SolGold PLC Announces PrimaryBid Offer
LONDON, June 4, 2020 - SolGold (LSE:SOLG) (TSX:SOLG), a leading exploration company focused on the discovery, definition and development of world-class copper and gold deposits, is pleased to announce, a conditional offer for subscription via PrimaryBid (the "PrimaryBid Offer" or the "Offer") of up to 33,095,528 new ordinary shares of 1p each in the capital of the Company ("New Ordinary Shares") at an issue price of 21.5pence per New Ordinary Share (the "Issue Price"), being a discount of 8.7 per cent to the closing mid-price on 3 June 2020.As separately announced on 4 June 2020, the Company is also conducting a fully underwritten placing to new and existing institutional investors of new Ordinary Shares at the Issue Price (the "Placing") by way of an accelerated bookbuild process.
The PrimaryBid Offer and the Placing are conditional on the new Ordinary Shares to be issued pursuant to the PrimaryBid Offer and the Placing being admitted to trading on the Standard segment of the Official List of the Financial Conduct Authority and to trading on the London Stock Exchange's main market for listed securities ("Admission"). Admission is expected to be take place at 8.00 a.m. on 9 June 2020. The New Ordinary Shares will also be admitted to trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange (the "TSX"), conditional on receiving TSX approval. The PrimaryBid Offer will not be completed without the Placing also being completed. The Placing is conditional upon, among other things, Admission becoming effective and the underwriting agreement relating to the Placing becoming unconditional and not being terminated in accordance with its terms.
On 11 May 2020 the Company announced a royalty financing agreement with Franco-Nevada Corp. (the "FNV Transaction") for US$100 million with an option to upscale to US$150 million at the Company's election. FNV will receive a perpetual 1% NSR interest from the Cascabel concession for the first US$100 million (1.5% if option exercised), subject to completion of a site visit as final confirmatory due diligence. In conjunction with the FNV Transaction (assuming that it is upscaled to US$150 million), the funds raised will fund the Company to delivery of a Preliminary Feasibility Study ("PFS") on the Alpala Project in Q3 2020 and a Definitive Feasibility Study ("DFS") in Q2 2021. Furthermore, proceeds will fund exploration of the Company's extensive land package in Ecuador, prospective for further discoveries.
PrimaryBid Offer
The Company values its retail investor base and is therefore pleased to provide private and other investors the opportunity to participate in the PrimaryBid Offer by applying exclusively through the www.PrimaryBid.com platform and the PrimaryBid mobile app available on the Apple App Store and Google Play. PrimaryBid does not charge investors any commission for this service.
The PrimaryBid Offer, via the PrimaryBid.com platform, will be open to individual and institutional investors from 5.30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on 4 June 2020. The PrimaryBid Offer may close early if it is oversubscribed. The PrimaryBid Offer is limited to 33,095,528 New Ordinary Shares. The maximum aggregate demand under the PrimaryBid Offer will be limited to EUR8 million.
Subscriptions under the PrimaryBid Offer will be considered by the Company on a "first come, first served" basis (with preference to be given to the Company's existing retail investors), subject to conditions (which are available to view on PrimaryBid.com).
The Company in consultation with PrimaryBid reserves the right to scale back any order at its discretion. The Company and PrimaryBid reserve the right to reject any application for subscription under the Offer without giving any reason for such rejection.
No commission is charged to investors on applications to participate in the PrimaryBid Offer made through PrimaryBid. It is vital to note that once an application for New Ordinary Shares has been made and accepted via PrimaryBid, an application cannot be withdrawn.
For further information on PrimaryBid.com or the procedure for applications under the PrimaryBid Offer, visit www.PrimaryBid.com or call PrimaryBid.com on +44 20 3026 4750.
The New Ordinary Shares will be issued free of all liens, charges and encumbrances and will, when issued and fully paid, rank pari passu in all respects with the Company's existing Ordinary Shares.
