SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549
FORM 6-K
Report of Foreign Private Issuer
Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
CIK # 878518
As at June 1, 2004
TASEKO MINES LIMITED
800 West Pender Street, Suite 1020
Vancouver , British Columbia
Canada V6C 2V6
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual
reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form 20-F...X.... Form 40-F.........
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper
as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): ____
Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1) only permits the submission in paper
of a Form 6-K if submitted solely to provide an attached annual report to
security holders.
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper
as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): ____
Indicate by check mark whether by furnishing the information contained in
this Form, the registrant is also thereby furnishing the information to
the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934.
Yes ..... No .....
If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to
the registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82- ________
Signatures
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
By: /s/ Jeffrey R. Mason
Director and Chief Financial Officer
Date: June 1, 2004
* Print the name and title of the signing officer under his signature.
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Taseko Mines Limited
1020 - 800 W Pender Street
Vancouver BC
V6C 2V6 Canada
Tel 604 684- 6365
Fax 604 684- 8092
Toll Free 1 800 667- 2114
www.tasekomines.com
June 1, 2004,
Vancouver, BC -
Ronald W. Thiessen, President and CEO of Taseko Mines Limited (TSX Venture:
TKO; OTCBB: TKOCF) is pleased to announce that Taseko has signed a Framework
Agreement to create a Joint Venture (the "JV") with Ledcor CMI Ltd.
("Ledcor"), whereby Ledcor will commission and operate the Gibraltar
mine, located near the City of Williams Lake in south-central British Columbia.
Gibraltar is a 35,000 tonnes per day open pit copper mine that is preparing
to resume operations.
Ledcor is a major British Columbia based construction and contract mining
company, with extensive experience in both the construction and the operation
of mines. Its Civil-Mining division employs over 300 people across Canada
and the United States.
Under the proposed terms, Ledcor will be the operator, with primary responsibility
for commissioning and operating the mine in addition to other aspects of
mine operations, including drilling, blasting, loading and hauling of ore
and waste as well as recruitment of personnel and maintenance of the equipment
and facilities. Ledcor will contribute to the JV its own mine equipment
and purchase or lease additional equipment, as necessary, including a large
new shovel and new trucks worth over $25 million, to supplement the existing
site equipment. Taseko will contribute to the JV certain mineral rights
and usage rights to the existing mill and equipment. Personnel from Ledcor
are on site to begin commissioning the mine for copper concentrate production
by October 1, 2004.
A long-term copper concentrate sales contract has also been signed recently
with Glencore Ltd. ("Glencore"), a major international metals buyer.
Glencore is a diversified natural resources group based in Switzerland,
with assets of US$15 billion. Commencing in October 2004, the sales contract
is for 100% of the production from the mine, and has a duration of 40 months,
with fixed terms for treatment and refining charges at a discount to prevailing
market prices.
Other activities associated with the re-start of the Gibraltar mine include
arrangements with rail carriers and port facilities for the transportation,
storage and shipment of Gibraltar's copper concentrates to smelters
overseas. These arrangements are well advanced and within the necessary
lead times.
Mr. Thiessen said "We are making good progress on our re-start activities,
and are very pleased to have established this joint venture with Ledcor
and to have secured the key concentrate sales agreement with Glencore. We
would like to acknowledge the support of Williams Lake and other local communities
during the standby and re-start period, and look forward to being a major
contributor to the economy of the region."
For further details on Taseko Mines Limited, please visit the Company's
website at www.tasekomines.com or contact Investor Services at (604) 684-6365
or within North America at 1-800-667-2114.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
/s/ Ronald W. Thiessen
Ronald W. Thiessen
President & CEO
No regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained in this news release.
This release
includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements".
All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts,
that address future production, reserve potential, exploration drilling,
exploitation activities and events or developments that the Company expects
are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations
expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions,
such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results
or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking
statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially
from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation
and exploration successes, continuing availability of capital and financing,
and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned
that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and that
actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected
in the forward-looking statements. For more information on the Company,
Investors should review the Company's Annual Information Form in Canada
and its annual filing on Form 20-F with the United States Securities Commission.