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The PlatSearch Board is pleased to
announce the signing of three additional joint venture agreements with
Minotaur Exploration Ltd (ASX Code: MEP) (Minotaur) on PlatSearch’s Mt
Pleasant, Monolon and Kanga Projects ELs 6668, 6646 and 6632. These
tenements are held 100% by PlatSearch and are located in the Thomson Fold
Belt, a large, unexplored region in north-western NSW, now recognised as a
new exploration "frontier" with significant potential for large
sediment-hosted base and precious metal deposits, such as exist in the Cobar
Basin some 200 kilometres to the south-east. In PlatSearch’s opinion the
Kanga tenement also has potential for diatremes of the type that could
contain diamonds.
The terms for each joint venture are
as follows:
Minotaur must drill one 200 metre
hole in each tenement within the first 12 months, a programme estimated
to cost $250,000 in total, before it can withdraw;
Minotaur may earn a 51% interest
by spending $1 million within three years;
If Minotaur earns a 51% interest,
it can elect to increase its interest to 80% by spending a further $1
million within the following two years;
If Minotaur earns an 80% interest
PlatSearch will have a 20% interest, free carried to completion of a
bankable feasibility study; and
On completion of a bankable
feasibility study, PlatSearch can participate in the mining project with
its 20% interest or dilute to a 2% Net Smelter Royalty.
Together with the Klongobangee Joint
Venture announced 21 February 2007, these three new joint ventures represent
a major commitment by Minotaur to PlatSearch’s tenements in the Thomson Fold
Belt. Over the next 12 months Minotaur will complete a minimum of six 200
metre basement test drillholes on these tenements, a programme estimated to
cost $500,000. Ground magnetics has been completed on selected targets and
drilling is expected to commence as soon as approvals and contractors are
secured.
Recent encouraging intersections by
Compass Resources NL at their nearby Cuttaburra and Yancannia prospects has
highlighted the potential of the Thomson Fold Belt for Cobar-style base
metal mineralisation. Compass reported that two holes intersected a
stratigraphic sequence similar to the Cobar Basin sequence at a depth of
approximately 75 metres beneath the cover rocks and that both holes
intersected pyrite and or pyrrhotite mineralisation with anomalous values of
copper, zinc, tungsten and silver.
New, detailed aeromagnetic data made
available recently by the NSW Department of Primary Industry has facilitated
the recognition of many more magnetic targets of a similar type in the
region. PlatSearch now holds six granted tenements and four tenement
applications in the Thomson Fold Belt covering a combined area of 1,900
square kilometres and has identified at least 30 magnetic anomaly targets
that, in PlatSearch’s opinion, justify drill testing for similar style
mineralisation.
PlatSearch has other tenements in the
Thomson Fold Belt that are being prepared for farm-out. In accordance with a
Strategic Alliance between Minotaur and PlatSearch (announced 26 September
2006) Minotaur has a preferred right to farm-in to any base and precious
metals projects generated by PlatSearch in Eastern Australia.
Bob Richardson
Managing Director
Please direct any questions to Bob
Richardson on (02) 9906 5220 or 0414 592 080. |