VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 26, 2022 / Sandy MacDougall, CEO of Noram Lithium Corp. (“Noram” or the “Company“) (TSXV:NRM)(OTCQB:NRVTF)(Frankfurt:N7R) is pleased to announce the successful completion of CVZ-71 (PH-10) and release of the final assay results. The Company completed core hole CVZ-71 at a depth of 453.5 feet (138.2 m). Sampling for assay began at 30 ft (9.1 m) and continued to the bottom of the hole. An interval thickness of 280 ft (85.3 m) was intersected from 140 ft (42.7 m) to 420 ft (128.0 m). The hole ended in mineralization and the weighted average lithium values present were as follows:
Noram Lithium Corp., Thursday, May 26, 2022, Press release pictureNoram Lithium Corp., Thursday, May 26, 2022, Press release pictureNoram Lithium Corp., Thursday, May 26, 2022, Press release picture
“As Noram moves toward completion of the Zeus property’s PFS, now on schedule for completion in October 2022, the assay results from CVZ-71 provide another long, high-grade intercept to the list of drillholes that is expected to upgrade a major portion of the deposit from an inferred resource to the indicated resource category” comments Brad Peek, VP of Exploration and geologist on all six phases of Noram’s Clayton Valley exploration drilling.
Noram Lithium Corp., Thursday, May 26, 2022, Press release picture
Table 1 – Sample results from CVZ-71 from 30 ft (9.1 m) to depth of 453.5 ft (138.2 m).https://embed.fireplace.yahoo.com/embed?ctrl=Monalixa&m_id=monalixa&m_mode=document&site=sports&os=android&pageContext=%257B%2522ctopid%2522%253A%25221542500%253B1577000%2522%252C%2522hashtag%2522%253A%25221542500%253B1577000%2522%252C%2522wiki_topics%2522%253A%2522Clayton_Valley_Charter_High_School%253BLithium_carbonate%253BNor-Am_Cup%253BMineral_resource_classification%2522%252C%2522lmsid%2522%253A%2522a077000000LnOyOAAV%2522%252C%2522revsp%2522%253A%2522accesswire.ca%2522%252C%2522lpstaid%2522%253A%25221869a662-45fa-37a9-a47a-ba4e81a1165c%2522%252C%2522pageContentType%2522%253A%2522story%2522%257D
The samples were analyzed by the ALS laboratory in Reno, Nevada. Certified reference standard samples were included in the sample batch and returned values that were within their expected ranges.
The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Brad Peek., M.Sc., CPG, who is a Qualified Person with respect to Noram’s Clayton Valley Lithium Project as defined under National Instrument 43-101.
About Noram Lithium Corp.
Noram Lithium Corp. (TSXV:NRM),(OTCQB: NRVTF),(Frankfurt:N7R) is a well-financed Canadian based advanced Lithium development stage company with less than 90 million shares issued and a fully funded treasury. Noram is aggressively advancing its Zeus Lithium Project in Nevada from the development-stage level through the completion of a Pre-Feasibility Study in 2022.
The Company’s flagship asset is the Zeus Lithium Project (“Zeus”), located in Clayton Valley, Nevada. The Zeus Project contains a current 43-101 measured and indicated resource estimate* of 363 million tonnes grading 923 ppm lithium, and an inferred resource of 827 million tonnes grading 884 ppm lithium utilizing a 400 ppm Li cut-off. In December 2021, a robust PEA** indicated an After-Tax NPV(8) of US$1.3 Billion and IRR of 31% using US$9,500/tonne Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE). Using the LCE long term forecast of US$14,000/tonne, the PEA indicates an NPV (8%) of approximately US$2.6 Billion and an IRR of 52% at US$14,000/tonne LCE.
Sandy MacDougall Chief Executive Officer and Director C: 778.999.2159
For additional information please contact: Peter A. Ball President and Chief Operating Officer peter@noramlithiumcorp.com C: 778.344.4653
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking information which is not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information in this news release includes statements regarding, among other things, the completion transactions completed in the Agreement. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, regulatory approval processes. Although Noram believes that the assumptions used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, including that all necessary regulatory approvals will be obtained in a timely manner, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. Noram disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws. *Updated Lithium Mineral Resource Estimate, Zeus Project, Clayton Valley, Esmeralda County, Nevada, USA (August 2021) **Preliminary Economic Assessment Zeus Project, ABH Engineering (December 2021).
Vancouver, British Columbia–(Newsfile Corp. – May 24, 2022) – EMX Royalty Corporation (NYSE American: EMX) (TSXV: EMX) (FSE: 6E9) (the “Company” or “EMX”) is pleased to announce the execution, by its wholly-owned subsidiary Bronco Creek Exploration Inc., of an exploration and option agreement (the “Agreement”) for the sale of Richmond Mountain LLC, the owner of the Richmond Mountain gold project (“Project”) to Stallion Gold Corp. (“Stallion”). The Agreement provides EMX with cash payments and work commitments during Stallion’s earn-in period, and upon earn-in a retained 4% net smelter return (“NSR”) royalty interest, annual advance royalty payments, and certain milestone payments.
Richmond Mountain is a Carlin-style gold project located in the Eureka district of central Nevada. The Eureka district hosts both Cretaceous age base metal mineralization as well as younger, Eocene age Carlin-style mineralization and is one of a select few districts with multi-million-ounce Carlin-style gold deposits in the state1. The Project was acquired by EMX and despite being within an established district has undergone only limited work consisting of geochemical sampling and a shallow reconnaissance drill program which did not test the key target area. The Eureka district has recently seen a resurgence in major exploration activity with the acquisition of the past producing Ruby Hill Mine by i-80 Gold Corp. in 2021, and recent work by other junior companies in the remainder of the district.
The Agreement with Stallion represents EMX’s execution of the 13th option agreement for western USA gold projects since 2020. Richmond Mountain is a good example of the royalty generation aspect of EMX’s business model, whereby prospective ground within a major Nevada gold district was identified, acquired inexpensively via staking open ground, and then partnered for exploration advancement at no additional cost to EMX. The Company will also maintain exposure to exploration success upon Stallion’s option exercise with pre-production payments and a retained royalty interest.
Commercial Terms Overview. Pursuant to the Agreement, Stallion can earn 100% interest in the Project by: (a) making execution and option payments totaling $500,000 over a five-year option period, and (b) completing $1,500,000 in exploration expenditures before the fifth anniversary of the Agreement.
Upon Stallion’s option exercise and earn-in, EMX will retain a 4% NSR royalty interest on the Project. Stallion may buy back up to a total of one and one-half percent (1.5%) of the royalty by first completing an initial half-percent (0.5%) royalty buyback for a payment of $750,000 to the Company prior to the third anniversary of the option exercise. If the first buyback is completed, Stallion may purchase an additional 0.5% for $1,000,000, and a third 0.5% increment for $1,200,000 at any time prior to commercial production. Beginning on the first anniversary of the option exercise, Stallion will also make annual advance royalty (“AAR”) payments of $100,000.
Additionally, after the option has been exercised, Stallion will make payments in gold ounces (or the USD equivalent) at certain Project milestones: (a) 200 ounces of gold upon completion of a Preliminary Economic Assessment; (b) 400 ounces of gold upon completion of a Prefeasibility Study; and (c) 650 ounces of gold upon completion of a Feasibility Study.
Richmond Mountain Overview. The Richmond Mountain project is located at the southern end of the Battle Mountain-Eureka trend and consists of 117 unpatented lode mining claims covering 9.6 square kilometers (Figure 1). Carlin-style mineralization consisting of jasperoid and decalcified carbonate-bearing rocks outcrop on the southern portion of the property within a north-south oriented structural feeder zone. This structural zone is subparallel and analogous to other structures that host Carlin-style gold mineralization elsewhere within the Eureka district. Examples include Lookout Mountain, Windfall, and the Ruby Hill Mine and Archimedes open pit2 where the younger, mineralized Eocene structures cut and overprint Cretaceous iron and base metal-rich skarn and carbonate replacement mineralization.
A key target at the Richmond Mountain project is where outcropping mineralized structures plunge northward on the Project under post-mineral cover and trending towards the eastern boundary of the Cretaceous Graveyard Flats intrusion and related contact aureole. The contact aureole hosts base metal mineralization elsewhere in the district and represents a compelling target environment. In addition, the older base metal mineralization and related reduced-iron rich rocks in the contact aureole could provide a chemical trap for the younger, gold-rich fluids resulting in potentially higher grades.
Previous work on the Project has outlined outcropping drill targets through soil and rock chip geochemistry in the south, and CSAMT geophysical surveys in the north that indicate prospective host units are within reasonable target depths. Two shallow drill holes (i.e., < 500 m) were completed on the western side of the property by a previous partner that did not penetrate post-mineral cover, suggesting the concealed target area remains entirely untested. In addition, prospective host rocks are interpreted to become more shallow from west to east across the Project.
EMX regards the Richmond Mountain project as a highly prospective gold project within a Nevada Carlin-style district which hosts a significant upper tier mining operation at Ruby Hill and is significantly underexplored relative to similar districts in Nevada. The Company looks forward to the Stallion team testing the target concepts in the near term.
Comments on Nearby Deposits and Mines. The nearby deposits and mines provide geologic context for EMX’s Project, but this is not necessarily indicative that the Project hosts similar tonnages or grades of mineralization.
QUALIFIED PERSON
Michael P. Sheehan, CPG, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and employee of the Company, has reviewed, verified and approved the disclosure of the technical information contained in this news release.
