FINANCIAL REPORT FOR HALF YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

12 September 2018

 

Kore Potash Plc

("Kore Potash" or the "Company")

FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE HALF YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

 

Kore Potash, the potash exploration and development company whose flagship asset is the Kola Project ("Kola" or the "Project"), located within the Company's 97%-owned Sintoukola Potash Project in the Republic of Congo, is pleased to provide its financial statements for the half year ended 30 June 2018 (the "Period"). The full report is available on the Company's website at http://www.korepotash.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Half-Year-Report-June-2018.docx.pdf.

 

Highlights

·     On 29 March 2017 Kore Potash completed its listing on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange ("AIM") as well as a secondary listing on the main board of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange ("JSE"), in addition to its existing Australian Securities Exchange ("ASX") listing.

·     US$13.14M was raised through the placing and direct subscription of new ordinary shares in the Company, and a convertible loan note, at a 67% premium to the Company's last closing share price on the ASX. The Placees have been granted equity warrants on the basis of one equity warrant for every US$1.00 invested in the Placing exercisable at AUS$0.30 for one ordinary share with a 3 year subscription period.

·     Kore Potash through its 97% subsidiary Sintoukola Potash S.A. was awarded the Sintoukola 2 Exploration Permit, dated 9th February 2018, by the government of the Republic of Congo (RoC). This permit covers areas the Company believes are prospective for Potash mineralisation.

·     The Kola Definitive Feasibility Study ("DFS") is at an advanced stage. Work continues to complete the overall estimate of the construction schedule, capital and operating costs and the DFS Report and the Company expects to receive the DFS from the engineering consortium undertaking the work by the end of September 2018 upon which it will commence its review.

·     The Company has contracted a consortium of French engineering companies comprising of Technip France, Vinci Construction Grands Projets, Egis International and Louis Dreyfus Armateurs SAS. ("the French Consortium" or "FC") to complete the DFS.

·     The FC now anticipate completion of the current scope of work for the DFS by the end of September 2018 following which the Company will commence its review of the completed DFS, prior to finalising and publishing the report.

·     A licence for the Company to use an Offshore Area for the transhipment of potash and the discharge of waste brine has been authorised by the Minister of Transport, Civil Aviation and Merchant Marine of the Republic of Congo was issued to the Company on 6 September 2018.

·     Amendments to the Kola environmental and social impact assessment (the "ESIA") have been made reflecting project design changes since the ESIA was approved on 10 October 2013. The amendments were submitted to the Director General of the office of the Minister of Environment and Tourism on 7 July 2018 for their review.

·     The ratification, into RoC law, of the mining convention for the Kola Project is still in progress.

·     Appointment of Brad Sampson to replace Sean Bennett as Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director, effective from 4 June 2018.

·     Appointment of Jose Antonio Merino as a Non-Executive Director on 23 May 2018. Jose Antonio is nominated by Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile S.A. ("SQM") and replaced Pablo Altimiras, whose resignation was announced on 26 April 2018.

·     The Company declared a maiden sylvinite Mineral Resource Estimate for the Dougou Extension sylvinite Deposit on 20 August 2018.

 

For further information, please visit www.korepotash.com or contact:

Kore Potash Brad Sampson - CEO		Tel: +27 11 469 9140
Tavistock Communications Jos Simson Edward Lee		Tel: +44 (0) 20 7920 3150
Canaccord Genuity - Nomad and Broker Martin Davison James Asensio		Tel: +44 (0) 20 7523 4600

 

 

Operating results

Net operating loss after tax for the half-year ended 30 June 2018 was US$4,570,790 (H1 2017: US$691,130). The Company incurred a one-off expenses totalling US$1,087,911 for the half-year relating to the London and Johannesburg listings and re-domicile expenses, non-cash expense in regard to the issuance of options and performance rights of US$676,255 (H1 2017: US$ 906,265), salaries, employee benefits and consultancy expense of US$712,539 (H1 2017: US$455,012) and other administration expenses of US$1,994,967 (H1 2017: US$865,694). The foreign exchange gain for the period was US$99,749 (H1 2017: USD 1,664,560 gain).

At 30 June 2018, the Group had $145,043,137 in capitalised Exploration and Evaluation asset (31 Dec 2017: $140,254,520). Cash and cash equivalents reduced by US$2,236,134 during the period to US$14,219,356 at 30 June 2018. Expenditure incurred on the Kola Definitive Feasibility Study and capitalised into Exploration and Evaluation Assets along with operating expenses was partially offset by the capital raise described below. The total equity of the Group increased from $154,286,056 at 31 December 2017 to $158,820,432 at 30 June 2018.

