SAMREC-Compliant Coal Resource Statement Mabesekwa

Kibo Mining Plc (Incorporated in Ireland)
(Registration Number: 451931)

(External registration number: 2011/007371/10) Share code on the JSE Limited: KBO

Share code on the AIM: KIBO ISIN: IE00B97C0C31

('Kibo' or 'the Company')

 

Dated: 21 June 2018

 

Kibo Mining Plc ('Kibo' or the 'Company')

Maiden SAMREC-Compliant Coal Resource Statement for Mabesekwa Coal Resource

 

Kibo Mining plc (AIM: KIBO; AltX: KBO), the multi-asset Africa focused energy and resource company, is pleased to announce an update on its 85% controlled Mabesekwa Coal Independent Power Project ('MCIPP' or the 'Project') in Botswana, which it is developing with Botswana listed energy company Shumba Energy Limited ("Shumba").  The Project, which is being advanced in tandem with the Company's Mbeya Coal to Power Project ('MCPP') in Tanzania and Benga Independent Power Project ('BIPP') in Mozambique, is a part of Kibo's strategy of building a leading African focused power company.

 

Feasibility studies on the MCIPP and Mabesekwa Coal Resource ("MCR") are advanced, with water and land use permits and environmental certification already in place and a pre-feasibility study ('PFS') on a coal mine and a scoping study on a coal fired thermal power plant completed. The Company has now received a Competent Persons Report ('CPR') on the Project, which includes a SAMREC-compliant Maiden Resource Statement on the excised 300 Mt portion of the MCR ('Kibo Mabesekwa Coal Resource' or 'KMCR').

 

The CPR was completed by independent geological and mining consultancy company, Gemecs (Pty) Ltd of South Africa. The highlights of the report include:

 

·      Maiden Coal Resource Statement for the KMCR indicating total mineable In-situ Coal Resource of 302.9 million tonnes (257.5 Mt attributable to Kibo on an 85% basis) as per the SAMREC categories below (Refer Table 1 below for detailed Coal Resource Statement);

Resource Category	Mineable In-Situ Tonnes (100% basis)	Mineable In-Situ Tonnes (85% attributable)	% of Total
Measured	56.2	47.8	18.6
Indicated	187.0	159.0	61.7
Inferred	59.7	50.7	19.7
Total	302.9	257.5	100

 

·      Results from simple washability indicate that there is potential to lower the ash content, increase the calorific value and lower the total sulphur content by washing the coal at an appropriate density (de-stoning) to maximize coal yields for use in a thermal power plant; and

 

·      Further testing from bulk samples obtained from existing and recently drilled large diameter hotels across the coal deposit (includes MCR and KMCR) by Shumba Energy, has yielded results which demonstrate that favorable coal quality can be achieved through industry standard beneficiation processes.  This will provide suitable coal products for coal to power generation with low sulphur content.

 

Kibo CEO, Louis Coetzee, said: "With a SAMREC compliant 303Mt coal Resource and a confirmed coal quality we have a key pillar completed for the BFS for the MCIPP.  We are working closely with Shumba and have already made progress in bringing this project to fruition.  With water and land use permits and environmental certification in place, as well as a PFS on the coal mine and scoping study on the power plant, we see a clear development path with deliverables that will increase the inherent value of the Project.  We now have three energy projects and are building our strategy of becoming a significant energy player in Africa, utilising our international network of blue-chip companies with the ability to deliver turnkey projects to address the acute African power deficit." 

Technical Summary

Gemecs (Pty) Limited was commissioned by Kibo to undertake a CPR and maiden Resource Statement on the approximate 300 Mt coal resource in which the Company holds an 85% interest obtained from Shumba Energy Limited in a transaction completed in April 2018.  This 300 Mt coal resource (KMCR) was excised from Shumba Energy's larger Mabesekwa Coal Resource (MCR), reported at the time of the transaction to contain 777 Mt. Gemecs used the original existing geological model for the MCR to calculate a maiden Resource Statement for the KMCR to the SAMREC standard as well as reporting on coal quality and other technical tests applicable to processing of both the MCR and KMCR.  These tests were enabled following the recent drilling of 11 wide diameter boreholes for bulk sample collection across the coal deposit.

