An emerging mining development company Focus Graphite Inc. signed Definitive Option Agreement with Lara Exploration Ltd. The agreement regards Caninde graphite project located in North-Eastern Brazil, and owned by Lara Exploration, through its wholly-owned BVI subsidiaries Lara (BVI) Ltd. and Pan Brazilian (BVI) Ltd.
Under the terms of the agreement, Lara Exploration, through the above named BVI companies, which collectively own 100% of the mineral rights to the Caninde property, has granted two separate options to Focus Graphite to acquire total 60% undivided interest in the Property, subject to an Underlying Royalty to a third party on 11 Exploration Licenses, in consideration of a staged expenditure commitment over 5 years, the issuance of 500,000 common shares of Focus to Lara and the reimbursement of Lara for certain claim acquisition costs.
Under the First Option, Focus can earn a 51% interest in the Caninde property by paying R$30,000 to a third party for claim acquisition costs on or before the date of this Agreement; issuing 500,000 common shares to Lara, and; carrying out exploration on the Property totalling $2.5 million by the third anniversary of the Agreement. Under the Second Option, Focus can earn an additional 9% interest in the property by carrying out additional exploration work and by completing a positive Preliminary Economic Assessment, for a total expenditure of at least $4.5 million by the fifth anniversary of the Agreement.
If Focus does not exercise the Second Option, Lara and Focus will enter into Joint Venture with Focus holding 51% interest and Lara holding 49% interest in the Property. If Focus exercises the Second Option, Lara and Focus will enter into JV with Focus holding 60% interest and Lara holding 40%. After the execution of the Joint Venture Agreement, both companies will proportionately fund the exploration program and the party holding majority interest will be deemed the operator of the Joint Venture. Throughout the duration of the agreement, Focus will act as the Operator of the program.
