Ariana Resources AIM:AAU Shares Jump on EIA Approval for Flagship Red Rabbit Turkish Gold Project as Mine Development Gathers Pace

Ariana Resources AIM:AAU the Turkish Gold Mine developer announced Monday 30th December 2013, that the Turkish authorities had approved the company's Environmental Impact Assessment for their flagship Red Rabbit Gold Project located in Ariana's Kiziltepe Sector gold bearing acreage.

This milestone event now paves the way for the company to start mine development. Turkey has long been a proven gold production jurisdiction and has often been overlooked by investors. With downward price pressure on the gold price, the cost per ounce of gold production by Turkish miners generally hovers around the 600USD$ per ounce mark and Ariana's cost base falls in line with those miners already in production such as Eldorado, Alacer and Koza. 

Below is the RNS that the company put out. Shares are trading at 1.33p and up 13% on the day.

EIA APPROVED FOR KIZILTEPE GOLD-SILVER MINE IN TURKEY

Ariana Resources plc ("Ariana" or "the Company") is delighted to report that, further to the announcement released on 30 August 2013 regarding the submission of its final Environmental Impact Assessment ("EIA") report for the Kiziltepe Sector of the Red Rabbit gold-silver project in Western Turkey, the Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning has now formally approved the EIA for the initial mine at Kiziltepe.

Highlights:

• Milestone achievement in the development of the Kiziltepe mine towards gold and silver production - targeted at 21,000oz of gold equivalent per annum.   

• Ariana's joint venture partner, Proccea Construction Co. ("Proccea") to manage and finance the development, with construction commencing following receipt of final permits and mining anticipated to commence approximately six months after start-up. 

• Negotiations regarding debt financing for remaining US$25 million at an advanced stage - clear pathway towards production at Kiziltepe without additional dilution. 

• Project remains robust at current gold price, with production cash costs estimated at US$600 per ounce of gold. 

• Resource expansion upside has already been demonstrated across the project area - recent results from on-going exploration programmes underpin the potential to double the current mineable resource-base of 448,000oz gold equivalent. 

Dr. Kerim Sener, Managing Director, commented:

"The approval of our EIA for the Kiziltepe Gold-Silver Mine demonstrates the determination and vision of the Ariana team to develop this highly prospective asset through to commercial production.  We have taken what was a high-risk exploration programme in western Turkey right through to the delivery of a low-risk, feasible and environmentally approved mining project, which will benefit both local stakeholders and Ariana investors alike.  

"The environmental approvals and permitting process in Turkey is methodical and thorough.  Under the latest regulations it has been important to gauge the social impact of development in parallel with the environmental impact.  In our case, we have involved the local community at every stage of the development of the project over several years and we have been greatly encouraged by the support that they have shown for the mine during the EIA process.  

"With our joint venture partners, Proccea Construction, now assuming management control through the final permitting and construction phases, the Ariana team can again focus on what we excel at: value accretive exploration.  As recently reported, Ariana has initiated a new exploration strategy at Kiziltepe, and our operational team are confident there remains the potential to double the current mineable resources across the wider Red Rabbit Project Area.  

"With this in mind, as we accelerate towards production and the generation of maiden revenues, our attention still remains squarely on the evaluation and development of our wider acreage as we look to becoming a full-cycle gold exploration, development and production company focused on highly prospective regions of Turkey."

Further Information:

As announced on 30 August 2013, Ariana, via its joint venture company in Turkey with Proccea Construction Co., Zenit Madencilik San. ve Tic. A.S., ("Zenit"), submitted the final EIA report for the Kiziltepe Sector of Red Rabbit gold-silver project to the Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning ("MEUP").  The mandatory 10-day public notice period has been completed and final signatures approving the EIA by MEUP were received in late December.  In accordance with this, the EIA Positive Decision Certificate for the project has now been issued and dated 23 December 2013.

