were encountered.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Windidda Gold Project

In December 2018, MGA submitted nine contiguous exploration licence applications covering a 1,600 square kilometre package of ground prospective for gold mineralisation in the Yilgarn region of Western Australia, east of the town of Wiluna. The application package is to be known as the Windidda gold project.

Archaean greenstones host many of Western Australia and the world’s most prolific gold deposits, and the Windidda applications cover a significant proportion of an identified gravity-magnetic trend with known gold prospects along trend in outcropping greenstone to the south (outside the application areas).

The under-cover greenstone gold exploration model has been successfully tested by Greatland Gold (LON:GGP) at its Ernest Giles project located approximately 125km east of the Windidda project.

Previous exploration within the Windidda project area has targeted base metal and manganese deposits within the cover sequences. Gravity and magnetic anomalies interpreted to be hosted in greenstone units beneath the cover have not been targeted. These targets are expected to be amenable to aircore drilling to enable rapid assessment of potential for gold mineralisation, after the exploration licences are granted.

Iceberg Gold Project

The Company secured an option over the Iceberg project in Western Australia in August 2018, but after completing its due diligence, elected not to proceed with the acquisition.

FINANCIAL RESULTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2018

For the year to 30 September 2018 the Group recorded a total comprehensive expense of £721,460, compared with £562,649 for the year to 30 September 2018.

The largest contributor to the total comprehensive expense was the line item “other administrative expenses”, which represents the costs of operating the Group and carrying out exploration at its projects, where these costs are ineligible for capitalisation under applicable accounting standards.

The Group’s net assets at 30 September 2018 were £3,651,545, in comparison with £3,735,225 at 30 September 2017. The decrease is due to increased exploration assets as a result of the capitalisation of exploration expenditure during the year being offset by a reduction in cash and cash equivalents.

Craig Brown

Chief Executive Officer

Independent Auditor’s Report

For the year ended 30 September 2018

Independent Auditor’s Report to the Members of ECR Minerals Plc

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of ECR Minerals Plc (the ‘parent company’) and its subsidiaries (the ‘group’) for the year ended 30 September 2018 which comprise the Consolidated Income Statement, the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income, the Consolidated and Parent Company Statement of Financial Position, the Consolidated and Parent Company Statements of Changes in Equity, the Consolidated and Parent Company Statements of Cash Flows and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) as adopted by the European Union and as regards the parent company financial statements, as applied in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006.

In our opinion:

  • the financial statements give a true and fair view of the state of the group’s and of the parent company’s affairs as at 30 September 2018 and of the group’s and parent company’s loss for the year then ended;
  • the group financial statements have been properly prepared in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the European Union;
  • the parent company financial statements have been properly prepared in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the European Union and as applied in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006; and
  • the financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the group and parent company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard as applied to listed entities, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the ISAs (UK) require us to report to you where:

  • the directors’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is not appropriate; or
  • the directors have not disclosed in the financial statements any identified material uncertainties that may cast significant doubt about the group’s or the parent company’s ability to continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting for a period of at least twelve months from the date when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our application of materiality

The scope of our audit was influenced by our application of materiality. The quantitative and qualitative thresholds for materiality determine the scope of our audit and the nature, timing and extent of our audit procedures. Group materiality was £60,000 based upon gross assets and the loss before tax. The Parent Company materiality was £55,000 based upon gross assets and the result for the year. For each component in the scope of our group audit, we allocated a materiality that is either equal to or less than our overall group materiality.

An overview of the scope of our audit

As part of designing our audit, we determined materiality and assessed the risk of material misstatement in the financial statements. In particular, we looked at areas involving significant accounting estimates and judgement by the Directors and considered future events that are inherently uncertain. As in all of our audits, we also addressed the risk of management override of internal controls, including among other matters consideration of whether there was evidence of bias that represented a risk of material misstatement due to fraud. The Australian and Argentinian subsidiary undertakings represent the principal business units within the Group, upon which we performed audit procedures directly on significant accounts based on size or risk profile to the Group. A full scope audit was undertaken on the financial statements of the Parent Company.

Key audit matters

Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgment, were of most significance in our audit of the financial statements of the current period and include the most significant assessed risks of material misstatement (whether or not due to fraud) we identified, including those which had the greatest effect on: the overall audit strategy, the allocation of resources in the audit; and directing the efforts of the engagement team. This matter was addressed in the context of our audit of the financial statements as a whole, and in forming our opinion thereon, and we do not provide a separate opinion on this matter.

Key Audit Matter How the scope of our audit responded to the key audit matter
Recoverability of intangible assets – exploration and development costs (refer note 10)

The carrying value of intangible assets as at 30 September 2018 is £2,859,474 which comprises exploration and development projects in Australia, Argentina and the Philippines. The carrying value of these intangible assets are tested annually for impairment. There is a risk that the carrying value of these early stage projects is impaired and that the exploration and development expenditure

capitalised during the year is not in accordance with IFRS 6.

The carrying value of all early stage exploration and development projects were assessed and tested in accordance with the following criteria:

  • The Group holds good title to the licence areas;
  • The Group has planned and budgeted for further expenditure for mineral resources in the licence areas; and
  • Exploration and development work undertaken to date has indicated the existence of commercially viable quantities of mineral resource.

We undertook substantive testing on capitalised expenditure during the year to ensure it satisfied the criteria under IFRS 6.

We discussed with management the scope of their future budgeted and planned expenditure on each licence area.

As disclosed in note 10 to the financial statements, the Group has not formally acquired title to its 25% interest in Cordillera Tiger Gold Resources, Inc (“Cordillera”) which is the holder of the exploration permit for the Danglay gold project in the Philippines. The conditions for the

earn-in have been satisfied but the relevant shareholding has yet to be issued, despite the Board of Cordillera authorising the issue. In addition, the exploration permit for the Danglay gold project held by Cordillera expired on 30 September 2015. Cordillera is currently waiting

for the Philippine authority to formally grant its renewal application. This indicates the existence of a material uncertainty over the recoverability of the carrying value of the Danglay gold project, which amounted to £1,176,729 as at 30 September 2018.

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The directors are responsible for the other information. Our opinion on the group and parent company financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information.

If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

  • the information given in the strategic report and the directors’ report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and
  • the strategic report and the directors’ report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the group and the parent company and their environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the strategic report or the directors’ report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

  • adequate accounting records have not been kept by the parent company, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
  • the parent company financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
  • certain disclosures of directors’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or
  • we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.

