All sounds very familiar RNS 2017 it never happens5 Apr 2023 10:59
Mon, 17th Jul 2017 07:00
RNS Number : 1862L
KEFI Minerals plc
17 July 2017
17 July 2017
KEFI Minerals plc
("KEFI" or the "Company")
PROJECT FUNDING OF US$135M FOR TULU KAPI GOLD PROJECT
"KEFI signs terms for funding all on-site infrastructure,
already having signed terms to fund all off-site infrastructure"
KEFI Minerals (AIM: KEFI), the gold exploration and development company with projects in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is pleased to announce the signing of a mandate letter and heads of terms for US$135 million of project funding with Oryx Management Limited ("Oryx") to finance and operate all the on-site infrastructure at the Company's Tulu Kapi Gold Project in Ethiopia (the "Project"). The planned financing package also includes funding finance charges during a 30-month construction and production ramp-up period.
Highlights
· Mandate signed with infrastructure specialist Oryx to operate and lease-finance all on-site infrastructure at the Project.
· Oryx to establish a special purpose vehicle (the "Finance SPV") to issue bonds, the proceeds of which would be used to build and own all the on-site infrastructure for the Project which it would lease to the Project company, Tulu Kapi Gold Mines Limited ("TKM"). The receipt of lease payments from TKM would be used by Finance SPV to pay the principal and interest on its bonds.
· Oryx to also operate the on-site ore processing infrastructure on an open-book, cost plus performance-bonus based operating contract.
· Ethiopian Government to fund the building of all off-site infrastructure for the Project, in accordance with previously announced and executed Shareholders Agreement. The relevant Government agencies will operate and maintain the off-site infrastructure.
· Ausdrill Limited (through its subsidiary African Mining Services Pty Limited) to supply and operate all the mining equipment under a mine services agreement structured as a conventional schedule of rates contract, whereby the contractor is paid per tonne of material delivered.
· All contractors to be accountable to and supervised by KEFI subsidiary TKM.
· Ignoring historic investment of c.US$60 million, the Project's remaining funding requirement has now been successfully reduced from c.US$289 million when KEFI took control in 2014 to an amount of c. US$160 million (before overlaying the Oryx proposal) to a residual balance of US$32 million. The residual balance of US$32 million, which includes c.US$13 million of contingency provisions, will now be refined, structured and sourced. This residual amount will also be further evaluated over the coming months and may be reduced.
· A variety of sources to finance the estimated residual requirement of US$20-30 million are being considered, including working capital facilities with Development Bank of Ethiopia, Project-lev