Company Update
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Helium One Global (AIM: HE1), the primary helium explorer in Tanzania, is pleased to provide the following updates.
Highlights
- The Company has now submitted a comprehensive Mining Licence ("ML") application to the Ministry of Minerals ("MoM") and Mining Commission ("MC") for the southern Rukwa Helium Project which encompasses the Itumbula, Tai and southern prospective areas for commercial development
- The ML incorporates a detailed feasibility study for the southern Rukwa Helium Project incorporating detailed subsurface modelling and commercial development plan
- Accompanying ESIA study completed by MTL Consulting, and awaiting approval from the National Environment Management Council ("NEMC")
- A total of 888 km2 of the Company's prospecting licences ("PL") have now expired and the licences are now lapsed. These are licences that are deemed of limited prospectivity and or are poorly accessible, which will save the Company in excess of US$177,600 in annual licence fees
Lorna Blaisse, Chief Executive Officer, commented:
"This is yet another major milestone in the Company's history. The last 12 months have been a very significant chapter for Helium One in which we have made a successful helium discovery, completed a detailed feasibility study, established a commercial development plan and successfully applied for a ML. An extraordinary achievement within that timeframe and I am very grateful to the efforts of everybody involved.
We very much look forward to progressing the project in Tanzania through to production, as well as remaining opportunistic on further opportunities in-country and elsewhere.
We are also entering a very busy period with our joint venture with Blue Star Helium in Colorado where we look forward to completing the acquisition and starting the drilling phase of the upcoming development wells on the Galactica-Pegasus project. We look forward to providing updates on the progress of the drilling programme in due course.
The Company would like to thank the Ministry of Minerals and the Mining Commission for their continued support and their engagement with the recent success in southern Rukwa and looks forward to their positive response and to developing a partnership with the Government of Tanzania upon the granting of the ML, in order to develop a flagship helium sector in Tanzania."
Mining Licence Application
The completion of the feasibility study and the six month ESIA study has enabled the Company to successfully submit a ML application over the Itumbula-Tai area in southern Rukwa. The Company very much looks forward to developing a partnership with the Government of Tanzania upon the granting of the ML application, in order to develop a flagship helium sector in Tanzania as we advance into development and production.
The feasibility study, prepared by the Company across multiple disciplines, and which is the basis of the ML application, assesses the technical, economic and environmental feasibility of a helium development project from southern Rukwa. The Company has been working on this study for several months and has integrated the results of the extended well test ("EWT") from the Itumbula West-1 ("ITW-1") discovery well. The details of the feasibility study outline and demonstrate a commercial development plan in southern Rukwa.
Expiry of Prospecting Licences in Eastern Rukwa, Eastern Eyasi and Balangida
A number of PLs held by the Company have reached the end of their second and final renewal term and will automatically lapse on 17th September 2024, except for those in southern Rukwa which are now under application for a ML. By allowing these to lapse at the end of the final exploration term, the Company will save US$177,600 per year in annual license fees.
The Company has fully relinquished its expired PLs on the eastern side of Lake Rukwa totalling 233 km2, where the area is deemed of limited prospectivity as well as being too difficult to access and or offshore on the lake. In addition, following a partial relinquishment earlier this year after a comprehensive gravity-magnetics study, the Balangida Rift Basin PL totalling 134 km2 has now also expired.
The remaining PLs reaching their final exploration renewal term on 17th September 2024 are two PLs in the eastern Eyasi Rift Basin. These PLs are located in an area deemed to offer little to no prospectivity and total a combined area of 521 km2. The Company still retains a 286 km2 PL in the central Eyasi Rift Basin.
Whilst these PLs have reached the end of their exploration period, the Company continues to review all geological regions of Tanzania for helium potential and remains opportunistic for future PL applications.
Next Steps
Following the submission of the ML application, the Company will continue to engage with the MoM and MC in Tanzania whilst awaiting the award of the ML before progressing the southern Rukwa Helium Project development.
The Company-owned drilling rig, Epiroc 220, remains hot stacked in the southern Rukwa region and remains operationally ready.
The Company continues to review the remaining PL it holds in Tanzania, particularly off the back of the learnings from the success in southern Rukwa.
Our partnership with Blue Star Helium is progressing as we work towards completion of the acquisition announced on 27th August 2024 which will result in the Company owning a 50% stake in the Galactica-Pegasus project in Colorado, USA. Once the acquisition is completed, we will move ahead to the commencement of the Q4 drilling campaign on the Galactica-Pegasus development.
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