Responsibilities of directors

As explained more fully in the directors’ responsibilities statement, the directors are responsible for the preparation of the group and parent company financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the directors determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the group and parent company financial statements, the directors are responsible for assessing the group’s and the parent company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to liquidate the group or the parent company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: http://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone, other than the company and the company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

David Thompson (Senior statutory auditor)

For and on behalf of PKF Littlejohn LLP

Statutory auditor

28 March 2019 Consolidated Income Statement

For the year ended 30 September 2018

Year ended Year ended
30 September 2018 30 September 2017
Note £ £
Continuing operations

Other administrative expenses

(544,521)

(509,545)

Currency exchange differences (6,912) (3,186)
Total administrative expenses (551,433) (512,731)

Operating loss

3

(551,433)

(512,731)

Loss on disposal of investment (1)
Fair value movements – available for sale financial asset 9 (971) 1,255
(552,404) (511,477)

Financial income

7

1,386

353

Financial expense 1,000
Finance income and costs 2,386 353

Loss for the year before taxation

Income tax

5

(550,018)

(511,124)

Loss for the year from continuing operations (550,018) (511,124)
Loss for the year – all attributable to owners of the parent (550,018) (511,124)

Earnings per share – basic and diluted

On continuing operations

4

(0.21)p

(0.31)p

The Company has elected to take the exemption under section 408 of the Companies Act 2006 from presenting the parent company profit and loss account. The loss for the parent company for the year was £373,149 (2017: £208,774 loss).

Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income

For the year ended 30 September 2018

Year ended Year ended
30 September 2018 30 September 2017
£ £
Loss for the year (550,018) (511,124)
Items that may be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss

Loss on exchange translation

(171,442)

(51,524)

Other comprehensive expense for the year (171,442) (51,524)
Total comprehensive expense for the year (721,460) (562,648)

Attributable to:- Owners of the parent

(721,460)

(562,648)

The notes on pages 26 to 41 are an integral part of these financial statements.

Consolidated & Company Statement of Financial Position

At 30 September 2018

Group

Company

30 September

30 September

30 September

30 September

Note

2018

£

2017

£

2018

£

2017

£

Assets
Non-current assets
Property, plant and equipment 8 3,033 8,694 1,764 7,020
Investments in subsidiaries 9 852,728 852,170
Intangible assets 10 2,859,474 2,668,747 2,256,309 2,180,312
Other receivables 11 538,494 240,970
2,862,507 2,677,441 3,649,295 3,280,472

Current assets

Trade and other receivables 11 79,413 54,888 471,670 281,901
Available for sale financial assets 9 21,299 22,269 21,299 22,269
Cash and cash equivalents 12 781,142 1,082,994 749,025 1,046,787
881,854 1,160,151 1,241,994 1,350,957
Total assets 3,744,361 3,837,592 4,891,289 4,631,429

Current liabilities

Trade and other payables 14 92,816 102,367 75,662 80,432
92,816 102,367 75,662 80,432
Total liabilities 92,816 102,367 75,662 80,432
Net assets 3,651,545 3,735,225 4,815,627 4,550,997
Equity attributable to owners of the parent
Share capital 13 11,283,756 11,282,812 11,283,756 11,282,812
Share premium 13 44,460,171 43,823,335 44,460,171 43,823,335
Exchange reserve (389,501) (218,059)
Other reserves 1,381,998 1,381,998 1,381,998 1,381,998
Retained losses (53,084,879) (52,534,860) (52,310,298) (51,937,148)
Total equity 3,651,545 3,735,225 4,815,627 4,550,997

The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Directors on 28 March 2019 and were signed on its behalf by:

Weili (David) Tang Craig Brown
Non–Executive Chairman Director & Chief Executive Officer

Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity

For the year ended 30 September 2018

Share capital Share premium Exchange reserve Other reserves Retained reserves
(Note 13) (Note 13) Total
£ £ £ £ £ £
Balance at 30 September 2016 11,281,628 42,441,553 (166,535) 1,147,717 (52,023,736) 2,680,627
Loss for the year (511,124) (511,124)
Loss on exchange translation

(51,524) (51,524)

Total comprehensive expense

(51,524) (511,124) (562,648)

Shares issued

1,109

1,552,455 1,553,564

Share issue costs

(84,878) (84,878)

Share based payments

(166,739) 234,281 67,542

Shares issued in payment of creditors

75

80,944

81,019

Total transactions with owners,

recognised directly in equity

1,184

1,381,782

234,281

1,617,247

Balance at 30 September 2017

11,282,812

43,823,335 (218,059)

1,381,998

(52,534,860)

3,735,226

Loss for the year

(550,018)

(550,018)

Gain/loss on exchange translation

(171,442)

(171,442)

Total comprehensive expense

(171,442)

(550,018)

(721,460)

Shares issued

929

649,071

650,000
Share issue costs

(27,220)

(27,220)
Warrants issued in lieu
of finance cost

Shares issued in payment
of creditors
15

14,985

15,000

Total transactions with owners, recognised directly in equity

944

636,836

637,780

Balance at 30 September 2018 11,283,756 44,460,171

(389,501)

1,381,998

(53,084,878)

3,651,546

Company Statement of Changes in Equity

For the year ended 30 September 2018

Share capital Share premium Other reserves Retained reserves
(Note 13) (Note 13) Total
£ £ £ £ £
Balance at 30 September 2016 11,281,628 42,441,553 1,147,717 (51,728,374) 3,142,524
Loss for the year (208,774) (208,774)
Total comprehensive expense (208,774) (208,774)
Shares issued 1,109 1,552,455 1,553,564
Share issue costs (84,878) (84,878)
Share based payments (166,739) 234,281 67,542
Shares issued in payment of creditors 75 80,944 81,019
Total transactions with owners, recognised directly in equity

1,184

1,381,782

234,281

1,617,247

Balance at 30 September 2017 11,282,812 43,823,335 1,381,998 (51,937,148) 4,550,997
Loss for the year (373,149) (373,149)
Total comprehensive expense (373,149) (373,149)
Shares issued 929 649,071 650,000
Share issue costs (27,220) (27,220)
Shares issued in payment of creditors 15 14,985 15,000
Total transactions with owners, recognised
directly in equity 944 636,836

637,780

Balance at 30 September 2018 11,283,756 44,460,171

1,381,998

(52,310,297)

4,815,628

Consolidated & Company Cash Flow Statement

For the year ended 30 September 2018

Group

Company

Year ended 30 September

Year ended 30 September

Year ended 30 September

Year ended 30 September

Note

2018

£

2017

£

2018

£

2017

£

Net cash flow used in operations 21 (563,850) (569,016) (547,730) (511,307)
Investing activities
Purchase of property, plant & equipment (6,174) (4,082)
Increase in exploration assets 10 (302,794) (231,140) (75,998) (104,209)
Investment in subsidiaries (558) (112,070)
Loan to subsidiary (297,524) (133,629)
Interest income 1,386 353 1,268 233
Net cash used in investing activities (301,408) (236,961) (372,812) (353,757)
Financing activities
Proceeds from issue of share capital 622,780 1,468,686 622,780 1,468,686
Net cash from financing activities 622,780 1,468,686 622,780 1,468,686
Net change in cash and cash equivalents (242,478) 662,709 (297,762) 603,622
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the year 1,082,994 471,809 1,046,787 443,165
Effect of changes in foreign exchange rates (59,374) (51,524)
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the year 12 781,142 1,082,994 749,025 1,046,787

Non-cash transactions:

1. Settlement of creditors of £15,000 (2017: £80,994) with ordinary shares.

Notes to the Financial Statements

For the year ended 30 September 2018

1 General information

The Company and the Group operated mineral exploration and development projects. The Group’s principal interests are located in Argentina, the Philippines and Australia.

