Bushveld Minerals Regulatory News (BMN)

Market Abuse Regulation ("MAR") Disclosure

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) 596/2014 as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 ("MAR"), and is disclosed in accordance with the Company's obligations under Article 17 of MAR. 

28 July 2023

Bushveld Minerals Limited

("Bushveld Minerals", "Bushveld" or the "Company")

Enerox Update

Bushveld Minerals Limited (AIM: BMN), the integrated primary vanadium producer and energy storage solutions provider, announces that VRFB Holdings Limited ("VRFB-H") has received notice from Garnet Commerce Limited ("Garnet") regarding its option in Enerox Holdings Limited ("EHL"), which wholly owns Enerox GmbH (Enerox).

Transaction details

Garnet has given notice to VRFB-H that it is exercising the option set out in the RNS dated 12 April 20231, to pay to EHL, or directly to its subsidiary, Enerox, US$3,250,0002, in return for shares in EHL that will result in Garnet holding 60% of the issued share capital of Enerox and VRFB-H holding the remaining 40%.

1. Subject to obtaining approval from the Austrian Minister of Labour and Economic Affairs under the Austrian Investment Control Act and notification, if required, to the Austrian competition authorities

2. less the amount of any interim funding provided by Garnet to Enerox prior to completion of the option

Until completion of the option Garnet will have certain limited rights to direct the affairs of EHL and Enerox. The parties have also agreed to amend their existing joint venture agreement in relation to EHL, in particular so that:

On the basis that Garnet will own 60% of the issued share capital of EHL, it shall have the right to appoint a majority of board members to EHL.

Any further funding required by EHL or Enerox, if not available from third parties, shall be made by Garnet and VRFB-H pro rata to their shareholdings, save that if one party is not able or willing to participate in such funding then it will be diluted accordingly.

Garnet and VRFB-H will procure that EHL and Enerox will continue to deal with Bushveld Energy Limited ("BEL") whose assets are in the process of being carved out from Bushveld Minerals Limited ("BMN") and shall agree to terms on which:

For six months BEL will retain its rights of first refusal to supply electrolyte to Enerox projects subject to offering best pricing, after which BEL will instead be provided with the right to bid on any such projects and Enerox will not grant a right of first refusal to any other third party; and

Enerox will support BEL in completing installation and provide ongoing contracted support for the Bushveld Minigrid.

ENDS

Enquiries: info@bushveldminerals.com

ABOUT BUSHVELD MINERALS LIMITED

Bushveld Minerals is a low-cost, vertically integrated primary vanadium producer. It is one of only three operating primary vanadium producers, owning 2 of the world's 4 operating primary vanadium processing facilities. In 2022, the Company produced more than 3,800 mtV, representing approximately three per cent of the global vanadium market. With a diversified vanadium product portfolio serving the needs of the steel, energy and chemical sectors, the Company participates in the entire vanadium value chain through its two main pillars: Bushveld Vanadium, which mines and processes vanadium ore; and Bushveld Energy, an energy storage solutions provider.

Bushveld Energy is focused on developing and promoting the role of vanadium in the growing global energy storage market through the advancement of vanadium-based energy storage systems, specifically Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries ("VRFBs").

Detailed information on the Company and progress to date can be accessed on the website www.bushveldminerals.com

About Vametco

Vametco is located near Brits on the Western Limb of the Bushveld Complex. The integrated operation comprises a vanadium ore mine and a processing plant that produces mostly Nitro Vanadium. The mine lies adjacent to the Brits Vanadium Project, which will in future serve as an alternative source of near surface run of mine ("ROM") ore feed to the Vametco plant.

The Vametco mining operation uses open pit bench mining methods to mine a well-defined orebody. The deposit is continuous with limited faulting and dips in a northerly direction at approximately 19 degrees.

ROM ore is fed into a primary, secondary and tertiary crushing circuit, followed by milling and magnetic separation to produce magnetite concentrates. The magnetite concentrate is fed into the extraction process which consists of a rotary kiln for roasting followed by leaching and precipitation. Thereafter the precipitated vanadium as ammonium metavanadate is converted to modified vanadium oxide ("MVO") in a rotary calciner. MVO is fed into the mix plant and finally into the shaft furnaces to produce Nitro Vanadium.

About Vanchem

Vanchem is situated at Ferrobank Industrial Park in Emalahleni Local Municipality, Mpumalanga Province in the Republic of South Africa. Vanchem is a primary vanadium producing facility with a beneficiation plant capable of producing various vanadium oxides, ferrovanadium and vanadium chemicals. Vanchem uses the salt roast beneficiation process, similar to the one used at Vametco. The plant comprises: a core salt-roast processing plant, including 3 roasting kilns, an electric smelting ferrovanadium converter, an alumino-thermic smelting facility, also located at Highveld, a vanadium chemical plant; and a rail siding linking the plant with Bushveld deposits and additional potential supply sources through the national rail network.