TORONTO, Dec. 31 /CNW/ - Anatolia Minerals Development Limited ("Anatolia" or the "Company") (TSX:ANO) regrets to report that an employee of its earthworks contractor, Entes-Tekyol, was killed today while operating a bulldozer at the Company's Copler Gold Project in Turkey. Entes-Tekyol reports this as the first fatality in its 40 years history; this is the first fatality at Copler.
Edward Dowling, President and CEO of Anatolia stated, "The safety of our employees and contractors is our highest priority. We are deeply saddened by this event. On behalf of our entire company, I wish to extend our sincerest condolences to the family and colleagues of the deceased."
Appropriate authorities have been notified and are participating in the investigation, which is expected to be completed during the first week of January 2009. Anatolia is assisting with the investigation and has temporarily suspended construction activities pending completion of the investigation.
Anatolia's common shares are listed for trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol ANO.
Cautionary Statements
Certain statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking information, future oriented financial information, or financial outlooks (collectively "forward-looking information") within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information may relate to this news release and other matters identified in Anatolia's public filings, Anatolia's future outlook and anticipated events or results and, in some cases, can be identified by terminology such as "may", "will", "could", "should", "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "intend", "estimate", "projects", "predict", "potential", "continue" or other similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts and include, but are not limited in any manner to, those with respect to commodity prices, mineral resources, mineral reserves, realization of mineral reserves, existence or realization of mineral resource estimates, the timing and amount of future production, the timing of construction of the proposed mine and process facilities, capital and operating expenditures, availability of sufficient financing, and any and all other timing, development, operational, financial, economic, legal, regulatory, political factors that may influence future events or conditions. Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions, including, but not limited in any manner, those disclosed in any other Anatolia filings, and include the ultimate determination of mineral reserves, availability and final receipt of required approvals, licenses and permits, sufficient working capital to develop and operate the proposed mine, access to adequate services and supplies, commodity prices, foreign currency exchange rates, interest rates, access to capital markets and associated cost of funds, availability of a qualified work force, and the ultimate ability to mine, process and sell mineral products on economically favorable terms. While we consider these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to us, they may prove to be incorrect. Actual results may vary from such forward-looking information for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to risks and uncertainties disclosed in other Anatolia filings at www.sedar.com and other unforeseen events or circumstances. Other than as required by law, Anatolia does not intend, and undertakes no obligation to update any forward looking information to reflect, among other things, new information or futures events.