The Company is a public limited company incorporated and domiciled in England. The registered office of the Company and its principal place of business is Unit 117, Chester House, 81-83 Fulham High Street, Fulham Green, London SW6 3JA. The Company is listed on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange.

2 Accounting policies

Overall considerations

The principal accounting policies that have been used in the preparation of these consolidated financial statements are set out below. The policies have been consistently applied unless otherwise stated.

Basis of preparation

The financial statements of both the Group and the Parent Company have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) and Interpretations issued by the IFRS Interpretations Committee (IFRIC) as adopted by the European Union and with those parts of the Companies Act 2006 applicable to companies reporting under IFRS. These are the standards, subsequent amendments and related interpretations issued and adopted by the International Accounting Standard Board (IASB) that have been endorsed by the European Union at the year end. The consolidated financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, as modified by the revaluation of certain financial instruments. The Directors have taken advantage of the exemption available under Section 408 of the Companies Act 2006 and have not prepared an Income Statement or a Statement of Comprehensive Income for the Company alone.

The Group and Parent Company financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis as explained in the Directors’ Report.

New accounting standards and interpretations

Effective during the year

During the year the Group has adopted the following standards and amendments:

  • Annual Improvements to IFRSs 2014–2016 Cycle
  • Amendments to IAS 12: Recognition of Deferred Tax Assets for Unrealised Losses
  • Amendments to IAS 7: Disclosure Initiative

The adoption of these standards and amendments did not have any impact on the financial position or performance of the Group.

Not yet effective

At the date of authorisation of these Group Financial Statements and the Parent Company Financial Statements, the following Standards, amendments and interpretations were endorsed by the EU but not yet effective:

IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers including amendments to IFRS 15

  • Clarifications to IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers
  • IFRS 9 Financial Instruments
  • IFRS 16 Leases
  • Amendments to IFRS 2: Classification and Measurement of Share-based Payment Transactions
  • IFRIC Interpretation 22 Foreign Currency Transactions and Advance Consideration
  • IFRIC 23 Uncertainty over Income Tax Treatments
  • Amendments to IAS 28 Long-term Interests in Associates and Joint Ventures

In addition to the above there are also the following standards and amendments that have not yet been endorsed by the EU:

  • Annual Improvements to IFRS Standards 2015-2017 Cycle
  • Amendments to IFRS 3 Business Combinations
  • Amendments to IAS 1 and IAS 8 Definition of Material

The Group intends to adopt these standards when they become effective. The introduction of these new standards and amendments is not expected to have a material impact on the Group or Parent Company.

Basis of consolidation

The consolidated financial statements incorporate the financial statements of the Company and two of its subsidiaries made up to 30 September 2018. Subsidiary undertakings acquired during the period are recorded under the acquisition method of accounting and their results consolidated from the date of acquisition, being the date on which the Company obtains control, and continue to be consolidated until the date such control ceases.

The Group controls an entity when the Group is exposed to, or has rights to, variable returns from its involvement with the entity and has the ability to affect those returns through its power over the entity.

Going concern

It is the prime responsibility of the Board to ensure the Group and Company remains a going concern. At 30 September 2018, the Group had cash and cash equivalents of £781,142 and no borrowings. The Group’s financial projections and cash flow forecasts covering a period of at least twelve months from the date of approval of these financial statements show that the Group will have sufficient available funds in order to meet its contracted and committed expenditure. Further details are included in Note 19 to the financial statements. The Directors are confident in the ability of the Group to raise additional funding, if required, from the issue of equity and/or the sale of assets.

Based on their assessment of the financial position, the Directors have a reasonable expectation that the Group and Company will be able to continue in operational existence for the next 12 months and continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing these Financial Statements.

Cash and cash equivalents

Cash includes petty cash and cash held in current bank accounts. Cash equivalents include short–term investments that are readily convertible to known amounts of cash and which are subject to insignificant risk of changes in value.

Property, plant and equipment

Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost, less accumulated depreciation and any provision for impairment losses.

Depreciation is charged on each part of an item of property, plant and equipment so as to write off the cost of assets less the residual value over their estimated useful lives, using the straight–line method. Depreciation is charged to the income statement. The estimated useful lives are as follows:

Office equipment 3 years
Furniture and fittings 5 years
Machinery and equipment 5 years

Expenses incurred in respect of the maintenance and repair of property, plant and equipment are charged against income when incurred. Refurbishments and improvements expenditure, where the benefit is expected to be long lasting, is capitalised as part of the appropriate asset.

An item of property, plant and equipment ceases to be recognised upon disposal or when no future economic benefits are expected from its use or disposal. Any gain or loss arising on cessation of recognition of the asset (calculated as the difference between the net disposal proceeds and the carrying amount of the asset) is included in the income statement in the year the asset ceases to be recognised.

Exploration and development costs

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 in the period in which the event occurs. 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 testing

Individual assets are tested for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may exceed its recoverable amount, being the higher of net realisable value and value in use. Any such excess of carrying value over recoverable amount or value in use is taken as a debit to the income statement.

Intangible exploration assets are not subject to amortisation and are tested annually for impairment.

Provisions

A provision is recognised in the Statement of Financial Position when the Group or Company has a present legal or constructive obligation as a result of a past event, and it is probable that an outflow of economic benefits will be required to settle the obligation. If the effect is material, provisions are determined by discounting the expected future cash flows at a pre–tax rate that reflects current market assessments of the time value of money and, where appropriate, the risks specific to the liability.

Leased assets

In accordance with IAS 17, leases in terms of which the Group or Company assumes substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership are classified as finance leases. All other leases are regarded as operating leases and the payments made under them are charged to the income statement on a straight line basis over the lease term.

Taxation

There is no current tax payable in view of the losses to date.

