RNS Number : 5397I
Metals One PLC
14 May 2025
 

14 May 2025

 

Metals One Plc

("Metals One" or the "Company")

 

Conditional Acquisition of Swales Gold Property, Nevada, USA

 

Strategic entry into U.S. gold sector; Swales Property 13 miles from world's largest gold producing complex

Metals One (AIM: MET1), a critical minerals exploration and development company, is pleased to announce it has signed an exclusive term sheet for the conditional acquisition of an exploration lease over the Swales Gold Property ("Swales") in Nevada, USA, situated within the prolific Carlin Gold Trend, with an option to purchase Swales (the "Conditional Acquisition"). This strategic acquisition, if completed, will mark the Company's entry into the gold exploration sector and diversify Metals One's existing portfolio of critical minerals assets in Europe and North America.

Highlights:

·    Strategic Location: Located approximately 13 miles northeast of Nevada Gold Mines' Carlin Complex, the single largest gold-producing complex in the world (a joint venture between Barrick Gold Corp. (NYSE: GOLD) and Newmont Corp. (NYSE: NEM) (see Appendix, Figure 1)

·    Underexplored Opportunity: Comprises 40 unpatented mining claims (approximately 800 acres) (the "Claims") within the Carlin Trend, which are the subject of an exploration lease with an option to purchase agreement (the "Lease"), with minimal modern exploration

·    Expansion: An additional 99 mining claims on trend with Swales have been identified which can be staked and added to the Lease with no additional lease payment

·    Favourable Geology: Swales is located in close proximity to some of the largest gold mines in Nevada. A window to the lower plate rocks known to contain the gold deposits at the Nevada Gold Mines open pits and underground workings is exposed on the property. Some surrounding prospects contain anomalous gold. Metals One considers that an opportunity exists to discover a significant ore deposit

·    Infrastructure Advantage: Benefits from excellent local infrastructure and easy access, near the mining supportive communities of Elko County

Swales Gold Property

 

Swales consists of the Claims with a combined area of approximately 800 acres. Swales is located within the Carlin Trend, one of the richest mining trends in the world, and home to some of the largest gold mines in the U.S. Swales is approximately 13 miles northeast of Nevada Gold Mine's Gold Quarry Mine (see Appendix, Figure 1) and 16 miles east southeast of Nevada Gold Mines' Goldstrike Mine, all of which are located along the gold rich Carlin Trend. There are currently eight producing gold mines within the Carlin Trend. Collectively, these mines have to date produced over 100 million ounces of gold (Nevada Bureau of Mines, 2019) and still contain more than 21 million ounces of gold reserves (Nevada Gold Mines, LLC Carlin Complex, 2020). Swales has excellent year-round access and infrastructure within Elko County, one of the most pro-mining states and highest-grade gold trends of Nevada.

Nevada is globally recognised as a leading mining jurisdiction, consistently ranking as a top region for mining investment. It produces approximately 75% of U.S. gold output and is the world's fifth-largest gold producer.

Phase 1 Exploration Programme

 

Phase 1 of the Swales exploration programme is expected to consist of: reconnaissance prospecting; geological mapping; surface sampling of outcrops, old workings and mine dumps; and the mapping relocation of historical workings on the property.

 

The initial Phase 1 exploration programme will provide accurate modern data to assist in the planning of the Phase 2 exploration programme, which is expected to commence later in 2025. Phase 2 is expected to include a follow-up ground-based geophysical surveying programme based on the results from Phase 1.

Strategic Rationale

This Conditional Acquisition aligns with Metals One's strategy to diversify and strengthen its asset portfolio by entering the U.S. gold sector, underpinned by record high commodity prices. The Swales Gold Property's proximity to significant gold mines operated by industry leaders including Barrick and Newmont positions Metals One to capitalise on local geological expertise and established mining infrastructure, significantly enhancing exploration potential and operational feasibility.

Craig Moulton, Chairman of Metals One, commented:

"Through Metals One's networks, we have been able to potentially secure a low-cost entry into one of the world's most prolific gold mining districts. Held by private interests for most of its history, the Swales Gold Property remains very underexplored with minimal modern-day exploration. Several factors demonstrate the exceptional potential of this relatively unexplored project for new discoveries of significant mineralisation. Considering the analogous geology of Swales to nearby mines, the exploration opportunity combined with record high gold prices is incredibly exciting.

This acquisition would complement our existing critical minerals assets, including uranium, copper and nickel, and extend our footprint in North America."

Transaction Structure

Nevada Canyon Gold Corp. (the "Seller") has the rights to acquire a 100% undivided interest in 40 unpatented lode mining claims situated in Swales, pursuant to an exploration lease with option to purchase agreement between the Seller and the owner of Swales (the "Owner"). The Company has conditionally agreed to acquire the Seller's rights under such exploration Lease with option to purchase agreement in respect of Swales from the Seller for US$100,000 in cash on completion of the Conditional Acquisition and the grant of a 2% net smelter royalty over Swales. The Conditional Acquisition is subject to and conditional upon, amongst other things, definitive agreements being entered into by the Company and the Seller, as well as consent from the owner of Swales being obtained in respect of the assignment of the exploration Lease with option to purchase agreement to the Company. Subject to the satisfaction of these conditions and completion of the Conditional Acquisition, the Company shall hold mineral exploration rights over Swales and be entitled to exercise an option to purchase Swales from the Owner for US$750,000, payable in either cash and/or equity of the Company at the election of the Owner. The exercise period for the option is for 10 years commencing on 27 December 2021, with the right to extend for two further additional terms of 10 years each. Further details of Swales are set out in the appendix to this announcement.