About EMX. EMX is a precious, base and battery metals royalty company. EMX’s investors are provided with discovery, development, and commodity price optionality, while limiting exposure to risks inherent to operating companies. The Company’s common shares are listed on the NYSE American Exchange and TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol “EMX”, and also trade on the Frankfurt exchange under the symbol “6E9”. Please see www.EMXroyalty.com for more information.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release may contain “forward-looking statements” that reflect the Company’s current expectations and projections about its future results. These forward-looking statements may include statements regarding perceived merit of properties, exploration results and budgets, mineral reserves and resource estimates, work programs, capital expenditures, timelines, strategic plans, market prices for precious and base metal, or other statements that are not statements of fact. When used in this news release, words such as “estimate,” “intend,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “will”, “believe”, “potential” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, which, by their very nature, are not guarantees of the Company’s future operational or financial performance, and are subject to risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause the Company’s actual results, performance, prospects or opportunities to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and factors may include, but are not limited to unavailability of financing, failure to identify commercially viable mineral reserves, fluctuations in the market valuation for commodities, difficulties in obtaining required approvals for the development of a mineral project, increased regulatory compliance costs, expectations of project funding by joint venture partners and other factors.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release or as of the date otherwise specifically indicated herein. Due to risks and uncertainties, including the risks and uncertainties identified in this news release, and other risk factors and forward-looking statements listed in the Company’s MD&A for the quarter ended March 31, 2022 (the “MD&A”), and themost recently filed Annual Information Form (“AIF”) for the year ended December 31, 2021, actual events may differ materially from current expectations. More information about the Company, including the MD&A, the AIF and financial statements of the Company, is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the SEC’s EDGAR website at www.sec.gov.
Figure 1. Location Map of the Richmond Mountain Project.
1 NBMG, 2019. The Nevada Mineral Industry 2019. Ruby Hill Mine production and resources: Pp. 116-117.
2Dilles, P. A., Monteleone, S. E., & Wright, W. A. (1995). West Archimedes: a new gold discovery at the Ruby Hill property, Eureka district, Eureka County, Nevada. In Geology and ore deposits of the American cordillera, Programs with Abstracts, Geological Society of Nevada symposium, Reno/Sparks, Nevada A (Vol. 24).
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 18, 2022 / Metallic Minerals Corp. (TSX-V:MMG) (OTCQB:MMNGF) (“Metallic Minerals” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement offering of 9,600,000 flow-through units (“Units”) at a price of $0.42 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of $4,032,000 (the “Offering”), which represents a premium to the May 17th closing price of the Company’s common shares on the TSX Venture Exchange (the “Exchange”). The Units consist of a flow-through share and a half warrant and are being issued as part of a charity arrangement structured by Peartree Securities Inc.
All net proceeds from the Offering are planned to be used to incur Canadian Exploration Expenses (“CEE”) under the Income Tax Act (Canada) primarily at Metallic Minerals’ Keno Silver project in the historic, high-grade Keno Hill Silver District in Canada’s Yukon Territory.
Greg Johnson, CEO & Chairman, stated, “We are very pleased to add these new investors to our supportive shareholder base and are in a position to complete important follow-up programs at the Company’s Keno Silver and the La Plata projects, using a combination of existing funding and new flow-through funds. We remain positive on the underlying fundamentals for commodities as the current cycle continues to build and look forward to providing additional project updates as our exploration programs get underway.”
Each whole share purchase warrant is exercisable into one additional common share of the Company at a price of $0.50 per share for a period of 30 months from the date of closing. Subject to approval by the Exchange, if the closing share price five (5) trading days prior to the end of the 30-month warrant period is at or below $0.50, the Company shall, upon written request by a warrant holder, extend expiry of such warrants for an additional six (6) months.
Closing of the Offering is expected on or about June 8, 2022, subject to certain customary conditions, including, but not limited to, acceptance of the Exchange. All securities issued under the Offering will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months plus a day following the date of closing.
The securities offered have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any State in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.
About Metallic Minerals
Metallic Minerals Corp. is an exploration and development stage company, focused on silver, gold and copper in the high-grade Keno Hill and La Plata mining districts of North America. Our objective is to create shareholder value through a systematic, entrepreneurial approach to making exploration discoveries, growing resources and advancing projects toward development. Metallic Minerals has consolidated the second-largest land position in the historic Keno Hill silver district of Canada’s Yukon Territory, directly adjacent to Alexco Resource Corp’s operations, with more than 300 million ounces of high-grade silver in past production and current M&I resources. In addition, the Company recently announced the inaugural resource estimate for the La Plata silver-gold-copper project in southwestern Colorado. All of the districts in which the Company works have seen significant mineral production and have existing infrastructure, including power and road access. Metallic Minerals is led by a team with a track record of discovery and exploration success on several major precious and base metal deposits, as well as having large-scale development, permitting and project financing expertise.
About the Metallic Group of Companies
The Metallic Group is a collaboration of leading precious and base metals exploration and development companies, with a portfolio of large, brownfields assets in established mining districts adjacent to some of the industry’s highest-grade producers of silver and gold, platinum and palladium, and copper. Member companies include Metallic Minerals in the Yukon’s high-grade Keno Hill silver district and La Plata silver-gold-copper district of Colorado, Granite Creek Copper in the Yukon’s Minto copper district, and Group Ten Metals in the Stillwater PGM-nickel-copper district of Montana and Kluane district in the Yukon. The founders and team members of the Metallic Group include highly successful explorationists formerly with some of the industry’s leading explorer/developers and major producers. With this expertise, the companies are undertaking a systematic approach to exploration and development using new models and technologies to facilitate discoveries in these proven, but under-explored, mining districts. Members of the Metallic Group have been recognized as recipients of awards for excellence in environmental stewardship demonstrating commitment to responsible resource development and appropriate ESG practices. The Metallic Group is headquartered in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and its member companies are listed on the Toronto Venture, US OTCQB and Frankfurt stock exchanges.
Forward Looking Statements: This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed “forward-looking statements”. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts including, without limitation, statements regarding the completion of the financing and the gross proceeds raised therefrom, the use of proceeds from the financing and their qualification as CEE, the date of closing of the financing, potential mineralization, historic production, estimation of mineral resources, the realization of mineral resource estimates, interpretation of prior exploration and potential exploration results, the timing and success of exploration activities generally, the timing and results of future resource estimates, permitting time lines, metal prices and currency exchange rates, availability of capital, government regulation of exploration operations, environmental risks, reclamation, title, trends in commodities prices and future plans and objectives of the Company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Although Metallic Minerals believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include failure to obtain necessary approvals, unsuccessful exploration results, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, results of future resource estimates, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, risks associated with regulatory changes, defects in title, availability of personnel, materials and equipment on a timely basis, accidents or equipment breakdowns, uninsured risks, delays in receiving government approvals, unanticipated environmental impacts on operations and costs to remedy same, and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the companies with securities regulators. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral exploration and development of mines is an inherently risky business. Accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on Metallic Minerals and the risks and challenges of their businesses, investors should review their annual filings that are available at www.sedar.com.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Vancouver, British Columbia–(Newsfile Corp. – May 17, 2022) – Riverside Resources Inc.(TSXV: RRI) (OTCQB: RVSDF) (FSE: 5YY) (“Riverside” or the “Company”), is pleased to announce that it has entered into a Exploration Earn-In Agreement (the “Agreement”) with Minera Hochschild Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (“Hochschild”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hochschild Mining PLC for Riverside’s 100% owned La Union Gold-Silver Project (the “Project”) in Sonora, Mexico. This new Agreement enables the Project to immediately move ahead with a robust exploration program and reflects the belief, by both parties, of the potential for rapid discovery of new gold-silver and base metal disseminated deposits on the 26 km2 Project.
Highlights of the Agreement are summarized below:
Phase I Earn-in Option: Hochschild can earn an undivided 51% by incurring US$8,000,000 in exploration expenditures over five (5) years.
Upon completion of Phase I obligations, Hochschild can elect to form a 51:49 joint venture.
Phase II Earn-in Option: Hochschild can elect to earn an additional 24% by incurring a further $3,000,000 in exploration expenditures and delivering a completed Feasibility Study (FS) over three (3) years.
Upon Hochschild completing the Phase II Earn-in, Riverside will have the option to sell its interest in the Project to Hochschild for US$20,000,000, while retaining a 1% Net Smelter Royalty (NSR).
Please see the Transaction Details section below for more information on the Agreement. The intention for the program is to initially conduct property wide sampling, improved mapping, and then geophysical work to rapidly refine drill targets. This would lead to expected drill testing in early 2023 and build upon the initial reconnaissance targeting work that Riverside has completed over the past two years. La Union is well described on Riverside’s website.
Riverside’s President and CEO, John-Mark Staude, stated: “We are delighted to partner again with Hochschild Mining as we have had a productive and positive relationship working together on several past projects. Riverside has invested in working up the project to an actionable stage and consolidated the tenures making this a highly prospective property that warrants the type of exploration spending that this agreement provides.”
For as long as Riverside is the Operator, Hochschild will reimburse Riverside the amount of the annual concession maintenance fees, property taxes, and any other payments required to maintain the Project. As Operator, Riverside will manage the exploration programs and be entitled to collect administration fees of 10% on contracts of less than US$100,000 and 5% on contracts of more than $100,000. Over the next six months, Riverside will also be reimbursed a total amount of $250,000 for its past expenditures on the Project.
Figure 1: Location Map of La Union and Surrounding Mines
La Union Project is located in western Sonora approximately 70 km southwest of the town of Caborca in the southern portion of the carbonate stratigraphic mountains of the Sierra El Viejo. The reactive limestone and dolomites formed a carbonate-hosted style of mineralization in the late PreCambrian stratigraphy. Large shear zones are present and potentially provide plumbing and a possible host for precious metals mineralization. La Union has seen small-scale production dating back to the 1950s by Peñoles and local families. The Project was largely unexplored until 2012, when Paget and Millrock Resources started exploration work. High-grade rock chip samples reported by Paget and Millrock attracted Riverside’s attention to La Union which was subsequently acquired by Riverside as part of a five-project portfolio acquisition (see press release June 26, 2019).
Riverside has since worked on expanding its current footprint at the La Union Project after evaluating the existing system of mineralization and its potential. Riverside sampling (see press release October 6, 2021) highlighted significant mineralization with up to 59.8 g/t gold (“Au”), 833 g/t silver (“Ag”), 5.8% lead (“Pb”) and 4.2% zinc (“Zn”).
After completing a claim consolidation in September 2021, Riverside conducted a follow up mapping and sampling program including 103 rock chip samples with the best sample returning 83.2 g/t (2.6 oz/t) Au and 4,816 g/t (150 oz/t) Ag (see press release January 5, 2022). The work further enhanced Riverside’s understanding of the structural and lithological controls by linking the small historical workings into a larger regional context. Although the Project is still in its initial stages, mineralization appears to be of manto-chimney and replacement type within Pre-Cambrian to Cambrian sedimentary rocks.
