28 June 2024
Metals One Plc
("Metals One" or the
"Company")
Final Results for the Year
Ended 31 December 2023
Metals
One (AIM: MET1),
which is advancing strategic metals projects in Finland and Norway,
announces, announces its unaudited results
for the twelve months ended 31 December 2023. The full annual report and
accounts are available to view on the Company's website
at www.metals-one.com
and are being posted to shareholders today along
with a Notice of Annual General Meeting ("AGM") convening the AGM
for 11.00 a.m. on Monday, 22 July 2024 at Hill Dickinson LLP, 8th
Floor, The Broadgate Tower, 20 Primrose Street, London, EC2A
2EW.
Highlights
Finland - Black Schist
Project (nickel, copper, cobalt, zinc)
·
Completed a 1,548m diamond drill programme across
eight holes at the R1 Hook target within the Rauta 9-11 permit at
the Finland - Black Schist Project
o Designed to confirm the structure and potential for
Terrafame-style Ni-Cu-Co-Zn mineralisation, initial visual and
portable X‐ray Fluorescence ("pXR") assessments of the core
indicated potential intersections of this style of black shale
hosted mineralisation
o Identified significant intersections of mineralised black
schists and demonstrated geological continuity with existing
resource at R1 which could support future resource
expansion
o Confirmed a synformal structure, indicating significant
potential to the east and prompting the Company to extend the
current permit area in that direction
·
Entered into an agreement in relation to the Black
Schist Project, pursuant to which Gunsynd Plc (AIM: GUN)
("Gunsynd") agreed to acquire up to 25% of the project for a staged
investment of up to £1 million
o Received first stage payment of £250,000 in November 2023,
with Gunsynd accordingly issued with 6.25% of the voting share
capital of Metals One Finland (a subsidiary of the Company which
holds the Black Schist Project)
o Post-period
end, Metals One announced an £895,000 Placing to advance the Black
Schist Project independently and, simultaneously, its decision to
terminate the Gunsynd farm-in, providing the Company with a
three-year option to regain 100% ownership by re-acquiring the
6.25% currently held by Gunsynd for the same price
·
Post-period end, received positive re-assay results from the
P5 JORC Exploration Target in the Paltamo area of the Black Schist
Project - initial observations support opportunity to convert P5
target to a mineral resource
o Engaged Mining
Plus to undertake mineral resource estimate
Norway - SRH Råna Project (nickel,
copper, cobalt)
·
Norway - SRH Råna Project
partner/operator Kingsrose Mining (ASX: KRM)
("Kingsrose") completed 4,318m drill programme across 12 holes.
Kingsrose:
o Identified new zones of nickel sulphide mineralisation,
further demonstrating the scale potential of the largely
underexplored Råna Intrusion
o Discovered mineralised bodies at the Rånbogen and Malmhaugen
prospects
o Identified multiple high‐priority targets, including areas of
outcropping massive sulphide nickel mineralisation associated with
conductive geophysical anomalies extending to depth
·
Post-period end, Kingsrose started
the 2024 field season with geological mapping, building on its
understanding of the geology of the area and, ultimately, helping
to identify additional targets for core drilling later this
year
Alastair
Clayton, Chairman of Metals One, commented:
"Metals One
has listed with interests in strategic minerals projects including
substantial exploration carry exposure through farm-ins at a
critical time for the development of domestic sources of the
strategic minerals required to support the digital and green
transitions in Europe. With European projects, experienced
partners, and funded work programmes in place, our projects are
well positioned for rapid advancement as we seek to establish
sustainably mined sources of strategic minerals, including copper
and nickel, in Europe, close to the centre of
demand.
With very
encouraging results from our projects in Norway and Finland, we are
well positioned for our continuing project development and to grow
value for shareholders. We look forward to updating shareholders
and stakeholders on further news as we continue our work
programmes.
I would like
to thank the team at Metals One and its advisers for their hard
work leading up to the IPO and project acquisitions, and also our
shareholders for their continued support of the Company's strategy.
I believe our strategy to focus on strategic minerals at this time
and in the right jurisdiction will pay off."
Financial
Statements and Notes to the Accounts
For access to the full Financial Statements and
Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31 December 2023, please
click on the following link: http://www.rns-pdf.londonstockexchange.com/rns/4087U_1-2024-6-28.pdf
Extracts are set out below.
