Generation Mining Limited (TSX: GENM) (OTCQB: GENMF) (“Gen
Mining” or the “Company”) has executed a mandate letter
to arrange a senior secured project finance facility of up to
US$400 million (the “Mandate”) to fund the construction and
development of its Marathon Palladium-Copper Project, located on
the north shore of Lake Superior in the Province of Ontario, Canada
(the “Marathon Project”).
A syndicate including Export Development Canada (“EDC”),
together with ING Capital LLC (“ING”) and Societe Generale
S.A. (“Societe Generale”) will act as the Mandated Lead
Arrangers (“MLAs”). The formal Mandate includes a
non-binding indicative term sheet (the “Term Sheet”) for a
senior debt facility of up to US$400 million (the
“Facility”).
The execution of the Mandate is a key milestone in the project
financing process for the development of the Marathon Project. EDC,
ING, and Societe Generale were chosen as MLAs due to their
extensive experience providing project finance to greenfield mining
projects and the strength of their mining teams.
Closing of the Facility, targeted for the third quarter of 2023,
remains subject to completion of final due diligence in form and
substance satisfactory to the MLAs, final credit approvals and
execution of definitive Facility documentation.
The definitive Facility documentation will include customary
project finance terms and conditions, as well as a comprehensive
intercreditor agreement. Drawdowns under the Facility would be
subject to customary conditions precedent.
Jamie Levy, President and CEO, commenting on these arrangements
said, “We are very pleased to have mandated these three financial
institutions, all of whom have a strong mining and metals track
record. The US$400 million senior debt facility (CDN $540 million)
combined with the undrawn Wheaton Precious Metals Stream of CDN
$200 million, or a total of CDN $740 million represents a
significant portion of the initial capital required to develop the
Marathon Project. The Company will now focus on finalizing the
definitive documentation, together with arranging equipment leases
and sourcing the balance of the capital required to fully finance
construction.
Mr. Levy went on to say, “The interest of EDC, ING, Societe
Generale, and Wheaton Precious Metals further validates the
Marathon Project’s status as an economic, sustainable,
environmentally sensitive, low-cost producer of critical metals
that are needed to support emissions controls and the transition to
a greener economy. This has never been more urgent particularly in
the wake of the IPCC Report, published March 20, 2023, by the UN
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which provides
governments, at all levels, with scientific information they can
use to develop climate policies. We look forward to updating the
market throughout the rest of this year on our progress.”
Endeavour Financial is acting as financial advisor to the
Company. Shearman & Sterling LLP and Cassels Brock &
Blackwell LLP are acting as legal counsel to the Company.
About the Company
Gen Mining’s focus is the development of the Marathon Project, a
large undeveloped palladium-copper deposit in Northwestern Ontario,
Canada. The Company released the results of the Feasibility Study
Update on March 31, 2023.
The Feasibility Study Update estimated a Net Present Value
(using a 6% discount rate) of C$1.16 billion, an Internal Rate of
Return of 25.8%, and a 2.3-year payback. The mine is expected to
produce an average of 166,000 ounces of payable palladium and 41
million pounds of payable copper per year over a 13-year mine life
(“LOM”). Over the LOM, the Marathon Project is anticipated to
produce 2,122,000 ounces of palladium, 517 million lbs of copper,
485,000 ounces of platinum, 158,000 ounces of gold and 3,156,000
ounces of silver in payable metals. For more information, please
review the Feasibility Study Update dated March 31, 2023, filed
under the Company’s profile at SEDAR.com or on the Company’s
website at https://genmining.com/projects/feasibility-study/.
The Marathon Property covers a land package of approximately
22,000 hectares, or 220 square kilometres. Gen Mining owns a 100%
interest in the Marathon Project.
Qualified Person
The scientific and technical content of this news release was
reviewed, verified, and approved by Drew Anwyll, P.Eng., M.Eng,
Chief Operating Officer of the Company, and a Qualified Person as
defined by Canadian Securities Administrators National Instrument
43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.
Forward-Looking Information
This news release contains certain forward-looking information
and forward-looking statements, as defined in applicable securities
laws (collectively referred to herein as "forward-looking
statements"). Forward-looking statements reflect current
expectations or beliefs regarding future events or the Company’s
future performance. All statements other than statements of
historical fact are forward-looking statements. Often, but not
always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of
words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget",
"scheduled", "estimates", "continues", "forecasts", "Projects",
"predicts", "intends", "anticipates", "targets" or "believes", or
variations of, or the negatives of, such words and phrases or state
that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would",
"should", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved,
including statements related to the anticipated timing for the
execution of definitive financing documentation and the closing of
the financing, government approvals and permitting, and
commencement of construction of the Marathon Project; the timing
and amount of funding required to execute the Company’s development
and business plans related to the Marathon Project; and the life of
mine, mineral production estimates and financial returns from the
Marathon Project. All forward-looking statements, including those
herein, are qualified by this cautionary statement.
Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in
such 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
statements. There are certain factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking
information. These include the timing for a construction decision;
the progress of development at the Marathon Project, including
progress of project expenditures and contracting processes, the
Company's plans and expectations with respect to liquidity
management, continued availability of capital and financing, the
future price of palladium and other commodities, permitting
timelines, exchange rates and currency fluctuations, increases in
costs, requirements for additional capital, and the Company's
decisions with respect to capital allocation, and the impact of
COVID-19, inflation, global supply chain disruptions and the war in
Ukraine on the Company, the project schedule for the Marathon
Project, key inputs, staffing and contractors, commodity price
volatility, continued availability of capital and financing,
uncertainties involved in interpreting geological data,
environmental compliance and changes in environmental legislation
and regulation, the Company’s relationships with First Nations
communities, exploration successes, and general economic, market or
business conditions, as well as those risk factors set out in the
Company’s annual information form for the year ended December 31,
2022, and in the continuous disclosure documents filed by the
Company on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Readers are cautioned that the
foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive of the factors that may
affect forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers should not
place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The
forward-looking statements in this news release speak only as of
the date of this news release or as of the date or dates specified
in such statements.
The progress of development at the Marathon Project, including
progress of project expenditures and contracting processes, is
contingent on the continued availability of capital and financing,
permitting timelines, requirements for additional capital, and the
Company's decisions with respect to capital allocation. The Company
has begun submitting the permit applications to start preliminary
construction activities late in the third quarter of 2023 or as
soon as possible thereafter.
Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions
which may prove to be incorrect, including, but not limited to,
assumptions relating to: the availability of financing for the
Company’s operations; operating and capital costs; results of
operations; the mine development and production schedule and
related costs; the supply and demand for, and the level and
volatility of commodity prices; timing of the receipt of regulatory
and governmental approvals for development Projects and other
operations; the accuracy of Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resource
Estimates, production estimates and capital and operating cost
estimates; and general business and economic conditions.
Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not
guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments
may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking
information. For more information on the Company, investors are
encouraged to review the Company’s public filings on SEDAR at
www.sedar.com. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to
update or revise any forward- looking information, whether as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than
as required by law.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230502005481/en/
Jamie Levy President and Chief Executive Officer (416) 640-2934
(O) (416) 567-2440 (M) jlevy@genmining.com
Ann Wilkinson Vice President, Investor Relations (416) 640-2954
(O) (416) 357-5511 (M) awilkinson@genmining.com
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