 

Corporate activities

London and JSE listings successfully completed along with a well-supported Fundraising

·     On 29 March 2018 the Company successfully completed its admission to AIM and a concurrent secondary listing of its ordinary shares on the main board of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange ("JSE") as part of its strategy to better access capital markets where there is a strong understanding of large scale African mining projects and therefore attract a broader investor base. The Company remains listed on the ASX.

·     On 29 March 2018, the Company also raised gross aggregate proceeds of US$13.14m, comprising a total of US$12.89m raised from existing and new investors (the "Placees") through the placing and direct subscription of 83,523,344 ordinary shares in the Company at a placing price of AUD0.20 per new Ordinary Share, which was at a 67% premium to the Company's last closing share price on the ASX prior to the raise. In addition, the Company raised US$250,000 from the Chairman, David Hathorn, through a convertible loan note that has converted into ordinary shares on 27 July 2018 pursuant to shareholder approval at the annual general meeting of the Company held on 27 June 2018. The Placees have been granted equity warrants on the basis of one equity warrant for every US$1.00 invested exercisable at AUD0.30 for one ordinary share with a 3 year subscription period.

·     Brad Sampson was appointed as Chief Executive Officer on 4 June 2018. Brad, a mining engineer, has more than 25 years' resources industry experience across numerous locations including West and Southern Africa. In addition to significant mine development and operating experience, Brad has held leadership positions at several publicly listed companies. Brad was most recently CEO of Australian Securities Exchange listed Tiger Resources. Prior to this Brad held senior positions at Newcrest Mining Ltd, was CEO at AIM/ASX listed Discovery Metals Ltd, and other notable positions include General Manager at Goldfields operations in South Africa and Australia.

·     Appointment of Jose Antonio Merino as a Non-Executive Director nominated by SQM. Jose Antonio joined SQM in 2016 and is currently M&A Director, prior to which he worked at EPG partners as head of a mining private equity fund, at Asset Chile, a Chilean boutique investment bank and at Santander Investment. He is a qualified civil engineer having graduated from Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile.

·     On 27 June 2018, the Company's AGM was held with all resolutions passed.

 

Operational activities

The Kola Definitive Feasibility Study

·     The Company's activities are focused on the development of the Sintoukola Potash project and the Company is currently working to complete a DFS on this project. The DFS is being undertaken by the French Consortium.

·     The DFS is at an advanced stage with test work and engineering design complete and work to conclude capital and operating cost estimates are continuing. The FC now anticipate completion of the current scope of work for the DFS by the end of September 2018 and to then present it to the Company for review prior to its finalisation and publication.

·     In parallel with the completion of the DFS the Company has commissioned third-party review of some aspects of the DFS with a view to optimising the DFS outcomes and subsequent Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) pricing.

·     The Company is also engaging with the FC to optimise the capital costs of the project prior to finalisation of capital and operating cost estimates.

Environmental and social impact assessment ("ESIA")

·     The Kola ESIA received a Certificate of Conformity from the Government of the Republic of the Congo on 10 October 2013.

·     Subsequently, the DFS design has incorporated a number of value adding design changes to Kola since the approval of the ESIA and the Company undertook to amend the ESIA accordingly.

·     The work to amend the Kola ESIA is complete.  The amended ESIA was submitted to the Director General of the office of the Minister of Environment and Tourism on 7 July 2018 and is currently awaiting the Minister's approval.

·     In addition to the ESIA, the Company is completing an analysis to identify and close any gaps between the ESIA approved by the Government of the RoC and established international industry practice and the Equator Principles. This process will generate an environmental and social action plan (ESAP) that the Company believes will meet debt financiers' requirements.

·     Public consultations with Interested and Affected Parties on the amendments to the ESIA took place between 7 -15 July 2018.

·     The ESIA for the Dougou Mining License was approved by the Minister of Tourism and Environment of the RoC on 13 July 2018. The ESIA approval is granted for a 12 month period and is renewable annually until construction of a project commences.

Work streams initiated with RoC stakeholders and authorities

·     The Company is progressing discussions toward a Memorandum of Understanding for power supply with an existing independent power producer (IPP), Centrale Electrique du Congo.

·     Discussions with ENI Congo are continuing for the supply of gas (for drying and/ or for self-generating power).

·     A licence for the Company to use an Offshore Area for the transhipment of potash and the discharge of waste brine has been authorised by the Minister of Transport, Civil Aviation and Merchant Marine of the Republic of Congo was issued to the Company on 6 September 2018.

