Montage Gold Corp. (“Montage” or the “Company”)
(TSXV: MAU, OTCQX: MAUTF) is pleased to announce the implementation
of a revenue protection programme with the goal of securing
significant margins to enhance its financial flexibility and
achieve its strategic objectives at the onset of production from
its Koné project.
Martino De Ciccio, CEO of Montage, commented:
“We are pleased to complement our recently secured financing
package with the successful execution of our revenue protection
programme which takes advantage of unprecedented put option
pricing. By entering into put options we have secured a minimum
gold price of US$2,500/oz on 400,000 ounces over the 2027-2028
period, while retaining full upside to the gold price. As prudent
allocators of capital, this programme positions us well to generate
significant margins and deliver on our strategic objectives for the
benefit of all stakeholders.”
The voluntary revenue protection programme
consists of the purchase of 400,000 ounces of put options at a
strike price of US$2,500/oz, for a total cash consideration of
US$52.7 million, equally spread every month across the January 2027
to September 2028 period, which can be cash or physically
settled.
The programme has been designed to protect
Montage’s margins during its peak reimbursement phase as it has
committed to deliver 19.5% of its payable gold to Wheaton Precious
Metal, at a transfer price of circa 20% of the spot price, until
400,000 ounces of gold have been delivered (the “First Dropdown
Threshold”), thereafter dropping to 10.8% until an additional
130,000 ounces of gold have been delivered (the “Second Dropdown
Threshold”).
Securing strong margins during the First
Dropdown Threshold is expected to provide the Company optionality
to accelerate its deleveraging by delivering more than its minimum
required commitments under the Wheaton Stream and by exercising its
buyback options under the Zijin Fully Redeemable Stream1.
Furthermore, as the programme consists solely of put options,
Montage retains the financial flexibility to later offset its
initial cash outlay by converting the programme into a zero-cost
collar or through the early monetization of the put options,
based on its assessment of market conditions and its capital
allocation priorities.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its
Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the
policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for
the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
CONTACT INFORMATION
For Investor Relations Inquiries:Jake CainStrategy
& Investor Relations Managerjcain@montagegold.com+44 7788 687
567 |
For Media Inquiries:John VincicOakstrom
Advisorsjohn@oakstrom.com+1-647-402-6375 |
For Regulatory Inquiries:Kathy LoveCorporate
Secretaryklove@montagegold.com+1-604-512-2959 |
ABOUT MONTAGE GOLD CORP.
Montage Gold Corp. (TSXV: MAU) is a Canadian-listed company focused
on becoming a premier multi-asset African gold producer, with its
flagship Koné project, located in Côte d’Ivoire, at the forefront.
Based on the Feasibility Study published in 2024, the Koné project
has an estimated 16-year mine life and sizeable annual production
of +300koz of gold over the first 8 years. Over the course of 2024,
the Montage management team will be leveraging their extensive
track record in developing projects in Africa to progress the Koné
project towards a construction launch.
TECHNICAL DISCLOSUREThe Koné
and Gbongogo Main Mineral Resource Estimates were carried out by
Mr. Jonathon Abbott of Matrix Resource Consultants of Perth,
Western Australia, who is considered to be independent of Montage
Gold. Mr. Abbott is a member in good standing of the Australian
Institute of Geoscientists and has sufficient experience which is
relevant to the commodity, style of mineralization under
consideration and activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a
Qualified Person under NI 43–101.
The Mineral Reserve Estimate was carried out by
Ms. Joeline McGrath of Carci Mining Consultants Ltd., who is
considered to be independent of Montage Gold. Ms. McGrath is a
member in good standing of the Australian Institute of Mining and
Metallurgy and has sufficient experience which is relevant to the
work which she is undertaking to qualify as a Qualified Person
under NI 43–101.
For further details of the data verification
undertaken, exploration undertaken and associated QA/QC programs,
and the interpretation thereof, and the assumptions, parameters and
methods used to develop the Mineral Reserve Estimate for the Koné
Gold Project, please see the UFS, entitled "Koné Gold Project, Côte
d'Ivoire Updated Feasibility Study National Instrument 43-101
Technical Report" and filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Readers
are encouraged to read the UFS in its entirety, including all
qualifications, assumptions and exclusions that relate to the
details summarized in this news release. The UFS is intended to be
read as a whole, and sections should not be read or relied upon out
of context.
QUALIFIED PERSONS STATEMENTThe
scientific and technical contents of this press release have been
verified and approved by Silvia Bottero, BSc, MSc, a Qualified
Person pursuant to NI 43-101. Mrs. Bottero, EVP Exploration of
Montage, is a registered Professional Natural Scientist with the
South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP),
a member of the Geological Society of South Africa and a Member of
AusIMM.