Deferred income taxes are calculated using the Statement of Financial Position liability method on temporary differences. Deferred tax is generally provided on the difference between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities and their tax bases. However, deferred tax is not provided on the initial recognition of goodwill or on the initial recognition of an asset or liability unless the related transaction is a business combination or affects tax or accounting profit. Deferred tax on temporary differences associated with shares in subsidiaries and joint ventures is not provided if reversal of these temporary differences can be controlled by the Company and it is probable that reversal will not occur in the foreseeable future.

In addition, tax losses available to be carried forward as well as other income tax credits to the Company are assessed for recognition as deferred tax assets.

Deferred tax liabilities are provided in full, with no discounting. Deferred tax assets are recognised to the extent that it is probable that the underlying deductible temporary differences will be able to be offset against future taxable income. Current and deferred tax assets and liabilities are calculated at tax rates that are expected to apply to their respective period of realisation, provided they are enacted or substantively enacted at the Statement of Financial Position date.

Changes in deferred tax assets or liabilities are recognised as a component of tax expense in the income statement, except where they relate to items that are charged or credited directly to equity, in which case the related current or deferred tax is also charged or credited directly to equity.

Investments in subsidiaries

Subsidiaries are entities controlled by the Group. The Group controls an entity when it is exposed to, or has rights to, variable returns from its involvement with the entity and has the ability to affect those returns through its power over the entity.

The investments in subsidiaries held by the Company are valued at cost less any provision for impairment that is considered to have occurred, the resultant loss being recognised in the income statement.

Equity

Equity comprises the following:

  • “Share capital” represents the nominal value of equity shares, both ordinary and deferred.
  • “Share premium” represents the excess over nominal value of the fair value of consideration received for equity shares, net of expenses of the share issues.
  • “Other reserves” represent the fair values of share options and warrants issued.
  • “Retained reserves” include all current and prior year results, including fair value adjustments on available for sale financial assets, as disclosed in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income.
  • “Exchange reserve” includes the amounts described in more detail in the following note on foreign currency below.

Foreign currency translation

The consolidated financial statements are presented in pounds sterling which is the functional and presentational currency representing the primary economic environment of the Group.

Foreign currency transactions are translated into the respective functional currencies of the Company and its subsidiaries using the exchange rates prevailing at the date of the transaction or at an average rate where it is not practicable to translate individual transactions. Foreign exchange gains and losses are recognised in the income statement.

Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in a foreign currency are translated at the rates ruling at the Statement of Financial Position date.

The assets and liabilities of the Group’s foreign operations are translated at exchange rates ruling at the Statement of Financial Position date. Income and expense items are translated at the average rates for the period. Exchange differences are classified as equity and transferred to the Group’s exchange reserve. Such differences are recognised in the income statement in the periods in which the operation is disposed of.

Share–based payments

The Company operates equity–settled share–based remuneration plans for the remuneration of some of its employees. The Company awards share options to certain Company Directors and employees to acquire shares of the Company. Additionally, the Company has issued warrants to providers of loan finance.

All goods and services received in exchange for the grant of any share–based payment are measured at their fair values. Where employees are rewarded using share–based payments, the fair values of employees’ services are determined indirectly by reference to the fair value of the instrument granted to the employee. The fair value is appraised at the grant date and excludes the impact of non–market vesting conditions. Fair value is measured by use of the Black Scholes model. The expected life used in the model has been adjusted, based on management’s best estimate, for the effects of non–transferability, exercise restrictions, and behavioural considerations.

All equity–settled share–based payments are ultimately recognised as an expense in the income statement with a corresponding credit to “other reserves”.

If vesting periods or other non–market vesting conditions apply, the expense is allocated over the vesting period, based on the best available estimate of the number of share options expected to vest. Estimates are subsequently revised if there is any indication that the number of share options expected to vest differs from previous estimates. Any cumulative adjustment prior to vesting is recognised in the current period. No adjustment is made to any expense recognised in prior years if share options ultimately exercised are different to that estimated on vesting.

Upon exercise of share options the proceeds received net of attributable transaction costs are credited to share capital and, where appropriate, share premium.

A gain or loss is recognised in profit or loss when a financial liability is settled through the issuance of the Company’s own equity instruments. The amount of the gain or loss is calculated as the difference between the carrying value of the financial liability extinguished and the fair value of the equity instrument issued.

Financial instruments

The Group’s financial assets comprise cash and cash equivalents, investments and loans and receivables. Financial assets are assigned to the respective categories on initial recognition, depending on the purpose for which they were acquired. This designation is re–evaluated at every reporting date at which a choice of classification or accounting treatment is available.

The Group’s loans, investments and receivables are non–derivative financial assets with fixed or determinable payments that are not quoted in an active market. Loans and receivables are measured at fair value on initial recognition. After initial recognition they are measured at amortised cost using the effective interest rate method, less any provision for impairment. Any change in their value is recognised in profit or loss. The Group’s receivables fall into this category of financial instruments. Discounting is omitted where the effect of discounting is immaterial. All receivables are considered for impairment on a case–by–case basis when they are past due at the Statement of Financial Position date or when objective evidence is received that a specific counterparty will default.

Investments that are held as available for sale financial assets are financial assets that are not classified in any other categories. After initial recognition, available for sale financial assets are measured at fair value. Any gains or losses from changes in the fair value of the financial asset are recognised in equity, except that impairment losses, foreign exchange gains and losses on monetary items and interest calculated using the effective interest method are recognised in the income statement.

Where there is a significant or prolonged decline in the fair value of an available for sale financial asset (which constitutes objective evidence of impairment), the full amount of the impairment, including any amount previously charged to equity, is recognised in the consolidated income statement. The Directors consider a significant decline to be one in which the fair value is below the weighted average cost by more than 25%. A prolonged decline is considered to be one in which the fair value is below the weighted average cost for a period of more than twelve months.

If an available for sale equity security is impaired, any further declines in the fair value at subsequent reporting dates are recognised as impairments. Reversals of impairments of available for sale equity securities are not recorded through the income statement. Upon sale, accumulated gains or losses are recycled through the income statement.

Financial liabilities, which are measured at amortised cost, and equity instruments are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangements entered into. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the entity after deducting all of its financial liabilities. Any instrument that includes a repayment obligation is classified as a liability.

Where the contractual liabilities of financial instruments (including share capital) are equivalent to a similar debt instrument, those financial instruments are classed as financial liabilities, and are presented as such in the Statement of Financial Position. Finance costs and gains or losses relating to financial liabilities are included in the income statement. Finance costs are calculated so as to produce a constant rate of return on the outstanding liability.

Where the contractual terms of share capital do not have any features meeting the definition of a financial liability then

such capital is classed as an equity instrument. Dividends and distributions relating to equity instruments are debited direct to equity.