Metals One has been granted a period of exclusivity for three months to conduct the due diligence and to decide whether to proceed with the Conditional Acquisition.

Enquiries:

 

Metals One Plc

Jonathan Owen, Chief Executive Officer

Craig Moulton, Chairman

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

 


SI Capital Limited (Joint Broker)

Nick Emerson

+44 (0)14 8341 3500

 


Capital Plus Partners Limited (Joint Broker)

Jonathan Critchley

https://www.capplus.co.uk/

+44 (0)20 3821 6169



Vigo Consulting (UK Investor Relations)

Ben Simons / Kendall Hill / Anna Stacey

metalsone@vigoconsulting.com

+44 (0)20 7390 0234

 

 


Fairfax Partners Inc (North America Investor Relations)

connect@fairfaxpartners.ca

+1 604 366 6277

 

 

About Metals One

 

The race for critical minerals is on. Metals One is pursuing a critical minerals exploration and M&A strategy, underpinned by the Western World's urgent need for reliably and responsibly sourced raw materials such as copper, nickel, cobalt, zinc, uranium and vanadium - all of which are vital to the clean energy transition.

 

Our Northern Europe portfolio comprises copper, nickel, cobalt and zinc projects in Finland and Norway, including a 57.1 Mt nickel-copper-cobalt-zinc Inferred Resource adjacent to one of Europe's largest nickel producers, aiming to help meet Europe's demand for strategic minerals sourced directly from within the continent.

 

Our North America portfolio comprises uranium and vanadium exploration projects in prolific and historical U.S. uranium mining regions, targeting critical minerals essential for U.S. clean energy generation, grid storage, and energy security.

 

The potential acquisition of gold mining claims within the prolific Carlin Gold Trend in Nevada, USA, if completed, would mark our entry into the gold exploration sector and diversification of our portfolio of critical minerals assets.

 

Metals One's shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange's AIM Market (MET1).

 

Follow us on social media:

 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/metals-one-plc/

X: https://x.com/metals_one_PLC

 

Subscribe to our news alert service on the Investors page of our website at: https://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.

Appendix

Table 1: The following 40 unpatented lode mining Claims are situated in T35N, R53E Section 16 located within Elko County, Nevada

Count

Claim Name

NMC Number

 County Document No.

 Location Date

1

TBJ 37

NMC1184872

750425

2018-10-16

2

TBJ 38

NMC1184873

750426

2018-10-16

3

TBJ 39

NMC1184874

750427

2018-10-16

4

TBJ 40

NMC1184875

750428

2018-10-16

5

TBJ 41

NMC1184876

750429

2018-10-16

6

TBJ 42

NMC1184877

750430

2018-10-16

7

TBJ 43

NMC1184878

750431

2018-10-16

8

TBJ 44

NMC1184879

750432

2018-10-16

9

TBJ 45

NMC1184880

750433

2018-10-16

10

TBJ 46

NMC1184881

750434

2018-10-16

11

TBJ 47

NMC1184882

750435

2018-10-16

12

TBJ 48

NMC1184883

750436

2018-10-16

13

TBJ 49

NMC1184884

750437

2018-10-16

14

TBJ 50

NMC1184885

750438

2018-10-16

15

TBJ 51

NMC1184886

750439

2018-10-16

16

TBJ 52

NMC1184887

750440

2018-10-16

17

TBJ 53

NMC1184888

750441

2018-10-16

18

TBJ 54

NMC1184889

750442

2018-10-16

19

TBJ 55

NMC1184890

750443

2018-10-16

20

TBJ 56

NMC1184891

750444

2018-10-16

21

TBJ 57

NMC1184892

750445

2018-10-16

22

TBJ 58

NMC1184893

750446

2018-10-16

23

TBJ 59

NMC1184894

750447

2018-10-16

24

TBJ 60

NMC1184895

750448

2018-10-16

25

TBJ 61

NMC1184896

750449

2018-10-16

26

TBJ 62

NMC1184897

750450

2018-10-16

27

TBJ 63

NMC1184898

750451

2018-10-16

28

TBJ 64

NMC1184899

750452

2018-10-16

29

TBJ 65

NMC1184900

750453

2018-10-16

30

TBJ 66

NMC1184901

750454

2018-10-16

31

TBJ 67

NMC1184902

750455

2018-10-16

32

TBJ 68

NMC1184903

750456

2018-10-16

33

TBJ 69

NMC1184904

750457

2018-10-16

34

TBJ 70

NMC1184905

750458

2018-10-16

35

TBJ 71

NMC1184906

750459

2018-10-16

36

TBJ 72

NMC1184907

750460

2018-10-16

37

TBJ 73

NMC1184908

750461

2018-10-16

38

TBJ 74

NMC1184909

750462

2018-10-16

39

TBJ 75

NMC1184910

750463

2018-10-16

40

TBJ 76

NMC1184911

750464

2018-10-16

Figure 1: Swales Gold Property Claims on Carlin Trend, proximal to Nevada Gold Mines properties

A satellite view of a desert AI-generated content may be incorrect.

 

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