Wesgold Acquires 11% of Cordoba Property, with Option to Increase to 51%
02.04.2012 | CNW
VANCOUVER, April 2, 2012 /CNW/ - Wesgold Minerals Inc. (TSX-V: WSG) is pleased to announce that it has completed its acquisition of an initial 11% interest in the Cordoba porphyry copper-gold property in Colombia from Minatura International LLC. The purchase price of $4.03 million was paid by cash payments totaling $2.03 million to Minatura, and the forgiveness of the $2.0 million loan provided to Minatura in July 2011. In addition, Minatura has been issued warrants to purchase up to 5.0 million shares of Wesgold.
Wesgold now has the option to acquire an additional 40% interest (for a total of 51%) in the Cordoba Property by expending $15.0 million on exploration of the Property and paying to Minatura an additional $2.0 million within 2.5 years. $5.0 million of the exploration expenditures is a firm commitment. The warrants issued to Minatura are only exercisable once the Company has incurred the $5.0 million expenditure.
If Wesgold acquires the full 51% interest, Minatura will have a one-time right to sell its remaining 49% interest in the Cordoba Property to the Company in consideration for shares in the Company. The issuance of these shares would be subject to approval by Wesgold's shareholders.
The Property
The Cordoba Property consists of four granted mining concession contracts, one pending contract and five applications for a total of 25,790 hectares located in the Municipality of Puerto Libertador, in the Department of Cordoba, about 200 km north of Medellin, Colombia. The Property covers under-explored marine volcano-sedimentary rocks and felsic to intermediate intrusives with multiple artisanal gold miners extracting gold from the broad based stockwork zones within the Property.
Simon Ridgway, Chairman of Wesgold, comments, "Following several months of legal and technical due diligence, Wesgold has forged ahead with the acquisition of an interest in this large and exciting property package. Due diligence sampling has confirmed the potential for the Cordoba Property to host world class porphyry-style copper-gold deposits. We are now in the process of assembling the technical team to realize that potential."
Qualified Person
Harmen Keyser, P.Geol. (NWT), the President of the Company and a Qualified Person in accordance with NI 43-101, supervised the Company's work program at the Cordoba Property and is responsible for the accuracy of this news release.
About Minatura
The Minatura Group is privately held and engaged in the business of exploration, development and extraction of precious and base metals in Colombia, South America and Ghana, Sierra Leone and Senegal in West Africa. Minatura holds various hard rock and alluvial projects in Colombia and West Africa totaling over 450,000 hectares of mining titles and mining claims. Minatura is dedicated to achieving a high return for its investors while adhering to the highest environmental and safety standards in its projects and creating legacy micro-economies for the communities in which it operates. Contact info@minatura.com or see www.minatura.com for more information.
About Wesgold Minerals
Wesgold Minerals Inc. is a Vancouver-based mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition and exploration of gold and copper projects in Colombia. Wesgold recently optioned the Cordoba property, covering 25,790 hectares in the Department of Cordoba, Colombia, 200 km north of the city of Medellin.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
"Simon Ridgway"
Simon Ridgway, Chairman of the Board
Investor relations: Jaclyn Ruptash, tel: 604-801-5432
Symbol: TSXV-WSG
Shares Issued: 13.1-million
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
For further information:
please call 604-801-5432, or refer to the Company's filings on SEDAR (www.sedar.com).
Wesgold now has the option to acquire an additional 40% interest (for a total of 51%) in the Cordoba Property by expending $15.0 million on exploration of the Property and paying to Minatura an additional $2.0 million within 2.5 years. $5.0 million of the exploration expenditures is a firm commitment. The warrants issued to Minatura are only exercisable once the Company has incurred the $5.0 million expenditure.
If Wesgold acquires the full 51% interest, Minatura will have a one-time right to sell its remaining 49% interest in the Cordoba Property to the Company in consideration for shares in the Company. The issuance of these shares would be subject to approval by Wesgold's shareholders.
The Property
The Cordoba Property consists of four granted mining concession contracts, one pending contract and five applications for a total of 25,790 hectares located in the Municipality of Puerto Libertador, in the Department of Cordoba, about 200 km north of Medellin, Colombia. The Property covers under-explored marine volcano-sedimentary rocks and felsic to intermediate intrusives with multiple artisanal gold miners extracting gold from the broad based stockwork zones within the Property.
Simon Ridgway, Chairman of Wesgold, comments, "Following several months of legal and technical due diligence, Wesgold has forged ahead with the acquisition of an interest in this large and exciting property package. Due diligence sampling has confirmed the potential for the Cordoba Property to host world class porphyry-style copper-gold deposits. We are now in the process of assembling the technical team to realize that potential."
Qualified Person
Harmen Keyser, P.Geol. (NWT), the President of the Company and a Qualified Person in accordance with NI 43-101, supervised the Company's work program at the Cordoba Property and is responsible for the accuracy of this news release.
About Minatura
The Minatura Group is privately held and engaged in the business of exploration, development and extraction of precious and base metals in Colombia, South America and Ghana, Sierra Leone and Senegal in West Africa. Minatura holds various hard rock and alluvial projects in Colombia and West Africa totaling over 450,000 hectares of mining titles and mining claims. Minatura is dedicated to achieving a high return for its investors while adhering to the highest environmental and safety standards in its projects and creating legacy micro-economies for the communities in which it operates. Contact info@minatura.com or see www.minatura.com for more information.
About Wesgold Minerals
Wesgold Minerals Inc. is a Vancouver-based mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition and exploration of gold and copper projects in Colombia. Wesgold recently optioned the Cordoba property, covering 25,790 hectares in the Department of Cordoba, Colombia, 200 km north of the city of Medellin.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
"Simon Ridgway"
Simon Ridgway, Chairman of the Board
Investor relations: Jaclyn Ruptash, tel: 604-801-5432
Symbol: TSXV-WSG
Shares Issued: 13.1-million
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
For further information:
please call 604-801-5432, or refer to the Company's filings on SEDAR (www.sedar.com).