METALS ONE
PLC
CHAIRMAN'S
STATEMENT
FOR THE YEAR
ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
I am pleased to present the first annual
financial report of Metals One since its admission to the London
Stock Exchange Alternative Investment Market (AIM).
The twelve-months ended 31 December 2023 were
an incredibly busy period for the Company as it completed its AIM
Initial Public Offering (IPO) and concurrent acquisitions of
European strategic minerals projects.
On 31 July 2023, the Company completed both the
acquisition of Metals One Finland, formerly FinnAust Mining
Northern OY which holds 100% interest in the Paltamo and Rautavaara
Nickel-Zinc-Copper-Cobalt ("Ni-Zn-Cu-Co") projects in the Kainuu
Black Schist Belt in eastern Finland acquired from AIM-listed
Bluejay Mining Plc (AIM: JAY), and the acquisition of Scandinavian
Resource Holdings, which holds 80% of the shares in Narvik Nikkel
AS which in turn holds 100% of the Råna Project in Northern Norway
through a Joint Venture ("JV") with Kingsrose Mining Ltd (ASX: KRM)
("Kingsrose"). On the same date, the Company also completed its
listing on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange, having
raised £2.2 million for working capital for its
projects.
Finland -
Black Schist Project
Inferred Mineral Resource of 28.1 Mt
Ni-Zn-Cu-Co
The Project in Finland comprises three
exploration permits and four reservations, together with three
pending exploration permit applications and one pending reservation
application. The project is located across the Kainuu (Paltamo) and
Northern Savonia (Rautavaara) regions of eastern Finland, and is
adjacent to one of Europe's largest nickel miner, Terrafame. The
primary project development model Metals One is pursuing at the
Black Schist Project is for Terrafame-style shale-hosted
Ni-Zn-Cu-Co resources.
The Black Schist Project contains an existing
JORC Inferred Resource (at the R1 target) of 28.1 Mt at a grade of
0.19% Ni (53,800t), 0.10% Cu (27,900t), 0.01% Co (3,400t) and 0.38%
Zn (180,000t), and a JORC Exploration Target (at the P5 target) of
16-24 Mt. The Company's strategy for the project is to show a clear
path to the economic extraction of its assets. This includes a
longer‐term ambition of potentially defining a 200 Mt resource, the
scale of which could underpin a significant supply of strategic
minerals to the European market at what Metals One expects to be a
low cost of production and low carbon intensity.
On 25 July 2023 the Company entered into an
agreement during the year in relation to its Black Schist Project,
pursuant to which AIM-listed Gunsynd Plc (AIM: GUN) agreed to
acquire up to 25% of the projects for a staged investment of up to
£1 million. On 16 November 2023 the Company announced that it had
received the first stage payment of £250,000 from Gunsynd and
accordingly Gunsynd was issued with 6.25% of the voting share
capital of Metals One Finland (a subsidiary of the Company which
holds the Black-Schist Project). Post-period end, Metals One
announced on 20 May 2024 an £895,000 Placing to advance the Black
Schist Project and, simultaneously, its decision to terminate the
Gunsynd farm-in. As part of the termination agreement, Metals One
has been granted a three-year option to re-acquire the 6.25% of
Metals One Finland currently held by Gunsynd.
The Company commenced a drilling programme at
the Black Schist Project in November 2023 and completed 1,548m of
diamond drilling across eight holes at the R1 Hook target. This
target is a highly prospective extension to the R1 target in the
Rauta 9‐11 Resource bearing licence area at the Black Schist
Project. Diamond drilling was designed to confirm the
structure and potential for Terrafame‐style Ni‐Cu‐Co‐Zn
mineralisation. Pleasingly, initial visual and portable (X‐ray
Fluorescence (""pXR")") assessments of the core indicated potential
intersections of this style of black shale hosted
mineralisation.
Metals One reported drilling assay results from
the drilling programme post period end. Significant
intersections of mineralised black schists were identified in all
eight drillholes, whilst drilling also demonstrated geological
continuity with the Company's existing Resource at R1 which could
support future resource expansion. Significantly, Hole
RAU0002 intercepted 14.7m of mineralised black schists from 50m
(0.18% Ni, 0.01% Cu, 0.01% Co, 0.57% Zn) and Hole RAU0003
intercepted 11m of mineralised black schists from 199.5m (0.22% Ni,
0.01% Cu, 0.01% Co, 0.55% Zn).