Following this, Zenit will proceed formally to Phase 2 of development at Kiziltepe, being the granting of final permits and construction, with Proccea in management control of the joint venture.  Construction will commence following receipt of final permits and the completion of necessary land acquisitions.  Following the receipt of the EIA the joint venture company can now apply for permits including those for construction, health and safety, and forestry, among others, with mining commencing approximately six months after construction start-up.

Proccea specialises in gold-silver processing plant design and construction, so is ideally placed to drive development at Kiziltepe.  Under the terms of the joint venture agreement, Proccea is earning into 50% of the joint venture on expenditure of US$8 million.  Phase 1 expenditure to date, which was focused on the Definitive Feasibility Study and EIA, has totalled over US$2 million.  Proccea is due to spend the remaining earn-in funds during Phase 2: Construction, in addition to being in management control of the joint venture.  The additional capital expenditure requirement of US$25 million will be sourced from debt at the joint venture level.  Negotiations regarding the formalisation of debt funding are progressing encouragingly and the board of Ariana will announce further details in due course.

Once in production, the mine at Kiziltepe will represent a significant employer in the region, with approximately 100 local people expected to be retained on a permanent basis.  Ariana, Zenit and Proccea are committed to developing a sustainable and environmentally, socially and economically robust mining project at Kiziltepe and remain actively involved in dialogue with the local communities in order to achieve this.

Ortac Resources (OTC) Secure Certainty Over Mining Licence By Winning Crucial Vote of Confidence in Slovakia

Activists in Kremnica who are against the development of Ortac Resources Sturec Gold Mine and Integrated Tourism Resort and Spa, fail in their attempt to secure a judgement over the validity of Ortac's Mining Licence

Ortac is a London AIM listed (OTC) mining company working to bring back gold mining to town Kremnica, by developing and bringing into production the proven economically viable  Šturec gold deposit.

The company is working to secure environmental approval for the project that has the potential to create hundreds of jobs and much needed local tax and national tax income. In addition, the project involves the development of a tourism centre and spa facility aligned to the gold mining business, where tourists could learn how to pan gold and enjoy the combination of industrial history tourism set in a beautiful tourism environment. 

This tourism and gold mining combination has proven popular in places like Canada in the Yukon / Klondike and also in other areas of Europe such as Finnish Lapland where tourist flock to pan gold and where gold mining has been well integrated into what is like Kremnica, a sensitive environmental area. Active gold mining and tourism can work to provide the basis of a triple Helix tourism proposition, which can add real value to small local economies.

The text below is in broken English and is taken from reports in the Slovak Press, lets hope Ortac and the region of Kremenica can come together to make the project happen, it would be a win win situation. 

KREMNICA. Main Mining Office (HBI) Banská Štiavnica fail warning Regional Prosecutor's Office in Banska Bystrica.

It covered the inactivity District Mining Office (OBU) in Banska Bystrica. OBÚ be notified by the prosecution of Ortac, Ltd., termination of the license for quarrying gold Kremnici.

Main Mining Office has accepted that the District that Ortaç time to start mining has not yet expired, and therefore his entitlement to quarrying has not disappeared. The prosecution is considering this decision may apply to the court.

MINING AUTHORIZATION

Ortaç unexpired period to begin extracting, above which they would disappear and mining authorization on the grounds that it was not yet completed the process of environmental impact assessment (EIA).

The prosecutor had misinterpreted concepts Institutes mining law, namely "the right to exclusive mining deposits" and "mining right".

"Mistakenly applying these institutes were subsequently request to the prosecution, which can not be accepted by HBU," said HBU President in Banska Štiavnica Peter Kúkelčík.

According to the Mining Act to the exclusive mining deposits and the management of extracted minerals is an organization that has a mining license and that determines the mining area.

DEADLINES HAVE NOT EXPIRED

Mining authorization is kind of state license, which authorizes business entrepreneur in statutory areas of mining activities and activities conducted by mining method.

And it's not just at the very opening, preparation and extraction of the mining area, but also for other activities in accordance with the law on mining activities, explosives and state mining administration.

