August 19th, 2002

Independence Group's Metallurgist, Joseph Chifamba stands next to How Mine's ConSep CS500 ACACIA Reactor.

BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe - Independence Gold Mining (Pvt) Ltd, Zimbabwe's largest gold producer, has demonstrated their confidence in the long-term future of the mining industry by investing in the latest mineral processing technology to boost local production.

Independence Group's flagship How Mine, ordered a ConSep ACACIA Reactor after promising pilot trials indicated +99% gold recovery from high-grade Knelson concentrates.

Since installation, the ACACIA has achieved a payback of less than one month, inclusive of a year's worth of reagents. The impact upon overall mine recovery has been a profound increase from 88% to 91%, a real bonus towards the mine's enhanced viability.

The ConSep ACACIA Reactor arrived on-site June 27th and commissioned on July 3rd, 2002.

"As the plant was already assembled on arrival, on site preparation involved only the connection of water, power and tailings lines", said Joseph Chifamba, the Group Metallurgist. "The first batch of concentrate was leached on the 4th of July with no commissioning mishaps", he concluded.

Mike Marriott, Independence Group's Managing Director says they are extremely happy with the performance of the ACACIA. "Not only have we seen improved efficiencies, this technology has enabled us to discard the use of mercury for amalgamation of gold in concentrates, thereby achieving a great advance in our strategy of eliminating environmental and security risks. This investment demonstrates our commitment to the business of gold mining in Zimbabwe, and we continue to believe that given the appropriate economic dispensation, gold mining will prove to be one of the industries that will lead an economic turnaround in this nation."

How Mine is Independence Group's largest single producer with a reputation for high efficiency through applied technology. The Mine operates two Knelson concentrators that have historically targeted the free gold component only. The ACACIA has enabled additional recovery of other gold carriers in the gravity concentrate that has achieved an astonishing high recovery rate of 99.2% avg. over the first month of operation.

The ACACIA Reactor is marketed and supported in Zimbabwe by Knelsons agent Peacocke, Simpson & Associates of Harare and throughout the rest of the world by joint-venture partners Knelson and ConSep Pty. of Australia.

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