Following-up on the high-grade sample results, Riverside’s team returned and was able to further define the extent of surface mineralization. The highlights of this latest work defined high grade polymetallic samples up to 30% Zn, 83.2 g/t Au, 4,816 g/t Ag, and 10.3% Pb. Of the 103 samples assay values ranged from 83.3 g/t Au to non-detectable with about 30% of the samples returning significant gold, silver, lead and/or zinc values. Click here to see more detailed info at La Union project page.
Au – high: 83.2 g/t; low cut-off: 0.5 g/t
Ag – high: 4,816 g/t; low cut-off: 300 g/t
Pb – high: 10.3%; low cut-off: 0.1%
Zn – high: 30%*; low cut-off: 0.1%
*30% Zn is the upper detection limit in analysis method performed
Transaction Details:
Phase I Earn-In Option:
Hochschild will pay Riverside the sum of US$100,000 on signing the Agreement;
Hochschild will pay Riverside the sum of US$150,000 on the six-month anniversary of the Effective Date (November 5, 2022) for reimbursement of maintenance fees paid by Riverside through August 2022 in respect of the Concessions making for a total of $250,000;
Hochschild will reimburse Riverside for all periodic payments made pursuant to the underlying option agreements with respect to concessions comprising the Project;
Hochschild to incur expenditures as listed in the table below totaling at least US$8,000,000 of qualifying exploration expenditures before the fifth anniversary of the effective date of the executed Agreement.
Table 1: Phase I Earn-In Option (Qualifying Expenditures)
By May 5, 2023 1st anniversary of the Effective Date
Expenditure of US$700,000
By May 5, 2024
Expenditure of US$1,000,000
By May 5, 2025
Expenditure of US$1,000,000
By May 5, 2026
Expenditure of US$2,300,000
By May 5, 2027
Expenditure of US$3,000,000
Phase II Earn-In Option: In order to exercise the Phase II Earn-in Option, Hochschild shall pay for all Qualifying Expenditures incurred during the Phase 1 Earn-In periods and incur an additional US$3,000,000 plus costs necessary to prepare a Feasibility Study (FS) in accordance with CIM standards before the eighth anniversary of the Effective Date.
Table 2: Phase II Earn-In Option (Qualifying Expenditures)
May 2027 – May 2028
Expenditure of at least US$1,000,000
May 2028 – May 2029
Expenditure of at least US$1,000,000
May 2029 – May 2030
Expenditure of at least US$1,000,000
Feasibility Study (FS)
Undefined Expenditure Amount
The time within which the FS must be prepared can be extended for up to an additional 3 years subject to payment by Hochschild to Riverside of the following amounts:
Additional Period
Payment
1 year
US$50,000
2 years
US$250,000
3 years
US$500,000
Upon Hochschild’s completion of the Phase II Earn-In and Riverside’s acceptance, the parties can form a Joint Venture with Riverside having a 25% interest, and Hochschild having a 75% interest. Riverside will have the option to sell its interest in the Project to Hochschild for US$20,000,000, while retaining a 1% Net Smelter Royalty (NSR).
Hochschild can terminate the Agreement at any time on ninety (90) days’ notice to Riverside without any further obligation to incur exploration expenditure but will (a) remain subject to obligations accrued prior to termination (b) be required to reclaim disturbances caused by its activities and (c) pay federal annual concession maintenance fees and annual recording fees which fall due within sixty (60) days of the termination date.
Qualified Person & QA/QC: The scientific and technical data contained in this news release was reviewed and approved by Freeman Smith, P.Geo, a non-independent qualified person to Riverside Resources, who is responsible for ensuring that the geologic information provided within this news release is accurate and who acts as a “qualified person” under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.
About Riverside Resources Inc.: Riverside is a well-funded exploration company driven by value generation and discovery. The Company has over $4M in cash, no debt and less than 75M shares outstanding with a strong portfolio of gold-silver and copper assets and royalties in North America. Riverside has extensive experience and knowledge operating in Mexico and Canada and leverages its large database to generate a portfolio of prospective mineral properties. In addition to Riverside’s own exploration spending, the Company also strives to diversify risk by securing joint-venture and spin-out partnerships to advance multiple assets simultaneously and create more chances for discovery. Riverside has properties available for option, with information available on the Company’s website at www.rivres.com.
ON BEHALF OF RIVERSIDE RESOURCES INC.
“John-Mark Staude”
Dr. John-Mark Staude, President & CEO
For additional information contact:
John-Mark Staude President, CEO Riverside Resources Inc. info@rivres.com Phone: (778) 327-6671 Fax: (778) 327-6675 Web: www.rivres.com
Certain statements in this press release may be considered forward-looking information. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology (e.g., “expect”,” estimates”, “intends”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “plans”). Such information involves known and unknown risks — including the availability of funds, the results of financing and exploration activities, the interpretation of exploration results and other geological data, or unanticipated costs and expenses and other risks identified by Riverside in its public securities filings that may cause actual events to differ materially from current expectations. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Vancouver, British Columbia–(Newsfile Corp. – May 16, 2022) – EMX Royalty Corporation (NYSE American: EMX) (TSXV: EMX) (FSE: 6E9) (the “Company” or “EMX”) is pleased to report results for the quarter ended March 31, 2022 (“Q1 2022”). The Company’s filings for the quarter are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s website at www.sec.gov, and on EMX’s website at www.EMXroyalty.com. Financial results were prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards, as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board.
HIGHLIGHTS FOR Q1-2022
Financial Update
All dollar amounts in this news release are Canadian dollars (CDN) unless otherwise noted.
Adjusted revenue and other income[1] of $3,369,000 included $1,154,000 in income from the effective Caserones copper royalty interest in Chile.
Royalty generation costs of $5,397,000 of which the Company recovered $2,695,000 from partners.
General and administrative costs totaled $2,688,000. Impacting general and administrative costs, were higher professional fees, relating to the Barrick settlement of the Bullion Monarch litigation in the US, as well as the payment or accrual of annual compensation awards and adjustments.
Share-based payments totaled $626,000 compared to $542,000 in Q1 2021. The aggregate share-based payments relate mainly to the fair value of restricted share units (“RSUs”) vested during the period.
Finance expenses of $1,787,000 associated with the Sprott Credit Facility and the SSR VTB note. The Company also recognized a gain on modification of the Sprott Credit Facility of $5,008,000 resulting from an extension of the maturity date.
For the quarter, the Company had a loss from operations of $4,427,000 and net income of $23,547,000.
Adjusted cash provided by operating activities1 of $20,928,000.
Other significant items affecting income for the three months ended March 31, 2022 included $23,846,000 of net proceeds received (after settlement of legal fees) relating to the Barrick settlement with Bullion Monarch, unrealized fair value gains on investments of $6,329,000, deferred income tax expense of $5,339,000, and foreign exchange adjustments of $1,038,000.
As at March 31, 2022, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $44,970,000, investments, long-term investments and loans receivable valued at $30,511,000, and loans payable of $59,226,000.
Corporate Updates
Suspension of Filing of Notice of Arbitration EMX suspended the filing of its Notice of Arbitration to Zijin Mining Group Ltd (“Zijin”) and commenced discussions with Zijin with the goal of reaching a mutually acceptable resolution.
Settlement of the Bullion Litigation The Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Bullion Monarch Mining, Inc., (“Bullion”) reached a settlement with Barrick Gold Corporation (“Barrick”) and Barrick affiliates and subsidiaries (“Barrick Entities”) with respect to Bullion’s claim of non-payment of royalties by the Barrick Entities to Bullion on production from properties in the Carlin Trend, Nevada. Bullion initiated litigation in 2008, before EMX acquired Bullion in 2012. Pursuant to the settlement, Barrick paid Bullion US$25 million. Of the US$25 million settlement, US$6.175 million was paid as a fee to Bullion’s Reno, Nevada lawyers. The settlement of the lawsuit does not affect our 1% gross smelter return royalty from portions of Nevada Gold Mine’s Leeville, Carlin East, Four Corners, and other northern Carlin Trend underground gold mining operations (the “Leeville Royalty”), which will continue to be paid.
Acquisition of Additional Royalty Interest on Caserones Subsequent to Q1, EMX acquired an additional (effective) 0.3155% Net Smelter Return (“NSR”) royalty on the Caserones Copper-Molybdenum Mine located in northern Chile for US$25.74 million. When combined with EMX’s (effective) 0.418% NSR interest acquired in August 2021 (see EMX news release dated August 17, 2021), EMX now holds an effective 0.7335% NSR royalty.
Impact of Covid 19 EMX continues to monitor developments regarding the ongoing coronavirus pandemic (“COVID-19”), with a focus on the jurisdictions in which the Company operates. EMX has implemented COVID-19 prevention, monitoring and response plans following the guidelines of international agencies and the governments and regulatory agencies of each country in which it operates. EMX’s priority is to safeguard the health and safety of its personnel and host communities, support government actions to slow the spread of COVID-19 and assess and mitigate the risks to business continuity.
Royalty Generation Updates
EMX’s royalty and mineral property portfolio consists of over 272 properties in North America, Europe, Turkey, Latin America and Australia (See Figure 1). The Company’s portfolio is comprised of the following:
Producing Royalties
5
Advanced Royalties
9
Exploration Royalties
155
Royalty Generation Properties
103
Figure 1. EMX’s royalty and mineral property portfolio.
During Q1 2022, the Company’s royalty generation business was active in North America, South America, Europe, Turkey, and Australia. The Company spent $5,397,000 and recovered $2,695,000 from partners. During the quarter the Company also completed 3 partnerships across the portfolio all the while continuing to replace partnered properties with new mineral properties.
Highlights from Q1 2022 include the following:
In the US the Company added to its growing royalty portfolio with the completion of two new royalty agreements, the advancement of eight partner-funded work programs, including ongoing drill projects, and new generative work leading to new acquisitions.
In Canada, partners continued to advance the portfolio with multiple field programs, including drill programs, while EMX received $89,000 in cash payments and $Nil share equity payments.
EMX continued to expand its asset portfolio in Fennoscandia with the generation of several additional exploration properties. Nickel and other battery metals continue to be a focus of the Fennoscandia operations.