"Mine is not the same authority with the right to conquer exclusive deposit, and therefore OBÚ or HBU not meet the county prosecutor, who requested permission to cancel mine," said Kúkelčík and continued.

"Ie. State professional license for inaction in the mining area, which still can not be considered for inaction, because expired legal deadlines to be suspended for failure to complete the assessment of environmental impact," he said.

ANOTHER PROCEDURE DETERMINED

The view that Ortaç period for quarrying has ceased to exist because it was not completed EIA, presented last September and Director Ortac, Ltd., for Slovakia Viktor Pomichal.

In the words of spokesman for the Regional Prosecution Office in Banska Bystrica Ivana Vozár the prosecution must first become familiar with the reasoning of the decision HBU. "The prosecution will decide after studying what chooses another procedure in this case," he added.

Lubos Kürthy, chairman of the civic association Kremnica than gold, which lodged the complaint to the prosecutor about idle OBÚ in Banska Bystrica, said the association decision HBÚ expected.

"Certainly we will file an action. Whether A is added to the defense and the prosecution, depends on it., In the application, however, some serious and its position, which is quite detailed," he explained. Civic Association Kremnica of gold lodged the complaint to the Regional Prosecution Office in Banska Bystrica in March this year.

PROPOSAL FAILED TO COMPLY

Regional Prosecutor's Office 4 June evaluate the initiative of the association as unfounded. OBÚ be after careful consideration and studied the time course of activity considered two proposals did not_-

Brazilian Gold Corp (BGC:TSXV) Take Further Stake in Boa Vista

Brazilian Gold Corporation (TSXV: BGC) ("Brazilian Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company has completed the acquisition (the "Closing") of an additional 13.05% interest in Boa Vista Gold Inc. ("BVG") from D'Gold Mineral Ltda. ("D'Gold") after having received TSX Venture Exchange acceptance of the transaction (refer to the Company's new release dated April 26, 2013). The Company now holds a total 84.05% interest in BVG, which indirectly holds a 100% interest in the Boa Vista gold project (the "Boa Vista Project") subject to certain royalties. According to the Shareholders Agreement dated January 21, 2010, as amended, governing BVG, D'Gold is entitled to a 1.5% Net Smelter Return royalty, which can be purchased by Brazilian Gold for US$2,000,000 during a period commencing on the date of Closing and ending 48 months following the Closing.

In consideration of the 13.05% interest in BVG, the Company issued to D’Gold 375,000 common shares and will issue a further 1,125,000 common shares, for an aggregate of 1,500,000 common shares (the "Shares") to D'Gold over the next eighteen month period.

All Shares issued to D'Gold will be subject to a hold period imposed under applicable securities legislation which will expire four months after issuance of the Shares.

Boa Vista Project

The Boa Vista Project is a large property (12,889 Ha) located in the Tapajós region of northern Brazil with extensive historic alluvial and lateritic workings. The maiden mineral resource estimate on the VG1 deposit was completed shortly (16 months) after the discovery was reported in March 2011 (News Release 5/11 and 6/11). The mineral resource estimate outlined an inferred resource of 8.47 Mt grading 1.23 g/t gold (336,000 oz) at a 0.5 g/t cut-off and is based on shallow (<150 m depth) and limited drilling (15 holes in 3,007 m) and trenching (14 trenches in 2,229 m) of the eastern 600 m of an overall 2,000 m gold-in-soil anomaly.

About Brazilian Gold Corporation

BGC is a Canadian-based public company with a focus on the acquisition, exploration and development of gold properties located in northern Brazil. The Company has title to one of the largest mineral exploration land packages (3,753 km²) in the Tapajós and adjacent Alta Floresta gold provinces. The land package contains green fields to more advance stage projects including the Company's flagship São Jorge project. Rapid improvements to regional infrastructure continue to provide underlying support to Brazilian Gold's activities in northern Brazil.

