Kropz PLC Update on Elandsfontein and Hinda projects (2666T)
23 Novembre 2021 - 10:39AM
UK Regulatory
TIDMKRPZ
RNS Number : 2666T
Kropz PLC
23 November 2021
The information contained within this announcement is deemed to
constitute inside information as stipulated under the retained EU
law version of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014 (the
"UK MAR") which is part of UK law by virtue of the European Union
(Withdrawal) Act 2018. The information is disclosed in accordance
with the Company's obligations under Article 17 of the UK MAR. Upon
the publication of this announcement, this inside information is
now considered to be in the public domain.
23 November 2021
Kropz Plc
("Kropz" or the "Company")
Update on Elandsfontein and Hinda projects
Kropz Plc (AIM: KRPZ), an emerging African phosphate developer,
is providing updates for its Elandsfontein project
("Elandsfontein") located in the Republic of South Africa and its
Hinda project ("Hinda"), located in the Republic of the Congo.
Elandsfontein
Significant progress continues to be made at Elandsfontein. The
project schedule remains tight, however the project remains on
track and within the original projected capital budget for
commissioning in December 2021. These achievements have been
realised against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Site activities are currently split between finalising the
piping installation and the electrical, control and instrumentation
installation and early commissioning activities.
Earthworks and civil construction are complete; the fabrication
and erection of structural steel, platework and piping are complete
and mechanical equipment is installed.
Pre-commissioning (C2) activities are advancing well. The C2
activities largely entail testing signals from field
instrumentation to the SCADA operating system, testing input/output
signals for instruments and direction testing of electrical
drives.
C3 (or cold) commissioning has commenced in areas where
installation is complete. Several tanks and thickeners have been
filled with water to run through the leak detection process, before
starting to pump water through the circuit.
The piping installation progress was hampered by a nationwide
industrial action by the National Union of Metalworkers of South
Africa ("NUMSA strike"). The NUMSA strike affected the off-site
workshop related work on the rubber lined pipe closures, which in
turn affected the site work. Mitigation plans were put in place,
but employees were intimidated and the mitigation efforts had to be
halted. The NUMSA strike commenced on 5 October 2021 and ended on
21 October 2021. No further impacts of the NUMSA strike on the
project schedule are anticipated.
The delivery of the 'first fill' of imported reagents from the
United States, is on track for mid-December 2021. While the
delivery times for imported reagents remain under pressure due to
global shipping challenges, recent feedback from shipping agents is
that the freight demands are expected to ease after Chinese New
Year. Additional orders have been placed to secure delivery for Q1
2022.
Transnet has provided the Company with a draft port access
agreement to support the long-term export of Elandsfontein's
phosphate rock through the port of Saldanha. The contract is now
being finalised between the parties. Exports through Cape Town will
only be required for a maximum of 30% of Elandsfontein's export
production of approximately 1 million tons per annum, and only if
capacity through Saldanha is unavailable for a period of time.
First phosphate rock ore exports from Elandsfontein are expected in
Q1 2022.
The current and further potential effects of COVID-19, and the
possibility of a fourth wave of infections in South Africa remains
a risk to the project schedule. The Company has mitigated this risk
as far as reasonably practicable by compliance to the Kropz
COVID-19 policies and procedures.
The Company will provide further updates on the Elandsfontein
project and commissioning progress in due course.
Hinda
Hatch is currently in the process of finalising the updated
feasibility study ("Updated FS") on Hinda. Hatch is currently
engaged in a value engineering phase to optimise the project
economics. The results of the Updated FS are expected to be
released in January 2022.
For further information visit www.kropz.com or contact:
Kropz Plc
+27 (0) 79
Mark Summers (CEO) 744 8708
Grant Thornton UK LLP Nominated Adviser
Samantha Harrison
Harrison Clarke +44 (0) 20
George Grainger 7383 5100
Hannam & Partners Broker
Andrew Chubb +44 (0) 20
Ernest Bell 7907 8500
Tavistock Financial PR
& IR (UK)
Nick Elwes +44 (0) 207
Jos Simson 920 3150
Oliver Lamb kropz@tavistock.co.uk
R&A Strategic Communications PR (South Africa)
James Duncan +27 (0) 11
880 3924
james@rasc.co.za
About Kropz Plc
Kropz is an emerging African explorer and developer of plant
nutrient feed minerals with phosphate projects in South Africa and
in the Republic of Congo. The vision of the Group is to become a
leading independent phosphate rock producer and to develop into an
integrated, mine-to-market plant nutrient company focusing on
sub-Saharan Africa.
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