Monday, May 16, 2011

"Big Copper in Argentina": TNR Gold Granted Leave to add New Claim over Los Azules project tnr.v, mai.to, tck, cuu.v, czx.v, lun.to, bwr.to, cs.to, imn.to, ncu.to, tko.to, wrn.to, qux.to, bls.to, bhp, fcx



  We can not  agree more with Rob McEwen who calls Los Azules the "Big Copper in Argentina". Now we can understand why Minera Andes was warning in its latest MD&A:


From TNR Gold NR:


"The New Claim alleges that Xstrata and Minera Andes did not complete the required exploration expenditures required for Xstrata's exercise of its option on April 23, 2007 to acquire the Properties. On that basis, TNR and Solitario advance a claim of breach of contract and intentional interference with economic relations, and seek the return of the Properties, or alternatively, damages as against the defendants or any of them."

  These properties are called Xstrata on the map below. TNR Gold litigation team now seeks in this new claim that Northern half of the Los Azules deposit to be returned to TNR Gold.


From Minera Andes on Los Azules:

"The Los Azules Project is a 100% owned advanced-stage porphyry copper exploration project located in the cordilleran region of San Juan ProvinceArgentina near the border with Chile. It is one of the world's largest undeveloped copper deposits with an indicated mineral resource of 137 million tonnes grading 0.73% copper, equivalent to 2.2 billion pounds of copper, and an inferred mineral resource of 900 million tonnes grading 0.52% copper, equivalent to 10.3 billion pounds of copper. Exploration and infill drilling continues with five drills currently operating at the Los Azules Copper Project...
An updated preliminary assessment on the Los Azules Copper Project was released in December 2010. It is based on the updated resource estimate announced in June 2010 and higher base case metal price assumptions:


Using a Copper price of $3.00/lb


  • Base case pre-tax Net Present Value ("NPV") is $2.8 billion and the Internal Rate of Return ("IRR") is 21.4%, at a discount rate of 8%
  • Life of mine Cash Operating Costs of $0.96/lb of copper net of gold and silver by-product credits
  • Initial Capital $2.9 billion
  • Capital Payback in 3 years
  • Mine life of 25 years
  • Forecasted Annual Copper Production: 1st 5 Years: 500 million lbs, Life of Mine: 375 million lbs"







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Vancouver B.C.: TNR Gold Corp. ("TNR" or the "Company) advises that following a two-day hearing before the British Columbia Supreme Court, TNR and its subsidiary, Solitario Argentina S.A., have been granted leave to amend their pleadings to add a new claim to the litigation (the "New Claim") over the Los Azules project in Argentina. The litigation involves TNR, Minera Andes Inc., MIM Argentina Exploraciones S.A. ("Xstrata") and related entities. The Los Azules project is an advanced exploration project currently reporting a National Instrument 43-101 compliant Inferred Resource.

In the original Notice of Claim, among other claims, TNR and Solitario seek rectification of a 2004 Exploration and Option Agreement with Xstrata (later assigned to Minera Andes) to restore a right on the part of Solitario to back-in to up to 25% of certain properties constituting the northern half of the Los Azules project (the "Properties") any time within 120 days of the production of a feasibility study. Minera Andes and Xstrata oppose rectification and the other relief sought by TNR and Solitario.

The New Claim alleges that Xstrata and Minera Andes did not complete the required exploration expenditures required for Xstrata's exercise of its option on April 23, 2007 to acquire the Properties. On that basis, TNR and Solitario advance a claim of breach of contract and intentional interference with economic relations, and seek the return of the Properties, or alternatively, damages as against the defendants or any of them.

As a result of the New Claim being added to the litigation, the trial scheduled to commence on June 20, 2011 in Vancouver, BC has been adjourned so that documents relating to the New Claim can be produced. A new date for the trial will be set in due course.


The Company is a diversified international metals exploration company focusing on the continued advancement of existing properties and identifying and acquiring new prospective projects. TNR has a portfolio of 18 active projects, of which 9 rare metals projects, including the Mariana Lithium Brine project, will be held or optioned to TNR's wholly owned subsidiary International Lithium Corp. ("ILC") upon completion of a Plan of Arrangement.
The objective of the Plan of Arrangement is to spin-out TNR's rare metals property interests into a separate public company, ILC. The Plan of Arrangement has been approved by TNR's shareholders, the courts of British Columbia and the TSX Venture Exchange with the Record Date / Effective Date set for May 19, 2011. For further details of the spin-out, please visit International Lithium's website, TNR's information circular dated May 10, 2010 which is available on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com and the Company's press release dated May 12, 2011.
The recent acquisition of lithium, other rare metals and rare-earth elements projects in Argentina, Canada, USA and Ireland confirms TNR's commitment to generating projects, diversifying its markets, and building shareholder value.



On behalf of the board,

Gary Schellenberg
President"
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