CONTACT:
SolGold plc Tel: +61 (0) 7 3303 0665
Nick Mather (Chief Executive Officer)
Ingo Hofmaier (Executive General Manager Corporate Finance)
PrimaryBid Limited Tel: + 44 (0) 203 026 4750
Kieran D'Silva / James Deal
Details of the Offer
The Company highly values its retail investor base, which has supported the Company alongside institutional investors over several years. Given the longstanding support of retail shareholders, the Company believes that it is appropriate to provide retail and other interested investors the opportunity to participate in the Offer. The Company is therefore making the Offer available exclusively through PrimaryBid.com.
The Offer is offered under certain exemptions against the requirement to publish a prospectus provided under the Prospectus Regulation Rules. In order to comply with the applicable exemptions, the maximum aggregate demand under the PrimaryBid Offer will be limited to EUR 8 million. As such, there is no need for publication of a prospectus pursuant to the Prospectus Regulation Rules, or for approval of the same by the Financial Conduct Authority in its capacity as the UK Listing Authority. The Offer is not being made into the United States of America, Canada, Australia, Japan and the Republic of South Africa and any other jurisdiction where the extension or availability of the Offer would breach any applicable law.
There is a minimum subscription of £100 per investor under the terms of the Offer which is open to existing shareholders and other investors subscribing via PrimaryBid.com. This allocation will be filled on a "first come first served" basis (with preference to be given to the Company's existing retail investors). The maximum aggregate subscription under the Offer is be limited to EUR 8m. For further details please refer to the PrimaryBid.com website at www.PrimaryBid.com. The terms and conditions on which the Offer is made, including the procedure for application and payment for New Ordinary Shares, is available to all persons who register with PrimaryBid.com.
Investors should make their own investigations into the merits of an investment in the Company. Nothing in this announcement amounts to a recommendation to invest in the Company or amounts to investment, taxation or legal advice.
It should be noted that a subscription for New Ordinary Shares and investment in the Company carries a number of risks. Investors should consider the risk factors set out on PrimaryBid.com before making a decision to subscribe for New Ordinary Shares. Investors should take independent advice from a person experienced in advising on investment in securities such as the New Ordinary Shares if they are in any doubt.
http://www.rns-pdf.londonstockexchange.com/rns/0379P_1-2020-6-4.pdf
Important Notices
This announcement has been issued by and is the sole responsibility of the Company.
Persons distributing this announcement must satisfy themselves that is lawful to do so. This announcement is for information purposes only and shall not constitute an offer to sell or issue or the solicitation of an offer to buy, subscribe for or otherwise acquire securities in any jurisdiction in which any such offer or solicitation would be unlawful. Any failure to comply with this restriction may constitute a violation of the securities laws of such jurisdictions. Persons needing advice should consult an independent financial adviser.
The distribution of this announcement and the offering and/or issue of the New Ordinary Shares in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. No action has been taken by the Company or any of its affiliates, agents, directors, officers or employees that that would permit an offer of the New Ordinary Shares or possession or distribution of this announcement or any other offering or publicity material relating to such New Ordinary Shares in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. Persons into whose possession this announcement comes are required by the Company to inform themselves about and to observe any such restrictions.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN, IS RESTRICTED AND IS NOT FOR PUBLICATION, RELEASE OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ITS TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS, ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES OR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (COLLECTIVELY, THE "UNITED STATES"), AUSTRALIA, CANADA, THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA OR JAPAN OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH PUBLICATION, RELEASE OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. FURTHER, THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT AN OFFER OF SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED BY THE LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE OR THE UK FINANCIAL CONDUCT AUTHORITY, NOR IS IT INTENDED THAT IT WILL BE SO APPROVED.
This announcement or any part of it does not constitute or form part of any offer to issue or sell, or the solicitation of an offer to acquire, purchase or subscribe for, any securities in the United States, Canada, Australia, the Republic of South Africa, Japan or any other jurisdiction in which the same would be unlawful. No public offering of the securities referred to herein is being made in any such jurisdiction.
This communication is not a public offer of securities for sale in the United States. The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the US Securities Act 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") or under the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States, and may not be offered or sold directly or indirectly in or into the United States except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and in compliance with the securities laws of any state or any other jurisdiction of the United States. The securities referred to herein may not be offered and sold within the United States except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act.