The SAMREC-compliant maiden Resource Statement for the KMCR is shown in Table 1, while Kibo's attributable interest of 85% is shown on Table 2. Reference to Table 1 shows that the SAMREC-compliant Coal Resource calculated for the KMCR is marginally larger, at nearly 303 Mt, than Kibo's original internal (non-SAMREC) coal resource reported in its RNS of the 3^rd April 2018.

Table 1: Mabesekwa Kibo Resource Statement- SAMREC-compliant Gemecs, 11 June 2018

AREA NAME	AREA (m2)	RESOURCE CLASS	SEAM	GROSS IN SITU TONNES	GEOLOGICAL LOSS %	MINEBALE IN SITU TONNES	SEAM THICKNESS (m)	DEPTH BELOW SURFACE (m)
Mt300	11,556,050	MEASURED	SG	0	5	0
Mt300	11,556,050	INDICATED	SG	0	10	0
Mt300	11,556,050	INFERRED	SG	286,700	15	243,695	4.25	38.7
		TOTAL	SG	286,700		243,695	4.25	38.7
Mt300	11,556,050	MEASURED	SF	71,500	5	67,925	1.85	45.3
Mt300	11,556,050	INDICATED	SF	3,936,000	10	3,542,400	3.25	36
Mt300	11,556,050	INFERRED	SF	106,000	15	90,100	2.59	40.5
		TOTAL	SF	4,113,500		3,700,425	3.21	36.3
Mt300	11,556,050	MEASURED	SE	0	5	0
Mt300	11,556,050	INDICATED	SE	4,547,700	10	409,930	2.22	40.7
Mt300	11,556,050	INFERRED	SE	27,000,600	15	22,950,510	4.29	33.4
		TOTAL	SE	31,548,300		27,043,440	3.99	34.5
Mt300	11,556,050	MEASURED	SD	811,300	5	770,735	4.3	63.4
Mt300	11,556,050	INDICATED	SD	18,401,100	10	16,560,990	3.32	39.9
Mt300	11,556,050	INFERRED	SD	5,086,600	15	4,323,610	2.39	36.6
		TOTAL	SD	24,299,000		21,655,335	3.16	40
Mt300	11,556,050	MEASURED	SC	13,196,900	5	12,537,055	5.82	40.5
Mt300	11,556,050	INDICATED	SC	43,405,100	10	39,064,590	4.91	38
Mt300	11,556,050	INFERRED	SC	8,550,500	15	7,267,925	4.68	33.9
		TOTAL	SC	65,152,500		58,869,570	5.06	38
Mt300	11,556,050	MEASURED	SB	26,782,000	5	25,442,900	6.18	44.5
Mt300	11,556,050	INDICATED	SB	75,963,000	10	68,366,700	5.86	41.4
Mt300	11,556,050	INFERRED	SB	15,522,600	15	13,194,210	5.52	47.7
		TOTAL	SB	118,267,600		107,003,810	5.89	42.9

 

AREA NAME	AREA (m2)	RESOURCE CLASS	SEAM	GROSS IN SITU TONNES	GEOLOGICAL LOSS %	MINEBALE IN SITU TONNES	SEAM THICKNESS (m)	DEPTH BELOW SURFACE (m)
Mt300	11,556,050	MEASURED	SA	18,315,900	5	17,400,105	7.58	49.3
Mt300	11,556,050	INDICATED	SA	61,491,700	10	55,342,530	6.5	47.7
Mt300	11,556,050	INFERRED	SA	13,733,000	15	1,167,050	5.18	51.2
		TOTAL	SA	93,540,600		84,415,685	6.52	48.5
TOTAL COAL ALL SEAMS				337,208,200		302,931,960

 

Table 2: Mabesekwa Kibo Resource Statement- SAMREC-compliant Kibo's 85% attributable interest

