Fura Negotiates 30-Year Extension to Colombian Emerald Mining License


TORONTO, Oct. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fura Gems Inc. (âFuraâ or the âCompanyâ) (TSXV: Fura, OTC: FUGMF and FRA: BJ43) is pleased to announce that it has successfully negotiated with the Colombian National Mining Agency (the âANMâ) for a 30-year extension to Colombian emerald mining license no. 122-95M (the âLicenseâ). Fura holds a 76%-indirect equity interest in Coscuez S.A. (âCoscuezâ), which holds a 100% interest in the License.
The License covers an area of 46.9651 hectares and includes exclusive rights for the exploration, construction and mining of emerald deposits granted by the Government of the Republic of Colombia within the area historically known as the âCoscuez Mineâ in the municipality of San Pablo de Borbur, Department of BoyacĂĄ. For more information about the License, please see the Companyâs technical report entitled âTechnical Report on the Coscuez Emerald Mine, BoyacĂĄ Department, Colombia for Fura Gems Inc.â with an effective date of January 23, 2019 prepared by Watts, Griffis and McOuat, which is available on the Companyâs profile at www.sedar.com.The License was initially granted to Coscuez on October 10, 1995 and expired on October 9, 2020. In anticipation of its expiry, the Company submitted a proposal to the ANM in October 2018 to extend the License. On October 8, 2020, Fura and the ANM reached an agreement to extend the License to October 8, 2050. In addition, the License extension agreement includes the following terms:Coscuez agreed to adopt an international sustainability standard by 2024;Coscuez is recategorized from a mid-scale miner to a large-scale miner, allowing the company to mine more than 100,000 tonnes;The royalty payable to the government in connection with the License is capped at 1.5% of Coscuezâs revenue; andThe social investment amount is capped at 1.5% of each year of Coscuezâs gross revenue.About Fura Gems Inc.Fura Gems Inc. is a gemstone mining and marketing company which is engaged in the mining, exploration and acquisition of gemstone licenses. Fura owns ruby, emerald and sapphire resource properties in Mozambique, Colombia and Australia, respectively. Furaâs headquarters are located in Toronto, Canada and its administrative headquarters are located in the Burjuman Business Tower, Dubai. Fura is listed on the TSXV under the ticker symbol âFURAâ.Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release contains âforward-looking informationâ within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements relating to the extension of the License, the terms of the License extension agreement, the Companyâs exploration activities and mining activities and the Companyâs performance. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as âplansâ, âexpectsâ or âdoes not expectâ, âis expectedâ, âbudgetâ, âscheduledâ, âestimatesâ, âforecastsâ, âintendsâ, âanticipatesâ or âdoes not anticipateâ, or âbelievesâ, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results âmayâ, âcouldâ, âwouldâ, âmightâ or âwill be takenâ, âoccurâ or âbe achievedâ. Forward-looking information is 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: general business, economic, competitive, geopolitical and social uncertainties; the actual results of exploration, development and production activities; access to sufficient financing to continue the development of its assets; regulatory risks; risks inherent in foreign operations, uncertainties with respect to the Companyâs assets; legacy environmental risks, title risks and other risks of the mining industry. Although 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 information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.
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