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Pin to quick picksWeatherly International Plc Regulatory News (WTI)

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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
16th Dec 20097:00 amRNSPublication of Mine Plan
30th Nov 20097:00 amRNSUpdate on Share Subscription by ECE
26th Nov 20093:31 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
3rd Nov 20097:00 amRNSAnnual Report & Accounts
2nd Nov 20097:00 amRNSCorporate and Trading Update
20th Oct 20095:53 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
14th Oct 20091:22 pmRNSTschudi Project Resource Estimate
28th Sep 20093:28 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
25th Sep 20097:00 amRNSHolding(s) in Company
25th Sep 20097:00 amRNSStmnt re Share Price Movement
15th Sep 20097:00 amRNSLetter of Intent
26th Aug 20094:55 pmRNSStmnt re Share Price Movement
12th Aug 20097:00 amRNSCorporate and Trading Update
11th Aug 20099:15 amRNSHolding(s) in Company
6th Aug 200912:12 pmRNSIssue of Equity
31st Jul 20091:53 pmRNSSubscription for Shares
18th Jun 20097:00 amRNSCorporate and Trading Update
15th Apr 20097:00 amRNSQuarterly Update
31st Mar 20091:00 pmRNSResult of AGM
30th Mar 200911:00 amRNSHalf Yearly Report
27th Feb 20097:30 amRNSRestoration - Weatherly International plc
27th Feb 20097:00 amRNSAnnual Report and Accounts
10th Feb 20097:00 amRNSDirectorate Change
30th Dec 200810:00 amRNSLoan Facilities
1st Dec 20083:09 pmRNSOperational Update - Replacement
1st Dec 200812:00 pmRNSOperational Update
19th Nov 20081:00 pmRNSOperational Update
14th Nov 20086:11 pmRNSTemporary Suspension
14th Nov 20088:00 amRNSSuspension - Weatherly International plc
29th Aug 20083:55 pmRNSTotal Voting Rights
15th Aug 20087:00 amRNSAllotment of Shares
11th Jul 20087:00 amRNSAppointment of New Nominated
11th Jul 20087:00 amRNSAppointment of New Non Execut
21st May 20087:00 amRNSJoint Venture with Anglo Amer
16th May 20084:20 pmRNSIssue of Equity
16th May 20084:20 pmRNSRule 8.1- Weatherly Internati
16th May 20084:19 pmRNSRule 8.1-Weatherly Internatio
16th May 200812:06 pmRNSOffer Talks Terminated
8th May 200812:23 pmRNSResults of General Meeting
24th Apr 20087:01 amRNSChange of Broker
21st Apr 20083:01 pmRNSTambao Manganese Project
21st Apr 20083:00 pmRNSNotice of EGM
31st Mar 200811:44 amRNSInterim Results
20th Mar 20081:59 pmRNSRule 8.1- Weatherly Intl Plc
13th Mar 20083:56 pmRNSRule 8.1- Weatherly Int.
13th Mar 200810:11 amRNSRule 8.3- Weatherly Intl plc
13th Mar 20087:00 amRNSRule 8.1- Weatherly Intnl
12th Mar 20083:35 pmRNSRule 8.3- Weatherly Intl PLC
7th Mar 20086:25 pmRNSRule 8.3- Weatherly Int.
6th Mar 200812:41 pmRNSRule 8.3- Weatherly Intl

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