Arena Minerals Strategic Shift to Prospect Generator Model
TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Jan 7, 2015) - Arena Minerals Inc. ("Arena" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:AN) announces that it will be undertaking a strategic shift in corporate strategy by adopting a prospect generator business model. Arena will seek to enter into certain Joint Venture ("JV") agreements on the Company's mineral prospects with different partners, therefore spreading the risk across multiple projects and accessing JV partner's capital, expertise and technology to maximize the potential for discovery. Arena will seek to employ this business model on all its properties, with a principal focus on the 1,500 square kilometer Atacama Copper Property ("ACP" or "Property"), located in the Antofagasta region of Chile. Given the interest to date from large global mining companies, Arena is of the view that this strategic shift will significantly reduce capital requirements for Arena, increase the amount of capital spent on the properties, accelerate drilling programs and increase the number of prospects being developed. By adopting the prospect generator model and seeking to enter into Joint Venture, or similar, agreements on portions of it property portfolio, management expects to reduce dilution, ultimately resulting in better potential for value creation for shareholders.
The Atacama Copper Property contains numerous prospects, that are larger and more numerous than the Company originally anticipated. The prospects discovered to date include: Cerro Barco, Cerrillos, Quebrada Honda, La Paloma, Paciencia, Paciencia North, Paciencia Breccia, Solitario, and Dos Huevos (See Press Release Dated September 11, 2014). A map of the property package and prospects can be accessed here. The prospects of the Atacama copper property have received significant interest from larger global mining companies. It is our view that these companies can aggressively deploy more capital into the prospects and generate more value for Arena and its shareholders.
Arena is in advanced discussions with several large global mining entities with respect to multiple potential Joint Venture transactions. The transactions being reviewed would contemplate a significant investment in work commitments and cash payments from such JV partners, funding most or all of Arena's work commitments and cash payments to SQM on the Atacama Copper property in return for an equity participation interest in the JV entities to be formed. Arena anticipates that it would retain a material interest in certain properties upon completion of such transactions. Arena is of the view that these JV arrangements will allow for more extensive drilling on more prospects than Arena would do on its own. Arena expects to provide further updates by the end of Q1 2015.
Completion of the proposed transactions remain subject a number of conditions, including but not limited to the negotiation, completion and entering into of definitive agreements, all applicable third party consents, regulatory consents and board approvals, as applicable. There can be no assurance that the Company will enter into any of the proposed transactions and/or enter into any JV Agreements, as proposed or at all.
About Arena Minerals
Currently Arena Minerals has three properties under option covering approximately 165,000 hectares. All the properties are within the Antofagasta region of Chile, at low altitudes and within producing mining camps. The Company flagship asset is the Atacama Copper Property, consisting of 149,235 hectares of essentially undrilled ground in the heart of Chile's premier copper mining district. The Atacama Copper Property is adjacent to the Capricornio Property, forming part of a contiguous land package that can be worked in conjunction. In addition the Company also has the Pampas El Peñon project, comprising a totalof 8,650 hectares which is less than 1 km from Yamana's Agusta Victoria project and 10 km from the El Peñon mine. On May 11, 2014, the Company reduced its land position with respect to the Pampas El Peñon property to 2,400 hectares of worked claims and 6,250 hectares of greenfield claims. The Capricornio property, comprising 7,080 hectares, hosts a district scale gold silver epithermal system virtually unexplored at depth and open on strike. The Pampas El Peñon and Capricornio properties comprise Arena Minerals highly prospective gold properties within an active mining region.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Arena Minerals Inc.
William Randall, President, and CEO
Cautionary Note Regarding Accuracy and Forward-Looking Information:
This news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements, projections and estimates relating to the future development of any of the Company's properties, the ability of the Company to transition to a prospect generator model, enter into and finalize any definitive and/or binding documentation regarding any potential Joint Venture agreement, the ability of any potential partner to accelerate drill programs, increase the development of any of the projects or prospects of the Company, the results of the exploration program, future financial or operating performance of the Company, its subsidiaries and its projects, the development of and the anticipated timing with respect to the Atacama project, the Capricornio project, and the El Peñon project, and the Company's ability to obtain financing. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". The statements made herein are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially because of factors discussed in the management discussion and analysis section of the Company's interim and most recent annual financial statement or other reports and filings with the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable Canadian securities regulations.
Estimates underlying the results set out in this news release arise from work conducted by the previous owners and the Company. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, geopolitical and social uncertainties; the actual results of current exploration activities; other risks of the mining industry and the risks described in the annual information form of the Company. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward looking informationArena Minerals does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.