Advanced Explorations Inc. Moves Forward With Restructuring of Its Iron Ore Holdings
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 12/21/12 -- Advanced Explorations Inc. (the "Company" or "AEI") (TSX VENTURE: AXI)(FRANKFURT: AE6) today announced that in furtherance to its press release of February 18, 2012 and following recent discussions with its Board and XinXing Ductile Iron Pipes Group Co. Ltd. ("XDIP") that it plans to transfer its Roche Bay iron ore assets into a holding company that will be 100% held by Advanced Explorations Inc. The Company has reserved the name "Savik Iron Mines Limited" ("Savik") as the name for the holding company which will act as the operating and funding vehicle for Roche Bay. "Savik" is the Inuktitut word for "knife" derived from "savirajak", the word for metal. The Company anticipates utilizing Savik and/or similar structures for the management of its other iron ore assets, and further believes this restructuring will provide added corporate flexibility in the management and direct funding of its various iron ore projects. The intent is to form an independent management team with the appropriate skills sets and experience related to the go forward requirements (construction/operation) of the Roche Bay Project. The Company awaits final direction from its partner XDIP as to how its potential interest in Savik is to be structured.
John Gingerich, President & CEO, commented:
"We have had ongoing discussions with XDIP and a leading Chinese Bank as to the development and structural requirements for the Roche Bay Project. We have determined that the most effective and flexible structure for the future financing and management of the Project is the transfer of AEI's interest into a wholly-owned holding company. In line with our continued commitment to the Roche Bay Framework Agreement with XDIP, the formation of Savik is an important first step towards the progression and essential financing of the Roche Bay Project".
The Company wishes to also announce that it has been assessing new partnering opportunities that were not reviewed as part of the Feasibility Study related to high quality concentrate supply to advanced iron processing facilities (pellet and/or iron reduction plants) located within short shipping distance of Roche Bay. The Company has focused on the mutual benefits that can be derived with a strategic partner willing to establish advanced processing facilities located at sites with access to low cost energy, year-round ice-free shipping and within short haul shipping from Roche Bay. Preliminary review has identified important operational advantages to Roche Bay should a strategic arrangement be completed. Increasing the amount of iron concentrate delivered on short haul routes will result in a corresponding increase of the average netback to the project. In addition, short haul routes provide an opportunity for an optimized shipping solution from Roche Bay. Both these potential factors would positively affect project economics.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
John Gingerich, President & Chief Executive Officer
ABOUT Advanced Explorations Inc.
Advanced Explorations Inc., based in Toronto, Ontario, is a resource development company focused on developing its Roche Bay and Tuktu Iron Ore Projects in one of the world's largest developing iron ore districts, the Melville Peninsula in Nunavut. The Ocean-based Roche Bay Project boasts an NI 43-101 compliant resource estimate of over 500 million tonnes outlined within a small portion of the potential 140 km of banded iron formation. A positive feasibility study for the project's C Zone revealed a net present value of $642M on a base case 5.5 Mtpa start-up concentrate operation and substantial upside potential including becoming a low quartile cost producer. To date, the Company has delineated over 1 billion tonnes of iron under NI 43-101 among its Roche Bay and Tuktu deposits and continues to explore other targeted deposits in areas to the north, south and west of Roche Bay. The management team has extensive technical, exploration and Canadian Arctic mining expertise to effectively develop the high quality iron ore opportunities on the Melville Peninsula.
This news release also includes forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. The information reflects numerous assumptions as to industry performance, general business and economic conditions, regulatory and legal requirements, taxes and other matters, many of which are beyond the control of the company. Similarly, this information assumes certain future business decisions that are subject to change. There can be no assurance that the results predicted here will be realized. Actual results may vary from those represented, and those variations may be material.
This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.
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Contacts:
Advanced Explorations Inc.
(416) 203-0057 x226