Last checked at 12 Mar 2020 11:11
Cadence Minerals Plc
("Cadence Minerals", "Cadence" or "the Company")
Update on Investment in the Amapá Iron Ore Project, Brazil.
Cadence Minerals (AIM/NEX: KDNC; OTC: KDNCY) is pleased to provide an update on its investment in the Amapá Iron Ore Project, Brazil.
The Amapá Project
The Amapá Project was owned by Anglo American plc and Cliffs Natural Resources and consists of a large-scale iron ore mine, beneficiation plant, railway and private port. Before its sale in 2012, Anglo American valued its 70% stake at US $462m in its 2012 Annual Report (100% US $600m). The Amapá Project is 99.9% owned by DEV Mineração S.A. ("DEV").
Successful Reinstatement of Railway Concession
Following the approval of the judicial restructuring plan ("JRP") announced on August 30th, 2019, Cadence along with its partners successfully negotiated the reinstatement of a life of mine railway concession. The grant of this railway concession was announced on December 9th, 2019.
Satisfaction of Final Precondition
Currently, there remains only one major precondition for Cadence to make its investment in the Amapá Project, the sum of US$2.5 million currently held in escrow in a judicial trust account ("Escrow Monies").
This precondition requires DEV Mineração S.A. ("Dev") to reach a settlement agreement with the secured bank creditors. Since our last update, Cadence and our joint venture partners Indo Sino Pte. Ltd. ("Indo Sino") have been in negotiations with the secured bank creditors, and we have offered a settlement involving a discount on the amounts owned by Dev.
This settlement is intended to be paid from part of the proceeds from the sale of the iron ore stockpile currently held at Dev's 100% owned port facility in Santana, Amapá. Alongside our partners, we continue to negotiate with the secured bank creditors, and we will update the market once a binding agreement is reached.
On satisfaction of the preconditions and the release of the Escrow monies, Cadence will become a shareholder in the Amapá Project via our joint venture company which will own 99.9% of Dev. The Escrow Monies will then be used for the payment of former employees and small trade creditors. Once Cadence becomes a shareholder in the Amapá Project, the Government of Amapá will permit Dev to start operations on the asset including the shipment of iron ore from the port.
Cadence Non-Executive Chairman Andrew Suckling commented; "The remarkable progress made by Cadence management, Indo Sino and the Governor of Amapá and his team in bringing the Amapá Project back to life continues. We are moving ever closer to commencing the process of turning Amapá, and its dormant potential into a key contributor to the regional economy, with all the employment, health and educational benefits that will bring to this part of Brazil."
Cadence CEO Kiran Morzaria commented; "Since securing the Railway concessions last December, we have worked tirelessly to settle with Dev's secured bank creditors. It is my belief, that assuming that we are able to satisfy this final precondition, Cadence is on the cusp of a company changing event, one that will create a long-lasting store of value for our Company and shareholders, as well as returning some prosperity to the Amapá region.
- Ends -
For further information:
Cadence Minerals plc | +44 (0) 207 440 0647 |
Andrew Suckling | |
Kiran Morzaria | |
WH Ireland Limited (NOMAD & Broker) | +44 (0) 207 220 1666 |
James Joyce | |
James Sinclair-Ford | |
Novum Securities Limited (Joint Broker) | +44 (0) 207 399 9400 |
Jon Belliss |
Qualified Person
Kiran Morzaria B.Eng. (ACSM), MBA, has reviewed and approved the information contained in this announcement. Kiran holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Industrial Geology) from the Camborne School of Mines and an MBA (Finance) from CASS Business School.
Forward-Looking Statements:
Certain statements in this announcement are or may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as "believe" "could" "should" "envisage" "estimate" "intend" ''may'' ''plan'' ''will'' or the negative of those variations or comparable expressions including references to assumptions. These forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts but rather on the Directors' current expectations and assumptions regarding the Company's future growth results of operations performance future capital and other expenditures (including the amount. nature and sources of funding thereof) competitive advantages business prospects and opportunities. Such forward-looking statements reflect the Directors' current beliefs and assumptions and are based on information currently available to the Directors. Many factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements including risks associated with vulnerability to general economic and business conditions competition environmental and other regulatory changes actions by governmental authorities the availability of capital markets reliance on key personnel uninsured and underinsured losses and other factors many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Although any forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are based upon what the Directors believe to be reasonable assumptions. The Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements.