Aureus Mining Inc. - Closing of US$15.3 Million Equity Financing for New Liberty Optimised Mine Plan

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TSX : AUE
AIM : AUE

TORONTO, Feb. 17, 2015 /CNW/ - Aureus Mining Inc. ("Aureus" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced equity financing, raising approximately US$15.3 million through the issue of 56,000,000 new common shares in the Company ("Shares") at a price of 18p per Share (the "Issue Price").

The financing comprised the issue of 29,239,766 Shares pursuant to an approximately US$8.0 million subscription by International Finance Corporation ("IFC") (the "Subscription") and the issue of 26,760,234 Shares pursuant to an approximately US$7.3 million brokered financing (the "Offering").  The Offering was completed by a syndicate of agents led by GMP Securities Europe LLP and Numis Securities Limited acting as joint Bookrunners and including Edgecrest Capital Corporation.

The proceeds of the Offering and the Subscription will be used to fund a new mine plan at New Liberty, which should allow for increased flexibility and generate stronger cash flows, particularly in the early years of the Project's production phase.

Following the completion of the Offering and the Subscription the Company's issued and outstanding share capital consists of 366,650,964 common shares.  Pursuant to the Subscription, the IFC now has a shareholding of 53,760,062 shares, representing 14.66% of the Company's issued share capital.

This press release is for informational purpose only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States or any other jurisdiction in which such an offer or solicitation is unlawful.  The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state laws.  No public offering of securities will be made in the United States.

About Aureus Mining Inc

The Company's assets include the New Liberty gold deposit in Liberia (the "New Liberty Gold Project," "New Liberty" or the "Project"), which has an estimated proven and probable mineral reserve of 8.5 Mt with 924,000 ounces of gold grading 3.4 g/t and an estimated measured and indicated mineral resource of 9,796 Kt with 1,143,000 ounces of gold grading 3.63 g/t and an estimated inferred mineral resource of 5,730 Kt with 593,000 ounces of gold grading 3.2 g/t.  A Definitive Feasibility Study ("DFS") has been completed on the Project and construction is well progressed.  The Project is expected to have an 8 year mine life and annual production of 119,000 ounces for the first 6 years of production.  The Company has financed the Project's equity and debt funding requirement.  The foregoing mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates and additional information in connection therewith are set out in the Company's technical report dated 3 July, 2013 and entitled "New Liberty Gold Project, Liberia, West Africa, Updated Technical Report."

The New Liberty Gold Project is located within the Southern Block of the 100% owned Bea Mountain mining licence.  This licence covers 457 km² and has a 25 year, renewable, mineral development agreement.  The Northern Block of the Bea Mountain mining license also hosts additional gold projects of Ndablama, Gondoja and Weaju, which are the focus of exploration programs during 2015.  Ndablama has an indicated mineral resource of 386,000 ounces of gold grading 1.6 g/t and inferred mineral resource of 515,000ounces of gold grading 1.7g/t and Weaju has an inferred mineral resource of 178,000 ounces of gold grading 2.1 g/t.  The Archaen Gold exploration licence, which covers 89 km², is also a focus of exploration for 2015, with Leopard Rock being the main target.  The Yambesei (759 km²), Archaen West (112.6 km²), Mabong (36.6 km²) and Mafa West (15.6 km²) licences will also be subject to preliminary reconnaissance geological work.  The foregoing mineral resource estimates and additional information in connection therewith are set out in the Company's technical report dated December 1, 2014 and entitled "Ndablama and Weaju Gold Projects, Bea Mountain Mining Licence, Northern Block, Technical Report on Mineral Resources" ("Ndablama and Weaju Technical Report 2014").

The Company also has a gold exploration permit in Cameroon.

Qualified Persons

The Company's Qualified Person is David Reading, who holds a MSc in Economic Geology from University of Waterloo, Canada and is a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining. David Reading is the President and CEO of Aureus Mining Inc. and has reviewed and approves this press release.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain information contained in this news release herein relating to Aureus is forward looking information.  This information may relate to future events or the Company's future performance.  All information other than information of historical fact is forward looking information.  The use of any of the words "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "should", "believe", "predict" and "potential" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward looking information.  This information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward looking information.  No assurance can be given that this information will prove to be correct and such forward looking information included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon.  This information speaks only as of the date of this news release.  Such forward looking statements include, among other things, statements or information relating to: the New Liberty Gold Project (including the quantity and quality of mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates), the potential to upgrade inferred mineral resources, opportunities to optimize the New Liberty Gold Project, the ability of the Company to develop the New Liberty Gold Project into a mine and the proposed new plans relating thereto regarding operations and mine design, estimates relating to tonnage, grades, waste ratios, recovery rates, future gold production, future cash flows, life-of-mine estimates, assay results, gravity concentration test results, expectations regarding throughput gold production, mill treatment and plant feed, estimates of capital and operating costs and start-up costs, anticipated sources of funding, expectations regarding staffing requirements and the engagement of external contractors, estimates of revenues and pay-back periods, estimates of net present values and internal rates of return, expectations regarding operating parameters, plans regarding optimization work (including the timing thereof), construction activities, power supply and infrastructure development, plans regarding community development and water management, transportation methods, the proposed budget for the work program at the New Liberty Gold Project, asset retirement obligations and decommissioning requirements, plans for further exploration work, including drilling and metallurgical test work, expectations regarding the potential direct and indirect environmental and socio-economic impacts of the New Liberty Project, as well as the other forecasts, estimates and expectations relating to the New Liberty Gold Project included in this news release, the future market price of commodities, strategic plans, production targets, timetables, the continued listing of the common shares of the Company on the TSX and the AIM, financing plans and alternatives, Aureus' intended use of proceeds from the Offering and the Subscription, progress in the fight against Ebola, proposed plans and exploration activities on the Company's other target areas (including the proximal targets of Weaju, Ndablama, Leopard Rock, Gondoja, Yambesei, Archean West, Mabong and Mafa West) and the timing related thereto, and targets, goals, objectives and plans associated therewith, the Company's expectation that all licences/permits will be able to be obtained, when required and the Company's intentions regarding employee training.  

