COMPLETION OF TRANSFORMATIONAL JOINT VENTURE

17 February 2021

AIM: AAU

COMPLETION OF TRANSFORMATIONAL JOINT VENTURE

Ariana Resources plc ("Ariana" or "the Company"), the AIM-listed exploration and development company operating in Europe, is pleased to announce the completion of its transformational joint venture ("Joint Venture" or "JV") with Özaltin Holding A.S. ("Özaltin") and Proccea Construction Co. ("Proccea"), following the satisfaction of all conditions precedent.

Highlights:

·    JV formalised on the terms summarised on 7 December 2020, ratified by shareholders on 30 December and approved by the Competition Authority in Turkey on the 19 January 2021.

·    Expanded Joint Venture with Özaltin and Proccea involves the partial disposal of the Company's interests in Turkey in exchange for US$37.75 million in cash before costs and taxation (inclusive of the sale of the Satellite Projects). 

·    Ariana and Proccea retain a 23.5% interest each in the expanded Joint Venture, with Özaltin owning 53%. 

·    US$8 million being committed by Özaltin to a Feasibility Study, Environmental Impact Assessment and additional permitting at the Salinbas Project.

·    Process plant expansion at Kiziltepe well underway, with completion expected in H2 2021.

·    Drilling programme to test vein extensions at Kiziltepe ongoing. 

Dr. Kerim Sener, Managing Director, commented:

"This Joint Venture represents the most significant development in the Company's history and we look forward to building on our enhanced position while continuing to deliver on our objective to provide significant value for shareholders. This JV validates our successful strategy of simultaneously creating value and mitigating business risks.

"We are exceptionally pleased to partner with Özaltin Holding and to continue our excellent relationship with Proccea Construction as we advance our collective interests at the Kiziltepe Mine and the Tavsan and Salinbas development projects. These projects contain a combined total JORC Resource of 2.1 million ounces of gold, making our JV one of the most significant gold mining ventures in Turkey. 

"With our enhanced cash position of about £25 million, following completion, this deal will catalyse further exploration and development across Turkey and the wider region, as we pursue project opportunities on behalf of the Joint Venture. We are already advancing our interest in Venus Minerals and expect to reach 50% ownership during 2021 while supporting its resource development and exploration programmes in Cyprus. Separately, we are progressing our assessment of several gold and copper-gold projects elsewhere in Eastern Europe, for which we expect to announce further developments during H1 2021.

"We look forward to updating the market on these and other high-impact initiatives that will be advanced by the Company during the coming months. In addition, we are advancing our plans to distribute a substantial special dividend to reward our loyal shareholders during 2021." 

Mr. Muzaffer Ozdemir, CEO, Özaltin Holding A.S., commented:

"This is the beginning of an exciting new partnership and marks the start of our first mining venture. We are ready to get off to a flying start, having already spent several productive months working with the Zenit JV team and developing our understanding of the project portfolio. It is already very pleasing to see the pace of development activities underway across all projects and particularly at Kiziltepe, where a processing plant expansion is already in progress and a new resource drilling programme is advancing well."

Mr. Deniz Aybars, Managing Director, Proccea Construction Co., commented:

"For us, this new JV builds upon and enhances our decade-long relationship with Ariana and, with the input of our new partners at Özaltin, provides substantial opportunities to grow our mining business both within Turkey and potentially further afield. Over the years, we have recognised the capability of the Ariana exploration team to identify and develop high-quality projects and to define new opportunities, even on existing projects as seen with Kiziltepe and Tavsan. We look forward to creating further value together over the next 10 years."

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of EU Regulation 596/2014.

Contacts:

Editors' Note:

About Ariana Resources:

Ariana is an AIM-listed mineral exploration and development company operating in Europe with an exceptional track-record of creating value for its shareholders through its interests in active mining projects and investments in exploration companies. Its current interests include gold exploration, development and production in Turkey and copper-gold exploration and development projects in Cyprus. 

The Company holds a 23.5% interest in Zenit Madencilik San. ve Tic. A.S. a joint venture with Özaltin Holding A.S. and Proccea Construction Co. in Turkey which contains a depleted total of c. 2.1 million ounces of gold and other metals (as at July 2020). The joint venture comprises the Kiziltepe Mine and the Tavsan and Salinbas projects. 

The Kiziltepe Gold-Silver Mine is located in western Turkey and contains a depleted JORC Measured, Indicated and Inferred Resource of 227,000 ounces gold and 0.7 million ounces silver (as at April 2020). The mine has been in profitable production since 2017 and is expected to produce at a rate of c. 20,000 ounces of gold per annum to at least the mid-2020s.  A Net Smelter Return ("NSR") royalty of 2.5% on production is being paid to Franco-Nevada Corporation.

The Tavsan Gold Project is located in western Turkey and contains a JORC Measured, Indicated and Inferred Resource of 253,000 ounces gold and 3.7 million ounces silver (as at June 2020). The project is being progressed through permitting and an Environmental Impact Assessment, with the intention of developing the site to become the joint venture's second gold mining operation. A NSR royalty of up to 2% on future production is payable to Sandstorm Gold. 

The Salinbas Gold Project is located in north-eastern Turkey and contains a JORC Measured, Indicated and Inferred Resource of 1.5 million ounces of gold (as at July 2020). It is located within the multi-million-ounce Artvin Goldfield, which contains the "Hot Gold Corridor" comprising several significant gold-copper projects, including the 4 million ounce Hot Maden project, which lies 16km to the south of Salinbas. A NSR royalty of up to 2% on future production is payable to Eldorado Gold Corporation.

Ariana is also earning-in to 50% of UK-registered Venus Minerals Ltd ("Venus") and has to date earned into an entitlement to 16%. Venus is focused on the exploration and development of copper-gold assets in Cyprus which contain a combined JORC Inferred Resource of 9.5Mt @ 0.65% copper (excluding additional gold, silver and zinc).

Panmure Gordon (UK) Limited is broker to the Company and Beaumont Cornish Limited is the Company's Nominated Adviser and Broker.

For further information on Ariana you are invited to visit the Company's website at www.arianaresources.com.

Ends.