EMX’s South American royalty portfolio advanced through drill programs conducted by AbraSilver Resource Corp. Aftermath Silver Ltd, Austral Gold Ltd., and Pampa Metals Corp.
In Australia, partner Many Peaks Gold achieved a public listing on the Australian Securities Exchange (“ASX”) and commenced drilling at the Company’s Queensland Gold project with results anticipated in Q2. As per the option agreement and in connection with the initial public offering, Many Peaks Gold Pty Ltd. issued to the Company 1,175,000 shares valued at $215,000 as an option fee.
At the end of Q1, 2022, technical reports were filed for EMX’s Caserones Copper-Molybdenum Mine Royalty in Chile, EMX’s Gediktepe Polymetallic Deposit Royalties in Turkey and for EMX’s Timok Royalty in Serbia that covers the newly commissioned Cukaru Peki Copper and Gold Mine.
Financing Updates
Sprott Credit Facility The Company entered into a credit facility in Q3 2021 with Sprott Private Resource Lending II (Collector), LP (“Sprott”) totaling US$44 million (the “Credit Facility”). On January 24, 2022, the Company signed a credit agreement modification extending the maturity date to December 31, 2024. In connection with the extension, an additional 1.50% of the principal (US $660,000) was added to the principal balance as at January 24, 2022.
Private Placement with Franco-Nevada Subsequent to Q1 2022, the Company completed a $12,580,000 (US$10,000,000) private placement with Franco-Nevada Corporation (“Franco-Nevada”). The proceeds were used to acquire the additional (effective) NSR on the Caserones open pit mine in northern Chile (see EMX’s news release dated April 14, 2022).
Franco-Nevada purchased 3,812,121 units at $3.30 per unit. Each unit consisted of one common share of EMX and one warrant to purchase one common share of EMX for $4.45 exercisable until April 14, 2027. The shares issued upon closing and the shares issuable upon the exercise of the warrants will be subject to a four-month restricted resale (hold) period expiring August 15, 2022. Franco-Nevada now owns approximately 3.5% of the issued and outstanding shares of EMX on an undiluted basis.
Investment Updates
As at March 31, 2022, the Company had investments totaling $28,010,000 which included $22,808,000 in various public and private entities, and $5,202,000 in non-current investments. The Company will continue to generate cash flow by selling certain of its investments when appropriate. Much of the investment portfolio was derived from royalty deals completed as part of our organic royalty generation business.
Strategic Investment in Premium Nickel Resources Subsequent to Q1 2022, the Company completed a strategic investment in Premium Nickel Resources Corporation (“PNR”), a private Canadian company advancing nickel-copper-cobalt and platinum group element (“PGE”) projects in Botswana. EMX now owns 5,412,702 shares or 6.3% of the issued and outstanding shares of PNR having purchased an additional one million shares in April 2022. This purchase was part of a recent financing completed by PNR at US$2.00 per share.
PNR recently acquired the Selebi and Selebi North nickel-copper-cobalt mines and signed an asset purchase agreement to acquire the Selkirk nickel-copper-cobalt-PGE mine, which are located in Botswana’s prolific Selebi-Phikwe and Tati nickel mining districts. In February 2022, PNR announced the signing of a non-binding letter of intent providing for a business combination with North American Nickel, which trades on the TSX-V (NAN), as a path to go public.
OUTLOOK
The year 2022 will see an increase in revenue and other income coming from our cash flowing royalties including Caserones in Chile, Leeville in Nevada, and potentially Timok in Serbia (pending conclusion of the royalty rate discussions with Zijin). Likewise, Gediktepe and Balya in Turkey have been commissioned and are scheduled to contribute to 2022 cash flows. As in previous years, production royalties will continue to be complemented by option, advance royalty, and other pre-production payments from partnered projects across the global asset portfolio. The Company plans to give production guidance for 2022 later this year.
Subsequent to Q1 2022, EMX acquired an additional (effective) 0.3155% royalty interest on Caserones and completed a $12,580,000 (US$10,000,000) private placement Franco-Nevada and a strategic investment in PNR.
The Company will continue to strengthen its balance sheet over the course of the year by looking to retire portions of our long-term debt, continuing to evaluate equity markets (including the filing of a shelf prospectus), and the ongoing monetization of the Company’s marketable securities.
EMX is well funded to identify new royalty and investment opportunities, while further filling a pipeline of royalty generation properties that provide opportunities for additional cash flow, as well as exploration, development, and production success.
INVESTOR RELATIONS UPDATE
EMX is provided with investor relations services by Scott Close, who has provided his services from Colorado since June 1, 2007, initially as a consultant and, since Oct 1, 2010, as an employee, and by Isabel Belger, who has provided her services from Germany since January 1, 2018, as a consultant. Neither Scott nor Isabel provides their services on a fixed term basis, and EMX expects to continue to retain their services for the foreseeable future. Their services cover all aspects of liaising with shareholders and the financial investment community. The annual cost for investor relation services has been approximately US$130,000 per year over the past five years which is, has been and will continue to be paid from EMX’s cash on hand. Both have also been granted, from time to time, stock options to purchase EMX shares in accordance with EMX’s stock option plan and TSX Venture Exchange policy.
QUALIFIED PERSONS
Michael P. Sheehan, CPG, a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101 and employee of the Company, has reviewed, verified and approved the above technical disclosure on North America, Latin America, and Strategic Investments. Eric P. Jensen, CPG, a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101 and employee of the Company, has reviewed, verified and approved the above technical disclosure on Europe, Turkey, and Australia.
About EMX. EMX is a precious, base and battery metals royalty company. EMX’s investors are provided with discovery, development, and commodity price optionality, while limiting exposure to risks inherent to operating companies. The Company’s common shares are listed on the NYSE American Exchange and TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol “EMX”, and also trade on the Frankfurt exchange under the symbol “6E9”. Please see www.EMXroyalty.com for more information.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release may contain “forward looking statements” that reflect the Company’s current expectations and projections about its future results. These forward-looking statements may include statements regarding perceived merit of properties, exploration results and budgets, mineral reserves and resource estimates, work programs, capital expenditures, timelines, strategic plans, market prices for precious and base metal, or other statements that are not statements of fact. When used in this news release, words such as “estimate,” “intend,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “will”, “believe”, “potential” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, which, by their very nature, are not guarantees of the Company’s future operational or financial performance, and are subject to risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause the Company’s actual results, performance, prospects or opportunities to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and factors may include, but are not limited to unavailability of financing, failure to identify commercially viable mineral reserves, fluctuations in the market valuation for commodities, difficulties in obtaining required approvals for the development of a mineral project, increased regulatory compliance costs, expectations of project funding by joint venture partners and other factors.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release or as of the date otherwise specifically indicated herein. Due to risks and uncertainties, including the risks and uncertainties identified in this news release, and other risk factors and forward-looking statements listed in the Company’s MD&A for the quarter ended March 31, 2022 (the “MD&A”), and themost recently filed Annual Information Form (“AIF”) for the year ended December 31, 2021, actual events may differ materially from current expectations. More information about the Company, including the MD&A, the AIF and financial statements of the Company, is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the SEC’s EDGAR website at www.sec.gov.
[1] Adjusted revenue and other income, and adjusted cash provided by (used in) operating activities are non-IFRS financial measures with no standardized meaning under IFRS and might not be comparable to similar financial measures disclosed by other issuers. Refer to the “Non-IFRS financial measures” section on page 20 of the Company’s MD&A for the three months ended March 31, 2022 for more information on each non-IFRS financial measure.
YERINGTON, Nev., May 16, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Nevada Copper (TSX: NCU) (OTC: NEVDF) (FSE: ZYTA) (“Nevada Copper” or the “Company”) today announced its first quarter 2022 financial and operating results as well as recent milestone achievements and updates on key development initiatives for its Pumpkin Hollow underground mine (the “Underground Mine”) and open pit project (the “Open Pit Project”). The Company has filed its interim financial statements and the related management’s discussion and analysis (“MD&A”) for the quarter ended March 31, 2022 with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities, which documents can be accessed under the Company’s profile on www.SEDAR.com.
Recent Developments
Underground Mine Ramp Up Continues: Underground production continues to ramp up with hoisting rates of a combination of stope ore and development material expected to increase to approximately 3,000 tons per day (“tpd”) in Q2 2022 and then further increasing to 4,000 to 4,500 tpd during Q3 2022.
Paste Plant Commissioning: The Underground Mine paste plant began wet commissioning and filling of the first stope with paste backfill in April 2022. Paste plant commissioning activities are ongoing with initial throughput capacity expected to be realized by the end of June 2022. It is expected that the implementation of paste backfilling will result in quicker stope turnover leading to improvements in hoisting and production rates going forward.
Surface Vent Installation and Third Ore Pass Construction: The dry commissioning of the surface ventilation fans was completed in early April. Initial excavation of the third ore pass is complete with construction activities scheduled for completion in Q3 2022.
Open Pit Drill Program Commenced: The 2022/23 drill program commenced with one drill arriving on site in late April and a second drill planned to arrive during the second quarter. The primary goals of the planned approximate 25,000-foot (“ft”) drill program are upgrading in-pit inferred mineral resources that are currently considered as waste in the 2019 Technical Report1, to a minimum of an indicated resource, and expanding mineral resources previously inaccessible for drilling. Drilling will also be used to advance the geotechnical and metallurgical understanding of the deposit. Condemnation drilling will be completed in areas planned for major infrastructure. Several holes are also planned to follow up geophysical and surface work and test the nearby Tedeboy porphyry target.
Open Pit Project Prefeasibility Study (“PFS”) Update on Track: The Open Pit Project PFS update is progressing well and is expected to be completed in Q3 2022, as planned. The PFS will include updated mineral reserves and resources and economics based on current metals prices, costs, project development strategy and the contemplated solar project, which is expected to have a positive impact on the long-term price expectations for power. The results of the drill program currently underway will not be included in the PFS, however, they are expected to be included in an open pit feasibility study planned for the second half of 2023. The Open Pit Project has all the material permits required at this time for mine construction and operations and proven and probable mineral reserves, as estimated in the 2019 Technical Report, were 3,590 million pounds of copper (385.7 million tons grading 0.47% copper).
