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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
5th Mar 20083:04 pmRNSRule 8.3- Weatherly Intl
18th Feb 20082:23 pmRNSRule 8.1- Weatherly Intl Plc
15th Feb 200811:42 amRNSRule 2.10 Announcement
15th Feb 20087:00 amRNSStmnt re Share Price Movement
4th Feb 20087:00 amRNSNon-core asset disposal
28th Jan 20087:00 amRNSCopper Supply Contract
22nd Jan 20082:00 pmRNSAGM Statement
20th Dec 20075:56 pmRNSAnnual Report and Accounts
6th Dec 200711:27 amRNSKombat Production Review
28th Nov 20079:00 amRNSHolding(s) in Company
26th Nov 200711:05 amRNSFinal Results
20th Nov 200710:44 amRNSNotice of Results
1st Nov 200710:06 amRNSHolding(s) in Company
29th Oct 20077:51 amRNSProduction Update
23rd Oct 20071:49 pmRNSDrilling Report
5th Oct 20075:50 pmRNSExercise of Warrants
2nd Oct 20073:03 pmRNSProduction Update
11th Sep 20079:14 amRNSHolding(s) in Company
31st Aug 20077:00 amRNSChange of Registered Office
29th Aug 200711:29 amRNSLTIP Announcement
17th Aug 20078:00 amRNSIssue of Equity
15th Aug 20075:49 pmRNSAIM Rule 26
13th Aug 20071:42 pmRNSResult of EGM
26th Jul 20072:36 pmRNSProduction Update
20th Jul 20077:00 amRNSProposed Placing
27th Jun 20077:01 amRNSHolding(s) in Company
27th Jun 20077:01 amRNSIssue of Equity
26th Jun 20072:21 pmRNSDirectorate Change
26th Jun 20072:07 pmRNSTiming of results
6th Jun 20077:01 amRNSRe Agreement
21st May 20077:02 amRNSRe Agreement
21st May 20077:01 amRNSReprocessing Agreement
24th Apr 200712:18 pmRNSProduction Update
19th Mar 200712:53 pmRNSChange of Adviser
15th Mar 200710:29 amRNSDisposal of Forsys stake
5th Mar 20077:03 amRNSInterim Results
27th Feb 20077:03 amRNSNotice of Results
31st Jan 20071:02 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
16th Jan 20077:01 amRNSUSD 10m agreement with Forsys
14th Dec 200611:24 amRNSTotal Voting Rights
14th Dec 20069:34 amRNSHolding(s) in Company
7th Dec 20067:01 amRNSCopper output rises
6th Dec 20063:28 pmRNSAcquisition
30th Nov 20063:36 pmRNSAnnual Report and Accounts
29th Nov 200610:31 amRNSAcquisition
21st Nov 200610:47 amRNSExercise of Warrants
17th Nov 20063:57 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
9th Nov 20063:22 pmRNSGrant of Options
9th Nov 20067:03 amRNSKombat open cast start
8th Nov 20064:36 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company

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