Arian Silver Corporation: Operations Update
LONDON, ENGLAND -- (Marketwire) -- 02/19/13 -- Arian Silver Corporation ("Arian" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: AGQ)(AIM: AGQ)(FRANKFURT: I3A), a silver exploration, development and production company with a focus on projects in the Zacatecas silver belt of Mexico, announces that toll milling fully resumed on 16 February 2013.
The toll mill is located 50 km from the Company's San Jose mine in Zacatecas State in Mexico and is privately owned and operated by Beneficiadora de Jales y Minerales Juan Reyes SA de CV ("Juan Reyes").
The Juan Reyes mill is newly refurbished, has a maximum capacity of 500 tonnes per day, and benefits from two separate flotation streams to extract zinc in addition to lead and silver concentrate. The contract with Juan Reyes gives exclusive use of the mill to Arian, is renewable by mutual consent and is initially for the processing of 90,000 tonnes of Run-of-Mine material from the San Jose mine; this should take approximately six months once the maximum daily throughput rate is achieved and maintained.
The Juan Reyes mill commenced processing on 16 February 2013 with supervisory assistance from Arian personnel to help optimise processing to maximise material throughput and silver, lead and zinc recoveries.
MRI Trading AG, who previously provided partial off-take services while Arian was using a previous toll mill ("Contracuna Mill"), will now provide 100% off-take services.
The dispute with the owners of the Contracuna Mill caused toll milling operations to be suspended in July 2012. Although all amounts owed to Arian by the owner of the Contracuna Mill have now been repaid, Arian has submitted a claim for damages, which has been met by a counter-claim by Contracuna, which Arian believes, has been submitted solely to frustrate the legal process and is without merit.
Separately, Arian has identified a second-hand processing plant which appears to be suitable for treating the San Jose ore. The Company will provide an update on these discussions as they progress.
As previously reported (27 September 2012), the Standby Equity Distribution Agreement ("SEDA") was agreed for a maximum of GBP 5 million over a 3 year period. To date, approximately 18% of this facility has been utilised for continued development and mining work at the San Jose mine and as a contribution to working capital.
Arian's Chief Executive Officer, Jim Williams, commented today, "The commencement of processing at the Juan Reyes toll mill once again puts Arian back into the ranks of silver producers after frustrating delays since mid 2012. However, as we have previously stated, this new toll mill arrangement, while providing useful cash flow, should be regarded as only a stepping-stone towards acquiring our own processing plant. We have now identified such a plant and are currently in discussions regarding its acquisition, which if successful will eventually allow greater daily ore throughput from the San Jose mine with increased efficiencies all round.
We have already established very significant resources of silver, lead and zinc at San Jose and the proposed acquisition of our own plant will accelerate our aim of becoming a significant silver producer in the medium term."
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) and no stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release nor approved or disapproved of the information contained herein.
Contacts:
Arian Silver Corporation
Jim Williams
CEO
(London) +44 (0)20 7887 6599
jwilliams@ariansilver.com
Arian Silver Corporation
David Taylor
Company Secretary
(London) +44 (0)20 7887 6599
dtaylor@ariansilver.com
Grant Thornton Corporate Finance
Gerry Beaney / David Hignell
(London) +44 (0)20 7383 5100
gerry.d.beaney@uk.gt.com
Yellow Jersey PR Limited
Dominic Barretto
(London) +44 (0)77 6853 7739
dominic@yellowjerseypr.com
XCAP Securities PLC
Jon Belliss
(London) +44 (0)20 7101 7070
jon.belliss@xcapgroup.com
CHF Investor Relations
Juliet Heading
(Canada) +1 416 868 1079 x 239
juliet@chfir.com
