FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 25, 2008
TSX.V: PAF FRANKFURT: P2A
PLAN OF ARRANGEMENT AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS EFFECTUATING ACQUISITION BY ASIA THAI MINING APPROVED BY SECURITYHOLDERS OF PAN AFRICAN MINING CORP. AT SPECIAL MEETING
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - PAN AFRICAN MINING CORP. (the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Plan of Arrangement and related transactions (the "Plan of Arrangement") contemplated by the Arrangement Agreement dated May 9, 2008, as amended June 17, 2008 (the "Amended Arrangement Agreement"), among Asia Thai Mining Co., Ltd. ("ATM"), 0819615 B.C. Ltd. (the "Purchaser"), the Company and African Queen Mines Ltd. ("African Queen"), a newly formed subsidiary of the Company, has now been approved by the shareholders, warrantholders and optionholders of the Company at a Special Meeting of Securityholders (the "Meeting") held today. A total of 25,203,271 shares, options and warrants were represented at the Meeting in person or proxy, representing 71.03% of the issued and outstanding shares, options and warrants of the Company at the record date and constituting a quorum. A total of 25,192,521 votes were cast in favor of the resolutions approving the Plan of Arrangement with only 750 votes cast against and 10,000 votes abstaining. Accordingly, the Plan of Arrangement was approved by the near unanimous vote of the Company's Securityholders, far in excess of the required margins.
As a result of approval at the Special Securityholders Meeting today, the Company will now petition the Supreme Court of British Columbia for a Final Order approving the Plan of Arrangement contemplated by the Amended Arrangement Agreement. The parties anticipate closing the transactions contemplated by the Plan of Arrangement as early as June 27, 2008, following court approval. Accordingly, the Company requested and the TSX Venture Exchange granted, a trading halt on such Exchange in the shares of the Company pending the closing.
As previously announced, under the Plan of Arrangement, the Purchaser will acquire on the effective date of the Plan of Arrangement all of the outstanding common shares of the Company at the price of $4.50 cash per share and also all outstanding warrants and all outstanding options (vested and not yet vested) of the Company for a price equal to the difference between $4.50 and the exercise price per share of the respective warrant or option. In addition, prior to the completion of the transaction, the Company will transfer to African Queen the following: (i) $2,500,000 cash, (ii) all of the shares of the Company's non-Madagascar subsidiaries, namely, PAM Botswana (Pty) Ltd., PAM Minerals Namibia (Pty) Ltd. and PAM Mocambique Limitada, and (iii) all other assets and liabilities of the Company directly related to the Company's non-Madagascar subsidiaries and non-Madagascar properties. Subject to required court approval as aforesaid, the Company plans to distribute the shares of African Queen in a spin-off transaction to shareholders (but not warrantholders or optionholders) of the Company of record at the Effective Time of the Plan of Arrangement.
About Pan African
The Company is an exploratory resource company with approximately 7,500 sq. km. of diversified mineral properties and 5,000 sq. km. of uranium properties in Madagascar. The Company is exploring these properties for uranium, gold, coal, precious stones, base metals and industrial commodities. In addition, the Company is exploring two large regions for gold and metals in Mozambique under agreements with other companies. It also has approximately 5500 sq. km. of Diamond licenses in Botswana which it is presently exploring. Its operations in Madagascar are carried out through its operating subsidiary, PAM Madagascar Sarl, and its uranium activities are carried out through its 80% owned subsidiary PAM Atomique Sarl. The Company has offices in Vancouver, Canada and Antananarivo, Madagascar. More information about the Company is available at www.panafrican.com.
About Asia Thai Mining Co., Ltd.
Asia Thai Mining Co., Ltd. ("ATM") is a holding company incorporated in Thailand. ATM, either directly or through affiliated companies has extensive experience in the development and operation of mining interests, in particular in respect of coal mining interests. Through its subsidiaries, it is involved in the exploration and development of several coal mines in Indonesia. The company projects its coal production capacity will reach approximately 4 million tons by 2009. ATM forms part of a group of affiliated mining companies, including Saraburi Coal Co., Ltd. ("SBCC"). SBCC has been mining coal and tin in Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries since 1998. In addition, SBCC has recently been awarded a 9-year, US$500 million coal mining contract in Thailand from Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand and SBCC will start work in 2008. ATM is a private company with its registered address and principal place of business at 2034/132-161 New Petchburi Road, Bangkapi, Huaykwang, Bangkok, Thailand.
ON BEHALF OF PAN AFRICAN MINING CORP.
"Irwin A. Olian" Irwin A. Olian CEO & Director
Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements herein constitute forward-looking statements or forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, including the statements or information about the Transaction and proposed spin-off of African Queen. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information.
With respect to forward-looking statements and information contained herein, we have made numerous assumptions including among other things, assumptions of our ability to close the Transaction and spin-off African Queen. Although our management believes that the assumptions made and the expectations represented by such statements or information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that a forward-looking statement or information herein will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking statements and information by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. Such risks and uncertainties include risks and uncertainties involved in satisfying the conditions to close the Transaction and spin-off African Queen.
There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements or information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. All forward-looking statements and information made herein, are qualified by this cautionary statement.
For more information, contact:
Irwin Olian, President and CEO
E-mail: tigertail@panafrican.com
Phone: (604) 899-0100
Fax: (604) 899-0200 |
Tom Kinakin, Corporate Communications - Vancouver
Email: tom@panafrican.com
Phone: (604) 899-0100
Fax: (604) 899-0200 |
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Carrie Howes, Corporate Communications - London
Email: carrie@panafrican.com
Phone: +44-7780-602-788 |
The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of the information contained herein.
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