This announcement may contain and the Company may make verbal statements containing "forward-looking statements" with respect to certain of the Company's plans and its current goals and expectations relating to its future financial condition, performance, strategic initiatives, objectives and results. Forward-looking statements sometimes use words such as "aim," "anticipate," "target," "expect," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "goal," "believe," "seek," "may," "could," "outlook" or other words of similar meaning. By their nature, all forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to future events and circumstances which are beyond the control of the Company, including amongst other things, United Kingdom domestic and global economic business conditions, market-related risks such as fluctuations in interest rates and exchange rates, the policies and actions of governmental and regulatory authorities, the effect of competition, inflation, deflation, the timing effect and other uncertainties of future acquisitions or combinations within relevant industries, the effect of tax and other legislation and other regulations in the jurisdictions in which the Company and its respective affiliates operate, the effect of volatility in the equity, capital and credit markets on the Company's profitability and ability to access capital and credit, a decline in the Company's credit ratings; the effect of operational risks; and the loss of key personnel. As a result, the actual future financial condition, performance and results of the Company may differ materially from the plans, goals and expectations set forth in any forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements made in this announcement by or on behalf of the Company speak only as of the date they are made. Except as required by applicable law or regulation, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to publish any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained in this announcement to reflect any changes in the Company's expectations with regard thereto or any changes in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.
Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements contained within: (a) EU Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments, as amended ("MiFID II"); (b) Articles 9 and 10 of Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2017/593 supplementing MiFID II; and (c) local implementing measures (together, the "MiFID II Product Governance Requirements"), and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any "manufacturer" (for the purposes of the Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the New Ordinary Shares have been subject to a product approval process, which has determined that the New Ordinary Shares are: (i) compatible with an end target market of (a) retail investors, (b) investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and (c) eligible counterparties, each as defined in MiFID II; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all distribution channels as are permitted by MiFID II (the "Target Market Assessment"). Notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment, distributors should note that: the price of the New Ordinary Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment; the New Ordinary Shares offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; and an investment in the New Ordinary Shares is compatible only with investors who do not need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom. The Target Market Assessment is without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Offer.
For the avoidance of doubt, the Target Market Assessment does not constitute: (a) an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of MiFID II; or (b) a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or take any other action whatsoever with respect to the New Ordinary Shares.
Each distributor is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the New Ordinary Shares and determining appropriate distribution channels.
This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com
By order of the Board
Karl Schlobohm
Company Secretary
This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of EU Regulation 596/2014 ("MAR"). Upon publication of this announcement, the inside information is now considered to be in the public domain for the purposes of MAR. The person responsible for arranging release of this information on behalf of the Company is Nicholas Mather, Chief Executive Officer.
Qualified Persons Statement
The scientific or technical information contained in this press release has been reviewed on the company's behalf by Jason Ward, a qualified person under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.
All scientific and technical information contained in this press release relating to the Alpala Project on the Cascabel concession is derived from the technical report entitled "Cascabel Property NI 43-101 Technical Report, Alpala Mineral Resource Estimation, May 2020" (Dated 22 May 2020, Effecive Date 11 November 2019) and is subject to all the assumptions, qualifications and procedures described therein. Reference is made to the full text of such technical report which has been filed by the Company with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities and is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com
CONTACTS
| Nicholas Mather SolGold plc (Chief Executive Officer) nmather@solgold.com.au | Tel: +61 (0) 7 3303 0665 +61 (0) 417 880 448 |
| Karl Schlobohm SolGold plc (Company Secretary) kschlobohm@solgold.com.au | Tel: +61 (0) 7 3303 0661 |
| Ingo Hofmaier SolGold plc (GM - Project & Corporate Finance) ihofmaier@solgold.com.au | Tel: +44 (0) 20 3823 2131 |
| Gordon Poole / Nick Hennis Camarco (Financial PR / IR) solgold@camarco.co.uk | Tel: +44 (0) 20 3757 4997 |
| Andrew Chubb Hannam & Partners (Joint Broker and Financial Advisor) solgold@hannam.partners | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7907 8500 |
| Ross Allister / David McKeown Peel Hunt (Joint Broker and Financial Advisor) solgold@peelhunt.com | Tel: +44 (0)20 7418 8900 |
| James Kofman / Darren Wallace Cormark Securities Inc. (Financial Advisor) dwallace@cormark.com | Tel: +1 416 943 6411 |
Follow us on twitter @SolGold_plc
ABOUT SOLGOLD
SolGold is a leading resources company focussed on the discovery, definition and development of world-class copper and gold deposits. In 2018, SolGold's management team was recognised by the "Mines and Money" Forum as an example of excellence in the industry and continues to strive to deliver objectives efficiently and in the interests of shareholders. SolGold is the largest and most active concession holder in Ecuador and is aggressively exploring the length and breadth of this highly prospective and gold-rich section of the Andean Copper Belt.
