Watch the latest episode of focusIR Fireside Chats: Why Edinburgh Investment Trust Is Backing Turnaround Stocks for 2026 Growth. Viewhere

Less Ads, More Data, More Tools Register for FREE

Pin to quick picksWeatherly International Plc Regulatory News (WTI)

Share Price Information for Weatherly International Plc (WTI)

Share Price is delayed by 15 minutes
Get Live Data
21.575    -0.065 (-0.30%)
Bid:
21.79
Ask:
21.885
Spread: 0.095 (0.436%)
Market Cap: -
WTI Live PriceLast checked at - London Stock Exchange

Intraday Weatherly International Plc Share Chart

Operations and Funding Update

30 Jun 2017 15:04

RNS Number : 7898J
Weatherly International PLC
30 June 2017
 

30 June 2017

Weatherly International plc

("Weatherly" or "the Company")

 Operations and Funding Update 

 

On 27th and 28th April, the Company announced that copper cathode production rates at Tschudi had fallen to 24% below nameplate due to slower than anticipated leach rates for mixed oxide / sulphide ore, and that debt repayments due to Orion Mine Finance (Master) Fund I LP ("Orion") had been rescheduled.

 

Investigations continue into whether or not leach rates can be accelerated to match those predicted in the 2012 Bankable Feasibility Study (BFS) by varying site operating parameters. In the meantime, mining and stacking rates have been accelerated to compensate and production rates have improved in May and June as expected, such that full year copper production guidance is unchanged at 14,500 to 15,000 tonnes.

 

Capital construction of the stage two leach pads is underway and permanent loss of recoverable copper metal by sealing and over-stacking of partially leached ore is expected to be minimised as a result.

 

As previously indicated, the Company is unable to generate sufficient surplus cash at current copper prices to fund the pad construction capital plus the additional working capital required for accelerated mining and stacking of slower-leaching ore as well as all loan repayments to Orion when due. The Company believes it will need US$10m additional funding to construct the new pads and deal with the working capital issues that have arisen from the slower leaching at Tschudi.

 

Orion has agreed to further amendments to the terms of its funding arrangements as described below and have also agreed to enter into a new uncommitted US$10m facility to cover the additional funding requirement, the terms for which are at an advanced stage of discussion. Details of the new facility will be announced when it is executed.

 

Debt Financing

 

Weatherly has entered into a further amendment and restatement agreement in relation to its existing facility with Orion (the "Amendment and Restated Agreement"). Under the facility as amended by the Amendment and Restatement Agreement (the "Amended Facility"), the first repayment of Facility B Loan has been deferred to 31 August 2017 and Orion has agreed, effective until 31 August 2017, to limit its acceleration and enforcement rights on the terms set out in the Amended Facility. The Facility B Final Maturity Date has been changed to 28 February 2020, and each Facility B repayment will be increased so that the Facility B Loans will be repayable in 11 equal repayments.

The repayment of the US$8.6 million lent under Facilities C and D of the Amended Facility has been deferred until 31 August 2017.

Orion is a related party of the Company by virtue of Orion being a substantial shareholder in the Company and consequently the execution of the Amendment and Restatement Agreement is deemed to be a related party transaction under the AIM Rules for Companies. The independent directors of Weatherly (being all of the directors other than Edwin Bennett, by virtue of his association with Orion) consider, having consulted with Weatherly's nominated adviser, RFC Ambrian Limited, that the terms of the Amendment and Restatement Agreement are fair and reasonable insofar as Weatherly's shareholders are concerned.

If copper prices remain at current levels it is unlikely that the Company and its subsidiaries will generate sufficient surplus cash to meet all loan repayments under the revised Amended Facility when due. The Company continues to positively engage with Orion on the subject.