With respect to forward looking information contained in this news release, assumptions have been made regarding, among other things: general business, economic and mining industry conditions; interest rates and foreign exchange rates; mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates; geological and metallurgical assumptions (including with respect to the size, grade and recoverability of mineral resources and mineral reserves) and cost estimates on which the mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates are based; the parameters and assumptions employed in the New Liberty Technical Report, (including but not limited to, those relating to construction, future mining and operating costs, processing and recovery rates, net present values and internal rates of return, timing for the commencement of production, tax and royalty rates,  future gold prices, metallurgical rates, pit design, operations and management, grades, the base case analysis and the proposed budget for further exploration plans and objectives); the supply and demand for commodities and precious and base metals and the level and volatility of the prices of gold; market competition; the ability of the Company to raise sufficient funds from capital markets and/or debt to meet its future obligations and planned activities; the business of the Company including the continued exploration of its properties; the political environments and legal and regulatory frameworks in Liberia and Cameroon with respect to, among other things, the ability of the Company to obtain, maintain, renew and/or extend required permits, licences, authorizations and/or approvals from the appropriate regulatory authorities and the ability of the Company to continue to obtain qualified staff and equipment in a timely and cost-efficient manner to meet its demand. Assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable by Aureus at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect.

Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward looking information contained in this news release as a result of the risk factors, including: risks normally incidental to exploration and development of mineral properties; the inability of the Company to obtain required financing when needed and/or on acceptable terms or at all; risks that the cost of implementing the New Mine Plan and the operating cash costs of the New Liberty Gold Project exceed those estimated in the New Mine Plan; risks related to operating in West Africa; health risks associated with the mining workforce in West Africa; risks related to the Company's title to its mineral properties; adverse changes in commodity prices; risks related to current global financial conditions; risks that the Company's exploration for and development of mineral deposits may not be successful; risks normally incidental to exploration and development of mineral properties; the inability of the Company to obtain, maintain, renew and/or extend required licences, permits, authorizations and/or approvals from the appropriate regulatory authorities and other risks relating to the legal and regulatory framework in Liberia, including adverse changes in applicable laws; competitive conditions in the mineral exploration and mining industry; risks related to obtaining insurance or adequate levels of insurance for the Company's operations; uncertainty of mineral resource and reserve estimates; the inability of the Company to delineate additional mineral resources; risks related to environmental regulations; uncertainties in the interpretation of results from drilling; uncertainties in the estimates and assumptions used, and risks in the methodologies employed, in the New Liberty Technical Report and that the completion of additional work at the New Liberty Gold Project could result in changes to the forecasts, estimates and expectations contained in the New Liberty Technical Report; risks related to the legal systems in Liberia; risks related to the tax residency of the Company; the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with expectations; delays in construction; inflation; changes in exchange and interest rates; risks related to the activities of artisanal miners; actions of third parties that the Company is reliant upon; lack of availability at a reasonable cost or at all, of plants, equipment or labour; the inability to attract and retain key management and personnel; political risks; the inability to enforce judgments against the Company's directors and officers; the inability of Aureus to obtain final TSX approval of the Offering and Subscription; risks related to the Ebola crisis; and future unforeseen liabilities and other factors.

Disclosure herein of exploration information and of mineral resources and mineral reserves is derived from the New Liberty Technical Report. Information relating to "mineral resources" and "mineral reserves" is deemed to be forward looking information as it involves the implied assessment based on certain estimates and assumptions that the mineral resource and mineral reserves can be profitable in the future. Such estimates are expressions of judgment based on knowledge, mining experience, analysis of drilling results and industry practices.  Valid estimates made at a given time may significantly change when new information becomes available.  By their nature, mineral resource and reserve estimates are imprecise and depend, to a certain extent, upon statistical inferences which may ultimately prove unreliable.  If such mineral resource estimates are inaccurate or are reduced in the future, this could have a material adverse impact on the Company.  Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward looking information.  Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.  Due to the uncertainty that may be attached to inferred mineral resources, it cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource will be upgraded to an indicated or measured mineral resource as a result of continued exploration. 

The forward looking information included in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and is made as of the date of this news release.  The Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward looking information except as required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE Aureus Mining Inc.

Aureus Mining Inc.: David Reading / Paul Thomson, Tel: [phone]; Buchanan: Bobby Morse / Gordon Poole, Tel: [phone]; Numis Securities Limited (Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker): John Prior / James Black / Paul Gillam, Tel: [phone]; GMP Securities Europe LLP (Joint Broker): Richard Greenfield / Alexandra Carse, Tel: [phone]