NASDAQ:EU
TSXV:EU
www.encoreuranium.com
DALLAS, Feb. 26,
2024 /CNW/ - enCore Energy Corp. (NASDAQ: EU)
(TSXV: EU) (the "Company" or "enCore"), America's
Clean Energy Company™ and a uranium producer, announced today the
completion of the transactions under the Master Transaction
Agreement ("Transaction") with Boss Energy Limited ("Boss Energy")
(ASX: BOE) (OTCQX: BQSSF), a leading Australian emerging ISR
uranium producer, headlined by the sale of a 30% ownership interest
in enCore's Alta Mesa project ("Alta Mesa") to Boss Energy for
US$60 million, and including an
investment of US$10 million into
enCore common shares by Boss Energy. The Transaction provides
enCore with the financial capacity to significantly accelerate its
uranium production pipeline across South
Texas through the development of multiple satellite
operations. In addition, the Transaction paves the way for
accelerated development of enCore's Dewey
Terrace and Dewey-Burdock projects straddling the
Wyoming-South Dakota border and enables the Company to
quicken development of its Gas Hills project in
Wyoming.
Transaction Highlights
- enCore received US$60 million in
full payment for Boss Energy's 30% share of the JV;
- enCore received an additional US$10
million from Boss Energy as payment for a private placement
of 2,564,102 enCore shares;
- The formation of a joint venture company owning Alta Mesa with
enCore holding a 70% joint venture interest and remaining the
project manager, and Boss Energy holding a 30% joint venture
interest.
William M. Sheriff, Executive
Chairman, stated: "The completion of the joint venture with Boss
Energy comes at a transformational time for enCore and we look
forward to their partnership at the Alta Mesa plant. With zero
debt, production underway at the Rosita plant and a healthy
treasury, we are in a strong position to advance the production
pipeline across our portfolio at a more aggressive pace in
2024. We look forward to a year full of opportunity and
growth as the only company in the United
States with two operating uranium plants, supplying the
essential material to fuel domestic nuclear energy."
Pursuant to the terms of a Master Transaction Agreement dated
December 5, 2023, Boss acquired a 30%
equity interest in a new limited liability company (the "JV
Company") that was formed to hold the Alta Mesa project, in
exchange for a payment to enCore of US$60
million. enCore holds 70% equity in the JV Company. Upon
closing of the Transaction, the parties entered into a joint
venture agreement (the "JV Agreement") which will govern the
JV Company. Pursuant to the JV Agreement, enCore will act as
manager of the JV Company and will be entitled to a management fee.
The JV Company will distribute uranium from production at Alta Mesa
on a pro rata basis according to enCore and Boss Energy's ownership
interest. In the event a party's interest falls below 10%, the
other party shall have a right to either acquire that interest, or
elect to have the interest converted into a 1% production royalty
at Alta Mesa.
Concurrently with the establishment of the JV Company, the
parties entered into a uranium loan agreement providing for up to
200,000 pounds of uranium to be lent by Boss Energy to enCore. The
loan will bear interest of 9% and be repayable in 12 months in cash
or uranium at the election of Boss Energy.
Boss also acquired 2,564,102 common shares of enCore issued from
treasury at a price of US$3.90 per
share for total proceeds to enCore of US$10
million. The share price was fixed under the Master
Transaction Agreement dated December 5,
2023 with the common shares subject to a four-month
statutory hold period, expiring June 27,
2024.
Finally, the parties also entered into a strategic collaboration
agreement for the joint collaboration and research to develop the
Company's PFN technology, to be financed equally by each party.
Alta Mesa In-Situ Recovery ("ISR")
Uranium Central Processing Plant ("Alta Mesa") &
Wellfield
The Alta Mesa CPP and Wellfield hosts a fully licensed and
constructed In-Situ Recovery ("ISR") uranium plant, located on
200,000+ acres of private land in the state of Texas. Alta Mesa CPP will be enCore's second
producing location and work continues to advance the project
towards planned production in the second quarter of 2024.
Total operating capacity at the Alta Mesa CPP is 1.5 million
lbs. U3O8 (uranium) per year. The Alta Mesa
CPP historically produced nearly 5 million lbs
U3O8 between 2005 and 2013, after which
production was curtailed as a result of low uranium
prices.
Alta Mesa Resource
Summary
(0.30 GT
cut-off)1,2
|
Tons
|
Avg.
Grade
(%
U3O8)
|
Pounds
|
Total Measured Mineral
Resource1
|
54,000
|
0.152
|
164,000
|
Alta Mesa Indicated
Mineral Resource
|
1,397,000
|
0.106
|
2,959,000
|
|
119,000
|
0.120
|
287,000
|
Total Measured &
Indicated Resources
|
1,570,000
|
0.109
|
3,410,000
|
Alta Mesa Inferred
Mineral Resource
|
1,263,000
|
0.126
|
3,192,000
|
Meste
|
5,733,000
|
0.119
|
13,601,000
|
Total Inferred
Resources
|
6,996,000
|
0.120
|
16,793,000
|
|
1,2
Represents that portion of the in-place mineral resource that
are estimated to be recoverable within existing wellfields.