Key Team Additions: Continued strengthening of the team with the hiring of experienced individuals in the following roles: VP Technical Services; VP Human Resources; VP Finance; VP Investor Relations and Community Relations; Director Safety & Health; Director Supply Chain; Chief Reliability Engineer; Underground Production Manager; Process Manager; IT Manager; and several critical hires in Process Maintenance.
Randy Buffington, President & CEO stated, “I am very pleased with the progress we are making on several fronts at Pumpkin Hollow. We have completed a number of key projects at site that are aimed at improving productivity, stope availability and equipment reliability for the Underground Mine. The prefeasibility study update for the fully permitted Open Pit Project is well underway and will include important sustainable initiatives such as the solar project. In addition, the commencement of our exploration program is an important step towards our longer-term growth strategy. We are laying the groundwork necessary to demonstrate the potential for this significant copper operation and assembling the right team to execute on these plans for the long-term benefit of our stakeholders.”
Q1 2022 Highlights
Underground Mine Operations
Underground Mining Operations – During Q1 2022, the Company hoisted approximately 97,518 tons of material, a 66% improvement over Q4 2021. Included in the material hoisted was approximately 32,025 tons at an average grade of 1.3% copper mined from 3 stopes including ore mined from stopes in the Sugar Cube zone.
Lateral Development – Lateral development rates improved 31% in Q1 2022 compared with Q4 2021, with 3,126 ft developed. Two additional loaders were lowered underground in April 2022 further increasing mucking capacity and an additional haul truck is scheduled to be hoisted in May 2022. Ore tons mined from development during Q1 2022 were 65,493 tons, at an average grade of 0.7% copper. As previously disclosed, the Company continues to advance across a water-bearing dike structure with the first crossing being completed and grouting activities underway on the second crossing to be followed by advancing development under steel sets through the dike. While there have been some challenges due to highly variable ground and water conditions, the Company is advancing development from Ramp 01 on the other side of the dike to maintain the production schedule. The Company expects to complete the second crossing in Q2 2022.
Processing Plant – During Q1 2022, 96,414 tons of ore were processed, a 76% increase over Q4 2021. Processing plant recovery improved by 5% to 84% from Q4 2021. Copper concentrate sales increased by 50% to approximately 2,099 tons of concentrate at an average copper grade of 23%, compared to 1,403 tons of concentrate at an average copper grade of 23% in Q4 2021. The Company continued to batch process ore during Q1 2022, however the number of operating days improved by 112% from 17 days in Q4 2021 to 36 days in Q1 2022.
Q1 2022 Financial Statements and MD&A
The Company has filed on SEDAR its condensed consolidated interim financial statements and the related management’s discussion and analysis for the quarter ended March 31, 2022. These documents are available on the Company’s website at www.nevadacopper.com and the Company’s SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.
Management Team Changes
In April 2022, Tracey Thom joined the Company as Vice President, Investor Relations and Community Relations. Tracey’s primary roles include implementing and managing the ongoing investor and community relations strategy that aligns all stakeholder engagement with the Company’s vision and goals.
Tracey brings over 25 years of senior management and investor relations experience in the mining industry and joins Nevada Copper from Hycroft Mining Holding Corporation where she was Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communication for over 13 years. Prior to that she held senior executive roles in single and dually listed companies ranging from exploration and development to multi-national operations including Andina Minerals, Kinross Gold Corporation, and TVX Gold Inc.
Effective May 23, 2022, Kris Sims will assume the role of Interim Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”) following the departure of Andre van Niekerk as Executive Vice President and CFO, who is leaving for personal reasons. Kris is a seasoned financial professional with over 30 years of experience in the mining industry in executive leadership roles with large operating and development companies in the precious and base metals sectors including Phelps Dodge Mining Company, Freeport McMoRan Copper and Gold and Kinross Gold Corporation. He focuses on establishing fiscal transparency and accountability, operational excellence, profitability, and sustainability for the companies he works with. He has also been an advocate for mining in Nevada and led the Nevada Mining Association as Chairman in 2015. Kris was previously employed with Nevada Copper as Project Manager and has a strong base of institutional knowledge that will be key to moving forward and transitioning the CFO role.
“On behalf of the Board and Nevada Copper team, our sincere appreciation for the strong leadership and commitment Andre provided during his tenure,” said Randy Buffington. “He has been an incredible asset and we wish him well in his future endeavors. I am glad we are able to seamlessly integrate Kris into this leadership role as his experience and institutional knowledge will be valuable during our ongoing ramp up.”
Qualified Persons
The technical information and data in this news release has been reviewed by Greg French, C.P.G., Vice President, Exploration and Steven Newman, Registered Member – SME, Vice President, Technical Services for Nevada Copper, who are non-independent Qualified Persons within the meaning of NI 43-101.
About Nevada Copper
Nevada Copper (TSX: NCU) is a copper producer and owner of the Pumpkin Hollow copper project. Located in Nevada, USA, Pumpkin Hollow has substantial reserves and resources including copper, gold and silver. Its two fully permitted projects include the high-grade underground mine and processing facility, which is now in the production stage, and a large-scale open pit project, which is advancing towards feasibility status.
Randy Buffington President & CEO
For additional information, please see the Company’s website at www.nevadacopper.com, or contact:
Tracey Thom | Vice President, IR and Community Relations tthom@nevadacopper.com +1 775 391 9029
____________ 1 Technical Report, entitled “NI 43-101 Technical Report: Nevada Copper Corp. Pumpkin Hollow Project, Open Pit and Underground Mine Prefeasibility Study”, with an effective date of January 21st, 2019.
Cautionary Language on Forward Looking Statements This news release contains “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements specifically include, but are not limited to, statements that relate to Underground Mine development, production and ramp-up expectations and objectives, future hoisting and production rates, equipment installation, expectations regarding the prefeasibility study update and the expected completion thereof and the other plans of the Company with respect to exploration, development, construction and commercial production.
Forward-looking statements and information include statements regarding the expectations and beliefs of management. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements and forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects”, “potential”, “is expected”, “anticipated”, “is targeted”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, or “believes” or the negatives thereof or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements or information should not be read as guarantees of future performance and results. They are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results and events to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information.
Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, those relating to: the ability of the Company to complete the ramp-up of the Underground Mine within the expected cost estimates and timeframe; requirements for additional capital and no assurance can be given regarding the availability thereof; the impact of COVID-19 on the business and operations of the Company; the state of financial markets; history of losses; dilution; adverse events relating to milling operations, construction, development and ramp-up, including the ability of the Company to address underground development and process plant issues; ground conditions; cost overruns relating to development, construction and ramp-up of the Underground Mine; loss of material properties; interest rates increase; global economy; limited history of production; future metals price fluctuations; speculative nature of exploration activities; periodic interruptions to exploration, development and mining activities; environmental hazards and liability; industrial accidents; failure of processing and mining equipment to perform as expected; labour disputes; supply problems; uncertainty of production and cost estimates; the interpretation of drill results and the estimation of mineral resources and reserves; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; possible variations in ore reserves, grade of mineralization or recovery rates from management’s expectations and the difference may be material; legal and regulatory proceedings and community actions; accidents; title matters; regulatory approvals and restrictions; increased costs and physical risks relating to climate change, including extreme weather events, and new or revised regulations relating to climate change; permitting and licensing; dependence on management information systems and cyber security risks; volatility of the market price of the Company’s securities; insurance; competition; hedging activities; currency fluctuations; loss of key employees; other risks of the mining industry as well as those risks discussed in the Company’s Management’s Discussion and Analysis in respect of the year ended December 31, 2021 and the quarter ended March 31, 2022 and in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Information Form dated March 31, 2022. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this press release are based upon assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including, without limitation: no adverse developments in respect of the property or operations at the project; no material changes to applicable laws; the ramp-up of operations at the underground mine in accordance with management’s plans and expectations; no worsening of the current COVID-19 related work restrictions; reduced impacts of COVID-19 going forward; the Company will be able to obtain sufficient additional funding to complete the ramp-up, no material adverse change to the price of copper from current levels; and the absence of any other factors that could cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended.
The forward-looking information and statements are stated as of the date hereof. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update forward-looking statements or information except as required by law. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events, or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information and statements, there may be other factors that could cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Specific reference is made to “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Management’s Discussion and Analysis in respect of the year ended December 31, 2021 and the quarter ended March 31, 2022 and “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Information Form dated March 31, 2022, for a discussion of factors that may affect forward-looking statements and information. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, should other risks or uncertainties materialize or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results and events may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements and information. For more information on the Company and the risks and challenges of its business, investors should review the Company’s filings that are available at www.sedar.com.
The Company provides no assurance that forward-looking statements and information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements or information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 12, 2022 / Sandy MacDougall, CEO of Noram Lithium Corp. (“Noram” or the “Company“) (TSXV:NRM)(OTCQB:NRVTF)(Frankfurt:N7R) is pleased to announce” that the Company has successfully completed the Phase VI infill drill program on the Zeus Lithium Project in Clayton Valley, Nevada. The Zeus Project contains a current NI 43-101 measured and indicated resource estimate* of 363 million tonnes grading 923 ppm lithium, and an inferred resource of 827 million tonnes grading 884 ppm lithium utilizing a 400 ppm Li cut-off. In December 2021, a robust PEA** indicated an After-Tax NPV(8) of US$1.3 Billion and IRR of 31% using US$9,500/tonne Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE). Using the LCE long term forecast of US$14,000/tonne, the PEA indicates an NPV (8%) of approximately US$2.6 Billion and an IRR of 52% at US$14,000/tonne LCE.
All 12 of the Phase VI proposed holes were completed to, or beyond, their anticipated depths for a total of 5246 ft (1599 m) of drilling. Most of the holes were drilled with HQ-size core with a diameter of 2.5 inches (63.5 mm). However, 4 of the holes were drilled with PQ-size (3.35 inches, 85 mm diameter) to be used for the ongoing metallurgical test work. The samples from the core have been hand-delivered to ALS Laboratory in Reno, Nevada for processing. QA/QC samples have been inserted into the sample stream to confirm sample results.
Noram Lithium Corp., Thursday, May 12, 2022, Press release picture
Figure 1 – The last batch of Phase VI drilling samples as they were delivered to ALS in Reno, Nevada.