·     A Resettlement Action Plan ("RAP") for the project land and a second framework RAP for the services corridor (for gas and power conveyance) have been prepared.

·     A new Declaration d'Utilité Publique ("DUP") process covering the entire project land area (mine, over land conveyor, process plant and services corridor) is expected to be launched shortly by the Ministry of Land Affairs and Public Domain. The DUP will define any compensation arrangements required as a result of Kore's activity on the land area.

RoC regulatory requirements

·     The Mining Convention (approved by the cabinet on 8 June 2017) is currently in the process of ratification into RoC law.

·     The Company has submitted a proposed Mining Research Convention to the Government in relation to the Sintoukola 2 exploration licence that was granted to the Company on 9 February 2018. The approval of a Mining Research Convention is a required step prior to commencement of exploration activity (including drilling).

·     The intra-group transfer of the Dougou Mining License from Sintoukola Potash S.A., to the operating entity incorporated in the RoC, Dougou Potash Mining S.A, is expected to be approved by the Ministry of Mines and Geology shortly and implemented through Governmental Decree.

Exploration activity

·     No field-work exploration activities were undertaken during the period, or are currently underway, and as such no exploration results were received or are expected in the near term.

·     Based on results from drilling in 2017 and earlier, and an interpretation of historic seismic data, the Company declared a maiden sylvinite Mineral Resource Estimate for the Dougou Extension sylvinite Deposit on 20 August 2018. The combined Inferred and Indicated sylvinite Mineral Resource Estimate is 232 Mt grading 38.1% KCl (Table 1), reported according to JORC 2012. Added to the Kola sylvinite Deposit, this new deposit brings the Company's total sylvinite Mineral Resources to over 1 billion tonnes.

 

Kore's Potash Mineral Resources

Table 1. Kore's Potash Mineral Resources, provided as Gross and Net Attributable (to Kore's 97% holding)

Table 1. Kore's Potash Mineral Resources provided as Gross and Net Attributable (to Kore's 97% holding)

KOLA SYLVINITE DEPOSIT
	Gross			Net Attributable
Mineral Resource Category	Million Tonnes	Grade KCl %	Contained KCl million tonnes	Million Tonnes	Grade KCl %	Contained KCl million tonnes
Measured	216	34.9	75	209	34.9	73
Indicated	292	35.7	104	283	35.7	101
Sub-Total Measured + Indicated	508	35.4	180	492	35.4	174
Inferred	340	34.0	116	330	34.0	112
TOTAL	848	34.8	295	822	34.8	286
DOUGOU EXTENSION SYLVINITE DEPOSIT
	Gross			Net Attributable
Mineral Resource Category	Million Tonnes	Grade KCl %	Contained KCl million tonnes	Million Tonnes	Grade KCl %	Contained KCl million tonnes
Measured	-	-	-	-	-	-
Indicated	111	37.2	41	108	37.2	40
Sub-Total Measured + Indicated	111	37.2	41	108	37.2	40
Inferred	121	38.9	47	117	38.9	46
TOTAL	232	38.1	88	225	38.1	85
TOTAL SYLVINITE, KOLA & DOUGOU EXTENSION DEPOSITS COMBINED
Measured + Indicated + Inferred	1,080	35.5	384	1,048	35.5	372
DOUGOU CARNALLITE DEPOSIT
	Gross			Net Attributable
Mineral Resource Category	Million Tonnes	Grade KCl %	Contained KCl million tonnes	Million Tonnes	Grade KCl %	Contained KCl million tonnes
Measured	148	20.1	30	144	20.1	29
Indicated	920	20.7	190	892	20.7	185
Sub-Total Measured + Indicated	1,068	20.6	220	1,036	20.6	214
Inferred	1,988	20.8	414	1,928	20.8	401
TOTAL	3,056	20.7	634	2,964	20.7	615
KOLA CARNALLITE DEPOSIT
	Gross			Net Attributable
Mineral Resource Category	Million Tonnes	Grade KCl %	Contained KCl million tonnes	Million Tonnes	Grade KCl %	Contained KCl million tonnes
Measured	341	17.4	59	331	17.4	58
Indicated	441	18.7	83	428	18.7	80
Sub-Total Measured + Indicated	783	18.1	142	760	18.1	138
Inferred	1,266	18.7	236	1,228	18.7	229
TOTAL	2,049	18.5	378	1,988	18.5	367

 

Table 1 Notes:

·      The Mineral Resource Estimates are reported in accordance with the JORC code 2012 edition. 