The results confirmed a synformal structure,
indicating significant potential to the east and prompting the
Company to extend the current permit area in that
direction.
Post-period end, Metals One's work programme
has centred on its P5 JORC Exploration Target in the Paltamo area
of the project. Underpinned by positive assay results and using the
funds raised in May 2024, Metals One intends to progress its
resource upgrade programme, targeting an anticipated increase in
resource from the current 28.1 Mt of Terrafame-type mineralisation.
The Company is on track to share its interpretation and updated
resource in the coming weeks and expects the updated resource to
underpin a Scoping Study in the second half of 2024 which would
represent a key milestone in the Company's transition from
exploration and discovery to project development.
Norway - SRH
Råna Project
Brownfield exploration of Råna Intrusion
- fully carried
The Company's assets in Norway consist of an
indirect 80% interest in the Råna Project (Ni-Cu-Co), via its Joint
Venture Narvik Nikkel AS, located on the southern shores of the
Ofotfjord and situated approximately 20 km to the southwest of the
port town of Narvik. The Råna Project consists of contiguous
exploration permits with a total area of 18.14 km2 that
cover the northern and northwestern parts of the Råna mafic to
ultramafic Intrusion ("Råna Intrusion"). The project has proven
potential for massive sulphide Ni-Cu-Co mineralisation.
The Company's interest in the Råna Project is
owned through a JV with Kingsrose, who are operator of the project
and have a right to earn up to 75% over eight years through staged
expenditure of up to A$15 million. We announced in early
February 2024 that Kingsrose had received all analytical results
from the 2023 core drilling programme, where a total of 4,318m were
drilled across 12 holes.
The identification of new zones of nickel
sulphide mineralisation at our SRH Råna Project further
demonstrates the scale potential of the largely underexplored Råna
intrusion. In addition to the discovery of mineralised bodies at
the Rånbogen and Malmhaugen prospects, the drill programme
identified multiple high‐priority targets, including areas of
outcropping massive sulphide nickel mineralisation associated with
conductive geophysical anomalies extending to depth. The operator
is aiming to drill these key targets as part of its 2024
exploration programme alongside further geophysical surveying
across the broader intrusion. They continue to test the true
potential of the Råna intrusion to host one, if not more,
nickel‐copper‐cobalt‐PGM deposits of economic tenor.
Conclusion
Metals One has listed with interests in
strategic minerals projects including substantial exploration carry
exposure through farm-ins at a critical time for the development of
domestic sources of the strategic minerals required to support the
digital and green transitions in Europe. With European projects,
experienced partners, and funded work programmes in place, our
projects are well positioned for rapid advancement as we seek to
establish sustainably mined sources of strategic minerals,
including copper and nickel, in Europe, close to the centre of
demand.
With very encouraging results from our projects
in Norway and Finland, we are well positioned for our continuing
project development and to grow value for shareholders. We look
forward to updating shareholders and stakeholders on further news
as we continue our work programmes.
I would like to thank the team at Metals One
and its advisers for their hard work leading up to the IPO and
project acquisitions, and also our shareholders for their continued
support of the Company's strategy. I believe our strategy to focus
on strategic minerals at this time and in the right jurisdiction
will pay off.
Alastair
Clayton
Chairman
28 June 2024
METALS ONE
PLC
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
FOR THE YEAR
ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
|
Notes
|
Year ended
31
December
2023
|
|
|
£
|
Revenue
|
|
|
Revenue from continuing
operations
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
Expenditure
|
|
|
Other income
|
|
-
|
Costs associated with the
listing
|
|
(598,094)
|
Administrative expenses
|
3
|
(1,005,709)
|
Share of loss of associate accounted
for using the equity method
|
23
|
(150,744)
|
|
|
(1,754,547)
|
Finance costs
|
|
|
Finance expense
|
|
(15)
|
Interest expense
|
|
-
|
|
|
(15)
|
|
|
|
Loss on ordinary activities before taxation
|
|
(1,754,562)
|
Taxation on loss on ordinary
activities
|
7
|
-
|
Loss on ordinary activities after taxation
|
|
(1,754,562)
|
Other comprehensive income
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exchange differences on
translation of foreign operations
|
4
|
1,662
|
Loss and total comprehensive income for the year attributable
to the owners of the Group
|
|
(1,752,900)
|
|
|
|
Earnings per share (basic and
diluted) attributable to the equity holders (pence)
|
8
|
(1.77)
|
|
|
|
Loss and total comprehensive income attributable
to:
|
|
|
Owners of the parent
|
|
(1,751,733)
|
Non-controlling interest
|
|
(2,829)
|
|
|
(1,754,562)
|
The accompanying notes on pages 36 to 63 of the
full annual report and accounts form an integral part of these
consolidated financial statements.
