Aurum Mining fell over 80% on Thursday as the shares began trading without the proposed return of capital to shareholders.Investors will be receiving cheques for almost £7.8m, leaving the company with a likely cash pile of £840,000, worth 1.6p a share, at the end of December.The former mining company is now a cash shell after running into problems in the Kyrgyz Republic. Boss Mark Jones is stepping down to save the firm money.Trading in the shares could be suspended from 23 December and the AIM listing cancelled by June next year if the group can't make an acquisition, although chiefs are positive. "The board is confident that a suitable acquisition opportunity will be identified within this timeframe and does not believe that the potential forthcoming suspension will impact its ability to do a deal within the required timeframe," a statement read.