 

 

 

For further information please contact:

 

Weatherly International plc +44 (0) 1707 800 774

Craig Thomas, Chief Executive Officer

Kevin Ellis, CFO and Company Secretary

 

RFC Ambrian Limited +44 (0) 20 3440 6800

(Nominated Adviser & Broker)

Nominated adviser contact: Stephen Allen / Bhavesh Patel

Broker contact: Kim Eckhof

 

Blytheweigh +44 (0) 20 7138 3204

(Financial PR) Tim Blythe / Camilla Horsfall / Nick Elwes

 

About Weatherly

 

Weatherly is an AIM listed copper mining company operating in Namibia in southern Africa. Its principal assets are one operating open pit copper mine called Tschudi and two underground copper projects called Otjihase and Matchless.

This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
 
END
 
 
MSCSDMFDSFWSEIM
Date   Source Headline
8th Nov 20131:28 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
29th Oct 20137:00 amRNSDrawdown Tranche 1 Tschudi Loan
23rd Oct 20137:00 amRNSHolding(s) in Company
17th Oct 20137:00 amRNSChange of Adviser
16th Oct 20137:00 amRNSQuarterly Operations and Production Update
15th Oct 20137:00 amRNSFinal Results
25th Sep 20137:00 amRNSTschudi Update
20th Sep 20137:00 amRNSTschudi Update
8th Aug 201310:55 amRNSHolding(s) in Company
17th Jul 20137:00 amRNSQuarterly Operations and Production Update
26th Apr 20137:00 amRNSUpdate on the Environmental clearance for Tschudi
17th Apr 20137:00 amRNSQuarterly Operations and Production Update
5th Apr 20131:00 pmRNSFurther information regarding settlement in Tambao
5th Apr 201312:13 pmRNSSettlement in Tambao Project Arbitration
11th Mar 201310:27 amRNSGrant of Options
4th Mar 20137:00 amRNSInterim Results
19th Feb 20135:37 pmRNSResult of General Meeting
30th Jan 20138:15 amRNSNotice of General Meeting
17th Jan 20137:00 amRNSDirectorate Change
14th Jan 20135:09 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
20th Dec 20124:22 pmRNSAnnual Report and Accounts
19th Dec 20127:00 amRNSBFS and Loan
30th Nov 201212:35 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
22nd Nov 20127:00 amRNSReopening the Old Matchless Mine
14th Nov 20122:26 pmRNSResult of AGM
14th Nov 201211:12 amRNSAGM Statement
12th Nov 20129:23 amRNSTschudi Feasibility Study Update
23rd Oct 20127:00 amRNSTambao Project Arbitration Proceedings
12th Oct 20127:00 amRNSQuarterly Operations and Production Update
13th Sep 20127:00 amRNSFinal Results
13th Aug 20121:15 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
13th Aug 20121:11 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
7th Aug 20124:22 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
20th Jul 20127:00 amRNSQuarterly Operations and Production Update
19th Apr 20127:00 amRNSQuarterly Operations and Production Update
26th Mar 20127:00 amRNSAdviser Change of Name
16th Mar 20129:50 amRNSHolding(s) in Company
15th Mar 20122:10 pmRNSDirector Dealing and Holding in Company
28th Feb 20127:00 amRNSInterim Results
7th Feb 20127:00 amRNSTschudi Feasibility Study - Progress Report
18th Jan 20127:00 amRNSQuarterly Operations and Production Update
9th Jan 201212:05 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
16th Dec 20114:57 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
14th Dec 201111:29 amRNSChairman's Statement and Result of AGM
10th Nov 20113:43 pmRNSNotice of AGM
2nd Nov 20114:46 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
12th Oct 20117:00 amRNSQuarterly Operations and Production Update
27th Sep 20117:00 amRNSInvestment in Subsidiary
15th Sep 20114:58 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
1st Sep 20117:00 amRNSMaiden JORC Resource on Tsumeb Tailings

Due to London Stock Exchange licensing terms, we stipulate that you must be a private investor. We apologise for the inconvenience.

To access our Live RNS you must confirm you are a private investor by using the button below.