New Pacific enters into agreement to acquire majority interest in RZY silver-lead-zinc project in Qinghai Province, China

Monday, Dec 24, 2012

New Pacific Metals Corp. (TSX:NUX) ("New Pacific" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has signed a binding letter of agreement (the "Agreement") with Silvercorp Metals Inc. ("Silvercorp") to acquire majority interest in its wholly owned subsidiary, Fortress Mining Inc. ("FMI"). Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, the Company will pay US$3.5 million to acquire an 80% interest of FMI, with an option to acquire the remaining 20% within two years for US$5 million after the Company has spent US$15.9 million on the project. Since the Transaction is a related party transaction it is subject to approval from the Toronto Stock Exchange.

In 2007 FMI and the Qinghai Geological Survey Institute ("QGSI") established a Sino-Foreign Co-Operative Company; Qinghai Found Mining ("QFM"), with a term of 30 years. FMI owns an 82% interest and QGSI owns an 18% carried interest in QFM. Currently, QFM's assets consist of approximately US$2.0 million in net cash and a 67% interest in the RZY exploration project (the "Project").

Source: Marketwire