AREA NAME	AREA (m2)	RESOURCE CLASS	SEAM	GROSS IN SITU TONNES	GEOLOGICAL LOSS %	MINEBALE IN SITU TONNES	SEAM THICKNESS (m)	DEPTH BELOW SURFACE (m)
Mt300	11,556,050	MEASURED	SG	0	5	0
Mt300	11,556,050	INDICATED	SG	0	10	0
Mt300	11,556,050	INFERRED	SG	243,695	15	207,141	4.25	38.7
		TOTAL	SG	243,695		207,141	4.25	38.7
Mt300	11,556,050	MEASURED	SF	60,775	5	57,736	1.85	45.3
Mt300	11,556,050	INDICATED	SF	3,345,600	10	3,011,040	3.25	36
Mt300	11,556,050	INFERRED	SF	90,100	15	76,585	2.59	40.5
		TOTAL	SF	3,496,475		3,145,361	3.21	36.3
Mt300	11,556,050	MEASURED	SE	0	5	0
Mt300	11,556,050	INDICATED	SE	3,865,545	10	348,441	2.22	40.7
Mt300	11,556,050	INFERRED	SE	22,950,510	15	19,507,934	4.29	33.4
		TOTAL	SE	26,816,055		22,986,924	3.99	34.5
Mt300	11,556,050	MEASURED	SD	689,605	5	655,125	4.3	63.4
Mt300	11,556,050	INDICATED	SD	15,640,935	10	14,076,842	3.32	39.9
Mt300	11,556,050	INFERRED	SD	4,323,610	15	3,675,069	2.39	36.6
		TOTAL	SD	20,654,150		18,407,035	3.16	40
Mt300	11,556,050	MEASURED	SC	11,217,365	5	10,656,497	5.82	40.5
Mt300	11,556,050	INDICATED	SC	36,894,335	10	33,204,902	4.91	38
Mt300	11,556,050	INFERRED	SC	7,267,925	15	6,177,736	4.68	33.9
		TOTAL	SC	55,379,625		4,989,135	5.06	38
Mt300	11,556,050	MEASURED	SB	22,764,700	5	21,626,465	6.18	44.5
Mt300	11,556,050	INDICATED	SB	64,568,550	10	58,111,695	5.86	41.4
Mt300	11,556,050	INFERRED	SB	13,194,210	15	11,215,079	5.52	47.7
		TOTAL	SB	100,527,460		90,953,239	5.89	42.9
Mt300	11,556,050	MEASURED	SA	15,568,515	0.05	14,790,089	7.58	49.3
Mt300	11,556,050	INDICATED	SA	52,267,945	0.1	47,041,151	6.5	47.7
Mt300	11,556,050	INFERRED	SA	11,673,050	0.15	991,993	5.18	51.2
		TOTAL	SA	79,509,510		71,753,332	6.52	48.5
TOTAL COAL ALL SEAMS				286,626,970		257,492,166

 

Technical Notes

Minimum coal seam thickness cut-off = 1 metre

Dry Ash Free Volatile cut-offs (in-situ raw qualities = 26%

 

Coal quality and processing tests were recently undertaken by Shumba Energy on samples from 18 historic drill holes on an approximate 1 km spacing across the coal deposit included ultimate analysis (C-H-N-O), ash fusion temperature (AFT) reducing and oxidising, ash composition analysis (by XRF) and 45 trace elements plus chlorine and fluorine.  Additionally, a total of 23 samples were taken of the six most economical coal seams, from large diameter core holes that were drilled next to existing slim diameter boreholes.  The combined samples yielded a bulk sample mass of 4,459.50kg.  This bulk sample was split into three batches so that various analytical tests could be performed on each and sent to appropriately credited laboratories in Botswana.

 

Table 2 shows the raw air cola dried coal qualities across the standard measures for the KMCR.  The bulk samples were also subject to Dense Medium Separator Tests comprising Cyclone, Drewbody and Spiral tests.  All these tests concluded that a high-quality product for feed to a thermal power plant can be readily obtained with a high product yield of about 85% at a 1.8 g/cc.  A promising result from this work was that sulphur washes out very effectively to a very low percentage at this density.