“This is a significant milestone for Noram” stated CEO and Director, Sandy MacDougall “with the completion of this drilling, the inferred resource calculation will be confidently upgraded to the indicated category. This marks one of the final steps required to complete the Prefeasibility Study (“PFS”) in the near term. While we have only received results from 2 of the 12 holes, the results supersede our expectations, and we can confidently say that a PFS superior to the PEA would not be surprising. All assays are being processed on a rush basis and we expect to receive the balance of the results shortly. Noram is on track to complete the PFS in the fall of 2022 while simultaneously working on new and innovative solutions to become a leader in the green technology space.”
Noram Lithium Corp., Thursday, May 12, 2022, Press release picture
Figure 2 – Location of all past drill holes (Phase I to Phase V) previously completed in addition to the 12 holes completed under the Phase VI Program. Phase VI holes are shown as purple squares.https://embed.fireplace.yahoo.com/embed?ctrl=Monalixa&m_id=monalixa&m_mode=document&site=sports&os=android&pageContext=%257B%2522ctopid%2522%253A%25221542500%253B1480989%253B1481489%2522%252C%2522hashtag%2522%253A%25221542500%253B1480989%253B1481489%2522%252C%2522wiki_topics%2522%253A%2522Lithium_carbonate%253BNor-Am_Cup%253BClayton_Valley_Charter_High_School%253BMineral_resource_classification%253BNevada%253BCompany%253BPea%2522%252C%2522lmsid%2522%253A%2522a077000000LnOyOAAV%2522%252C%2522revsp%2522%253A%2522accesswire.ca%2522%252C%2522lpstaid%2522%253A%2522ca745aaf-aa7e-3d2b-b9ed-9909e7380b49%2522%252C%2522pageContentType%2522%253A%2522story%2522%257D
The Company has also begun initial preparation for the completion of a Plan of Operations (PoO) with the Tonopah, Nevada field office of the Bureau of Land Management. Results from the Phase VI drilling will be needed to determine whether additional drilling, bulk sampling, etc. will be required to carry the project through the PFS and DFS stages. These elements are essential to determine what goes into the PoO. The DFS is expected to follow closely on the heels of this fall’s PFS.
The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Brad Peek., M.Sc., CPG, who is a Qualified Person with respect to Noram’s Clayton Valley Lithium Project as defined under National Instrument 43-101.
About Noram Lithium Corp. Noram Lithium Corp. (TSXV:NRM)(OTCQB:NRVTF)(Frankfurt:N7R) is a well-financed Canadian based advanced Lithium development stage company with less than 90 million shares issued. Noram is aggressively advancing its Zeus Lithium Project in Nevada from the development-stage level through the completion of a Pre-Feasibility Study in 2022. The Company’s flagship asset is the Zeus Lithium Project (“Zeus”), located in Clayton Valley, Nevada. The Zeus Project contains a current 43-101 measured and indicated resource estimate* of 363 million tonnes grading 923 ppm lithium, and an inferred resource of 827 million tonnes grading 884 ppm lithium utilizing a 400 ppm Li cut-off. In December 2021, a robust PEA** indicated an After-Tax NPV(8) of US$1.299 Billion and IRR of 31% using US$9,500/tonne Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE). Using the LCE long term forecast of US$14,000/tonne, the PEA indicates an NPV (8%) of approximately US$2.6 Billion and an IRR of 52% at US$14,000/tonne LCE.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Sandy MacDougall CEO and Director C: 778.999.2159
For additional information please contact: Peter A. Ball President and Chief Operating Officer peter@noramlithiumcorp.com C: 778.344.4653
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking information which is not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information in this news release includes statements regarding, among other things, the completion of the engagement of Bridgeview and the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, regulatory approval processes. Although Noram believes that the assumptions used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, including that all necessary regulatory approvals will be obtained in a timely manner, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. Noram disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws. *Updated Lithium Mineral Resource Estimate, Zeus Project, Clayton Valley, Esmeralda County, Nevada, USA (August 2021) **Preliminary Economic Assessment Zeus Project, ABH Engineering (December 2021).
Joining us for a conversation or legendary Rick Rule of Rule Investment Media and David Cole of EMX Royalty as will discover why mineral royalties are powerful financial instruments.
About EMX Royalty: EMX Royalty Corporation has a long-standing track record of success in exploration discovery, royalty generation, royalty acquisition, and strategic investments. Our diversified, three-pronged business approach provides exposure to multiple upside opportunities while minimizing the impact on EMX’s treasury.
EMX’s business model is designed to efficiently manage the risks inherent to the minerals exploration and mining industry. Key elements and resulting advantages of our unique approach are: We organically generate royalties through low-cost property acquisition and early-stage exploration to build value, and then develop partnerships with quality companies to advance the projects, with EMX retaining a royalty interest and receiving pre-production payments. Our organic royalty growth is supplemented by purchases of royalties from other parties, as well as strategic investments. Cash flow from royalties, advance royalties, and other property payments are supplemented by returns from strategic investments and provide “self-funding” operating capital for our ongoing business initiatives. Using this model, we sustainably grow the royalty portfolio, with minimal dilution to our shareholders. EMX’s royalty and property portfolio spanning five continents and consists of a balanced mix of precious metal, base metal, and other assets.
Joining us for a conversation are two of the most prolific names in the natural resource space, both legends in their own right, as we are joined today with Rick Rule of Rule Investment Media and David Cole of EMX Royalty.
Maurice Jackson:
I must say it’s an absolute delight to be speaking with you both today, as I hold you both in the highest regard personally and professionally, as we plan to discover why mineral royalties are powerful financial instruments. We have a lot of ground to cover today, gentlemen, so let’s get to it.
Maurice Jackson:
Mr. Rule, you have a proven track record of nearly 50 years as a wealth builder for you and your clients through resource stocks. What are you seeing right now that gives you the courage and conviction that resource stocks may present a once in a lifetime opportunity?
Rick Rule:
First of all, you’re always not wise to contradict your host, but I’ve had a couple of these opportunities in my lifetime. So I don’t think it is a once in lifetime opportunity. But I, as you point out, have been lucky enough to see the opportunity before that’s in front of me now. And it was extremely pleasant to participate in. Natural resource bull markets are wonderful financial events if you participate in them early enough.
Rick Rule:
And my own belief, is that right now we are in the latter stage of the beginning of a precious metals bull market. And we’re probably in an earlier stage in a broader natural resource bull market. And the idea to participate in two real bull markets where the outcome is a probability, not a possibility, is extraordinary.
Rick Rule:
It is seldom before in my life have the fundamental factors that are in front of me come together simultaneously that has given me the courage of my convictions with regards to the probabilities of the outcome, is what I’m talking about. And that’s what feels good to me now.
Maurice Jackson:
Given the reasons you just convey to us, investors and speculators alike are seeking prudent ways to preserve their capital, and if possible, sweeten the deal with the delivery of some nice returns. About a decade ago, you introduced me a business model that offers investors both of these virtues, and I’m referring to the concept of mineral royalties. For someone new to the conversation, would you please share what are mineral royalties and why are mineral royalty companies a strategic part of your portfolio?
Rick Rule:
What I’ve learned over time is that having an economic interest in a revenue stream where my gross is my net is a very good thing. What a royalty is, is a part of the revenue stream of a mine or an oil well or something else. But you don’t bear any establishing capital risk, any sustaining capital risk or any operating cost risk.
Rick Rule:
So to the extent, as an example, that you disagree with a management team over some of their expenses, it doesn’t matter. You just get the check. Your gross is your net. A mineral royalty too is a timeless interest pretty much. And that means that most of the surprises that you can have are pleasant surprises.
Rick Rule:
If you are lucky enough to own a royalty on a tier one mineral discovery, my experience has always been that big discoveries yield surprises and small deposits yield surprises too. But big discoveries yield pleasant surprises, and small discoveries yield unpleasant surprises.
Rick Rule:
So a mineral royalty, which is established on a, let’s say, a 1 to 1.5 million ounce gold deposit, which feels attractive over 30 years might end up producing two, two and a half million dollars. The additional exploration expense that goes into establishing the lengthening of your royalty, the operating costs, the sustaining capital costs, the taxes, all that stuff doesn’t matter. Remember on a royalty for the most part, your gross is your net, which is very pleasant.
David Cole:
With regards to mineral royalties, what also comes to mind is the concept of optionality. Mineral royalties are phenomenal financial instruments, particularly in an inflationary environment, for the very reasons that you laid out and that discovery optionality and advancement of engineering techniques, all of which are multiplicative, make royalties fantastic instruments to hold.
Maurice Jackson:
And David, if you would expand on that word optionality, that may be a new term for readers.
David Cole:
Sure. So that’s the chance that things might go super well or super bad. And the couple of guys, Black Scholes got a Nobel prize for defining a formula, how to calculate what optionality is worth and options trade in the marketplace. And with respect to royalties, what we’re talking about is the chance that things can go well.
David Cole:
And as Rick pointed out, the cost that goes into the exploration and discovery work, development work, production work et cetera, et cetera, is born by the counterparty, not by the royalty holders. So we’re exposed to all that upside optionality. And that’s one of the things that makes a portfolio of royalty so powerful.
Maurice:
Mr. Cole, you’re the CEO of the royalty generator and I’m referring to EMX Royalty. Please introduce us to the value proposition that EMX Royalty presents for investors along with your current share price.
David Cole:
Well, I’m more than happy to talk about that. And first of all, it all revolves around this concept the royalties are fantastic instruments, and different royalty companies accumulate royalties in different ways. There’s royalty financings to advance mine projects. There’s purchasing of existing royalties. And then there’s royalty generation.
David Cole:
We love to generate royalties through the prospect generation business model, acquiring prospected mineral rights around the world, adding value by doing good geology and coalescing data, selling that onto an industry, hungry for discovery opportunity. And as Rick said, I’ve never seen an industry more hungry for discovery opportunity than we have today across the periodic table.
David Cole:
And we love doing that. We love selling them on for cash shares and of course, a royalty. We also buy royalties to augment that portfolio, to create that portfolio effect and to further advance the optionality.
Maurice Jackson:
And you do that organically. That’s what I find very intriguing about your business model.