The Company operates with transparency and in accordance with international best practices. SolGold is committed to delivering value to its shareholders, while simultaneously providing economic and social benefits to impacted communities, fostering a healthy and safe workplace and minimizing the environmental impact.
Dedicated stakeholders
SolGold employs a staff of 700 employees of whom 98% are Ecuadorean. This is expected to grow as the operations expand at Alpala, and in Ecuador generally. SolGold focusses its operations to be safe, reliable and environmentally responsible and maintains close relationships with its local communities. SolGold has engaged an increasingly skilled, refined and experienced team of geoscientists using state of the art geophysical and geochemical modelling applied to an extensive database to enable the delivery of ore grade intersections from nearly every drill hole at Alpala. SolGold has 86 geologists, of whom 30% are female, on the ground in Ecuador exploring for economic copper and gold deposits.
About Cascabel and Alpala
The Alpala deposit is the main target in the Cascabel concession, located on the northern section of the heavily endowed Andean Copper Belt, the entirety of which is renowned as the base for nearly half of the world's copper production. The project area hosts mineralisation of Eocene age, the same age as numerous Tier 1 deposits along the Andean Copper Belt in Chile and Peru to the south. The project base is located at Rocafuerte within the Cascabel concession in northern Ecuador, an approximately three-hour drive on sealed highway north of the capital Quito, close to water, power supply and Pacific ports.
Having fulfilled its earn-in requirements, SolGold is a registered shareholder with an unencumbered legal and beneficial 85% interest in ENSA (Exploraciones Novomining S.A.) which holds 100% of the Cascabel concession covering approximately 50km2. The junior equity owner in ENSA is required to repay 15% of costs since SolGold's earn in was completed, from 90% of its share of distribution of earnings or dividends from ENSA or the Cascabel concession. It is also required to contribute to development or be diluted, and if its interest falls below 10%, it shall reduce to a 0.5% NSR royalty which SolGold may acquire for US$3.5m.
Advancing Alpala towards development
The resource at the Alpala deposit boasts a high-grade core which is targeted to facilitate early cashflows and an accelerated payback of initial capital. SolGold is currently assessing financing options available to the Company for the development of the Alpala mine following completion of the Definitive Feasibility Study.
SolGold's Regional Exploration Drive
SolGold is using its successful and cost-efficient blueprint established at Alpala, and Cascabel generally, to explore for additional world class copper and gold projects across Ecuador. SolGold is the largest and most active concessionaire in Ecuador.
The Company wholly owns four other subsidiaries active throughout the country that are now focussed on thirteen high priority gold and copper resource targets, several of which the Company believes have the potential, subject to resource definition and feasibility, to be developed in close succession or even on a more accelerated basis compared to Alpala.
SolGold is listed on the London Stock Exchange and Toronto Stock Exchange (LSE/TSX: SOLG). The Company has on issue a total of 1,923,321,033 fully-paid ordinary shares and 176,662,000 share options.
Quality Assurance / Quality Control on Sample Collection, Security and Assaying
SolGold operates according to its rigorous Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) protocol, which is consistent with industry best practices.