For More Information

Brazilian Gold Corporation
Ian (John) Stalker, CEO and Director
Joanne Yan, President and Director
Tel: +1 604 602-8188

Alex Stewart International Announce Opening of New Metals & Mining Laboratory in Liverpool

Alex Stewart, the globally respected firm of assayers announce today that they have opened up their brand new state of the art metals and mining laboratory, in Liverpool UK

 Commenting on the opening Chairman K Alex Stewart said "We have trebled our capacity and improved performance potential by investing in modern infrastructure, state of the art instrumentation and by recruiting additional experienced chemists. We will continue to improve on all service aspects and are committed to offer all customers a first class, quality inspection and analytical service. 

You can contact the company by visiting the website at www.alexstewartinternational.com

 2b Sefton Business Park 

Aintree, 

Liverpool L30 1RD 

England 

Laboratory Services Tel: + 44 151 6258 

Inspection Services Tel: + 44 151 525 1499 

Commercial Services Tel: + 44151 525 2132 

Strategic Minerals SML.LN Powering Ahead with Magnetite Production at Cobre New Mexico

Strategic Minerals listed on London AIM is the one to really watch this year
This is a "proper AIM company" that is actually delivering on its strategy and should turn in some spectacular figures as production ramps up the Cobre stockpile operation
Well done to James and Paul who are driving the business and who have got properly stuck in to deliver real value to shareholders. With plenty of stockpiles around the world that need asset management and value release, then SML has a great future as turnkey solutions provider.
See below

Strategic Minerals, a magnetite iron ore producer and exploration company, has raised 4.2m pounds before expenses through the placing of around 102.67m new ordinary shares at 4.5p each.

The funds mean the company is now fully financed for its current operations.

The proceeds will mostly be used to provide working capital for the company's magnetite tailings deposit at the Cobre Mine in New Mexico, which is now in full scale production.

The group revealed it is "well positioned" to achieve shipments in the export market of around 50,000 dry metric tonnes (DMT) and said the first of these, of 53,000 DMT, is currently being loaded at the port of Guaymas.

Paul Harrison, Chief Executive Officer of Strategic Minerals, said: "We are delighted to announce this successful placing and in particular the interest shown by new institutional investors participating in this financing. The funding will be used primarily to meet the working capital needs of our operations at the Cobre mine in New Mexico including inside mine gate costs, rail freight to port and all port costs at Guaymas.

"This funding will ensure that monthly export shipments can proceed uninterrupted and leaves the company fully financed for all of its current operations."

Once the new shares have been admitted to AIM, the company will have just under 550.83m shares in issue.

The share price fell 11.91% to 5.17p by 13:45.

Brazilian Gold Corp BGC TSXV Receives Bid Offer

VANCOUVER, British Columbia --
Brazilian Gold Corporation (TSXV: BGC) (“Brazilian Gold” or “BGC”) is pleased to announce that it has signed an indicative, non-binding and conditional letter of intent (“LOI”) with Kingwell Group Limited (“Kingwell”) pursuant to which Kingwell may make a general cash offer to the shareholders of BGC for not less than 50.95% of the outstanding common shares of BGC at a price of Cdn$0.27 per share (the “Possible Acquisition”).
Kingwell is a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands and whose shares are listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (“HKEX”) under stock code 1195.
BGC has granted Kingwell the exclusive right to negotiate with BGC for the Possible Acquisition for a period of three weeks from the execution of the LOI, provided that BGC may extend such three week period to a later date (the “Exclusivity Period”). During the Exclusivity Period, BGC has agreed not to solicit nor entertain other proposals, conduct any discussions or negotiations, nor enter into any agreement or arrangement with any third party relating to any acquisition of BGC common shares.
The LOI is subject to, among other things, a due diligence review by Kingwell on BGC and its assets and the negotiation and execution of a definitive agreement between BGC and Kingwell containing customary terms, including representations and warranties, as are standard in a transaction of this nature. In the event that a definitive agreement is executed between the parties, the closing of the Possible Acquisition will be subject to additional conditions precedent including, but not limited to, HKEX and Kingwell shareholder approval and other consents and requirements as are required by the applicable governing laws.
BGC will issue further information about the Possible Acquisition in the near future. However, there is no obligation on the part of either BCG or Kingwell to consummate a transaction relating to a Possible Acquisition or enter into a definitive agreement.
No definitive agreement has been reached between BGC and Kingwell and there can be no assurances that any transaction relating to a Possible Acquisition or otherwise will result, or as to the terms thereof.

