CORNISH METALS ANNOUNCES £7M
CREDIT FACILITY WITH VISION BLUE RESOURCES
Vancouver, October 15, 2024
Cornish Metals Inc. (AIM/TSX-V: CUSN)
("Cornish Metals" or the "Company"), announces that it has entered
into a non-dilutive £7 million (US$9.1 million) secured credit
facility (the "Facility") with Vision Blue Resources Limited
("Vision Blue") to support the continued development of its 100%
owned and permitted South Crofty tin project in Cornwall, United
Kingdom. The proceeds of the Facility are expected to be used for
the Company's general operating and corporate purposes.
Don
Turvey, CEO and Director of Cornish Metals, stated:
"This funding signals Vision Blue's continued
support for Cornish Metals and our plans to bring tin mining back
to Cornwall through the restart of South Crofty. We plan to
generate value by unlocking the project's potential as a long-term
supplier of tin needed for electrical applications in the UK and
Europe. The Company has been engaging with investment entities
interested in financing the development of the Project. The Vision
Blue credit facility, combined with the recently completed non-core
asset sales, provides capital to advance these discussions further
with the support of our recently appointed financial adviser,
Endeavour Financial, and develop optionality as we continue to
further derisk the project, ahead of securing project financing for
the construction of South Crofty."
Related Party Transaction
Vision Blue is a Substantial
Shareholder (as defined by the AIM Rules for Companies) of Cornish
Metals and holds 25.95% of the Company's issued share capital. The
Facility is deemed to constitute a related party transaction for
the purpose of AIM Rule 13. The Company's Independent Directors,
being all Directors other than Vision Blue's appointed Director
(Tony Trahar), having consulted with SP Angel Corporate Finance
LLP, the Company's nominated adviser, consider that the terms of
the Facility are fair and reasonable insofar as shareholders are
concerned.
In accordance with the AIM Rules
(Schedule 4), the following information regarding the Facility is
provided below:
·
Principal:
US$9,145,000 (£7,000,000)
·
Lender:
Vision Blue Resource Limited
·
Borrower: Cornish
Metals Inc.
·
Term:
31 March 2025
·
Interest:
15% p.a.
·
Security:
Fixed and floating charges over Cornish Metals except mineral
titles in the UK
which are already pledged as security
·
Conditions:
On the repayment date, repayment of the full principal amount and
accrued
interest up to and including
the date of payment
The Facility also constitutes a
"related party transaction" as defined under Multilateral
Instrument 61-101 - Protection of
Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI
61-101"). The Facility is exempt from the formal valuation
requirements pursuant to Subsection 5.5(b) of MI 61-101
(Issuer Not Listed on Specified
Markets) and is exempt from the minority shareholder
approval requirements pursuant to Subsection 5.7(f) of MI 61-101
(Loan to Issuer, No Equity or
Voting Component).
ABOUT CORNISH METALS
Cornish Metals is a dual-listed
mineral exploration and development company (AIM and TSX-V: CUSN)
that is advancing the South Crofty tin project towards production.
South Crofty:
· Is
a historical, high-grade, underground tin mine located in
Cornwall, United Kingdom and benefits from existing mine
infrastructure including multiple shafts that can be used for
future operations;
· Is
fully permitted to commence underground mining (valid to 2071),
construct new processing facilities and for all necessary site
infrastructure;
· Has
a 2024 Preliminary Economic Assessment that validates the Project's
potential (see news release dated April
30, 2024 and the Technical Report entitled
"South
Crofty PEA"):
o US$201 million
after-tax NPV8% and 29.8% IRR
o 3-year
after-tax payback
o 4,700 tonnes
average annual tin production in years two through six
o Life of mine
all-in sustaining cost of US$13,660 /tonne of payable
tin
o Total after-tax
cash flow of US$626 million from start of production
·
Would be the only primary producer of tin in Europe or North
America. Tin is a Critical Mineral as defined by the UK, American,
and Canadian governments as it is used in almost all electronic
devices and electrical infrastructure. Approximately two-thirds of
the tin mined today comes from China, Myanmar and
Indonesia;
·
Benefits from strong local community, regional and national
government support with a growing team of skilled people, local to
Cornwall, and could generate up to 320 direct jobs.
The 2024 Preliminary Economic
Assessment for South Crofty is preliminary in nature and includes
inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative
geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them
that would enable them to be categorised as mineral reserves. There
is no certainty that the 2024 Preliminary Economic Assessment will
be realised. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not
have demonstrated economic viability.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
This news release has been reviewed
and approved by Mr. Owen Mihalop, MCSM, BSc (Hons), MSc, FGS,
MIMMM, CEng, Chief Operating Officer for Cornish Metals
Inc. who is the designated Qualified Person under
NI 43-101 and the AIM Rules for Companies and a Competent Person as
defined under the JORC Code (2012). Mr. Mihalop consents to the
inclusion in this announcement of the matters based on his
information in the form and context in which it
appears.