Critical accounting estimates and judgements

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with IFRSs requires management to make judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the application of policies and reported amounts of assets and liabilities, income and expenses. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and various other factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis of making the judgements about carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an on–going basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the year in which the estimate is revised if the revision affects only that year or in the year of the revision and future years if the revision affects both current and future years.

The most critical accounting policies and estimates in determining the financial condition and results of the Group are those requiring the greater degree of subjective or complete judgement. These relate to:

  • capitalisation and recoverability of exploration costs (Note 10);
  • share–based payments (Note 6 and Note 13).

3

Operating loss

Year ended
30 September
2018

Year ended
30 September
2017

The operating loss is stated after charging: £ £
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment 5,662 4,653
Operating lease expenses 22,875 24,213
Share–based payments 67,542
Auditors’ remuneration – fees payable to the Company’s auditor for the audit of
the parent company and consolidated financial statements 21,500 21,500

4

Earnings per share

Basic and Diluted

Year ended
30 September

2018

Year ended
30 September

2017

Weighted number of shares in issue during the year 263,542,617 166,559,125

£

£

Loss from continuing operations attributable to owners of the parent (550,018) (511,124)

Basic earnings per share has been calculated by dividing the loss attributable to equity holders of the company after taxation by the weighted average number of shares in issue during the year. There is no difference between the basic and diluted earnings per share as the effect on the exercise of options and warrants would be to decrease the earnings per share.

Details of share options and warrants that could potentially dilute earnings per share in future periods is set out in Note 13.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS DOCUMENT IS IMPORTANT AND REQUIRES YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. If you are in any doubt as to what action you should take, please consult your stockbroker or other independent adviser authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 immediately. If you have recently sold or transferred all of your ordinary shares in ECR Minerals PLC, please forward this document, together with the accompanying documents, as soon as possible either to the purchaser or transferee or to the person who arranged the sale or transfer so they can pass these documents to the person who now holds the shares. If you have sold or transferred only part of your holding of ordinary shares in ECR Minerals PLC, you are advised to consult your stockbroker, bank or other agent through whom the sale or transfer was effected.

ECR MINERALS PLC

(the “Company”)

(Registered in England and Wales No 05079979)

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

NOTICE is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of the Company will be held at the offices of Charles Russell Speechlys LLP, 5 Fleet Place, London EC4M 7RD on 23 April 2019 at 9.00 a.m. for the purpose of considering and, if thought fit, passing Resolutions 1 to 5 as ordinary resolutions, and Resolutions 6 and 7 as special resolutions:

Ordinary Resolutions

1 To receive, consider and adopt the annual accounts of the Company for the year ended 30 September 2018, together with the reports of the directors and auditors thereon.

2 That Samuel James Melville Garrett, a director retiring in accordance with article 79.1.1 of the Company’s articles of association, be elected as a director of the Company.

3 To re-appoint PKF Littlejohn LLP as auditors of the Company, to hold office until the conclusion of the next general meeting at which accounts are laid before the Company.

4 To authorise the audit committee to determine the remuneration of the auditors of the Company.

5 That the directors be generally and unconditionally authorised pursuant to and in accordance with section 551 of the Companies Act 2006 (the “CA 2006”) to exercise all the powers of the Company to allot shares or grant rights to subscribe for, or to convert any security into, shares in the Company up to an aggregate nominal amount of £10,000 provided that this authority shall, unless renewed, varied or revoked by the Company, expire on 30 June 2020 or, if earlier, the date of the next annual general meeting of the Company, save that the Company may, before such expiry, make offers or agreements which would or might require equity securities to be allotted (or treasury shares to be sold) after the authority expires and the directors may allot equity securities (or sell treasury shares) in pursuance of any such offer or agreement as if the authority had not expired.

Special Resolutions

6 That, subject to the passing of Resolution 5, the directors be empowered to allot equity securities (as defined by section 560 of the CA 2006) pursuant to the authority conferred by Resolution 5 for cash, and/or sell treasury shares for cash, as if section 561(1) of the CA 2006 did not apply to any such allotment, provided that this power shall be limited to the allotment of equity

securities of up to an aggregate nominal value of £10,000. The authority granted by this resolution will expire at the conclusion of the Company’s next annual general meeting after this resolution is passed or, if earlier, at the close of business on 30 June 2020 save that the Company may, before such expiry, make offers or agreements which would or might require equity securities to be allotted (or treasury shares to be sold) after the authority expires and the directors may allot equity securities (or sell treasury shares) in pursuance of any such offer or agreement as if the authority had not expired.

7 That the Company be generally and unconditionally authorised for the purposes of section 701 of the CA 2006 to make one or more market purchases (as defined in section 693(4) of the CA 2006) of its ordinary shares with nominal value of £0.00001 each in the Company, provided that:

7.1 the Company does not purchase under this authority more than 44,584,078 ordinary shares;

7.2 the Company does not pay less than £0.00001 for each ordinary share; and

7.3 the Company does not pay more per ordinary share than the higher of (i) an amount equal to 5 per cent. over the average of the middle-market price of the ordinary shares for the five business days immediately preceding the day on which the Company agrees to buy the shares concerned, based on share prices published in the Daily Official List of the London Stock Exchange; and

(ii) the amount stipulated by the regulatory technical standards adopted by the European Commission pursuant to Article 5(6) of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014.

This authority shall continue until the conclusion of the Company’s annual general meeting in 2020 or 30 June 2020, whichever is the earlier, provided that if the Company has agreed before this date to purchase ordinary shares where these purchases will or may be executed after the authority terminates (either wholly or in part) the Company may complete such purchases.

By order of the board

Craig Brown

Director and Company Secretary

Registered Office:

Unit 117, Chester House 81-83 Fulham High Street Fulham Green

London, SW6 3JA 29 March 2019

NOTES ON RESOLUTIONS

The following paragraphs explain, in summary, the resolutions to be proposed at the annual general meeting (the “Meeting”).

Resolution 1: Receipt of the annual accounts

Resolution 1 proposes that the Company’s annual accounts for the period ended 30 September 2018, together with the reports of the directors and auditors on these accounts, be received, considered and adopted.

Resolution 2: Election of Samuel James Melville Garrett

Resolution 2 proposes that Mr Garrett, who was appointed since the last Annual General Meeting of the Company and is retiring in accordance with article 79.1.1 of the Company’s articles of association, be elected as a director of the Company.

Resolution 3: Re-appointment of auditor

Resolution 3 proposes the reappointment of the Company’s existing auditor to hold office until the end of the next annual general meeting.

Resolution 4: Remuneration of auditor

Resolution 4 is to authorise the audit committee of the Company to determine the remuneration of the Company’s auditors.