Brazilian Gold Corp (BGC.TSXV) Increases Ownership In its Highly Promising BOA Vista Project To 84%

Brazilian Gold Increases Ownership In BOA Vista Project To 84%

Release No. 5/13
Vancouver, BC, April 26, 2013

Brazilian Gold Corporation (TSXV: BGC) ("Brazilian Gold") is pleased to announce that it has signed a Share Exchange Agreement ("Agreement") with D'Gold Mineral Ltda. ("D'Gold") to acquire D'Gold's 13.05% interest in Boa Vista Gold Inc. ("BVG"). BVG indirectly holds a 100% interest in the Boa Vista gold project (the "Boa Vista Project"). In consideration for D'Gold’s 13.05% interest, BGC will issue an aggregate of 1,500,000 common shares over an eighteen month period. According to the Shareholders Agreement dated January 21, 2010, as amended, governing BVG, D’Gold is entitled to a 1.5% Net Smelter Return royalty, which can be purchased by Brazilian Gold for US$2,000,000 during a period commencing on the closing date of the Agreement ("Closing") and ending 48 months following the Closing.

The Agreement remains subject to TSX Venture Exchange acceptance. The Brazilian Gold shares included in this agreement will be subject to certain resale restrictions imposed under applicable securities legislation. The Closing of the above transaction will take place five business days following Brazilian Gold receiving the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. On Closing, Brazilian Gold will own 84.05% of the Boa Vista Project, subject to the royalty agreements.

Boa Vista Project

The Boa Vista Project is a large property (12,889 Ha) located in the Tapajós region of northern Brazil with extensive historic alluvial and lateritic workings that was largely unexplored until 2010 when Brazilian Gold and their joint venture partners started systematic exploration programs across the property. The exploration programs quickly outlined a number of highly prospective targets (Jair, Ze do Leicha, Almir, Planalto and Pistinha) and the discovery of the VG1 gold deposit.

The maiden mineral resource estimate on the VG1 deposit was completed shortly (16 months) after the discovery was reported in March 2011 (News Release 5/11 and 6/11). The mineral resource estimate outlined an inferred resource of 8.47 Mt grading 1.23 g/t gold (336,000 oz) at a 0.5 g/t cut-off and is based on shallow (<150m depth) and limited drilling (15 holes in 3,007m) and trenching (14 trenches in 2,229 m) of the eastern 600m of an overall 2,000m gold-in-soil anomaly. The mineralization forms a coherent deposit that is not significantly affected by changes in the cut-off grade near the declared mineral resource grade of 0.5 g/t gold; the resource is open at depth and along strike with a high potential to expand the existing mineral resource with additional drilling. Coarse gold visible in some drill cores and trench samples, and screened metallic analysis of selected trench and drill samples -suggests the overall grade of the deposit could be higher when larger samples are mined and processed.

Exploration programs (soil geochemistry, geophysics and limited drilling) have covered approximately 25% of the property and further exploration programs are planned to explore the remainder of the property, where numerous historic garimpeiro workings have been identified. In addition, step-out and infill drilling will be completed at the VG1 deposit to determine the limits of the mineralization.

About Brazilian Gold Corporation

Brazilian Gold is a Canadian-based public company with a focus on the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties in northern Brazil. The Company has title to one of the largest land packages (3,753 km²) in the Tapajós and adjacent Alta Floresta gold provinces. The land package contains green fields to more advance stage projects including the Company's flagship São Jorge project. Rapid improvements to regional infrastructure continue to provide underlying support to Brazilian Gold's activities in northern Brazil.

