Directors: A J Wright (Chairman), I D Cockerill
†
(Chief Executive Officer),K Ansah
#
, A Grigorian°, N J Holland
†
(Chief Financial Officer), G Marcus,
J M McMahon
†
, J G Hopwood, D M J Ncube, R L Pennant-Rea
†
, P J Ryan, T M G Sexwale, C I von Christierson
†
British,
#
Ghanaian, °Russian
Corporate Secretary: C Farrel
Gold Fields Limited
Reg. 1968/004880/06
24 St Andrews Road
Parktown, 2193
Postnet Suite 252
Private Bag X30500
Houghton, 2041
South Africa
Tel +27 11 644-2400
Fax+27 11 484-0639
www.goldfields.co.za
Enquires
Nerina Bodasing
Tel +27
11
644-2630
Fax +27
11
484-0639
Mobile 082 940 7505
Nerina.bodasing@goldfields.co.za
UNITED STATES
Willie Jacobsz
Tel +27
11
644-2460
Fax +27
11
484-0639
Mobile 082 493 1377
Williej@goldfields.co.za
MEDIA RELEASE
GOLD FIELDS SELLS 60% STAKE IN ESSAKANE
PROJECT FOR US$200 MILLION
Johannesburg, 11 October 2007: Gold Fields Limited (“Gold
Fields”) (NYSE, JSE, DIFX: GFI) is pleased to announce that
agreement has been reached in terms of which Gold Fields will
sell its current 60% stake in the Essakane project located in
Burkina Faso, West Africa, to its partner in the project, Orezone
Resources Inc. (Orezone) (TSX:OZN), for a minimum total
consideration of US$200 million.
Orezone will pay Gold Fields US$150 million in cash and US$50
million in Orezone securities or US$200 million in cash at
Orezone’s election.
Ian Cockerill, Chief Executive Officer of Gold Fields, said:
“While the Essakane project is expected to make a good return
and deserves to be built, Gold Fields’ relatively small stake in the
project mitigates against it becoming a Gold Fields franchise
asset. We believe that Orezone is well positioned to turn this
asset to account.”
To date Gold Fields has spent a total of US$47million on the
project. The sale price represents a significant return on
investment for Gold Fields.
The proceeds from the sale will be reinvested to create value for
Gold Fields’ shareholders. Options under consideration include,
inter alia, debt reduction and the funding of Gold Fields’ extensive
capital investment portfolio.
Cockerill added that this sale did not detract in any way from Gold
Fields’ often stated strategy of international growth: “We have
definitely not changed course and our aspiration to grow our
international portfolio with appropriately sized, value adding
assets, remain as strong as ever.”
The transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including
Orezone securing net proceeds of at least US$150 million through
a public offering of its securities, and approval of the transaction