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ECU Silver announces Acquisition of Title and Ownership of Key
Velarde�a Mineral Claims
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TORONTO ONTARIO, September 18, 2007 -- ECU Silver Mining Inc. (TSX-V:
ECU) ("ECU Silver" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has
exercised an option (the "Option Agreement") to acquire, through its
wholly-owned subsidiary Minera William S.A de C.V., ownership and title
of certain key mineral claims and leases on the Velarde�a Property (the
"Velarde�a Claims") in Durango Mexico.
The Company believes the benefits of this transaction include:
.. Direct ownership of key mineral claims and leases on the Velarde�a
Property;
.. Long-term access to mineral rights versus a limited 10-year term
defined in the Option Agreement.
Michel Roy, chief executive officer and chairman, stated: "We are
delighted with the completion of this milestone transaction. The
Company strongly believed that it was in the best interest of our
shareholders to exercise our option at this time given the positive
outlook we have for the precious metals sector, as well as the
Company's upcoming expansion plans. We have now secured long-term
access to mineral rights that will give the Company excellent
flexibility in all its future developments.'
There are 18 claims on the Velarde�a property. After giving effect to
the exercise of the Option Agreement, ECU's ownership will be 100% on
14 of the mineral claims and 70% on the four remaining mineral claims.
The terms of the transaction are provided below.
With the exercise of the Option Agreement, ECU Silver obtains ownership
and title to the Velarde�a Claims and is no longer required to make
royalty payments pursuant to the Option Agreement as described below.
In addition, ECU is no longer limited to a fixed term whereby it had
the right to mine the mineral resources up until 2014.
Stephen Altmann, President, added: "Given that the potential mineral
resource at Velarde�a may support mining well after 2014, the
elimination of a fixed term to 2014 is essential in securing long term
value for ECU shareholders."
Under the old agreement, title to certain mineral claims and leases on
the Velarde�a property were registered and held by Procesadora de
Minerales de Durango S.A. de C.V., a company incorporated in Mexico.
The agreement provided an option whereby ECU Silver, through its
subsidiary Minera Williams, could acquire ownership and title to the
Velarde�a Claims for a purchase price of US$15,000,000 (the "Option
Price") payable on or before November 8, 2008. The terms of this Option
Agreement required that the Company pay royalties on mineral production
from its Velarde�a mining property corresponding to US$2.00 per tonne
with a minimum of US$25,000 per month for a period of 5 years and
renewable for another 5 years. The royalty was payable in the event the
Company had not exercised the Option Agreement through the payment of
the Option Price. Under the terms of the Option Agreement, ECU had the
right to operate the mines for a period of 10 years until November
2014.
The Company recently exercised the Option Agreement for a payment of
US$4,500,000 and the issuance of 4,790,000 units (the "Units"). The
number of units to be issued is based on an agreed price per Unit of
$2.30. Each Unit is comprised of one ECU Silver common share (a "Common
Share") and one-half of one Common Share purchase warrant (each whole
warrant a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles its holder to acquire one
Common Share at a price of $2.85 at any time on or before June 4, 2009.
However, if the closing price of the Common Shares is equal to, or
greater than, $3.75 for a period of 20 consecutive trading days any
time after October 5, 2007, ECU may give notice to the holders of the
Warrants and thereby accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants to the
30th day following the date on which such notice is given.
Closing of this transaction is subject to the receipt of all applicable
regulatory approvals.
For additional information please contact:
Stephen Altmann, President
Ph : (416) 644-8640
Fax : (416) 644-8801
www.ecu.ca
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Copyright (c) 2007 ECU SILVER MINING INC. (ECU) All rights reserved.
For more information visit our website at http://www.ecu.ca/ or send
mailto:ecu@ecu.ca
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