Vatukoula Gold Mines (VGM.LN) Investment in Development Now Paying Off

Vatukoula Gold Mines the London listed gold miner, today published some fantastic results from recent drilling undertaken on the Prince William ore body. Just to remind people. The Vatukoula mine in Fiji boasts some of the worlds highest gold grades and for an underground mine ranks around 12th in the world in terms of its average recoverable Grades. The company has been spending considerable time re-adjusting its underground mining method, to shift more focus to footwall mining, where less waste is mined and more of a pincer movement is made on mining the actual ore body. You would think that mining this way would be obvious, except that underground mining does mean you have to develop underground access that means mining to create the circumstances operationally to actually mine. This often comes at a cost and that is often a sacrifice between mining ore and mining rock to get to the ore so as to deliver the underground equipment to the areas where the highest grades sit.

These latest results confirm what the industry already knows and that is Vatukoula still has a huge potential gold resource base to be mined where high grades are still waiting to be discovered.

It looks like the investor market that has an interest in gold is now turning its attention to gold equities and moving out of ETF's

VGM looks good value for money with these grades.



18 February 2013

Vatukoula Gold Mines plc

High Grade Drilling Intersections in the Philip Shaft area

Vatukoula Gold Mines Plc. (AIM:VGM), the AIM-listed gold producer, is pleased to announce additional high grade drilling results from the drilling campaign on the Prince William and associated ore bodies at the Company's Vatukoula gold mine in Fiji.

Highlights:

·     Surface and underground drilling programmes in the area of the Philip Shaft have continued to intersect high grade extensions of known ore bodies and encountered new mineralised structures both above and below the Prince William ore body.

·     Significant drill intersections from recent drilling include:

53.14 grams of gold per tonne over 1.29 metres of which one section reported 264.47 grams of gold per tonne over 0.23 metres

16.38 grams of gold per tonne over 0.42 metres

16.22 grams of gold per tonne over 0.53 metres

David Paxton, CEO of Vatukoula Gold Mines, commented:

"The positive exploration results from in and around the Philip Shaft have continued this fiscal year, with resource definition drilling confirming the strike and down dip extensions of the Prince William ore body. In addition drilling from surface encountered an additional mineralised structure approximately 200 metres above the Prince William ore body, with some exceptional grades. The results reported today are encouraging and indicate further resource upside within a currently active mining area proximal to the Philip Shaft."

Resource Definition Update

As announced in our preliminary results, published on the 21 December 2012, the resource definition drilling programme had increased our measured resource by 7% during the year ending August 2012. In the results, we stated that the drilling in the area around Philip Shaft had been extremely encouraging and the results indicated resource upside potential. Since August 2012 we have continued to drill from underground targeting potential strike and down dip extensions of the Prince William and other associated ore bodies. All of the drill holes (9 holes totalling 1,531 metres) completed in the current fiscal year intersected mineralised structures. A summary of the significant mineralised intersections from the resource definition drilling include:

Hole Number	Co-ordinates			Azimuth	Dip	Advance	Composite Mineralised Intersections		Au (g/t)	True Width (m)	Ore Body / Structure
(PU)	East	North	RL				From	To
14-102	5445	10654	9604	332	-74	256	191.50	191.60	39.51	0.09	Prince William
17-173	5296	11248	9510	155	-78	131	66.13	67.08	16.38	0.42	Prince William
							68.87	69.12	16.95	0.22	Prince William
17-176	5299	11249	9512	48	-7	122	49.13	49.38	11.25	0.23	carbonate stringers
							68.51	68.61	13.39	0.09	carbonate stringers
14-103	5446	10654	9607	348	59	200	108.64	108.78	33.95	0.12	Prince William FM1
							191.16	191.33	16.40	0.12	Prince William FM3
17-168A	5289	11252	9511	248	-31	151	68.06	68.43	20.14	0.17	Prince William Split
17-177	5292	11246	9511	138	-70	113	60.62	61.42	16.22	0.53	Prince William Split
14-108	5444	10656	9604	322	-41	249	27.97	28.08	14.71	0.09	Prince William Split

Exploration Update

Although the focus of our drilling programmes remains on resource definition, we identified an opportunity to target both peripheral mineral resources and exploration potential with one hole ("GSE185") and an associated wedge ("GSE185-A"). The original hole was 1,431 metres deep, with the wedge positioned at 482 metres below the surface.