Resolution 5: Authority to allot shares

Resolution 5 is to renew the directors’ power to allot shares in accordance with section 551 of the CA 2006. The authority granted at the annual general meeting on 24 April 2018 is due to expire on 23 April 2019 (i.e. the proposed date of the forthcoming annual general meeting).

If passed, the resolution will authorise the directors to allot equity securities up to a maximum nominal amount of £10,000, which represents approximately 224% of the Company’s issued ordinary shares as at 28 March 2019 (being the latest practicable date before publication of this document).

If given, these authorities will expire at the annual general meeting in 2020 or on 30 June 2020, whichever is the earlier.

The directors have no present intention to issue new ordinary shares, other than pursuant to the exercise of options or warrants. However, the directors consider it prudent to maintain the flexibility to take advantage of business opportunities that this authority provides.

As at the date of this document the Company does not hold any ordinary shares in the capital of the Company in treasury.

Resolution 6: Disapplication of pre-emption rights

Resolution 6 is to grant the directors the authority to allot equity securities for cash or sell any shares held in treasury otherwise than to existing shareholders pro rata to their holdings, as there may be occasions where it is in the best interests of the Company not to be required to first offer such shares to existing shareholders.

Accordingly, resolution 6 will be proposed as a special resolution to grant such a power and will permit the directors, pursuant to the authority granted by resolution 5, to allot equity securities (as defined by section 560 of the CA 2006) or sell treasury shares for cash without first offering them to existing shareholders in proportion to their existing holdings up to a maximum nominal value of £10,000 representing approximately 224% of the Company’s issued ordinary shares as at 28 March 2019 (being the latest practicable date before publication of this document). If given, this authority will expire at the annual general meeting in 2020 or on 30 June 2020, whichever is the earlier.

Resolution 7: Purchase of own shares

Resolution 7 will be proposed as a special resolution and will give the Company authority to purchase its own shares in the markets up to a limit of 10 per cent. of its issued ordinary share capital. The maximum and minimum prices are stated in the resolution. Your directors believe that it is advantageous for the Company to have this flexibility to make market purchases of its own shares.

Your directors will exercise this authority only if they are satisfied that a purchase would result in an increase in expected earnings per share and would be in the interests of shareholders generally. In the event that shares are purchased, they would either be cancelled (and the number of shares in issue would be reduced accordingly) or, in accordance with the CA 2006, be retained as treasury shares.

If given, this authority will expire at the annual general meeting in 2020 or on 30 June 2020, whichever is the earlier.

As at 28 March 2019, the total number of outstanding options and warrants over ordinary shares in the Company was 309,179,606, which represents approximately 69 per cent. of the Company’s voting rights at that date. If the Company were to purchase its own ordinary shares to the fullest possible extent of its authority from shareholders (existing and being sought), this number of outstanding options and warrants could potentially represent 82 per cent. of the voting rights of the Company as at 28 March 2019.

END.

The ECR Minerals investment case keeps growing as gold continues to shine in Australia – Harry Dacres-Dixon

ECR Minerals investment case keeps growing as gold continues to shine in Australia

by Harry Dacres-Dixon

  • Gold prices on the up
  • Australia breaks production record
  • ECR Minerals promising portfolio
  • New Non-Exec Director to strengthen ECR board
  • A quality portfolio in a first world operating environment

Gold hits March high

Gold has extended its price gains for March, hitting $1,322.48(XAU/USD) at the end of Monday, it’s highest price since February 28th. This growth reflects safe haven demand as investors hedge against worsening global market conditions as a result of creeping concerns over an economic recession in the US, the continued contraction of the German manufacturing sector and the ongoing Brexit saga.

 

Image courtesy of BP Trends

Gold started 2019 strongly, rising above $1,340 on the 19th of February, before prices temporarily crashed down to $1,292 on the 1st of March. The yellow metal has since gone on to shine again, last week posting its third consecutive weekly gain. No real surprise for some though: these returns are simply in line with numerous bullish forecasts for 2019.

Asset management firm Altana Wealth wrote in a note to clients; “We are entering a period of high uncertainty for fundamentals and risk assets and if this were to heighten further, gold could break out substantially, helped by safe-haven flows, lower yields and expectations of a possible return to quantitative easing,” (Reuters).

INTL FCStone analyst wrote; “The dollar has been a bit weaker along with equities. A lot of macro numbers we have been getting have been deteriorating sharply. Central banks, which are already dovish, will be more dovish, which is good for gold,” (Reuters).

Meanwhile Business Insider revealed that central banks have bought more gold than at any time since the end of World War II, as the commodity becomes an increasingly valuable hedge against growing global instability.

2019 set be a record breaker for Australian gold production?

Australia’s gold production hit a record high of 317 tonnes in 2018, according to gold consultancy firm Surbiton Associates who valued the production at A$17.3 billion at the average spot price.

The previous record of 314.5t was set back in 1997. But with 2019 set to be another big year for Australian production, we may not be waiting long for a new record number.

While global gold production in 2019 is expected to be stable, outputs in Australia-Oceania, Europe and Africa are expected to rise.

New Australian production in 2019 is expected to come from a number of projects, including Gold Fields and Gold Road Resources new 300,000oz per annum Gruyere mine in Western Australia and Kirkland Lake Gold’s Fosterville mine in Victoria, which is en-route to a record year of around 600,000oz of gold production for 2019 (Mining Journal);

Australian gold miners have also benefited from the twin effect of rising gold prices and falling value of the Australian dollar. Evolution Mining, Northern Star Resources and Newcrest Mining have also seen their share prices pushed higher (Forbes).

Australia’s biggest gold producer, Newcrest Mining, revealed last month that it had raised its ‘underlying profit in the six months to December 31st by 104% to $168 million ($A237 million) thanks to a 6% increase in gold production and a 13% reduction in costs’ (Forbes).

ECR Minerals quality portfolio

Another company making moves in Australia is AIM listed precious metals exploration and development company ECR Minerals (AIM:ECR).

Focusing their attention on the Central Victorian Goldfields and the Yilgarn Craton in Western Australia, ECR have amassed a growing portfolio, which has not gone unnoticed by the mining industry and investing community, particularly following the appointment this month of Australian mining industry veteran Sam Garrett to the board.

Following oversubscribed fundraising initiatives in 2018, coupled with expected R&D rebates from the Australian government, cash balances are strong and see ECR fully funded through to Q2 2020.

Central Victoria Projects

ECR currently holds five highly prospective projects located geologically within the major orogenic Lachlan Fold Belt in the historically prolific Central Victoria region.

These are Avoca (EL5387) and Bailieston (EL5433) held since 2016; Timor (EL006278) and Moormbool (EL006280) since 2017; and Creswick (EL006184) since early 2018. ECR also applied for three additional tenements around Bailieston and one near Creswick at the end of 2018.

