Lydian Terminates Newmont Royalty Agreement and Elects Fixed Payment Option
TORONTO, April 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lydian International Ltd. (TSX:LYD) (“Lydian” or the “Company”) today announced that it has exercised its option to terminate the royalty agreement with Newmont Overseas Exploration Limited (“Newmont”) and in lieu thereof, elect a fixed payment option.
On April 23, 2010, the Company purchased all of Newmont’s interests in the Company’s joint venture, which included Newmont’s interests in the Amulsar Gold Project. A portion of the consideration included a 3% Net Smelter Return (“NSR”). However, as provided for in the purchase agreement, Lydian has exercised its option to terminate the 3% NSR and in lieu thereof, elected the quarterly payment option to pay to Newmont the aggregate sum of $20 million, without interest, in 20 equal quarterly installments of $1 million commencing on the first day of the third calendar month following the start of commercial production.
Howard Stevenson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lydian, said, “The termination of the royalty agreement limits Lydian’s financial obligation to Newmont to $20 million over a five-year period, compared to the perpetual 3% NSR for the life of the mine. Newmont is a valued partner of Lydian and the Amulsar Gold Project, and we look forward to continuing our relationship as we bring Amulsar into production later this year.”
About Lydian International Limited
Lydian is a gold developer focusing on construction at its 100%-owned Amulsar Gold Project, located in south-central Armenia. Amulsar will be a large-scale, low-cost operation with production expected to begin in 2018. Gold production is targeted to average approximately 225,000 ounces annually over an initial 10-year mine life, making Lydian one of the largest gold producers to emerge during 2018. Open pit mining and conventional heap leach processing contribute to excellent scale and economic potential. Estimated mineral resources contain 3.5 million measured and indicated gold ounces and 1.3 million inferred gold ounces as outlined in the Q1 2017 Technical Report. Existing mineral resources beyond current reserves and open extensions provide opportunities to improve average annual production and extend the mine life. Lydian is committed to good international industry practices in all aspects of its operations including production, sustainability, and corporate social responsibility. For more information and to directly contact us, please visit www.lydianinternational.co.uk.
For further information, please contact:
| Doug Tobler, CFO +1 720-307-5087 (d) or +1 303-905-4442 (m) | Pamela Solly, Vice President of Investor Relations +1 720-464-5649 (d) or +1 303-810-4863 (m) |
Or: moreinfo@Lydianinternational.co.uk
Caution regarding forward-looking information
Certain information contained in this news release is “forward looking”. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, that address events, results, outcomes or developments that the Company expects to occur are “forward-looking statements”. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “intends”, “anticipates” or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “will”, “would”, “should”, or “occur” or the negative or other variations of such terms. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others, statements with respect to: the realization of mineral resource estimates and the timing of development of the Amulsar Gold Project, including the expected start date of gold production; the expected and estimated cost of operations and capital costs at the Amulsar Gold Project; the current Amulsar Gold Project construction schedule, including the Company’s plan to begin and advance various on-site construction activities; current expectations regarding forthcoming operational objectives and the timing and satisfaction of such objectives, including earthworks; the fabrication, delivery, and assembly of certain equipment; results of future exploration and drilling; the commitment to and implementation of good international industry practices; the expected gold production from, and life of mine of, the Amulsar Gold Project; and the expected mining methods at the Amulsar Gold Project. Statements concerning mineral resource estimates may also be deemed to constitute forward-looking information to the extent that they involve estimates of the mineralization that will be encountered when the property is developed.
Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on estimates and assumptions that are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and factors include, without limitation: changes in gold and silver prices; adverse general economic, market or business conditions; failure to achieve the objectives of the future exploration and drilling programs; regulatory changes; as well as "Risk Factors" included in the disclosure documents filed on and available at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results and future events could materially differ from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. All of the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are qualified by these cautionary statements. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, events or otherwise, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.