Both the mother hole and the wedge intersected mineralisation at various depths. GSE185-A intersected significant mineralisation 200 metres above the current Prince William ore body. A composite intersection graded 53.14 g/t of Au over 1.29 metres. The current interpretation is that this mineralisation probably represents an extension of the 166N orebody. This orebody typically lies around 150 metres above the Cayzer-Prince orebody, however this intersection shows a possible further extension 200-300 metres west than the current resource model suggests.

The intersection of such a wide high grade structure in an area that is proximal to both existing infrastructure and current ore bodies is encouraging as it points to further upside in the current mineral resources. A summary of the significant mineralised intersections from the exploration drilling is shown in the following table:

Hole Number	Co-ordinates			Azimuth	Dip	Advance	Composite Mineralised Intersections		Au (g/t)	Width (m)	Ore Body / Structure
(GSE)	East	North	RL				From	To
185	5796	10897	10121	215	-89	1431	522.5	523.6	15.18	0.16	N/A
							667.3	667.6	10.96	0.29	N/A
							981.2	981.3	39.67	0.13	N/A
185A	5796	10897	10121	215	-89		525.3	526.9	53.14	1.29	N/A
						Including	525.3	525.5	264.47	0.23	N/A
							539.0	539.2	0.20	14.62	N/A

Qualified Person

Qualified Person Kiran Morzaria B.Eng. (ACSM), MBA, has reviewed and approved the information contained in this announcement. Kiran holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Industrial Geology) from the Camborne School of Mines and an MBA (Finance) from CASS Business School. Kiran is the Finance Director of VGM.

Vatukoula Gold Mines (VGM.LN) Investment in Development Now Paying Off

Vatukoula Gold Mines the London listed gold miner, today published some fantastic results from recent drilling undertaken on the Prince William ore body. Just to remind people. The Vatukoula mine in Fiji boasts some of the worlds highest gold grades and for an underground mine ranks around 12th in the world in terms of underground grades. The company has been spending considerable time re-adjusting its underground mining method, to shift more focus to footwall mining, where less waste is mined and more of a pincer movement is made on mining the actual ore body. You would think that mining this way underground would be obvious, except that underground mining does mean you have to develop underground, that means mining to create the circumstances operationally underground to actually mine. This often comes at a cost and that is often a sacrifice between mining ore and mining rock to get to the ore and deliver the underground equipment to the areas where the high grades sit.

These lates results confirm what the industry already knows and that is Vatukoula still has a huge potential gold resource base to be mined where high grades are still waiting to be discovered.

It looks like the investor market that has an interest in gold is now turning its attention to gold equities and moving out of ETF's
VGM looks good value for money with these grades.



18 February 2013

Vatukoula Gold Mines plc

High Grade Drilling Intersections in the Philip Shaft area

Vatukoula Gold Mines Plc. (AIM:VGM), the AIM-listed gold producer, is pleased to announce additional high grade drilling results from the drilling campaign on the Prince William and associated ore bodies at the Company's Vatukoula gold mine in Fiji.

Highlights:

·     Surface and underground drilling programmes in the area of the Philip Shaft have continued to intersect high grade extensions of known ore bodies and encountered new mineralised structures both above and below the Prince William ore body.