METALS ONE
PLC
COMPANY NUMBER
13158079
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION
AS AT 31
DECEMBER 2023
|
Notes
|
As at
31 December
2023
£
|
NON-CURRENT ASSETS
|
|
|
Investment in associate
|
23
|
3,304,141
|
Exploration and
evaluation
|
9
|
5,706,986
|
TOTAL NON-CURRENT ASSETS
|
|
9,011,127
|
CURRENT ASSETS
|
|
|
Trade and other
receivables
|
11
|
238,048
|
Cash and cash equivalents
|
13
|
751,095
|
TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS
|
|
989,143
|
TOTAL ASSETS
|
|
10,000,270
|
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES
|
|
|
Deferred consideration
payable
|
16
|
85,000
|
TOTAL NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES
|
|
85,000
|
CURRENT LIABILITIES
|
|
|
Trade and other payables
|
15
|
432,323
|
Deferred consideration
payable
|
16
|
150,000
|
Contingent consideration
|
17
|
250,000
|
TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES
|
|
832,323
|
TOTAL LIABILITIES
|
|
917,323
|
|
|
|
NET
ASSETS / (LIABILITIES)
|
|
9,082,947
|
EQUITY
|
|
|
Called up share
capital
|
18
|
2,084,500
|
Share premium account
|
18
|
7,775,715
|
Shares to issue
|
10
|
1,000,000
|
Share based payment
reserve
|
20
|
337,673
|
Foreign exchange reserve
|
4
|
1,662
|
Retained earnings
|
|
(2,363,774)
|
Equity attributable to equity holders of the
parent
|
|
8,835,776
|
Non-controlling interest
|
|
247,171
|
TOTAL EQUITY
|
|
9,082,947
|
The accompanying notes on pages 36
to 63 of the full annual report and accounts form an integral part
of these consolidated financial statements.
The financial statements were
approved by the board on 28 June 2024 and were signed on its behalf
by:
Alastair Clayton
Chairman
Going
concern
The Group and Company's financial statements
have been prepared on the going concern basis, which contemplates
that the Group and Company will be able to realize its assets and
discharge liabilities in the normal course of business. Despite
this, there can be no assurance that the Group or the Company will
either achieve or maintain profitability in the future and
financial returns arising therefrom may be adversely affected by
factors outside the control of the Group and the
Company.
The Group and Company has had recurring losses
since incorporation, and its continuation as a going concern is
dependent on the Group and Company's ability to successfully fund
its operations by generating sufficient cash flow from operations.
As it is unlikely to generate a positive operating cashflow in the
near the future the Group and Company will be required to obtain
additional financing from equity injections and / or the raising of
cash through bank loans or other debt instruments, to meet any
working capital deficits and fund the Group and Company's
exploration activities and new mine developments.
This indicates that a material uncertainty
exists that may cast significant doubt over the Group and Company's
ability to continue as a going concern and therefore their ability
to realise their assets and discharge their liabilities in the
normal course of business.
Whilst acknowledging this material uncertainty,
the directors consider it appropriate to prepare the consolidated
financial statements on a going concern basis for the following
reasons:
· As
disclosed in the after balance sheet events note 27, the group
completed a fundraising to raise £895,000 to fund the planned
development scoping and exploration activities in Finland along
with working capital commitments for the year ahead;
· The
Group has no committed exploration expenditure on its granted
mining licenses and has the ability to reduce all spend in the
event that it needs to conserve cash balances;
· The
Group can reduce most discretionary administrative expenditure;
and
· The
Group's Board of Directors have significant experience in the debt
and equity capital markets and specifically have a successful track
record in funding mining operations, new mine development and
exploration activities and are further considered capable of
securing ongoing debt and equity capital financing for the
Group.