David Cole:
That is our defining factor. That’s our hedgehog, and we’ve sold by example, Maurice, 83 projects in the last four years. We have track record of just selling projects right and left. And when I’m talking about selling projects, what I mean is we stake mining claims, or we acquire mining licenses from governments, add value, and then move them onto a counterparty, junior companies, and major companies.
David Cole:
And in the junior company deals, it’s commonly cash payments and share payments. We’ve done exceedingly well with the share payments over our nearly 20-year history and always a production royalty at the end. With major companies, which we also love to do business with, we’ve done six deals with Rio Tinto, the largest mining company in the world the last four years, as one example. And there, it’s more focused on the inground expenditures, cash payments, and of course the royalty at the back end.
David Cole:
And we’re just delighted to have the capital across our portfolio being expended by our counterparties, but also their expertise employed across that portfolio, which is enhancing this concept of discovery optionality, which is where the big win comes from. Of course, there’s commodity price optionality as well, which is a hot topic in an inflationary environment.
Maurice Jackson:
Now, before we delve into specific projects, multi-pronged question. Mr. Cole, how many projects are in the EMX property bank and how many of those projects are now in the harvest mode of generating royalties?
David Cole:
So when you use the word bank, that’s probably a good word to use. So we have approximately 300 mineral property positions globally, more than a dozen countries. We’ve always taken a broad approach. We’ve cast a broad net to find value, and that’s a very strong base of pyramid.
David Cole:
And then EMX does have half dozen producing assets or assets that are just about to become producing at the top of the pyramid. And we’re at the transitionary point where we’re going from a junior company that’s been building a portfolio of mineral property positions and royalties to one that has strong cash flow. And we’re right at that tipping point this year.
Maurice Jackson:
And we’re going to highlight five of those here in just a minute. Rick, in the resource space, precious metals seemed to dominate the conversation. But I’d like to get your thought on base metals and in particular, the outlook for copper.
Rick Rule:
I think the two easiest things to think about is that the driver for copper is the ascent of humankind to the extent that there are almost eight billion people on earth and more people every day. And to the extent that humankind has a responsibility, I believe, to take the poorest half of humanity and increase their wellbeing, that automatically comes to copper.
Rick Rule:
Many readers may not know that 1.2 billion people on earth have no access to electricity. And another 2 billion people on earth have access to intermittent or unaffordable electricity. We’ve done a great job as humankind the last 30 years in increasing the material a lot of the poorest of the poor. But we have a lot more to do, and an important transition from a subsistence lifestyle to a more fulfilling lifestyle, at least part of the material translation is electricity, and electricity is copper.
Rick Rule:
At the same time that we need to continue to increase access to electricity for the poorest half of humanity, the other half of humanity wants to increase their electrical consumption too electric vehicles, power, gadgets, all those types of things. All requires copper. While this happens, in other words, while demand for copper is inexorably higher and where the rate of increase is probably increasing, we have under-invested as an industry in copper exploration production for 30 or 35 years.
Rick Rule:
The truth is most of the world’s great copper mines are a bit like me. They’re old, they’re past their prime. Bingham Canyon has been producing for 120 years. Chuquicamata has been producing for 105 years. Grasberg has producing for my whole lifetime, which is to say 69 years. You don’t stand at the top of a pit, throw in fertilizer and water and have it grow more copper. That’s not the way it works.
Source: https://wikitravel.org/en/Chuquicamata
Rick Rule:
So five years from now, what you see is that these old behemoths become longer and longer and longer of tooth. While as a consequence of three decades of under investment and exploration production, there’s nothing to take their place. And if there is something to take their place, increasingly, there are political and economic roadblocks put in front of them. There’s a wonderful copper deposit here in the United States called Resolution that the world’s been talking about for 20 years. And it’s probably 10 years away from permitting and production, not in time to make any difference in a supply outlook.
Rick Rule:
So, to the extent that one is able to make a copper discovery, the appetite among the major copper producers to buy these projects, to replace the old behemoths, which are long of tooth. And the incredible interest that governments and consumers have about increasing the material wellbeing of their citizens, which is a fancy way of saying increasing demand for copper, means that an intelligently constructed copper exploration royalty development program, I say intelligently crafted. Part of the problem in the last 30 years has been that not only haven’t we invested enough money, we’ve invested most of the money that we’ve invested stupidly.
Rick Rule:
So we’ve been both unwitting and unscrupulous in the mining business with regards to copper. But the result of that is that successful efforts in the copper business pay absolutely tremendous rewards and will continue to, I think. Most people in the west when they think about copper, they think about Tesla or something like that. And that’s fine. That’s wonderful.
Maurice, I’ll point out if you don’t mind that Dr. Richard Schodde is our consulting and advisor on the mineral economic side out of Australia, MinEx Consulting. He believes that conservatively, the planet will consume as much copper in the forthcoming 20 to 25 years as has been consumed by humanity throughout all the history cumulatively.
David Cole:
And when you think about that with respect to the under-capitalized situation in the copper industry, it’s very, very dynamic situation. It’s very difficult not to be extraordinarily bullish copper. And Rick mentioned that Bingham Canyon Mine, one of the largest open pit mines in the world is where open pit mining was first invented. The globe currently consumes the entire endowment of that deposit annually. So it’s an interesting situation for the copper business.
Maurice Jackson:
Sticking with copper, Mr. Cole, let’s visit the EMX property banking, and get acquainted with some of your royalties beginning in Chile at the Caserones Mine where EMX recently increased its position there. Tell us about the royalty and why the increase.
David Cole:
So well, first of all, as said, we’re very bullish copper, have always believed in having a diversified portfolio and copper has been a key component to that. Scott Close who heads our investor relations team, likes to call Caserones, Casherones. This is a very long live asset. Officially, it’s a 17-year-mine life, but as geologists, we’ve looked at it. We see 25-plus years of production here just from the existing deposit as it is open ended at depth, and copper cutoff grades have a long history of decreasing over time because of these various factors that we’re pointing out.
David Cole:
So this is a very long lived assets. It’s like having a 30-year bond that pays in pounds of copper. And we do see a little bit of upside with respect to production coming from that, but we’re very bullish copper prices. And we did have the opportunity to buy at a fair valuation, a 0.4% royalty on that deposit. And then the opportunity came along for us to augment that as additional family members who owned this royalty wanted to sell and liquidate.
“We have under-invested as an industry in copper exploration production for 30 or 35 years”. ~ Rick Rule
David Cole:
And so we had the chance to increase that, and we did it as that next bite was larger than we could afford by ourselves. We brought in Franco-Nevada as a partner, and we have a huge amount of respect for Franco-Nevada. They’re the leader in the mining royalty space. And if you would’ve asked me who’s the best company to be a strategic investor in EMX, I would’ve said Franco-Nevada.
David Cole:
Very happy to get them across the line and become a shareholder in EMX, part and parcel to us taking that further bite and increasing our exposure to Caserones. And that’s not our only copper exposure in the world. Of course, we have a royalty on the Timok Project, which is one of the largest ongoing copper-gold discoveries on the planet.
Maurice Jackson:
Why would Franco Nevada the biggest, most successful company in the mineral royalty sector want shares in EMX?
“I think there is going to be an increasing demand for electrification for well to do people. But the real opportunity is increasing the material living standards for the bottom half of humanity. We have an obligation to do it. We’ve done a good job of it over the last three decades, it’s going to continue. And the driver is going to be copper”. ~ Rick Rule
David Cole:
And we’re delighted to have them on board. They’ve been giving us accolades for the royalty generation work for many years. We know these folks well from our history. I used to work with some of them at Newmont Mining Corporation, and they would come up to me. David Harquail once said, “Dave, we believe that your royalty generation work is topnotch and hats off to you for doing that.”
David Cole:
And ultimately, it was that that carried him across the line and got them to invest in the company. But ironically, it was associated with a royalty purchase. But Franco Nevada recognized the power and the integration of buying royalties as well as growing them organically to build your portfolio.
Maurice:
All right, I’ve thrown you some softballs here. Here’s a tough one. EMX has recently deployed a substantial amount of capital lately acquiring cash flowing and/or soon to be cash flowing royalties and taking on debt to do so. Does this really make sense in the long-term health of the company? I mean, is this really in the best interest of the shareholders?
David Cole:
Absolutely, absolutely. So, our calculated risk adjusted internal rate of return on the monies that we’ve invested into purchasing these portfolio of royalties vastly exceeds the cost of that capital. And speaking of cost of capital, one of the important goals here is to populate the top of the pyramid, increasing our cash flow, and enabling us to move across that border from a junior company to a mid-tier company with strong cash flows, which will significantly reduce our cost of capital as we able to form a relationship with major senior banks. And we’re in those discussions now.
David Cole:
So this is all part of our strategy to prudently grow our portfolio. And particularly in an inflationary environment, paying a 7% coupon rate to borrow some money to buy things that have double digit internal rates of return is smart business.
Maurice:
Rick, as a shareholder, how significant is it when you see Franco-Nevada paying a premium to own a 3.5% stake in EMX?
Rick Rule:
I like good partners. I’ve been a Franco-Nevada shareholder on and off because of course they disappeared for a while since 1982, and I hold them in very high regard. Dave has done a good job, I think, of attracting other sophisticated shareholders in EMX.
Rick Rule:
But certainly, I’m attracted to EMX as a shareholder. What price they paid is really a matter of their own concern, the fact that they paid a premium. I think if you look at the nature of the royalty transaction, the premium was explained.
“That’s what separates us from the crowd. And that’s why we’re the only junior or mid-tier royalty company that Franco Nevada has ever bought stock in and hold stock in currently“. ~ David Cole
Rick Rule:
But the truth is that in Franco-Nevada, EMX has a partner that should they have an opportunity that is time sensitive and attractive, they have a partner that could stroke a $250 million check or a $350 million check overnight without blinking an eye. And a partner that has the sophistication and the courage to be able to do that, that’s what’s important.
Maurice:
Rick, we just highlighted copper. What is your outlook on the opportunity before us in nickel?