ECR’s Victoria projects are sited close to mines and projects owned by some of the largest gold producers in the world. Fosterville, Australia’s fifth largest gold producer is located just 50km to the west of the Bailieston project, while Newmont Mining has applied for a mining license on ground adjacent to ECR’s Bailieston project.

Drilling Announcements

In Q1 2019, ECR currently has two ongoing drilling campaigns across three prospects in the Victoria region.

The company announced on the 28th of February that a combined 2,461 metres of reverse circulation drilling had been completed in less than a month at the Creswick and Bailieston Blue Moon prospect.

Subsequently high grade gold assay results were reported from the Blue Moon prospect at the Bailieston gold project. Significant intersections reported include 2 metres @ 17.87 g/t gold from 57 metres down hole in BBM007 within a zone of 15 metres at 3.81 g/t gold from 51 metres.

ECR CEO Craig Brown commented: “These results quantify the field geologists’ assessment of visible gold at Blue Moon during drilling of BBM007 and provide great encouragement for the Company and the Bailieston gold project

To achieve an intersection of 17.87g/t gold over 2 metres is notable. But also of significance is that this was part of an intersection of 15 metres at 3.81g/t gold from relatively shallow depth”

ECR also announced on the 4th March that an additional 250 meters of rotary air blast drilling had been completed at the Company’s Black Cat prospect in the Bailieston project area. The 10 target holes were drilled immediately south of territory included in the Newmont Mining license application.

ECR expands Windidda gold project, WA

Despite the high profile nature of their Victoria projects, ECR have remained both ambitious and strategic in their exploration plans. The company announced at the beginning of January that it had applied for 9 new exploration licences covering approximately 1600 km2 in the Yilgarn region, Western Australia.

At the time, Craig Brown said he expected the license applications to be approved within the next three to six months.

The Yilgarn Craton geology is extensively documented. The region is known to host around 30% of the world’s known gold reserves and produces two-thirds of all gold mined in Australia. Unsurprisingly the area attracts more than half of Australia’s minerals exploration expenditure.

As such, ECR have been very lucky to pick up such prospective potential undercover greenstone acreage, in one of the world’s most productive gold provinces.

Sam Garrett ECR’s new Non-Exec Director commented; “This is one of the great provinces of the world and as a consequence the ground position is pretty much flooded, it’s almost impossible to acquire ground.”

New Non-Exec Director to strengthen ECR board

As already stated, ECR announced the appointment of Sam Garrett as the new Non-Executive Director at the end of February, a move that brings substantial credibility to ECR and significantly strengthens the team led by Craig Brown.

With 30 years of exploration management, project assessment and operational experience working for large multi-national and junior mining and exploration companies in ten countries, Mr Garrett is an excellent addition.

Craig Brown commented:“Sam brings extensive geological experience onto the board, not just in Australia but also in South America and the Philippines, where the Company has existing business interests.

The timing of Sam’s appointment is key, as we look to rapidly advance our existing interests and continue to identify new strategic acquisition opportunities.”

A quality portfolio in a first world operating environment

With the yellow metal firmly back in the spotlight and likely to stay put, going digging for gold looks like a no-brainer option for investors, with Australia probably offering the richest cross section of opportunities at this time. With a highly educated workforce, the latest technology, fantastic infrastructure and a pro mining government, Australia is the premier destination for doing business when it comes to gold.

If you’re looking for a gold small cap with experienced management, strong finances and sites that have the potential to deliver big then ECR looks a great buy. Their exciting Victoria projects have already began to demonstrate their huge potential, whilst additional sites in an in demand Western Australia offer a massive opportunity and great potential upside for the company.

‘The company is well resourced and planned exploration only makes a relatively small dent in funds. This implies little to no dilution in the short term. Therefore we have rated ECR Minerals as a Long position with a 12-month target price of GBP 2.5 pence’ (Hallgarten & Company).

 

References

  1. FXStreet– Gold Price Forecast: Why it is rising on US recession fears and the big levels to watch
  2. Bullion Vault– Gold Prices Start 4th Week of Gains as US Yield Curve Inversion Signals Recession
  3. Reuters– PRECIOUS-Gold hits 3-week high as global growth fears lift safe-haven appeal
  4. BloombergIndustry Insiders Bullish on Gold, Forecast of $1585
  5. Business Insider– Central banks are buying the most gold since the end of World War II — here’s why
  6. Mining Journal– New high for Australian gold output
  7. Kitco– Global Gold Mining Expected To Remain Stable In 2019
  8. ForbesRising Gold And Falling Currency Delivers Strong Profits For Australian Gold Miners
  9. Brand Communication– Gold Drilling Update – Creswick & Blue Moon Australia
  10. Brand Communications – High Grade Gold Assays from Drilling at Blue Moon Prospect Victoria, Australia
  11. Brand Communications– ECR Minerals plc (ECR) Gold Drilling Update – Bailieston Black Cat Prospect Victoria Australia
  12. Brand Communications– Central Victoria gold rush revival continues as ECR Minerals applies for licensing at an additional four sites following Newmont’s application a few weeks ago
  13. Brand CommunicationsWindidda gold project to further expand ECR Minerals’ #ECR Australian gold portfolio
  14. Brand CommunicationsECR Minerals #ECR – Experienced Geologist Sam Garrett joins ECR Board as Non-Exec Director
  15. Hallgarten & Company– Initiation of Coverage Research Report for ECR Minerals

Windidda gold project to further expand ECR Minerals’ #ECR Australian gold portfolio

Windidda gold project to further expand ECR Minerals’ Australian gold portfolio      

by Harry Dacres-Dixon

  • ECR expand into Western Australia
  • Yilgarn Craton: Australia’s premier mineral province
  • An exciting prospect for ECR
  • Independent research – 2.5p price target

At the beginning of last month the precious metals exploration and development company, ECR Minerals (AIM:ECR), revealed it had applied for 9 new exploration licences in the Yilgarn region of Western Australia.

Named the Windidda gold project, the applications represent another major push forward by ECR following their successful strategic financings in July and December last year. ECR is now fully funded to develop its burgeoning asset portfolio through to June 2020.

The Windidda land package will complement the company’s already extensive gold portfolio in Victoria, as they press forward with their mission to deliver shareholders the next multi-million ounce gold resource. The Windidda applications, which lie east of the town of Wiluna, cover a total of 523 graticular blocks representing roughly 1,600km2of the Yilgarn Craton.

The area is highlighted as holding the potential to contain significant Archean greenstones, which are known for hosting many of Australia’s and the world’s richest gold deposits.

Craig Brown, CEO of ECR said “I am particularly pleased to announce this strategic move into Western Australia, which, like Victoria, has exceptional gold exploration potential in a first world operating environment.”