·      Table entries are rounded to the appropriate significant figure.

·      The Kola Mineral Resource Estimate was reported on the 6 July 2017. The Competent Person (CP) is Garth Kirkham of Met-Chem division of DRA Americas Inc., a subsidiary of the DRA Group. It was reported using a cut-off grade (CoG) of 10% KCl.

·      The Dougou Extension Mineral Resource Estimate was reported on the 20 of August 2018; the CP is Mr. Andrew Pedley of Kore Potash. The Dougou Extension MRE is reported using a CoG of 15% KCl.

·      The Dougou Mineral Resource Estimate was reported on the 9 February 2015; the Competent Persons are Dr. Sebastiaan van der Klauw and Ms. Jana Neubert of ERCOSPLAN Ingenieurgesellschaft Geotechnik und Bergbau mbH ("ERCOSPLAN").

·      The form and context of the Competent Person's findings as presented in this document have not materially changed since the resource was first reported.

 

Condensed consolidated statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income for the half-year ended 30 June 2018

		6 months ended		6 months ended		Year ended
	Notes	30 June 2018 US$		30 June 2017 US$		31 Dec 2017 US$
Continuing operations
Interest income		20,454		36,678		50,858
		20,454		36,678		50,858
Expenses
Directors remuneration		(420,210)		(162,080)		(365,371)
Equity compensation benefits	5	(676,255)		(906,265)		(1,919,924)
Salaries, employee benefits and consultancy expense		(712,539)		(455,012)		(1,595,607)
London listing and re-domicile expenses		(1,087,911)		-		(1,549,554)
Other administration expenses	6	(1,994,967)		(865,694)		(1,746,603)
Net unrealised and realised foreign exchange gains		99,749		1,664,560		2,864,226
Fair value change of a derivative financial liability	18	213,313		-		-
Interest and finance expenses		(1,542)		(3,317)		(39,378)
Loss before income tax expense		(4,559,909)		(691,130)		(4,301,353)
Income tax expense	7	(10,881)		-		(42,969)
Loss for the period from continuing operations		(4,570,790)		(691,130)		(4,344,322)
Other comprehensive (loss)/income
Items that may be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss
Exchange differences on translating foreign operations		(3,786,338)		7,923,150		13,590,884
Other comprehensive (loss)/income for the period		(3,786,338)		7,923,150		13,590,884
Total comprehensive (loss)/income for the period		(8,357,128)		7,232,020		9,246,562
Loss attributable to:
Owners of the Company		(4,538,341)		(691,130)		(4,344,322)
Non-controlling interest		(32,449)		-		-
		(4,570,790)		(691,130)		(4,344,322)
Total comprehensive (loss)/income attributable to:
Owners of the Company		(7,892,158)		7,232,020		9,246,562
Non-controlling interest		(464,970)		-		-
		(8,357,128)		7,232,020		9,246,562
Earnings per Share from Continuing Operations
Basic and diluted loss per share (cents per share)	16	(0.56)		(0.09)		(0.57)

 

 

	Notes	30 June 2018 US$		30 June 2017 US$		31 Dec 2017 US$
ASSETS
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents		14,219,356		33,946,629		16,455,490
Trade and other receivables		312,251		230,668		299,399
Total Current Assets		14,531,607		34,177,297		16,754,889
Non-Current Assets
Trade and other receivables		134,938		121,631		139,163
Property, plant and equipment		357,081		387,827		413,801
Exploration and evaluation expenditure	8	145,043,137		117,038,885		140,254,520
Total Non-Current Assets		145,535,156		117,548,343		140,807,484
TOTAL ASSETS		160,066,763		151,725,640		157,562,373
LIABILITIES
Current Liabilities
Trade and other payables	9	846,131		533,416		3,276,317
Derivative financial liability	17	400,200		-		-
Total Current Liabilities		1,246,331		533,416		3,276,317
TOTAL LIABILITIES		1,246,331		533,416		3,276,317
NET ASSETS		158,820,432		151,192,224		154,286,056
EQUITY
Issued share capital - Ordinary Shares	10	859,234		204,510,196		771,396
Redeemable Preference Shares		-		-		65,631
Reserves		216,046,613		23,010,292		206,805,823
Accumulated losses		(57,620,445)		(76,328,264)		(53,356,794)
Equity attributable to the shareholders of Kore Potash plc		159,285,402		151,192,224		154,286,056
Non-controlling interests		(464,970)		-		-
TOTAL EQUITY		158,820,432		151,192,224		154,286,056