Alba Mineral Resources Plc announced that the Company has succeeded in dewatering the Lower Llechfraith workings, its principal gold target at the Company's 100% owned Clogau-St David's Gold Mine in north Wales ("Clogau" or the "Mine"), down to No.4 Level. Following the grant of revised discharge and abstraction permits granted to Alba in late December, allowing the Company to dewater the Lower LlechfRAith workings at a rate of up to 250 cubic metres per day, the Company has now succeeded in dewatering the lower Llechfraith works down to No.4 Level; Simultaneously with the dewatering exercise, the Company's specialist geotechnical contractors have completed the installation of new platforms and ladderways to allow access to No.4 Level as soon as it was confirmed to be clear of water. Only shallow water now remains on No.4 Level, which is expected to clear within 1-2 days, but the Level is now accessible on foot.

Alba will now proceed to: carry out a risk assessment on No.4 Level in respect of any further safety works which may be required there; commence preparatory works including the washing down of walls; and plan and execute initial exploration work (mapping, sampling, 3D scanning) on No.4 Level. The dewatering exercise will continue in order to clear the target area sufficiently below No.4 Level in preparation for the planned bulk sampling of the Lower Llechfreith workings. In respect of the airborne geophysical survey being undertaken over Alba's key regional gold targets, Alba's contractors have advised that they have completed the survey flights over the Castle Carndochan target area and are now proceeding directly to the undertaking of the flights over the two remaining survey areas, Hafod Owen and Gwynfynydd, weather permitting.