ON
BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
"Don Turvey"
Don Turvey
Engage with us directly at our
investor hub. Sign up at: https://investors.cornishmetals.com/link/weYnWr
For additional information please
contact:
Cornish Metals
|
Fawzi Hanano
Irene Dorsman
|
investors@cornishmetals.com
info@cornishmetals.com
|
|
|
Tel: +1
(604) 200 6664
|
SP
Angel Corporate Finance LLP
(Nominated Adviser & Joint
Broker)
|
Richard Morrison
Charlie Bouverat
Grant Barker
|
Tel: +44 203 470 0470
|
|
|
|
Cavendish Capital Markets Limited
(Joint
Broker)
|
Derrick Lee
Neil McDonald
|
Tel: +44 131 220 6939
|
|
|
|
Hannam & Partners
(Financial
Adviser)
|
Matthew Hasson
Andrew Chubb
Jay Ashfield
|
cornish@hannam.partners
Tel: +44 207 907 8500
|
|
|
|
BlytheRay
(Financial PR)
|
Tim Blythe
Megan Ray
|
cornishmetals@blytheray.com
Tel: +44 207 138 3204
|
|
|
|
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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.
Caution regarding forward
looking statements
This news release contains certain "forward-looking
information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively,
"forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements include
predictions, projections, outlook, guidance, estimates and
forecasts and other statements regarding future plans and
operations, the realisation, cost, timing and extent of mineral
resource or mineral reserve estimates, estimation of commodity
prices, currency exchange rate fluctuations, estimated future
exploration expenditures, costs and timing of the development of
new deposits, success of exploration activities, permitting time
lines, requirements for additional capital and the Company's
ability to obtain financing when required and on terms acceptable
to the Company, future or estimated mine life and other activities
or achievements of Cornish Metals, including but not limited to:
the expected use of proceeds from the secured credit facility with
Vision Blue; the balance of the cash consideration due to Cornish
in respect of the sale of the Mactung and Cantung royalty
interests; mineralisation at South Crofty, mine dewatering and
construction requirements; the development, operational and
economic results of the preliminary economic assessment, including
cash flows, capital expenditures, development costs, extraction
rates, recovery rates, mining cost estimates and returns;
estimation of mineral resources; statements about the estimate of
mineral resources and production of minerals; magnitude or quality
of mineral deposits; anticipated advancement of the South Crofty
project mine plan; exploration potential and project growth
opportunities for the South Crofty tin project and other Cornwall
mineral properties, the Company's ability to evaluate and develop
the South Crofty tin project and other Cornwall mineral properties,
strategic vision of Cornish Metals and expectations regarding the
South Crofty mine, timing and results of projects mentioned.
Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by
the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan",
"estimate", "forecast", "expect", "potential", "project", "target",
"schedule", "budget" and "intend" and statements that an event or
result "may", "will", "should", "could", "would" or "might" occur
or be achieved and other similar expressions and includes the
negatives thereof. All statements other than statements of
historical fact included in this news release, are forward-looking
statements that involve various risks and uncertainties and 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.
Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and
uncertainties that may cause actual results to be materially
different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking
statements, including but not limited to: risks related to receipt
of regulatory approvals, risks related to general economic and
market conditions; risks related to the availability of financing;
the timing and content of upcoming work programmes; actual results
of proposed exploration activities; possible variations in Mineral
Resources or grade; outcome of any future feasibility studies;
projected dates to commence mining operations; failure of plant,
equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents, labour
disputes, title disputes, claims and limitations on insurance
coverage and other risks of the mining industry; changes in
national and local government regulation of mining operations, tax
rules and regulations. The list is not exhaustive of the factors
that may affect Cornish's forward-looking
statements.
Cornish Metals' forward-looking statements are based on the
opinions and estimates of management and reflect their current
expectations regarding future events and operating performance and
speak only as of the date such statements are made. Although the
Company has attempted to identify important factors that could
cause actual actions, events or results to differ from those
described in forward- looking statements, there may be other
factors that cause such actions, events or results to differ
materially from those anticipated. There can be no assurance that
forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and
accordingly readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on
forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers should not place
undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Cornish Metals does
not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements if
circumstances or management's beliefs, expectations or opinions
should change other than as required by applicable
law.
Caution regarding non-IFRS
measures
This news release contains certain terms or performance
measures commonly used in the mining industry that are not defined
under International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"),
including "all-in sustaining costs". Non-IFRS 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 data presented is intended to provide additional
information and should not be considered in isolation or as a
substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with
IFRS and should be read in conjunction with Cornish Metals'
consolidated financial statements and Management Discussion and
Analysis, available on its website and on SEDAR+ at
www.sedarplus.ca.
Market Abuse Regulation (MAR)
Disclosure
The information contained within this announcement is deemed
by the Company to constitute inside information pursuant to Article
7 of EU Regulation 596/2014 as it forms part of UK domestic law by
virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 as
amended.