(Alliance News) - The following is a round-up of updates by London-listed companies, issued on Wednesday and not separately reported by Alliance News:
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Novacyt SA - Anglo-French biotechnology group focused on clinical diagnostics - Announces the expansion of its VersaLab service with the launch of mobile processing laboratories to provide rapid turnaround PCR testing for Covid-19 on-site. "Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, Novacyt has focused on innovation to ensure we adapt in line with a rapidly evolving market. The roll-out of our VersaLab MPL units is an exciting development for Novacyt, as we continue to bring PCR technology outside of the central laboratory and closer to patients," says Chief Executive Graham Mullis.
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Oxford BioDynamics PLC - biotechnology firm focused on discovery and development of epigenetic biomarkers - Publishes results of biomarker discovery program for the development of EpiSwitch, a severity test for Covid-19. Says results show strong biological links to well-established and new regulatory pathways specific to severe outcomes in Covid-19 patients."EpiSwitch is a liquid biopsy technology that has consistently shown the strong and robust link between 3D genomic readouts and clinical outcomes. Our plans to launch the EpiSwitch Covid-19 Severity Test based on this groundbreaking biomarker discovery work by the end of Q1 2021, are on track." says Chief Executive Jon Burrows.
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Zenith Energy Ltd - oil & gas company with production, exploration and development assets in Africa and Italy - Says wholly owned subsidiary Zenith Energy Netherlands BV inks an extension agreement for aqcuisition of the Sidi El Kilani oilfield in Tunisia from CNPC International Tunisia Ltd, a subsidiary of NPC International Ltd. The acquisition includes the North Kairouan permit and the Sidi El Kilani concession in Tunisia. Says the completion of the acquisition still remains conditional on local authority approval.
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Capital Metals PLC - natural resources company focused on the development of the Eastern Minerals project in Sri Lanka - Says there is potential to increase resources at mineral sands project in Sri Lanka. Says only 10% of permits drilled but already enough resources to establish a mine. "A key benefit of mining high grade mineral sands is the potential for greatly improved economics as capital intensity is generally low. The mine size (and capex) is lower as you need to mine and process less material to produce the same amount of product," says the company.
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Thor Mining PLC - Australia-focused exploration and development company - Starts trading on he OTCQB market in the US, under the ticker "THORF". The OTCQB venture market is for early-stage and developing US and international companies. "We are delighted to be able to commence trading on the OTCQB platform, and to improve access for US institutional and retail investors to invest in the company and share in the growth of Thor Mining," says Chair Mick Billing.
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Iomart Group PLC - Glasgow-based operator of data centres - Expands network capacity "to meet future demand" with GBP2 million investment in core routing technology from Cisco Systems Inc, which will provide 100 gigabyte capacity on its network with the ability to scale to 400GB. Says the investment follows a "noticeable increase generally" in internet traffic due to Covid-19
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Jadestone Energy Inc - Asia Pacific-focused oil & gas company - Says company reorganisation, first announced in early February, is expected to reduce regulatory compliance burdens, resulting in estimated annual cost savings of between USD500,000 and USD1.0 million. Believes its reorganisation will "raise the company's profile and status amongst UK and European investors who are unable to invest in non-UK domiciled companies".
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Vast Resources PLC - mining company - Says the full executive management team are on site at the Baita Plai Polymetallic Mine in Romania to accelerate and facilitate the various aspects and workstreams involved in the development of the revised mine plan.
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Caledonia Mining Corp PLC - Zimbabwe-focused gold producer - Notes that it is to be included in the MVIS Global Junior Gold Miners index. The GDXJ Index forms the basis of various passive gold sector investment funds in the North American market. "I am delighted with our imminent inclusion in the GDXJ Index. The listing of our shares on the NYSE American has increased our liquidity significantly and our inclusion on the Index should further raise our profile among retail and institutional investors," says Chief Executive Steve Curtis.
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MetalNRG PLC - natural resource investing and exploration company - Raises GBP2.3 million, before expenses, via placing of 385.0 million shares at GBP0.006 per share. Says the shares will have warrants attached on a one for one basis with an exercise price of GBP0.01 and an exercise period of 24 months from date of issue.
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Intuitive Investments Group PLC - closed-end investment company focused on life sciences sector - Announces investment of GBP250,000 to acquire 416,666 shares of medical drug-device company Polarean Imaging PLC.
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BlueRock Diamonds PLC - South African-focused diamond miner - Notes recovery of three large gem quality stones in Kimberly, South Africa. Says the stones are 10.6 carats, 9.8 carats and 8.4 carats.
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Goldstone Resources Ltd - resource development company with projects in West Africa - Agrees to extend the initial term for 20 of the unsecured bonds of USD50,000 each in issue to June 15. Says the remaining six bonds have been redeemed in full through cash settlement. Paracale Gold Ltd and BCM Investments Ltd, which each own six bonds, have agreed to the extension.
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Red Rock Resources PLC - gold explorer in Kenya and Australia, copper-cobalt in DRC - Notes delay to May in the expected IPO of Juno Minerals Ltd, an iron ore spin-out of investee Jupiter Mines Ltd. Notes formal license grants, for Red Rock Australasia Pty Ltd joint venture with Power Metal Resources PLC, for a 60 square kilometre area called Blue Stocking and a 4 sq km area called Sardinia in the Victoria Goldfields in Australia. Both licences are for five years.
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Power Metal Resources PLC - exploration and development with interests in Botswana and Australia - Announces received formal license grants for a further two of its license applications for its 49%-owned joint venture with Red Rock Resources PLC, called Red Rock Australasia Pty Ltd, which is focused on gold. Says it has received formal license grants for a 60 square kilometre area called Blue Stocking and a 4 sq km area called Sardinia in the Victoria Goldfields in Australia. Both licences are for five years. Also notes "encouraging" initial airborne electromagnetic surveys recently flownover the South Ghanzi project in the Kalahari Copper Belt, Botswana. The South Ghanzi project is a joint venture with Kavango Resources PLC.
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Kavango Resources PLC - exploration company focused on Botswana - Sees "encouraging" initial airborne electromagnetic surveys recently flown over the company's interests in the Kalahari copper belt. These interests include the South Ghanzi project, a joint venture with Power Metal Resources PLC-, and the LVR project, a joint venture with LVR GeoExplorers Pty Ltd. "We are confident in the results we've seen so far across our various interests in the KCB. Although we are at an early stage of exploration, it is pleasing to see different early data sets correlate to one another. Over the coming months our priority remains to identify targets for drilling campaigns in the KCB later this year," says Kavango Chief Executive Michael Foster.
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By Greg Roxburgh; gregroxburgh@alliancenews.com
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