Wellfield recovery factors have not been applied to indicated and
inferred mineral resources. As reported in the NI-43-101
Technical Report Summary for the Alta Mesa Uranium Project, Brooks
and Jim Hogg Counties, Texas, USA completed by Doug Beahm, PE, PG,
of BRS Engineering. (Effective January 19,
2023).
|
To view the Alta Mesa CPP and Wellfield and Rosita CPP maps
please visit: bit.ly/3fV9fTg.
John M. Seeley, Ph.D., P.G.,
C.P.G., enCore's Manager of Geology and Exploration, and a
Qualified Person under NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the
technical disclosure in this news release on behalf of the
Company.
About enCore Energy
Corp.
enCore Energy Corp., America's Clean Energy Company™, is
committed to providing clean, reliable, and affordable domestic
nuclear energy as the newest uranium producer
in the United States. Uranium production commenced at
enCore's licensed and past-producing South Texas Rosita Central
Processing Plant ("CPP") in November 2023 with work
underway for a planned 2024 restart of uranium production at its
licensed and past-producing South Texas Alta Mesa CPP. enCore
solely utilizes In-Situ Recovery ("ISR") for uranium extraction, a
well-known and proven technology co-developed by the leaders at
enCore Energy. In-Situ Recovery extracts uranium in a non-invasive
process using natural groundwater and oxygen, coupled with a proven
ion exchange process, to recover the uranium. The enCore team
is led by industry experts with extensive knowledge and experience
in all aspects of ISR uranium operations and the nuclear fuel
cycle.
Future projects in enCore's production pipeline include the
Dewey-Burdock project in South Dakota and the Gas Hills
project in Wyoming, along with significant uranium resource
endowments in New Mexico providing long term
opportunities. enCore diligently works to realize value from other
owned assets, including our proprietary uranium database that
includes technical information from many past producing companies,
from our various non-core assets, and by leveraging our ISR
expertise in researching opportunities that support the use of this
technology as applied to other metals. enCore is also committed to
working with local communities and indigenous governments to create
positive impact from corporate developments.
www.encoreuranium.com
Cautionary Note Regarding
Forward Looking Statements:
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture
Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of
this release.
The Company advises that it is not basing its production
decisions at Alta Mesa CPP on a feasibility study of mineral
reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability. The
production decision is based on known past In-Situ Recovery (ISR)
and processing operations at this production facility and
surrounding lands. However, the Company understands that there is
increased uncertainty, and consequently a higher risk of failure,
when production is undertaken in advance of a feasibility
study. The Company has determined to proceed with a
production decision based on past operations at the Alta Mesa CPP,
including past ISR operations in the known mineral resource
areas.
Certain information contained in this news release,
including: any information relating to the Company being a leading
uranium company, statements regarding future or potential
production, and any other statements regarding future expectations,
beliefs, goals or prospects; may constitute "forward-looking
information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of
applicable Canadian and United
States securities laws and regulations (collectively,
"forward-looking statements"). All statements in this news release
that are not statements of historical fact (including statements
containing the words "expects", "is expected", "does not expect",
"plans", "anticipates", "does not anticipate", "believes",
"intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential", "scheduled",
"forecast", "budget" and similar expressions or variations
(including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or
statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could",
"would", "might" or "will" be taken) should be considered
forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include
statements regarding distribution of uranium by the JV Company from
production at Alta Mesa, and regarding our planned extraction and
production operations. All such forward-looking statements
are subject to important risk factors and uncertainties, many of
which are beyond the company's ability to control or predict.
Forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown
risks, including, without limitation, risks associated with general
economic conditions; adverse industry events; future legislative
and regulatory developments; the ability of enCore to act as
Manager of the JV Company; receipt of final TSX-V approval for the
issuance of enCore shares to Boss Energy; the ability of enCore to
implement its business strategies; including commencement of
production at Alta Mesa in the planned time frames or at all; the
expansion of operations to satellite locations; and other risks. A
number of important factors could cause actual results or events to
differ materially from those indicated or implied by such
forward-looking statements, including without limitation access to
capital risks in connection with the Agreement and otherwise,
exploration and development risks, changes in commodity prices,
access to skilled mining personnel, the results of exploration and
development activities; production risks; uninsured risks;
regulatory risks; defects in title; the availability of materials
and equipment, timeliness of government approvals and unanticipated
environmental impacts on operations; litigation risks; risks posed
by the economic and political environments in which the Company
operates and intends to operate; increased competition; assumptions
regarding market trends and the expected demand and desires for the
Company's products and proposed products; reliance on industry
equipment manufacturers, suppliers and others; the failure to
adequately protect intellectual property; the failure to adequately
manage future growth; adverse market conditions, the failure to
satisfy ongoing regulatory requirements and factors relating to
forward looking statements listed above which include risks as
disclosed in the Company's annual information form filings. Should
one or more of these risks materialize, or should assumptions
underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual
results may vary materially from those described herein as
intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected.
The Company assumes no obligation to update the information in this
communication, except as required by law. Additional information
identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in filings by the
Company with the various securities commissions which are available
online at www.sec.gov and www.sedarplus.ca.
Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of
providing information about the current expectations, beliefs and
plans of management. Such statements may not be appropriate for
other purposes and readers should not place undue reliance on these
forward-looking statements, that speak only as of the date hereof,
as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or
expectations upon which they are based will occur. Such
information, although considered reasonable by management at the
time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results
may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking
statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified
by this cautionary statement.
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SOURCE enCore Energy Corp.