·     Significant drill intersections from recent drilling include:

53.14 grams of gold per tonne over 1.29 metres of which one section reported 264.47 grams of gold per tonne over 0.23 metres

16.38 grams of gold per tonne over 0.42 metres

16.22 grams of gold per tonne over 0.53 metres

David Paxton, CEO of Vatukoula Gold Mines, commented:

"The positive exploration results from in and around the Philip Shaft have continued this fiscal year, with resource definition drilling confirming the strike and down dip extensions of the Prince William ore body. In addition drilling from surface encountered an additional mineralised structure approximately 200 metres above the Prince William ore body, with some exceptional grades. The results reported today are encouraging and indicate further resource upside within a currently active mining area proximal to the Philip Shaft."

Resource Definition Update

As announced in our preliminary results, published on the 21 December 2012, the resource definition drilling programme had increased our measured resource by 7% during the year ending August 2012. In the results, we stated that the drilling in the area around Philip Shaft had been extremely encouraging and the results indicated resource upside potential. Since August 2012 we have continued to drill from underground targeting potential strike and down dip extensions of the Prince William and other associated ore bodies. All of the drill holes (9 holes totalling 1,531 metres) completed in the current fiscal year intersected mineralised structures. A summary of the significant mineralised intersections from the resource definition drilling include:

Hole Number	Co-ordinates			Azimuth	Dip	Advance	Composite Mineralised Intersections		Au (g/t)	True Width (m)	Ore Body / Structure
(PU)	East	North	RL				From	To
14-102	5445	10654	9604	332	-74	256	191.50	191.60	39.51	0.09	Prince William
17-173	5296	11248	9510	155	-78	131	66.13	67.08	16.38	0.42	Prince William
							68.87	69.12	16.95	0.22	Prince William
17-176	5299	11249	9512	48	-7	122	49.13	49.38	11.25	0.23	carbonate stringers
							68.51	68.61	13.39	0.09	carbonate stringers
14-103	5446	10654	9607	348	59	200	108.64	108.78	33.95	0.12	Prince William FM1
							191.16	191.33	16.40	0.12	Prince William FM3
17-168A	5289	11252	9511	248	-31	151	68.06	68.43	20.14	0.17	Prince William Split
17-177	5292	11246	9511	138	-70	113	60.62	61.42	16.22	0.53	Prince William Split
14-108	5444	10656	9604	322	-41	249	27.97	28.08	14.71	0.09	Prince William Split

Exploration Update

Although the focus of our drilling programmes remains on resource definition, we identified an opportunity to target both peripheral mineral resources and exploration potential with one hole ("GSE185") and an associated wedge ("GSE185-A"). The original hole was 1,431 metres deep, with the wedge positioned at 482 metres below the surface.

Both the mother hole and the wedge intersected mineralisation at various depths. GSE185-A intersected significant mineralisation 200 metres above the current Prince William ore body. A composite intersection graded 53.14 g/t of Au over 1.29 metres. The current interpretation is that this mineralisation probably represents an extension of the 166N orebody. This orebody typically lies around 150 metres above the Cayzer-Prince orebody, however this intersection shows a possible further extension 200-300 metres west than the current resource model suggests.

The intersection of such a wide high grade structure in an area that is proximal to both existing infrastructure and current ore bodies is encouraging as it points to further upside in the current mineral resources. A summary of the significant mineralised intersections from the exploration drilling is shown in the following table:

Hole Number	Co-ordinates			Azimuth	Dip	Advance	Composite Mineralised Intersections		Au (g/t)	Width (m)	Ore Body / Structure
(GSE)	East	North	RL				From	To
185	5796	10897	10121	215	-89	1431	522.5	523.6	15.18	0.16	N/A
							667.3	667.6	10.96	0.29	N/A
							981.2	981.3	39.67	0.13	N/A
185A	5796	10897	10121	215	-89		525.3	526.9	53.14	1.29	N/A
						Including	525.3	525.5	264.47	0.23	N/A
							539.0	539.2	0.20	14.62	N/A

Qualified Person

Qualified Person Kiran Morzaria B.Eng. (ACSM), MBA, has reviewed and approved the information contained in this announcement. Kiran holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Industrial Geology) from the Camborne School of Mines and an MBA (Finance) from CASS Business School. Kiran is the Finance Director of VGM.