Horizonte Commences Social & Environmental Base Line Work on the Recently Acquired Glencore Araguaia Nickel Project

LONDON, Sept. 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - Horizonte Minerals Plc, (AIM: HZM, TSX: HZM) ('Horizonte' or 'the Company') the London and Canadian listed nickel development company focussed in Brazil, is pleased to announce that it has commenced social and environmental base line data collection on its recently acquired Glencore Araguaia project ('GAP'), the adjacent nickel project to the Company's Araguaia Project ('Araguaia').  The consolidation of Araguaia with GAP (together 'the enlarged Araguaia project') has created one of the largest nickel saprolite projects globally and the Company is currently in the process of finalising an updated Pre-Feasibility Study on the enlarged Araguaia project.

Summary

• Leading Brazilian sustainability consultants, including Brandt Meio Ambiente, have commenced social and environmental baseline data collection for the Vale dos Sonhos target, which is one of the principle nickel deposits recently acquired by Horizonte.
• The collection of baseline data for the Vale dos Sonhos deposit is an important step to integrate GAP into the environmental permitting process underway at Horizonte's advanced Araguaia nickel project, which was successfully awarded the Preliminary Licence ('LP') earlier in 2016
• New GAP baseline data collection together with further advancements to existing social and environmental impact assessments on the Araguaia project, is an important milestone to progress towards the Installation Licence, which is the final permit required before construction can commence at the enlarged Araguaia project

Horizonte CEO Jeremy Martin said, "Following on from the recent award of the Preliminary Licence at Araguaia and conclusion of the Glencore Araguaia Project acquisition, I am pleased to announce that work is underway to bring GAP into alignment with our development schedule in terms of environmental and social permitting.  The next step is the award of the Installation Licence ('LI') on the Araguaia project allowing construction to start.

"We are pleased to be working with Brandt Meio Ambiente, one of the leading environmental and social consulting groups in Brazil who have been involved in a number of major mining projects in the Carajás region.  I look forward to updating the market with results from our new Pre-Feasibility Study which is due imminently."

Further Details

The historic work completed on GAP, in partnership with consulting group Golder, has provided Horizonte's team with an excellent base to conduct a full social and environmental baseline programme that meets both Brazilian and International best-practice guidelines.

Brandt Meio Ambiente was successfully awarded the contract to conduct initial baseline data analysis for GAP.  Brandt has a proven track record in permitting Brazilian nickel projects and also has recent experience in permitting projects in the neighbouring Carajás mining district in the Pará State.

Specialised biology consultant, DBO has been awarded the contract to undertake future fauna and flora studies at GAP and to further extend existing fauna and flora studies in the Araguaia deposits.

Integratio was the consultant responsible for undertaking the social impact assessment for the Araguaia project.  Integratio has provided new social baseline data for Xinguara Municipal, the local government area containing the Vale dos Sonhos deposit.  This socio-economic data will be incorporated into the new Pre-Feasibility Study which is due imminently and will be included in future assessments for Brazilian environmental permits in relation to the Vale dos Sonhos deposit.

Additional consultants will be contracted for laboratory analysis and specialised studies as set out in the Pará Environmental Agency (SEMAS) terms of reference.

The Preliminary Licence ('LP') for Araguaia was approved in May 2016 with consideration of the terms set out in the Company's Social & Environmental Impact Assessment, and conditions outlined by SEMAS.  Once the Installation Licence is awarded in parallel with the mining concession, construction may start.

The objective of the new social and environmental baseline data programme at GAP is to integrate the Vale dos Sonhos deposit into the advanced permitting schedule for the enlarged Araguaia project. 

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of EU Regulation 596/2014.

About Horizonte Minerals:
Horizonte Minerals plc is an AIM and TSX-listed nickel development company focused in Brazil, which wholly owns the advanced Araguaia nickel laterite project located to the south of the Carajas mineral district of northern Brazil.  The Company is developing Araguaia as the next major nickel mine in Brazil, with targeted production by 2019. 

The Project has good infrastructure in place including rail, road, water and power.

Horizonte has a strong shareholder structure including Teck Resources Limited 26.1%, Henderson Global Investors 15.7% and Glencore 10.3%.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION

Except for statements of historical fact relating to the Company, certain information contained in this press release constitutes "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the potential of the Company's current or future property mineral projects; the success of exploration and mining activities; cost and timing of future exploration, production and development; the estimation of mineral resources and reserves and the ability of the Company to achieve its goals in respect of growing its mineral resources; and the realization of mineral resource and reserve estimates. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information is based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, and are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to risks related to: exploration and mining risks, competition from competitors with greater capital; the Company's lack of experience with respect to development-stage mining operations; fluctuations in metal prices; uninsured risks; environmental and other regulatory requirements; exploration, mining and other licences; the Company's future payment obligations; potential disputes with respect to the Company's title to, and the area of, its mining concessions; the Company's dependence on its ability to obtain sufficient financing in the future; the Company's dependence on its relationships with third parties; the Company's joint ventures; the potential of currency fluctuations and political or economic instability in countries in which the Company operates; currency exchange fluctuations; the Company's ability to manage its growth effectively; the trading market for the ordinary shares of the Company; uncertainty with respect to the Company's plans to continue to develop its operations and new projects; the Company's dependence on key personnel; possible conflicts of interest of directors and officers of the Company, and various risks associated with the legal and regulatory framework within which the Company operates.

Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.

SOURCE Horizonte Minerals plc