“Greenstone-hosted gold trends in the Western Australian Yilgarn province are very tightly held and access to free ground, when it becomes available, is highly competitive.

“So it is very encouraging that ECR has managed to compile a large land position of contiguous tenements covering untested gravity-magnetic anomalies representative of potential greenstone-hosted gold trends.”

Previous exploration in the area has focused on base metal and manganese deposits only. However, pre-existing data from these projects will enhance ECR’s opportunities here.

“There was some work completed in the 1980s and 1990s but they were looking for nickel at the time, and they also found molybdenum. So one of the first things we’re going to do is go over that old information. Because nobody’s ever looked for gold here” says Brown.

This was in part due to the potentially mineralised rocks lying under cover, however ECR believes this cover to be shallow and are hopeful the drilling will be relatively straightforward. ECR plan to use aircore drilling across gravity-magnetic anomaly targets to allow for rapid assessment of the potential for gold mineralisation.

Brown says;“The best way to test it is to do aircore drilling. It’s very cheap at around A$40 or A$50 per metre, including assaying costs, so our plan is to do an aircore programme once we’ve reviewed the existing data.”

This under-cover greenstone gold exploration model has been successfully tested by Greatland Gold (LON:GGP) at its Ernest Giles project located approximately 125 kilometres east of ECR’s Windidda project.

Yilgarn Craton: Australia’s premier mineral province

Metamorphism of the original rock produces a number of green minerals
Metamorphism of the original rock produces a number of green minerals

Evidenced as containing the oldest crust on earth and abundant Archean greenstones, Australia’s Yilgarn Craton is one of the world’s most important gold provinces.

The region has had a history of significant gold production for over a century. Since the 1980s the Yilgarn Craton has re-emerged as one of the world’s premier gold-producing areas and the site of some exceptional exploration successes.

For three decades since 1979, the Archean Yilgarn Craton has sustained a tenfold increase in production and along with Nevada its growth has outperformed all other parts of the world. Across this period over 8000t gold (270 Moz) in the Yilgarn Craton have been discovered. To put this success into perspective, no region has ever had an equivalent period of gold discovery except for South Africa immediately after 1886 and again around 1930–1940s (Phillips et al, 2019).

The Yilgarn Craton is host to around 30% of the world’s known gold reserves and produces two-thirds of all gold mined in Australia. Unsurprisingly the area attracts more than half of Australia’s minerals exploration expenditure.

Many of the richest gold deposits in the world, including Kalgoorlie’s Golden Mile, are hosted in the Yilgarn’s greenstone belts. These exposed packages of ancient volcanic and sedimentary rocks have been metamorphosed over millions of years.

At almost 4km long, 1.5km wide and 500 metres deep, the world-famous Kalgoorlie Super Pit alone produces up to 800,000 ounces of gold per year. The Super Pit is owned by Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines Pty Ltd, a company owned 50:50 by the two of the world’s largest gold mining companies Barrick Gold and Newmont Mining.

Other significant gold deposits in the Yilgarn include Mount Charlotte, Norseman, Wiluna, Sunrise Dam, Sons of Gwalia, St Ives-Kambalda, Tarmoola and Wallaby

The super pit, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia
The super pit, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia

Greatland Gold’s Ernest Giles project, which at 2,000sq km extends over a slightly bigger area than ECR’s Windidda, is believed to hold the potential to deliver the discovery of large +5 million ounce gold camps and 5-10Mt nickel deposits. Meanwhile, Blackham Resources Ltd’s Wiluna mine has produced over 4 million ounces of gold from 20 open pits and 3 underground mines.

In addition to gold, the Yilgarn hosts approximately 20% of the world’s nickel reserves, 80% of the world’s tantalum reserves, and considerable iron ore, copper, zinc and minor lead reserves.

An exciting prospect for ECR

Located in the world-class mining region of Western Australia, known for holding Archean greenstones, ECR’s latest Windidda project looks an exciting addition to an already promising portfolio in Australia. The region’s rich history of producing significant gold deposits and continued expansion over the last 3 decades provides firm evidence of the ongoing potential for new entrants.

“It looks like very prospective territory. Everybody regards Western Australia as a very promising area to work in,” said Brown

The new site will compliment ECR’s Bailieston, Moormbool, Creswick, Timor and Avoca projects. ECR’s Bailieston and Moormbool projects received instant validation of their prospectivity in November after Newmont Gold applied for a license adjacent to Bailieston. ECR also announced last week that an initial four holes had been successfully drilled at its Creswick gold project, with additional drilling also underway at the Black Cat prospect within the Bailieston gold project area.

Independent research – 2.5p price target

This veritable hive of activity is further underpinned by the rising gold price. The yellow metal hit a 7 month high as it broke through the $1,300 mark last Friday, which helps put ECR’s paltry market cap of just £3.7m firmly in bargain territory.

This view is echoed by Hallgarten Equity Research, who in a research note published on February 12th 2019 said; “With over GBP 1.2m in the bank as at the end of last year and R&D rebates expected in from the Australian government, the company is well resourced and planned exploration only makes a relatively small dent in funds. This implies little to no dilution in the short term. Therefore we have rated ECR Minerals as a Long position with a 12-month target price of GBP 2.5 pence.”

 

Sources:

Blackham Resources: http://blackhamresources.com.au/wiluna-mine/

Brand Communications:

http://www.branduk.net/ecr-mineralss-craig-brown-says-new-yilgarn-gold-properties-look-highly-prospective-proactive-investors/

http://www.branduk.net/ecr-minerals-ecr-drilling-update-creswick-gold-project-australia/

http://www.branduk.net/central-victoria-gold-rush-revival-continues-as-ecr-minerals-applies-for-licensing-at-an-additional-four-sites-following-newmonts-application-a-few-weeks-ago/

ECR Minerals: https://www.ecrminerals.com/investors-media/presentations/download?path=ECR%2BWindidda%2BAu%2BProject%2BPresentation.pdf

Geology for Investors: https://www.geologyforinvestors.com/gold-archean-greenstone-belts/

Greatland Gold: https://greatlandgold.com/ernest-giles/

Phillip, G., J.Vearncombe, J., Eshuys, E. (2019). Gold production and the importance of exploration success: Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia. Ore Geology Reviews. Volume 105. Pp. 137-150. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169136818306425

Proactive Investors: https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/211826/ecr-minerals-moves-into-western-australia-211826.html

Hallgarten Equity Research:

http://www.branduk.net/hallgarten-company-produce-initiation-of-coverage-research-report-for-ecr-minerals/

Many of the larger gold deposits of the Archean Yilgarn Craton (Davis et al, 2010) are associated with granite-cored domes. ‘These provided an architecture that focused fluid metals into the upper crust’s depositional sites.’

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