The consolidated financial statements do not
include the adjustments that would result if the Group and Company
were unable to continue as a going concern.
The auditors have made reference to going
concern by way of a material uncertainty within the financial
statements.
Enquiries:
Metals One
Plc
Jonathan Owen, Chief Executive
Officer
|
via Vigo Consulting
+44 (0)20 7390 0234
|
|
|
Beaumont
Cornish Limited (Nominated Adviser)
James Biddle / Roland Cornish
www.beaumontcornish.com
|
+44 (0)20 7628 3396
|
|
|
Shard Capital
Partners LLP (Joint Broker)
Damon Heath / Erik Woolgar
|
+44 (0)20 7186 9952
|
|
|
SI Capital
Limited (Joint Broker)
Nick Emerson
|
+44 (0)14 8341 3500
|
|
|
Capital Plus
Partners Limited (Joint Broker)
Keith Swann
https://www.capplus.co.uk/
|
+44 (0)20 3821 6169
|
|
|
Vigo
Consulting (Investor Relations)
Ben Simons / Kendall Hill
metalsone@vigoconsulting.com
|
+44 (0)20 7390 0234
|
About Metals
One
Metals One is developing strategic metals
projects in Finland (Black Schist Project) and Norway (SRH Råna
Project), with approximately £9 million of exploration carry
exposure through a farm-in agreement. Metals One is aiming to help
meet the significant demand for critical minerals by defining
resources on the doorstep of Europe's major electric vehicle OEMs
and battery manufacturers. Metals One's Black Schist Project in
Finland, totalling 706 km2 across three licence areas,
has an Inferred Resource of 28.1 Mt nickel-copper-cobalt-zinc and
is located adjacent to one of Europe's largest nickel mines
operated by Terrafame. Metals One's fully carried SRH Råna Project
in Norway covers 18.14 km² across three contiguous exploration
licences, with significant opportunity for exploration of the Råna
Intrusion, and proven potential for massive sulphide
nickel-cobalt-copper mineralisation.
Follow us on
social media:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/metals-one-plc/
X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/metals_one_PLC
Subscribe to
our news alert service on the Investors page of our website
at: www.metals-one.com
Market Abuse
Regulation (MAR) Disclosure
The information set out below is provided in
accordance with the requirements of Article 19(3) of the Market
Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014 which forms part of UK domestic
law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018
('MAR').
Nominated
Adviser
Beaumont Cornish Limited ("Beaumont Cornish")
is the Company's Nominated Adviser and is authorised and regulated
by the FCA. Beaumont Cornish's responsibilities as the Company's
Nominated Adviser, including a responsibility to advise and guide
the Company on its responsibilities under the AIM Rules for
Companies and AIM Rules for Nominated Advisers, are owed solely to
the London Stock Exchange. Beaumont Cornish is not acting for and
will not be responsible to any other persons for providing
protections afforded to customers of Beaumont Cornish nor for
advising them in relation to the proposed arrangements described in
this announcement or any matter referred to in it.
Glossary
ASX
Co
|
Australian Stock Exchange
cobalt
|
|
|
Cu
|
copper
|
intrusion
m
massive sulphide
|
process when magma penetrates existing rock,
crystallises, and solidifies underground to form intrusions, such
as batholiths, dykes, or sills
metres
metal sulphide ore deposit which consists
almost entirely of sulphides
|
Mt
|
million tonnes
|
|
|
Ni
|
nickel
|
|
|
JORC Exploration Target
|
Metals One's existing JORC Exploration Target
of 16-24 Mt of Terrafame-type mineralisation containing 0.18-0.27%
Ni, 0.09-0.13% Cu, 0.01-0.02% Co and 0.33-0.50% Zn at P5 target.
Refer to the Company's admission document
here for further information
|
|
|
JORC Inferred Resource
|
Metals One's existing Inferred Mineral Resource
at the Black Schist Project of 28.1 Mt of Terrafame-type
mineralised material at a grade of 0.19% Ni (53,800t), 0.10% Cu
(27,900t), 0.01% Co (3,400t) and 0.38% Zn (180,000t). Refer to the
Company's admission document
here for further information
|
|
|
schist
|
a medium-grade metamorphic rock formed from
mudstone or shale
|
|
|
t
|
tonnes
|
|
|
Zn
|
zinc
|