Primary sample collection involves secure transport from SolGold's concessions in Ecuador, to the ALS certified sample preparation facility in Quito, Ecuador. Samples are then air freighted from Quito to the ALS certified laboratory in Lima, Peru where the assaying of drill core, channel samples, rock chips and soil samples is undertaken. SolGold utilises ALS certified laboratories in Canada and Australia for the analysis of metallurgical samples
Samples are prepared and analysed using 100g 4-Acid digest ICP with MS finish for 48 elements on a 0.25g aliquot (ME-MS61). Laboratory performance is routinely monitored using umpire assays, check batches and inter-laboratory comparisons between ALS certified laboratory in Lima and the ACME certified laboratory in Cuenca, Ecuador.
In order to monitor the ongoing quality of its analytical database, SolGold's QA/QC protocol encompasses standard sampling methodologies, including the insertion of certified powder blanks, coarse chip blanks, standards, pulp duplicates and field duplicates. The blanks and standards are Certified Reference Materials supplied by Ore Research and Exploration, Australia.
SolGold's QA/QC protocol also monitors the ongoing quality of its analytical database. The Company's protocol involves Independent data validation of the digital analytical database including search for sample overlaps, duplicate or absent samples as well as anomalous assay and survey results. These are routinely performed ahead of Mineral Resource Estimates and Feasibility Studies. No material QA/QC issues have been identified with respect to sample collection, security and assaying.
Reviews of the sample preparation, chain of custody, data security procedures and assaying methods used by SolGold confirm that they are consistent with industry best practices and all results stated in this announcement have passed SolGold's QA/QC protocol.
See www.solgold.com.au for more information. Follow us on twitter @SolGold_plc
CAUTIONARY NOTICE
News releases, presentations and public commentary made by SolGold plc (the "Company") and its Officers may contain certain statements and expressions of belief, expectation or opinion which are forward looking statements, and which relate, inter alia, to interpretations of exploration results to date and the Company's proposed strategy, plans and objectives or to the expectations or intentions of the Company's Directors. Such forward-looking and interpretative statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors beyond the control of the Company that could cause the actual performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from such interpretations and forward-looking statements.
Accordingly, the reader should not rely on any interpretations or forward-looking statements; and save as required by the exchange rules of the TSX and LSE or by applicable laws, the Company does not accept any obligation to disseminate any updates or revisions to such interpretations or forward-looking statements. The Company may reinterpret results to date as the status of its assets and projects changes with time expenditure, metals prices and other affecting circumstances.
This release may contain "forward?looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward?looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements regarding the Company's plans for developing its properties. Generally, forward?looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans," "expects" or "does not expect," "is expected," "budget," "scheduled," "estimates," "forecasts," "intends," "anticipates" or "does not anticipate," or "believes," or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may," "could," "would," "might" or "will be taken," "occur" or "be achieved".
Forward?looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward?looking information, including but not limited to: transaction risks; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; future prices of mineral prices; accidents, labour disputes and shortages and other risks of the mining industry. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward?looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
The Company and its officers do not endorse, or reject or otherwise comment on the conclusions, interpretations or views expressed in press articles or third-party analysis, and where possible aims to circulate all available material on its website.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF ARTICLE 7 OF THE MARKET ABUSE REGULATION (EU) 596/2014.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY, AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE OR FORM PART OF ANY OFFER OR INVITATION TO SELL OR ISSUE, OR ANY SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO PURCHASE OR SUBSCRIBE FOR, ANY SECURITIES OF SolGold plc
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, JAPAN, SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH IT WOULD BE UNLAWFUL TO DO SO. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AMOUNTS TO A FINANCIAL PROMOTION FOR THE PURPOSES OF SECTION 21 OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000 ("FSMA") AND HAS BEEN APPROVED BY PRIMARYBID LIMITED WHICH IS AUTHORISED AND REGULATED BY THE FINANCIAL CONDUCT AUTHORITY (FRN 779021)
This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.
SOURCE: SolGold plc