Oct 20 2010
Challenger Deep Resources Corp. (TSX VENTURE:CDE) announces that, through its wholly owned subsidiary, P.T. Bestindo Energy, it has entered into a conditional sales and purchase agreement with PT Alam Tabang Raya Pratama and its shareholders for the purchase of 100% of the issued and outstanding securities of ATRP for an aggregate purchase price of approximately CAD $1,851,335, which will be funded by cash payments staged over approximately 18 months.
ATRP is an privately-held Indonesian company that holds the coal exploration rights to a property located in the Mahakam river basin in East Kalimantan, Indonesia (the "Tabang Project"). ATRP has no other assets and has conducted no business other than holding its interest in the Tabang Project.
The acquisition of the Tabang Project is subject to approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.
About the Tabang Project
The 2,900ha Tabang Project is located in the Tabang district, Regency of Kutai Kartanegara, East Kalimantan, Indonesia.
The project area is accessible by vehicle with well established logging roads and is situated in close proximity to the Belayan River, a major tributary of the Mahakam which in turn is the coal transport route to Muara Jawa, the anchorage point for mother vessels and export to market. This river has the capacity to handle 230 foot (3,500 tonnes) barges from projected port facilities.
Coal operations in the area currently use the Belayan River as a transportation highway for commercial coal production.
The Tabang Project area covers both the Batuayau and Ujoh Bilang geological formations. The typical coal quality of the Ujoh Bilang and Batuayau Formations from producing coal mines in the region is CV 5,600 – 6,000 Kcal/Kg (ADB) with coal seam thicknesses varying from 0.5 – 6 meters.
A preliminary field assessment conducted by Challenger has determined the presence of at least five outcrops of coal which indicates shallow dipping coal seams.
The current exploration rights for the project are held in the form of a SKIP, a permit to conduct reconnaissance surveys for the purpose of applying for an IUP, exploration permit. There are no work commitments associated with the SKIP. The SKIP allows for preliminary exploration, not including resource drilling. ATRP has applied for the IUP which, if issued, would permit drilling operations. If further exploration results warrant it, a permit for actual mining operations would be required and applied for. Surface access to the project area is subject to negotiation with local land owners and typically provides for compensation for damages caused by exploration activities
A comprehensive work program of surface mapping, trenching, sampling and analysis is being prepared to evaluate the potential of the Tabang Project. If and when the IUP (Exploration Permit) has been issued for the Tabang Project, exploration drilling operations may be initiated. This stage will depend upon the results of the initial work program.
Terms of the CSPA
Pursuant to the terms of the CSPA, Bestindo paid CAD $34,069 upon execution of the CSPA and will pay the remaining $1,817,266 over the next approximately 18 months, in three scheduled payments. Timing of the remaining payments to be made are based on the date of the issuance of the IUP by the relevant Indonesian Governmental authority. Bestindo may terminate its payment obligations under the CSPA at any time and once terminated, would not be under any further obligation to make any further payments and would lose its interest in the Tabang Project. Once all $1,851,335 is paid by Bestindo, the shareholders of ATRP will transfer, collectively, 100% of the issued and outstanding securities of ATRP to Bestindo. The CSPA provides that upon Bestindo's production and sale of coal from the property, it will grant and pay to the vendors of the shares of ATRP, a royalty of USD $1.50 per ton.
Challenger CEO, Ranjeet Sundher, commented, "We are very pleased with the acquisition of the Tabang coal project. Our focus is to build commerically economic resources in this area through acquisition and exploration. Challenger also plans to develop suitable infrastructure in the area so that future acquisitions are synergistic and compliment each other."
The Qualified Person (as defined by NI 43-101) responsible for the review and approval of the technical material presented in this news release is Mr. Andre Talaska, a director of Bestindo.
Challenger proposes to pay a finder's fee to an arm's length party in connection with the introduction of acquisition opportunity. The finder's fee will be payable in common shares of Challenger in an amount calculated in accordance with the TSX Venture Exchange policies and subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.
The purchase price under the CSPA is payable in Indonesian Rupiahs (IDR) and figures used in this release are based on a conversion rate of 1.00 IDR = 0.000113578CAD.
Source: Challenger Deep Resources Corp.