Eastern Platinum Limited Reports Q2 2020 Results
1080 - 1188 West Georgia St.
Vancouver, BC Canada V6E 4A2
August 7, 2020
Trading Symbol: ELR (TSX); EPS (JSE)
NEWS RELEASE
EASTERN PLATINUM LIMITED REPORTS Q2 2020 RESULTS
August 7, 2020, Vancouver, British Columbia – Eastern Platinum Limited (“Eastplats” or the “Company”) is pleased
to report that it has filed its Q 2 2020 condensed interim consolidated financial statements and management’s
discussion and analysis for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020. Below is a summary of the Company’s
financial results for Q2 2020 (See COVID-19 below) (all amounts in USD):
• Revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2020 increased to $23.5 million (Q2 2019 - $15.8 million) – 49%
increase;
• Operating loss for the six months ended June 30, 2020 remained flat at $2.2 million (Q2 2019 - $2.2 million),
even with the lost production due to COVID-19;
• Net loss to equity shareholders of $11.2 million (loss of $0.12 per share) during six months ended June 30,
2020 compared with $0.2 million (loss of $0.0 0 per share) in the same period of 201 9 – the large increase
resulting from a $7.5 million change in foreign exchange losses due to a significant devaluation in the South
African Rand to the US$ as a result of COVID-19 and the settlement of a legal dispute with AlphaGlobal;
• Strong financial position with cash of $4.7 million and net working capital (excluding non- cash deferred
revenue) of $8.0 million as at June 30, 2020; and
• Net operating cash flows generated of $3.3 million during the first six months of 2020 compared with $8.0
million used during the same period of 2019.
Operations
Barplats Mines (Pty) Ltd. (“ Barplats”), a subsidiary of Eastplats, is in full operation with its tailings retreatment
project located at the Crocodile River Mine (the “Retreatment Project ”) following the South Africa government
imposed lockdown which continued into April 2020 and a further brief temporary shutdown in June 2020 both as a
result of COVID-19.
Additionally, a PGM scavenger plant operating from the feed following the chrome plant was restarted in late July
2020.
A summary of chrome recovery production during the three months of Q2- 2020:
Average grade Cr
concentrate
Tons of Cr concentrate
38.51% 214,994
A summary of chrome recovery production during the three months of Q2- 2019:
Average grade Cr
concentrate
Tons of Cr concentrate
38.72% 114,446
Settlement of AlphaGlobal legal dispute
As previously announced (Press Release June 26, 2020) the Company closed and signed a settlement agreement with
AlphaGlobal Capital Inc. (“ AlphaGlobal”) to dismiss all claims against the Company and its subsidiaries and to
release the Company from any and all claims that AlphaGlobal may have against the Company or its subsidiaries, in
exchange for the issuance of 8,000,000 common shares of the Company (each a “ Common Share”) at a deemed
subscription price of $0.235 CDN (CDN$1,880,000), 6,000,000 common share purchase warrants exercisable at $0.24
CDN each entitling the holder to acq uire one Common Share of the Company for a period of two years, and the
payment of South African Rand (“ ZAR”) 9,000,000 (ZAR5,000,000 (paid) and ZAR1,000,000 each quarter end
starting on September 30, 2020) (CDN$720,000).
Diana Hu the CEO of Eastplats stat ed “this settlement closes a long -standing chapter and eliminates a significant
contingency for the Company, created years ago by the previous management of the Company.” Ms. Hu further added
“current management continues to focus on operations of the Retr eatment Project and other potential projects and
opportunities to create value for all stakeholders.”
Outlook
The Company is pleased to have its workforce returned and the Retreatment Project in full operations and also the
start-up during July of the PGM scavenger plant.
The Company will update its forecasts following the completion of the Optimization Program, which is currently not
known. 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 availability include:
• Completion of the Optimization Program for the Retreatment Project;
• Maximize operating results of the Retreatment Project;
• Establishment and execution of the appropriate TSF phase II capital works program;
• Commissioning and operation of the PGM scavenger plant;
• Assessment of the Circuit H Project;
• Assessment and decision regarding the larger scale PGM production for the tailings resource;
• Assessment of the CRM Zandfontein underground operations;
• Ensure appropriate care and maintenance on all resource properties; and
• Assessment and decision regarding Mareesburg project.
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, under the Company’s profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com :
• Condensed interim consolidated financial statements for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020; and
• Management’s discussion and analysis for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020.
COVID-19
On March 27, 2020, South Africa began a government di rected nation-wide lock-down to fight COVID-19 and as a
result the Company temporarily ceased its operations at CRM, until an essential services permit was issued by the
government on April 8, 2020. Accordingly, the Company began to recall certain of its w orkers and following some
additional maintenance and after a short ramp-up the Company began operating at 50% of the workforce until May 1,
2020. During May the Company then began to recall its remaining workforce who were on paid leave back to the
mine, so that at June 1, 2020 all staff were back at work.
On June 13, 2020 the Company temporarily halted production for several days at CRM due to positive COVID -19
cases, but after full scale deep cleaning and testing, resumed operations at CRM.
The effects of COVID-19 are evolving and changing and the consequences of a further temporary shutdown of the
CRM or other related issues cannot be reasonably estimated at this time but could potentially have material adverse
effects on the Company’s business, liquidity and cashflows.
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 statements” or “forward -looking information” (collectively referred to herein as
“forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Such forward-looking statements include,
without limitation, forecasts, estimates, expectations and objectives for future operations that are subject to a number of
assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Forward-looking statements are
statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words “will”, “plan”, “intends”, “may”,
“will”, “could”, “expects”, “anticipates” and similar expressions. Further disclosure of the risks and uncertainties facing t he
Company and other forward-looking statements are discussed in the Company’s most recent Annual Information Form available
under the Company’s profile on www.sedar.com.
In particular, this press release contains , without limitation, forward-looking statements pert aining to: the 2020 targets and
objectives; the Company’s ability to find opportunities for its other assets and properties and to maintain a safe workplace for its
employees; the effects of the lockdown imposed by the Government of South Africa; any future measured taken by the Government
of South Africa the Company’s ability to test and assess PGM recovery opportunities in connection with the Retreatment Project .
These forward -looking statements are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company.
Although management considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove
to be incorrect. 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 actual results to differ materially from the beliefs,
plans, 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 such 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 release 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 Management’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, a nd does not undertake, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise.
No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the
information contained herein.
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