 

**ENDS**

 

Contacts:

 

For further information please visit www.kibomining.com or contact:

 

 

Louis Coetzee	[email protected]	Kibo Mining Plc	Chief Executive Officer
Andreas Lianos	+27 (0) 83 4408365	River Group	Corporate Adviser and Designated Adviser on JSE
Ben Tadd / Tom Curran	+44 (0) 20 3700 0093	SVS Securities Limited	Joint Broker
Jon Belliss	+44 (0) 20 7399 9400	Novum Securities Ltd	Joint Broker
Andrew Thomson	+61 8 9480 2500	RFC Ambrian Limited	NOMAD on AIM
Isabel de Salis / Priit Piip	+44 (0) 20 7236 1177	St Brides Partners Ltd	Investor and Media Relations Adviser

 

This announcement contains inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) no. 596/2014 ("MAR").

 

 

Notes to editors

Kibo is a multi-asset resource development and energy company with a long-term goal of becoming a leading power producer in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Company aims to tackle the acute power deficit which is severely hindering economic development in the region.

 

To assist in the execution of its power projects, Kibo has assembled an international team of advisors and partners including Engineering Procurement and Construction ('EPC') contractors and financial teams that are assisting in the advancement and development of the MCPP. These include ABSA/Barclays as Financial Advisor, China based EPC contractor SEPCO III, General Electric, Tractebel Engineering (Power), Minxcon Consulting (Mining) and legal advisors Norton Rose Fulbright.

 

Kibo's flagship asset is the Mbeya Coal to Power Project ('MCPP') in Tanzania, which comprises the Mbeya Coal Mine, a 1.5Mt p/a mining operation, and the Mbeya Power Plant, a 300MW mine-mouth thermal power station. The Mbeya Coal Mine has a defined 120.8 Mt NI 43 101 thermal coal resource. A Definitive Feasibility Study has been conducted on the project which underpinned its value and confirmed an initial rate of return of 69.2%. The 300MW mouth-of-mine thermal power station has long term scalability with the potential to become a 1000MW plant. The completed full Power Feasibility Study highlighted a power output target of 1,800 GWh/a based on annual average coal consumption of 1.5Mt. An Integrated Bankable Feasibility Study report for the entire project indicated total potential revenues of US$ 7.5-8.5 billion over an initial 25-year mine life, post tax equity IRR between 21-22%, debt pay-back period of 11-12 years and a construction period of 36 months.

 

Kibo also has an 85% interest in the Mabesekwa Coal Independent Power Project ('MCIPP'), a nearly identical power project in Botswana. The project consists of 300Mt subset of the current in-situ 777Mt Coal Resource and has water and land use permits and environmental certification in place. A Pre- Feasibility Study on the coal mine has been completed, as has a Scoping Study, which highlight the power plant having a maximum capacity of 600MW (4x150MW) based on a coal delivery rate of 3.2Mtpa and a Life of Mine of over 30 years.

 

Furthermore, Kibo also has a Joint Venture agreement with Mozambique energy company Termoeléctrica de Benga S.A. ('Termoeléctrica') to participate in the further assessment and potential development of the Benga Independent Power Project ('BIPP'), including the right to construct and operate a 150-300MW coal fired power station.  Kibo and Termoeléctrica shall hold initial Participation Interests in the unincorporated joint venture of 65% and 35% respectively.

 

Review by Qualified Persons

The information in this announcement that relates to the Mabesekwa Kibo Coal Resource is taken from a CPR report by Mr NJ Denner who is employed by Gemecs (Pty) Ltd as a full-time consulting geologist. Mr NJ Denner, Pr.Sci.Nat, B.Sc Hons (Geology), FGSSA, SEG, is a geologist with 23 years' experience in the South African Mining Industry and a member of South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (Membership No.400060/98). Mr NJ Denner has sufficient experience that is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity being undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2016 Edition of the 'The South African Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (SAMREC)' and for the purposes of the AIM Rules for Companies. Mr NJ Denner consents to the inclusion in this announcement of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears

 

Kibo's Technical Director, Noel O'Keeffe, B.Sc.(Hons) Geology P.Geo and a member of the Institute of Geologists of Ireland, a director of Kibo and a Qualified Person within the meaning of SAMREC and the AIM Rules for Companies has reviewed the CPR report, the Kibo Mabesekwa Coal Resource Statement and the references to them in this announcement.

