TORONTO & SEOUL, Republic of Korea–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Almonty Industries Inc. (“Almonty” or the “Company”) (TSXV:AII) announces that on January 5, 2016 that its subsidiary, Almonty Korea Tungsten Corporation (“AKTC”) has signed an agreement with Korea Engineering Consultants Corporation (“KECC”) to conduct detailed engineering and design work on a mineral processing plant and mine facilities for a 640,000 tonne per annum tungsten ore processing operation at the Sangdong tungsten mine. Almonty and AKTC are working towards the start of construction in the first half of calendar 2016.
KECC which is an affiliate of Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Holdings conducted basic design work on the project in May 2015 and is now proceeding with detailed design and engineering in support of the agreed to timetable for start of construction.
Sang Cheol Son, Chief Operating Officer of AKTC said, “Despite the many setbacks in the market such as a drop in raw material prices due to the global recession, Almonty and AKTC have been preparing this project consistently in stages with a view of turning the crisis into an opportunity. The agreement with KECC helps us take the first step towards the redevelopment of the Sangdong tungsten mine.”
Lewis Black, Chief Executive Officer of Almonty, commented, “This agreement marks the next step in the process to obtain the final surface permit for the project. All other permits are in place and we expect this study to be completed within 4 months and the surface permit to be issued the following month. This reaffirms our commitment to seeing Sangdong remain on schedule for 2017 commissioning and becoming one of the most significant long-term global sources of tungsten.”
About Almonty Industries Inc.
The principal business of Toronto, Canada-based Almonty Industries Inc. is the mining, processing and shipping of tungsten concentrate from its Los Santos Mine in western Spain and its Wolfram Camp Mine in north Queensland, Australia, and its Panasqueira mine in Portugal as well as the development of the Sangdong tungsten mine in Gangwon Province, Korea and the Valtreixal tin/tungsten project in north western Spain. The Los Santos Mine was acquired by Almonty in September 2011 and is located approximately 50 kilometres from Salamanca in western Spain and produces tungsten concentrate. The Wolfram Camp Mine was acquired by Almonty in September 2014 and is located approximately 130 kilometres west of Cairns in northern Queensland, Australia and produces tungsten and molybdenum concentrate. The Panasqueira mine, which has been in production since 1896, and is located approximately 260 kilometres northeast of Lisbon, Portugal, was acquired in January 2016. The Sangdong mine, which was historically one of the largest tungsten mines in the world and one of the few long-life, high-grade tungsten deposits outside of China, was acquired in September 2015 through the acquisition of a 100% interest in Woulfe Mining Corp. Almonty also has an option to acquire a 100% ownership interest in the Valtreixal tin-tungsten project in northwestern Spain. Further information about Almonty’s activities may be found at www.almonty.com and under Almonty’s profile at www.sedar.com.
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Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information
When used in this press release, the words “will”, “estimate”, “project”, “belief”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “expect”, “plan”, “predict”, “may” or “should” and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. This press release contains forward-looking statements and information. These statements and information are based on management’s beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and reflect Almonty’s current expectations.
Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to: conducting detailed engineering and design work on a 640,000 tonne per annum processing facility; the start of construction in the first half of calendar 2016; completing the study within 4 months; the granting of the final surface permit;commissioning in 2017; and, Sangdong becoming one of the most significant long-term global sources of tungsten. The forward-looking statements and information in this press release include expectations and information relating to the intentions of management. Such statements and information reflect the current view of Almonty with respect to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information.
Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Almonty to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: any specific risks relating to fluctuations in the price of ammonium para tungstate (“APT”) from which the sale price of Almonty’s tungsten concentrate is derived, actual results of mining and exploration activities, environmental, economic and political risks of the jurisdictions in which Almonty’s operations are located and changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, forecasts and assessments relating to Almonty’s business, risks relating to production forecasts and estimates from the Sangdong mining operations, credit and liquidity risks, hedging risk, competition in the mining industry, risks related to the market price of Almonty’s shares, the ability of Almonty to retain key management employees or procure the services of skilled and experienced personnel, risks related to claims and legal proceedings against Almonty and any of its operating mines, risks relating to unknown defects and impairments, risks related to the adequacy of internal control over financial reporting, risks related to governmental regulations, including environmental regulations, risks related to international operations of Almonty, risks relating to exploration, development and operations at Almonty’s tungsten mines, the ability of Almonty to obtain and maintain necessary permits, the ability of Almonty to comply with applicable laws, regulations and permitting requirements, lack of suitable infrastructure and employees to support Almonty’s mining operations, uncertainty in the accuracy of mineral reserves and mineral resources estimates, production estimates from Almonty’s mining operations, inability to replace and expand mineral reserves, uncertainties related to title and indigenous rights with respect to mineral properties owned directly or indirectly by Almonty, the ability of Almonty to obtain adequate financing, the ability of Almonty to complete permitting, construction, development and expansion, challenges related to global financial conditions, risks related to future sales or issuance of equity securities, differences in the interpretation or application of tax laws and regulations or accounting policies and rules.
Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including but not limited to, no material adverse change in the market price of APT, that the Sangdong tungsten mine will be completed in accordance with public statements on time and on budget and achieve its stated production estimates, the continuing ability to fund or obtain funding for outstanding commitments, expectations regarding the resolution of legal and tax matters, no negative change to local Korean laws, the ability to secure local contractors, employees and assistance as and when required and on reasonable terms, the ability to sell the tungsten concentrate produced from the Sangdong tungsten mine and such other assumptions and factors as set out herein. Although Almonty has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results, level of activity, performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and even if events or results described in the forward-looking statements are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, Almonty. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and are cautioned that actual outcomes may vary.
When relying on Almonty’s forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Almonty has also assumed that material factors will not cause any forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors.
THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF ALMONTY AS OF THE DATE OF THIS PRESS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND SHOULD NOT RELY UPON THIS INFORMATION AS OF ANY OTHER DATE. WHILE ALMONTY MAY SO ELECT, IT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS.