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTSThis
press release contains certain forward-looking information and
forward-looking statements within the meaning of Canadian
securities legislation (collectively, “Forward-looking
Statements”). All statements, other than statements of historical
fact, constitute Forward-looking Statements. Words such as “will”,
“intends”, “proposed” and “expects” or similar expressions are
intended to identify Forward-looking Statements. Forward-looking
Statements in this press release include statements related to
redemption of the Zijin Stream; ability to deleverage more quickly;
securing significant margins; ability to later offset its initial
cash outlay by converting the programme into a zero-cost collar or
early monetization of the put options; the Company’s compliance
with certain ESG matters; the Company’s mineral reserve and
resource estimates; the timing and amount of future production and
the anticipated production costs from the Koné Gold Project;
anticipated mining and processing methods of the Koné Gold Project;
anticipated mine life of the Koné Gold Project; targeted
improvements in the production profile; expected timing of
commencement and completion of our stated drill programs in 2024;
results of the drill programs including targeted additions to the
estimated mineral resources at the Koné Gold Project, and the
timing thereof; the establishment of satellite deposits and the
development of these deposits; expected recoveries and grades of
the Koné Gold Project; timing in respect of the commencement of
construction, and the length of construction, of the mining
operations at the Koné Gold Project; timing and amount of necessary
financing related to the mining operations at the Koné Gold
Project; and timing for permits and concessions, including that the
Company will receive all approvals necessary to build the project
and exploration plans for 2024.
Forward-looking Statements involve various risks
and uncertainties and are based on certain factors and assumptions.
There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be
accurate, and actual results and future events could differ
materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important
factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from
the Company's expectations include uncertainties inherent in the
preparation of mineral reserve and resource estimates and
definitive feasibility studies such as the Mineral Reserve Estimate
and the UFS, and in delineating new mineral reserve and resource
estimates, including but not limited to, assumptions underlying the
production estimates not being realized, incorrect cost
assumptions, unexpected variations in quantity of mineralized
material, grade or recovery rates being lower than expected,
unexpected adverse changes to geotechnical or hydrogeological
considerations, or expectations in that regard not being met,
unexpected failures of plant, equipment or processes, unexpected
changes to availability of power or the power rates, failure to
maintain permits and licenses, higher than expected interest or tax
rates, adverse changes in project parameters, unanticipated delays
and costs of consulting and accommodating rights of local
communities, environmental risks inherent in the Côte d’Ivoire,
title risks, including failure to renew concessions, unanticipated
commodity price and exchange rate fluctuations, delays in or
failure to receive access agreements or amended permits, and other
risk factors set forth in the Company’s 2023 Annual Information
Form available at www.sedarplus.ca, under the heading “Risk
Factors”. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise
any Forward-looking Statements, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required
by law. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not
possible for Montage to predict all of them, or assess the impact
of each such factor or the extent to which any factor, or
combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from
those contained in any Forward-looking Statement. Any
Forward-looking Statements contained in this press release are
expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary
statement.
NON-GAAP MEASURES This
press release includes certain terms or performance measures
commonly used in the mining industry that are not defined under
International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”), including
AISC or “all-in sustaining costs” per payable ounce of gold sold
and per tonne processed and mining, processing and operating costs
reported on a unit basis. Non-GAAP measures do not have any
standardized meaning prescribed under IFRS and, therefore, they may
not be comparable to similar measures employed by other companies.
The Company discloses “all-in sustaining costs” and other unit
costs because it understands that certain investors use this
information to determine the Company’s ability to generate earnings
and cash flows for use in investing and other activities. The
Company believes that conventional measures of performance prepared
in accordance with IFRS, do not fully illustrate the ability of
mines to generate cash flows. The measures, as determined under
IFRS, are not necessarily indicative of operating profit or cash
flows from operating activities. The measures cash costs and all-in
sustaining costs and unit costs are considered to be key indicators
of a project’s ability to generate operating earnings and cash
flows. Non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered in
isolation as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in
accordance with IFRS and are not necessarily indicative of
operating costs, operating profit or cash flows presented under
IFRS. Readers should also refer to our management’s discussion and
analysis, available under our corporate profile at www.sedarplus.ca
for a more detailed discussion of how we calculate such
measures.
__________________________
1 For more information on the Wheaton and Zijin streams, please
consult the comprehensive $825 million financing package announced
on October 23, 2024.
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