 

Glossary of Technical Terms

"air-dried"	In equilibrium with a standard environment or with the normal surroundings. Includes inherent (equilibrium) moisture content for coal
"ash"	A measure of the non-combustible material in coal, expressed as a percentage. Determined by proximate analyses tests
"Cut-off grade"	The cut-off grade is the level below which material within an ore body does not contain sufficient value to economically justify processing into a final saleable form
"CV"	Calorific Value. A measure of the heat content of a sample. Normally measured in MJ/kg
"density"	Measure of the relative "heaviness" of objects in terms of constant volume. Density =-mass/volume
"g"	Gram - a metric unit of weight
"IM"	More correctly termed 'equilibrium' moisture. Moisture content bound up in a coal sample which remains after that sample has been air-dried.
"Indicated Resource"	That part of a coal resource for which tonnage, densities, shape, physical characteristics, grade and coal quality can be estimated with a moderate level of confidence. Based on exploration, sampling and testing information gathered through appropriate techniques from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill-holes. The data-point locations are appropriate to confirm physical continuity, while they are too widely or inappropriately spaced to confirm quality continuity. However, such locations are spaced closely enough for quality continuity to be assumed.
"Inferred Resource"	That part of a coal resource for which tonnage, grade and coal quality can be estimated with a low level of confidence. It is inferred from geological evidence and assumed but not verified physical continuity with or without coal quality continuity. Based on exploration, sampling and testing information gathered through appropriate techniques from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill-holes which is limited or of uncertain quality or reliability.
"insitu"	In its original place. Most often used to refer to the location of Mineral Resources
"insitu tonnage"	Measure of mass of coal or other mineral in the ground
"JORC"	Australasian Code for Reporting Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves
"kg"	Kilogram (one thousand grams) - a measure of weight
"m"	A metre - a measure of length or thickness
"megaton"	A million tonnes (measure of weight)
"Measured Resource"	A Measured Mineral Resource is that part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity, grade or quality, densities, shape, and physical characteristics are estimated with confidence sufficient to allow the application of Modifying Factors to support detailed mine planning and final evaluation of the economic viability of the deposit
"Mineral Resource" or "Coal Resource" (where the mineral is coal)	A "Mineral Resource" is a concentration or occurrence of diamonds, natural solid inorganic material, or natural solid fossilised organic material including base and precious metals, coal, and industrial minerals in or on the Earth's crust in such form and quantity and of such a grade or quality that it has reasonable prospects for economic extraction. The location, quantity, grade, geological characteristics and continuity of a Mineral Resource are known, estimated or interpreted from specific geological evidence and knowledge.
"Mj/kg"	Mega-Joule per kilogram (unit of energy)
"Mt"	Abbrev. for megaton (measure of weight). Equals 1 million tonnes
"MW"	Million watts (unit of power, measure of rate at which energy is generated or consumed)
"RD"	Relative Density.
"SAMREC"	South African Code for Reporting Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves
"t"	A metric tonne - a measure of weight
"t/m3"	Metric tonnes per cubic metre - a measure of density
"tonnage"	Quantities where the tonne is an appropriate unit of measure. Typically used to measure or estimate quantities of in situ material or quantities of material mined, transported, processed or sold.
"TS"	Total sulphur, a coal quality measure
"volatiles/volatile Matter/VM"	A measure of the volatile component of coal as determined under fixed conditions in a laboratory as part of proximate analysis.

 

Johannesburg

21 June 2018

Corporate and Designated Adviser

River Group