finally some numbers, page-14

re: finally some numbers.article Well the media pump has started.

AIM announces $145 million funding for West African zinc project
Source: Platts

AIM Resources Wednesday announced financing arrangements totaling A$192 million ($145 million) for the development of the company's rich Perkoa zinc project in West Africa. AIM Resources also outlined a revised mining plan which cuts the pre-production period by 12 months and targets commissioning of the processing plant for early 2008.

According to the financing arrangement, AIM had mandated Standard Bank to provide project finance facilities totaling $90 million, Cartesian Capital has been mandated to coordinate $35 million convertible note issue and Seymour Pierce is to coordinate a $20 million share issue.

AIM Resources Managing Director Marc Flory said the company was also at an advanced stage of negotiation with its off-take partners to potentially provide a cost overrun facility. "The overall funding mix and structure provides the company with strength and flexibility as it moves into the development phase of the Perkoa zinc project."

Flory added: "The increased costs associated with this accelerated development schedule are more than offset by the project delivering well ahead of the previous schedule and delivering concentrate into an anticipated period of strong zinc prices."

Development at Perkoa had progressed, with excavation work commencing on the box cut for the decline development expected to start in late November 2006, Flory said. The company expects the first ore to be mined during the September quarter in 2007, the plant to be commissioned in the March quarter in 2008 and full plant throughput to be achieved mid-2008.

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