FRONTIER RARE EARTHS PROVIDES UPDATE ON JOINT VENTURE
WITH KOREA RESOURCES CORPORATION
NEGOTIATIONS AT ADVANCED STAGE ON SIGNIFICANT
EXPANSION OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
October 1, 2012
Toronto, Ontario: Frontier Rare Earths
Limited (TSX: FRO) ("Frontier" or the "Company") today
provided an update on its strategic joint venture with
Korea Resources Corporation ("Kores"), which is designed to
advance the development of Frontier's Zandkopsdrift rare
earth project. Kores is a Korean
Government-owned mining and natural resource investment
company and has a mandate to ensure that Korean industry
has access to strategically important mineral
resources.
Background
In December 2011 Frontier and Kores signed a
definitive strategic partnership agreement to advance the
development of Frontier's Zandkopsdrift rare earth
element project ("Zandkopsdrift") in South Africa (the
"Strategic Agreement"). Under the terms of the
Strategic Agreement, Kores agreed to acquire an initial 10%
interest in Zandkopsdrift, along with off-take rights for
10% of the rare earth production from Zandkopsdrift.
The purchase price of the 10% interest in
Zandkopsdrift is C$23.78m. As from 3 July,
2012, Kores has also been responsible for a 10% share of
all operating costs and expenses related to the development
of Zandkopsdrift.
Under the Strategic Agreement Kores has options to
acquire a further 10% interest in Zandkopsdrift and a 10%
interest in Frontier following completion of a Definitive
Feasibility Study. These options, if
exercised, would give Kores off-take rights for a total 31%
of rare earth production from Zandkopsdrift.
Expanded Strategic Partnership Agreement
In August 2012 Kores approached Frontier with a
proposal to significantly increase its potential interest
in Zandkopsdrift and its involvement in the financing,
development and operation of the proposed rare earth mining
and processing operations. This proposal,
which the board of Frontier considers to be of potentially
significant benefit to the Company, has been the subject of
extensive discussions and negotiations between Frontier and
Kores. These discussions are now at an
advanced stage and the Company expects them to be concluded
in October 2012.
As a result of this development and the extensive
involvement of both the Frontier and Kores management teams
in negotiations, Kores has requested that the payment date
for the C$23.78m due be extended from 30 September, 2012 to
30 November, 2012. In the event that for any
reason agreement is not reached on the terms of the
proposed expanded strategic partnership agreement on
Zandkopsdrift, the terms of the Strategic Agreement as
previously announced will remain binding and of full force
and effect and the C$23.78m payment due by Kores to
Frontier will be required to be paid by 30 November,
2012.
James Kenny, President and CEO of Frontier Rare
Earths commented: "Frontier believes that the
proposal from Kores to significantly expand our current
joint venture arrangements is a strong vote of confidence
in both the management of Frontier and the potential of our
Zandkopsdrift project. While the existing
agreement with Kores already offers significant benefits to
Frontier and to our plans for the development of
Zandkopsdrift, the possible expansion and deepening of our
partnership with Kores, with whom we have developed a very
good working relationship, would be very welcome."
Further details of the Strategic Agreement are set
out in the press releases dated 5 December, 2011 and 11
July, 2012, which can be found at
www.frontierrareearths.com/investors/latest-news.
For further information on Frontier visit www.frontierrareearths.com,
e-mail the Company at IR@frontierrareearths.com or contact
+352 208 80249.For further information on Kores visit www.KORES.or.kr.
About Frontier Rare Earths Limited (TSX: FRO) (TSX:
FRO.WT): Frontier Rare Earths Limited (www.frontierrareearths.com)
is a mineral exploration and development company
principally focused on the development of rare earths
projects in Africa. Frontier's flagship asset
is the Zandkopsdrift rare earth project, which is located
in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa and is one of
the largest, highest grade undeveloped rare earth deposits
worldwide. Frontier has a direct 74% interest and a 95%
economic interest in Zandkopsdrift prior to the acquisition
by KORES of an initial 10% interest. In March 2012 Frontier
filed a Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") on the
Zandkopsdrift project prepared in accordance with National
Instrument 43-101. The results of the PEA indicate that the
proposed development of the Zandkopsdrift Project is both
technically feasible and economically robust with a low
risk profile. In conjunction with the PEA a mineral
resource estimate for Zandkopsdrift confirmed 42.5m tonnes
at an average grade of 2.23% containing approximately
940,000 tonnes total rare earth oxides (applying a 1%
cut-off) and with 78% of the mineral resource in the
indicated category. Mineral resources that are not mineral
reserves do not have demonstrated economic
viability. Fiona Harper,
Pr.Sci.Nat, was the independent qualified person from
Venmyn Rand (Pty) Ltd responsible for the PEA.
Frontier is listed on the main board of the Toronto
Stock Exchange and currently has 89,562,781 shares
outstanding. Frontier is well funded, with approximately
$30m cash (excluding funds to be received from Kores under
the Strategic Agreement) and no debt, and this strong
working capital position is expected to be sufficient to
finance the proposed work programme of the Company and the
completion of a Preliminary Feasibility Study and a
Definitive Feasibility Study for Zandkopsdrift (scheduled
for completion in Q4 2013).
About Kores (www.KORES.or.kr):
Korea Resources Corporation ("Kores") is
wholly-owned by the Korean government and has a stated
objective of becoming a global top 20 mining company by
2020 principally through international investments and
joint ventures. Kores is charged with a policy
mandate to further Korea's access to strategically
important mineral resources. Kores exclusively
carries out the Korean government's mineral resources
policy objectives by engaging directly or indirectly
through joint ventures or in the form of investments, in
overseas exploration, development and production of
strategically important mineral resources, and managing
Korea's stockpile of rare mineral resources. Kores works
closely with all major Korean industry groups and plays an
active role in assembling consortia of Korean companies to
selectively participate with Kores in commercial ventures.
The Korean government has designated rare earths as a
strategic raw material for Korea's future economic growth
and has undertaken considerable work to identify the most
prospective sources of future rare earth supply
worldwide.
Forward Looking Statements - Certain
information set forth in this news release may contain
forward-looking statements that involve substantial known
and unknown risks and uncertainties. Readers
can identify many of these statements by looking for words
such as "will", "intends", "projects",
"anticipates", "estimates", "achieving", or similar words
or the negative thereof. These forward-looking
statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties,
certain of which are beyond the control of the Company,
including, but not limited to, the impact of general
economic conditions, industry conditions, commodity prices,
availability of financing for the Company and
the Company's ability to raise additional
capital, results of feasibility studies,
dependence upon regulatory approvals,the
estimation of mineral resources and the realization of
mineral reserves based on mineral resource estimates and
estimated future development, if any, and possible
variations of ore grade or recovery rates; the Company
development, if any, and possible expectations regarding
competition from other producers globally, possible
customer and supplier relationships, anticipated trends and
challenges in the Company regarding competition; mineral
resource estimates and supply outlook and growth
opportunities, the future price of and future demand for
rare earth elements, title disputes or claims including
Black Economic Empowerment initiatives, and the timing and
possible outcome of pending regulatory and permitting
matters.
Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in
the preparation of such information, although considered
reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be
imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed
on forward-looking statements.There can be no
assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon
which these forward-looking statements are based will
occur. The forward-looking
statements contained herein are made as of the date of this
news release and are expressly qualified in their entirety
by this cautionary statement. Actual results may differ
materially from those anticipated. Readers are cautioned
not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements due
to the inherent uncertainty therein. Frontier disclaims any
intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future
events or results or otherwise, except as required by
applicable law.