Eastern Platinum Limited Reports Q1 2020 Results
1080 - 1188 West Georgia St.
Vancouver, BC Canada V6E 4A2
June 4, 2020
Trading Symbol: ELR (TSX); EPS (JSE)
NEWS RELEASE
EASTERN PLATINUM LIMITED REPORTS Q1 2020 RESULTS
June 4, 2020, Vancouver, British Columbia – Eastern Platinum Limited (“ Eastplats ” or the “ Company ”) is pleased
to report that it has filed its Q1 2020 condensed i nterim consolidated financial statements and manage ment’s
discussion and analysis for the three month period ended March 31, 2020. Below is a summary of the Com pany’s
financial results for Q1 2020 (all amounts in USD):
• Revenue increased to $14.2 million for Q1 2020 (Q1 2019 - $5.4 million) – 163% increase;
• Operating loss decreased to $1.2 million for Q1 202 0 (Q1 2019 - $1.8 million);
• Net loss to equity shareholders of $8.2 million (loss of $0.09 per share) during Q1 2020 compared with $0.8
million (loss of $0.01 per share) in Q1 2019 – the increase resulting from a $8.7 million change in fo reign
exchange losses due to a significant devaluation in the South African Rand to the US$ as a result of COVID-
19;
• Strong financial position with cash of $8.3 million and net working capital (excluding non-cash deferr ed
revenue) of $8.1 million as at March 31, 2020; and
• Net operating cash flows generated during Q1 2020 w ere $7.6 million compared with $3.7 million used
during Q1 2019.
Operations Update
Barplats Mines (Pty) Ltd. (“ Barplats ”), a subsidiary of Eastplats, now continues operat ion of its tailings retreatment
project located at the Crocodile River Mine (the “ Retreatment Project ”) following the South Africa COVID-19
lockdown. Barplats operations were not producing fo r 18 days. Further, as a result of the change in lo ckdown levels
effective June 1, 2020, Barplats will recall constr uction contractors in a phased return. Based on the appropriate
mobilization, construction activities are expected to begin in relation to the tailings storage facili ty wall building and
the Retreatment Project optimization.
A summary of production during Q1 2020:
Average grade Cr
concentrate
Tons of Cr concentrate
38.56% 293,968
The Company remains committed to the Government of South Africa’s direction to prevent the risk of spr ead of
COVID-19. Eastplats continues to update and monitor its risk assessments and has adopted appropriate p rocedures,
consistent with government directives, to maintain a safe workplace for its employees and the communit ies in which
it operates.
The effects of COVID-19 are changing and evolving and the Company cannot reasonably estimate at this time all the
impacts of COVID-19 or if new or unexpected changes to the lockdown levels will be imposed by the Government of
South Africa. All these issues could have material adverse effects on the Company’s business, liquidity and cashflows.
Outlook
The Company is pleased to have its workforce return ed and the Retreatment Project in full operations.
The Company will update its forecasts for the year including the timelines of the completion of the Retreatment Project
optimization project when there is less uncertainty . The effects of COVID-19 are changing rapidly and could have
material effects on the Company’s 2020 outlook and its ability to attain targets.
The Company’s targets for 2020 subject to capital a vailability include:
• Completion of the optimization program for the Retr eatment Project;
• Maximize operating results of the Retreatment Proje ct;
• Establishment and execution of the appropriate TSF phase II capital works program;
• Commissioning and operation of the PGM scavenger pl ant;
• Assessment and decision regarding the larger scale PGM production for the tailings resource;
• Assessment of re-opening the CRM Zandfontein underg round operations;
• Ensure appropriate care and maintenance on all reso urce properties; and
• Assessment and decision regarding Mareesburg projec t.
The Company is actively looking at opportunities for its other assets and properties and exploring options to utilize or
monetize these assets.
The Company has filed the following documents, unde r the Company’s profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com :
• Condensed interim consolidated financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2020; and
• Management’s discussion and analysis for the three months ended March 31, 2020.
For further information, please contact:
EASTERN PLATINUM LIMITED
Rowland Wallenius, Chief Financial Officer
[email protected] (email)
(604) 800 -8200 (phone)
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This press release contains “forward-looking statem ents” or “forward-looking information” (collectivel y referred to herein as
“ forward-looking statements ”) within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Such forward-looking statements include,
without limitation, forecasts, estimates, expectati ons and objectives for future operations that are s ubject to a number of
assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Forward-lo oking statements are
statements that are not historical facts and are ge nerally, but not always, identified by the words “w ill”, “plan”, “intends”, “may”,
“will”, “could”, “expects”, “anticipates” and simil ar expressions. Further disclosure of the risks and uncertainties facing the
Company and other forward-looking statements are di scussed in the Company’s most recent Annual Informa tion Form available
under the Company’s profile on www.sedar.com.
In particular, this press release contains, without limitation, forward-looking statements pertaining to: the 2020 targets and
objectives; the Company’s ability to maintain a saf e workplace for its employees; the effects of the l ockdown imposed by the
Government of South Africa; any future measured tak en by the Government of South Africa. These forward -looking statements
are based on assumptions made by and information cu rrently available to the Company. Although managem ent considers these
assumptions to be reasonable based on information c urrently available to it, they may prove to be inco rrect. By their very nature,
forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these
statements as a number of factors could cause actua l results to differ materially from the beliefs, pl ans, objectives, expectations,
estimates and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, unanticipated
problems that may arise in our production processes , commodity prices, lower than expected grades and quantities of resources,
need for additional funding and availability of suc h additional funding on acceptable terms, economic conditions, currency
fluctuations, competition and regulations, legal proceedings and risks related to operations in foreign countries.
All forward-looking statements in this press releas e are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, the
“ Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information ” section contained in the Company’s most recent Ma nagement’s
Discussion and Analysis available under the Company’s profile on www.sedar.com. The forward-looking statements in this press
release are made as of the date they are given and, except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any
intention or obligation, and does not undertake, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, w hether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise.
No stock exchange, securities commission or other r egulatory authority has approved or disapproved the
information contained herein.
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