Sydney, Australia (ABN Newswire) - Atrum Coal NL ("Atrum" or the "Company") (ASX:ATU) (OTCMKTS:ATRCF) is pleased to provide an update on the Groundhog Project for the 2015 Annual General meeting.
Due to the size of the Company's marquee Groundhog Anthracite project, the company has divided the 800km2 project area into seven manageable units. The areas include; the first mining district, the Groundhog North Mining Complex, and exploration projects: Groundhog Central, Groundhog South, Groundhog East, Panorama North, Panorama West and Panorama South. The Company has applied for a permit to extract a bulk sample from the Groundhog North Mining Complex (GHNMC) and is preparing for the sale of minority shares in the project.
During the past month, joint venture discussions on the exploration projects at Panorama have progressed, with the intent to farm-out a minority share of each project to north Asian interested parties to fund near-term exploration. Historical geological studies provide confidence these areas are prospective for large shallow deposits of anthracite, and management are focussed on securing a joint venture partner on suitable terms to commence exploration drilling in 2016.
During 2014 the Company undertook initial drilling at Groundhog South and in the first half of 2015 undertook further research on the area. The Company's Groundhog South project has encouraging drilling results from the 2014 drilling campaign and subsequent analysis. The Company will continue to undertake research on the area during the remainder of 2015 and early 2016, with the aim of identifying further areas in Groundhog South for exploration activities.
Another Company, BC Anthracite NL (and its subsidiaries), has used the same name for a project further south of the Groundhog area where it has recently acquired tenements. These tenements were not part of Groundhog. BC Anthracite NL has no connection to the Company, however its directors are Russell Moran and Gino D'Anna (former directors of the Company) and Candice Stevenson (the former group accountant of the Company).
Atrum has commenced action in the Federal Court of Australia in relation to the activities by BC Anthracite and its directors, and has obtained orders from the Court preventing the BC Anthracite directors from using or deleting certain data in their possession and orders requiring the BC Anthracite directors to deliver to the Court the computers used by them prior to their departure from Atrum. In addition as part of the Court action Atrum is seeking recovery from BC Anthracite of the tenements it has acquired.
Commenting on the proceedings, Theo Renard, Company Secretary said:
"We want to assure our shareholders that Atrum has taken steps to recover property being used by BC Anthracite directors and that if any shareholders have concerns, to please make contact with us. The former directors and group accountant had contracts in place with Atrum and owe fiduciary duties to Atrum and Atrum is pursing the issues over ownership of tenements held by BC Anthracite and the Company's confidential information. None of Groundhog's MoUs or contracts were impacted by BC Anthracite's actions but the Company has taken action to protect its interests for the benefit of all shareholders."
The Board has elected a new Chairman, Mr Robert Bell. Robert (Bob) Bell is an experienced coal executive based in Vancouver. Mr Bell has had a long and distinguished career in the coal sector in Canada. He is a mining engineer and business administration graduate with more than 27 years' experience in the Canadian coal industry. Mr Bell has a well-established network in the Canadian coal industry and has served in the past on the board and as Chair of the Coal Association of Canada. He also served two terms as Chair of Neptune Bulk Terminals (Canada) Ltd., one of the largest bulk commodity export terminals in western North America. He currently serves on the boards of the Western Canadian Shippers Coalition and the Western Canadian Coal Society.
Previously, Mr Bell was Chief Commercial Officer of the coal business unit of Teck Resources, the world's second largest coking coal exporter. In 2014 he was CEO of Ram River Coal Corporation, a Canadian company with a metallurgical coal project in Alberta, backed by CD Capital, Lundin Mining and Liberty Metals and Mining. Mr Bell's experience with government, First Nations and with the coal sector in general in Canada, will be invaluable for the transition, not only into a developer but from an Australian-based operation to one with its head office in Canada.
The Company recently appointed a new Vice President. Ann Marie Hann, most recently the CEO of the Coal Association of Canada, has accepted a new role with the Company as Vice President - External Relations, with a focus on further developing and managing relationships with governments, non-government organisations, community groups and First Nations. Ann Marie has significant experience leading advocacy discussions and strategies in mining and environment related issues across Canada. With the Bulk Sample Permit application nearing completion, the Company has secured the services of Ann Marie to help prepare the Company for development of the various Groundhog mining projects.
The Company's AGM will be held today at level 27, 123 Pitt St, Sydney and all shareholders are encouraged to attend. The new Executive Chairman, Bob Bell, will not be present, as he is in meetings at the time with various financiers in Europe. However, other directors will be in attendance and would be happy to meet as many shareholders as possible.
To view shareholder information, please visit:
http://media.abnnewswire.net/media/en/docs/ASX-ATU-744225.pdf
About Atrum Coal NL:
Atrum Coal NL (ASX:ATU) is an emerging metallurgical coal explorer and developer.
The Company has a substantial coal position in British Columbia which, as a region boasts:
- Abundance of high quality PCI, coking and anthracite coals
- Well developed rail and port infrastructure with excess capacity
- Access to deep sea ports
- Competitive shipping distance to Asia
- Positive government stance on mining
The Company is building a quality portfolio of metallurgical coal assets suited to the Asian export market and the Board of Directors have a strong track record in identifying and developing world class coal assets in Australia and abroad.
Source:
Atrum Coal NL
Contact:
Bob Bell
Executive Chairman
M +1604 763 4180
rbell@atrumcoal.com
Theo Renard
Company Secretary
M +61 430 205 889
trenard@atrumcoal.com
Nathan Ryan
Investor Relations
M +61 420 582 887
nathan@atrumcoal.com
Source: ABN/Asia Business Newswire
(November 26, 2015 - 6:50 PM EST)
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