RE: Prospective Strategic Investors11 Oct 2023 08:36
By my reckoning we could be looking at two potential strategic investors: (a) A supply chain-oriented investor (SCOI) from the US for progressing Kangerluarsuk in Greenland and (b) A Nordic country-based Tier 1 major miner for progressing all three Finnish assets (Enonkoski, Hammashlathi and Outokumpu ).
Major miners have well-established terms for JVs. JAY’s JV with Rio Tinto started on 8 January 2021 with a three-stage agreement for progress, ending in 2029. So, in total the agreement spanned EIGHT years. Beyond Stage III, each party had to fund its respective 75%:25% share of the project expenditure or be diluted (see RNS dated 10 November 2020 and 15 January 2021).
In the case of KoBold, the JV started in August 2021 with a two-stage agreement for progress ending on 31 December 2024. So, in total it spans THREE years. Beyond Stage II, each party has to fund its respective 51%:49% share of the project expenditure or be diluted (see RNS dated 9 August 2021).
But what could be the terms for a JV with a supply chain-oriented investor (SCOI)? Let's take a recent real example. Appian Capital Advisory, a London-based mining-focused private equity firm, is a SCOI. As it happened, on 9 October 2023 (just a few days ago), it had successfully raised US$2.06 billion (£1.7 billion) for its latest fund, Fund III, as it takes advantage of renewed investor interest in the sector fuelled by the move toward green energy. Fund III takes Appian’s total assets under management to about US$4 billion (£3.3 billion). The fund will look at co-investment opportunities, widening the pool of capital available for the firm. Its geographical focus will be on countries with proven geology, supportive governments and robust legal frameworks. The fund will focus on middle-market investments in the mining sector, looking at potential transactions in energy-transition commodities and precious metals - https://tinyurl.com/j9k3apba
On 22 February 2023, Osisko Metals signed a C$100 million (£60 million) JV investment agreement with Appian for its project named Pin Point. Osisko Metals is a Canadian exploration and development company creating value in the critical metals space, specifically copper and zinc. The company controls one of Canada’s premier past-producing zinc mining camps, the Pine Point project. Commitment by Appian was to invest up to C$100 million (£60 million) over an estimated FOUR-YEAR period, acquiring a 60% interest in the Pine Point project - https://tinyurl.com/ev4ay387
To sum up, a JV with a major miner or an SCOI is likely to cover at least FOUR years - quite likely longer - and also JAY will have to be prepared to lose majority control of the associated assets. The latter will be a painful outcome for JAY but one has to recognise that one may be forced to accept an offer or a situation if that is the only one available.
Continued....