T A N T A L U MA U S T R A L I A N L117 May 2004The...

T A N T A L U M
A U S T R A L I A N L
1
17 May 2004
The Announcements Office
Australian Stock Exchange Limited
Level 3, 20 Bridge Street
SYDNEY NSW 2000
By ASX Online Transmission
Dear Sir
Please find attached ASX/Media release regarding African tantalum supply.
Yours faithfully
Peter Farrah
Company Secretary
13 Mumford Place, Balcatta, WA, 6021 ph: +61 8 6241 1888 fax: +61 8 6241 1811
Website: www.tantalumaustralia.com Email: [email protected]
ACN 009 127 020 ABN 58 009 127 020
T A N T A L U M
A U S T R A L I A N L
2
17 May 2004
ASX ANNOUNCEMENT/MEDIA RELEASE
TANTALUM AUSTRALIA (“TAA”) SECURES AFRICAN
CONCENTRATE SUPPLY
TAA has signed an exclusive long term contract with an African mining and marketing
company to take delivery of a minimum 330,000 lbs Ta2O5 per annum. This material will be
upgraded at TAA’s mineral dressing plant at Balcatta and delivered into existing customer
contracts .
The first shipment is now being prepared under the supervision of TAA’s African Operations
Manager and SGS, an internationally recognised independent assay company. Shipment of
the first container of material is expected to commence in two weeks.
The securing of a long term source of material from Africa is the culmination of a two year
due diligence process that TAA has undertaken as part of its strategic plan to build a
coordinated African supply chain for Ta2O5.
The African raw material compliments TAA’s existing Australian resource base and
accelerates TAA’s plan to become the world’s second largest tantalite procurement and
supply company.
Historically the tantalite and columbite supply chain in Africa has been fragmented and
uncoordinated. TAA is coordinating supply of material from Africa, for the benefit of TAA,
its customers and the local African partners and suppliers. Africa represents approximately
20% of global tantalum supply.
Industry forecasts for electronics demand in 2004/5 are for sustained growth. Consumer
electronics demand is strong with laptops, mobile phones and digital cameras all growing
steadily from the later half of 2003 and forecast to continue through 2004/5. Corporate
spending on IT strengthened in the first quarter of 2004 and is expected to fuel demand for
PC’s.
For further information contact:
Michael Fotios Imants Kins
Managing Director Manager Business Development
(08) 6241 1888