News Archive

16 November 2006

New Managing Director for Scottish Mines

ATH Resources, one of the UK's largest coal producers, has appointed Alistair Black as Managing Director of its mining subsidiary, which operates four opencast sites in East Ayrshire and Dumfries & Galloway. The mines, at Skares Road, Glenmuckloch, Grievehill and Laigh Glenmuir, provide employment for 250 people.

Alistair, who comes from Falkirk, gained an MBA from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, trained as a site engineer with Coal Contractors, before becoming Manager of its Roughcastle North mine, near Falkirk, in 1994. Two years later, he was appointed Scottish Regional Manager of Rackwood Colliery Company, responsible for one underground and two opencast mines in Scotland. He joined ATH Resources in 1998 as Operations Manager of the Skares Road site and for the past six years he has been its Operations Director.

Tom Allchurch, Chief Executive Officer of ATH Resources, said: 'Alistair's long-term experience and success with the Group makes him the perfect candidate for this elevated role. His appointment will further strengthen the management team.'

Looking forward to his challenging, new role, Alistair Black said: 'ATH Resources has become a driving force in the recovery of Scotland's coal and gives valuable employment to many local people. As a Group, we are also committed to working in close co-operation with environmental groups and local authorities to bring significant benefits to the environment. I feel my experience of working with such bodies, coupled with my extensive knowledge of the country's mining industry, will help ATH Resources as it continues to grow.'

In addition to its operational mines in Scotland, ATH Resources is restoring an opencast site at Garleffan, in East Ayrshire, has mining interests in France and recently acquired A Ogden & Sons, a Doncaster based coal-recovery, land-remediation and regeneration business.

For further information:
ATH Resources
Tom Allchurch, Chief Executive	Tel: +44 (0) 1302 760 462
tom.allchurch@ath.co.uk
Media enquiries:
Abchurch
Sarah Hollins / Georgina Bonham	Tel: +44 (0) 20 7398 7700
sarah.hollins@abchurch-group.com	www.abchurch-group.com

Notes to Editors:

ATH Resources is an AIM-listed operator of opencast coal mines in the UK with its current four operational mines, Skares Road, Grievehill Glenmuckloch and Laigh Glenmuir, located near New Cumnock, East Ayrshire in Scotland. The Group is currently the third largest producer of coal in the UK producing approximately 1.7 million tonnes per annum. Coal was used to generate 34 per cent of the UK's electricity in 2005 and the Company holds coal supply contracts with three of the UK's main electricity generating companies.

The management team has been in place since 1998. It acquired the rights to operate (and subsequently acquire) the Skares Road mine with support from The Alchemy Plan and Bank of Scotland. Following ATH Resources' incorporation in October 2003, and backed by a follow on investment from The Alchemy Plan, the Company acquired the Garleffan mine in November 2003.

In June 2005 the Group acquired two new opencast sites, Grievehill and Glenmuckloch in Scotland for 18 million using the 16.8 million raised by way of an Open Offer on the basis of one New Ordinary Share for every three Existing Ordinary Shares. The acquisition increased the Group's reserve base by 160% and provided longer term stability to the business.

In addition to its operating mines, the Group is also developing a number of other coal mining projects in Scotland and two through its French subsidiary, SRMMC including a series of six existing coal concessions in south-central France, covering an area of 36km, two with an estimated resource of approximately 4.5 million tonnes of recoverable coal.

In May 2006 the Group acquired Doncaster-based A Ogden & Sons Limited a successful coal recovery, land remediation and regeneration business with a particular focus on colliery spoil heap reclamation projects. ATH paid net 9.5 million for the business. The acquisition, which was earnings enhancing, allowed ATH to build on its skills as a regenerator of land, whilst developing strong relationships with key English planning authorities.

ATH Resources listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange in June 2004 under the symbol ATH.L.

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