Rick Rule:
Well, nickel, you could also say is also an electric metal. It’s in tighter supply than copper. Most of the marginal nickel production that we’ve seen in the world in the last 30 years is lateritic nickel, which is nickel that occurs in tropical environments, often Indonesia and the Philippines. And the production of lateritic nickel is extremely environmentally degrading and also extremely energy intensive. So you need to break down nickel between lateritic nickel and primary sulfide deposits.
Rick Rule:
Primary nickel sulfide deposits are very rare and extraordinarily valuable. A primary nickel mine, even at today’s nickel, makes an awful lot of money. In the very near term, the nickel price looks inexorably higher because the world’s most important nickel producer is Russia. The political difficulties between Russia and the rest of the world, including the fact that because Russia has been kicked out of the SWIFT banking systems means that even if they sell nickel, they can’t get paid for it in any currency that they can spend.
Rick Rule:
But looking beyond that, the uses of nickel in batteries, in stainless steel, in metallurgical applications, nickel is tied very, very directly like copper to the ascent of humankind. But primary nickel deposits are even rarer than high-quality primary copper deposits.
Maurice Jackson:
David, about two weeks ago, EMX announced that it had made a strategic investment in privately held Premium Nickel Resources, which holds a trio of defunct nickel, copper and cobalt mines in Botswana of all places. Now, this seems to be a big deviation from the EMX business model. What’s going on there?
David Cole:
Well, it’s actually a key part of our business model to make strategic investments. And so it’s quite synergistic with our royalty generation work. We’ve got smart economic challenges around the world, identifying properties to acquire. And occasionally, they come across an opportunity to invest in a company where we cannot, not buy the stock.
David Cole:
And you may recall the investment that we had in Russia of all places, that we liquidated at a substantial profit. That was a strategic investment in an ongoing copper and gold development story. We did exceedingly well on and happy to have our money out of Russia back in 2018 and have not gone back, I’ll point out.
David Cole:
But that’s an example of us making strategic investments. Our track record over a nearly 20-year pathway here has been quite good. We’ve netted out over 50 million USD from our strategic investments. And we’ve had a couple bumps on the chin. We’re comfortable with taking risk and the wins have far outweighed the losses.
David Cole:
This is our next major strategic investment, absolutely delighted for the very reasons that Rick pointed out to have that nickel exposure. And we think that the premium nickel asset in Botswana is going to be in the top five nickel sulfide systems on the planet. We’re very bullish about that opportunity.
Maurice Jackson:
Multimillion dollar question here, can you provide us with an update on the situation with Zijin Mining in Serbia at the giant Timok copper-gold mine?
David Cole:
Everybody wants to know the answer to that. Of course, I can selectively disclose information, but I can say that we are in negotiations with Zijin. They’ve been quite professional and communicative to work with, and I’m confident that we’ll come to a mutual agreement.
Maurice Jackson:
All right. The Balya silver-lead-zinc mine in Turkey, it’s been ramping up for a while now. What’s the latest there?
David Cole:
So the exploration results have been phenomenal. The deposit continues to grow. They’ve decided that they will build a second mill, which we’re delighted that will substantially enhance our cash flow long-term. And they are entering into commercial production now. I expect the first royalty check to come in within the next couple of months, actually. And I do expect production to ramp up from multiple underground headings over the course of the next five years. Five years from now, it’s going to be a substantial annual royalty for us.
Maurice Jackson:
Can you give us an update on the Gediktepe gold oxide and polymetallic mine? And when will this royalty start cash flowing?
David Cole:
That one’s also just a couple months away, Maurice. And so that’s an interesting royalty in that the royalty on the upper oxide zone, which is gold and silver enriched, is 10%. That was part of the sales price when the predecessor to SSR sold that on to the current operator, Lidya, and that 10% kicks in after 10,000 ounces have been poured. And we’re right at 4,000 ounces right now. They are in production, they’re placing ore on the pad. They did have a tough winter season, so that slowed them down a little bit, but they’re only a few weeks behind.
David Cole:
And we’re seeing greater in production as they head into summer. As soon as they cross the 10,000th ounce, which will be just a few months out, probably June or July, then we’ll start to receive royalty payments on that, and that is a 10% royalty. And that’s on the upper oxide zone, which we believe will have about a five-year mine life. And then it goes into the polymetallic sulfide zone, which is dominated by zinc and copper, two commodities we love. And that’s a 2% royalty in perpetuity on that zone.
David Cole:
So that’s another key asset within the portfolio that starts to cash flow in a few months.
Maurice Jackson:
Now that 10% is just remarkable. With all the new royalty cash flow and pending royalties poised to begin paying, what will the cash flow look like for EMX for the remainder of 2022?
David Cole:
Yep. So we will be coming out with guidance in two quarters, and we’re diligently working on that. And our bankers are talking to us about that. And that’s part of our shelf filing that we’re also in the process of, and this is all part of our maturing from a junior company that’s been building a portfolio to a mid-tier company with strong cash flows. And so, as soon as we provide that guidance, Maurice, you’ll be one of the first to know.
Maurice Jackson:
Right, looking forward to it. Leaving the property bank, Rick, I know you have a very stringent, selective criteria for companies that make the grade, if you will, before you will commit your capital. Now, we just heard Mr. Cole referenced that EMX has five attractive royalties and more on the way along with an attractive share price, in my opinion.
Maurice Jackson:
That all sounds compelling, but you taught me years ago that the competitive advantage for a shareholder is found in the board of directors, management, and technical team. Why are the people equally, if not more, important to you as a shareholder than the given project, and specifically the team that comprises EMX royalty?
Rick Rule:
Bad people can screw up good rocks. If the wrong team controls the cash flow, they get it and the shareholders don’t, simple as that. The second thing of course, is that luck favors the trained observer. And you need luck in exploration. Dave has done a great job over 20 years. He’s a geologist himself, but I would say his true talent is hiring and motivating and keeping very good geologists.
Rick Rule:
So, what has always attracted me to EMX has been the technical IQ per dollar of market cap. The fact that although the team has done a decent job of buying royalties, what I think the real secret sauce is the fact that they have generated royalties by generating 300 exploration concepts that other people have bought into. It can take a decade for prospect generation to work for you. But prospect generation, in my own portfolio, has been by far the most capital efficient exploration speculation that I have done. What the EMX team did is they figured out a better payments mechanism.
Rick Rule:
For most of my life, I invested in teams that had great intellectual capital that generated projects, and they ended up getting a carried interest in the project. The problem with that is that they sometimes didn’t have the ability to carry the load as the project went into production. And well, they had a lot of exploration expertise, they maybe didn’t have construction or development expertise.
Rick Rule:
What David did is he really simplified the way they got paid. Rather than get paid in the ability to own on a subsidized basis, a minority interested in operation that they may not know how to operate, he developed a circumstance where they got paid a carried interest by way of a royalty, which is ultimately a safer and probably a more valuable instrument.
Rick Rule:
The same intellectual capital that he has hired and deploys in the exploration business can be used to both source and evaluate either merchant banking opportunities, which is to say those companies that he invests in strategically or royalties. So I think it’s important that the exploration IQ that has been assembled within EMX turns out to be a strategic advantage in moving their asset base forward.
Maurice Jackson:
Now, Rick, we’ve heard you convey the merits of owning mineral royalties, and we’ve heard the virtues that EMX royalty presents to the market. Before we close, what did I forget to ask?
Rick Rule:
Well, I think, the important question to ask any company that’s beginning to mature is how are the capital allocation decisions made. What would be as, an example, the capital cost assumptions around the debt that they took on and what sort of pro forma delta would occur between cost of capital to return on capital employed? How strategically will the decision be made internally as to whether to emphasize the merchant banking business, the royalty generation business, or the royalty acquisition business?
Rick Rule:
And then finally, I think, the royalty acquisition business is extremely competitive. I would ask Dave to describe the competitive advantage that he may feel against the 30-some odd other players in the mineral royalty space.
Maurice Jackson:
All right, Mr. Cole. So, you know what’s up for our next interview.
David Cole:
It boils down to our alpha, which is on the technical side. And we believe that astute business decisions are rooted in solid technical understanding. And we’ve always had a strong technical team here at EMX to drive those business decisions so that we can have that astute allocation of capital.
Maurice Jackson:
Last question for you, Rick, tell us about the Rule Symposium, which will be held this year at the beautiful Boca Raton Resort in Boca Raton, Florida, July 26th through the 29th.
And I thought you’d never ask, Maurice. As both of you know, or all of you, frankly, to have put on natural resource investing conferences, the majority of those, the live ones took place in Vancouver, BC. A couple years ago because of COVID, we had to discontinue that one for a while. And we’d like to bring it back to BC, but the truth is with the COVID circumstance and public health administrations and two countries doing their level best to thwart my franchise, we decided to bring the conference down to the United States because most of the attendees are, in fact, American.
Rick Rule:
We searched around the country for a resort that was of the same quality that we expected, and one that had the facilities that we needed. And we found one in Boca Raton. The Boca Resort has a long and fabled history. It’s just undergone a spectacular renovation. They put hundreds of millions of dollars in it. They’re renting rooms to our attendees for $295 a night. Their rack rate is about a thousand, truly spectacular location.
Rick Rule:
The conference itself has a long and storied history. We’ve always had great speakers. We have Jim Rickards, Danielle DiMartino Booth, Doug Casey, the normal sort of gurus. But what’s always made our conference set apart is really two things. One, we have always had what I call the living legends, which is to say, we’ve always had the speakers, people who have built multi-billion dollar businesses in natural resources from scratch. It isn’t all gurus. There’s a lot of jockeys there and they are great jockeys. We’ll have that this year.
Rick Rule:
In addition to that, every exhibitor at our conference is owned either in Sprott managed accounts or in my own account. That doesn’t mean sadly that every stock I own goes up. What it does mean is that my attendees can rest assure that every exhibitor has been vetted. We know them well enough that we in fact, own them.
Rick Rule:
The important part of a live conference is that you get to see the interaction between the exhibitors and the speakers. I remember four years ago, I guess in Vancouver, following at a discreet different distance, Robert Friedland, one of the best resource entrepreneurs in history. And I watched him walk around the exhibit hall. I watched him speak to exhibitors. I took note of which exhibitors he talked to and which exhibitors made him smile and which exhibitors made him frown. I think the opportunity to follow Robert Friedland on a resource stock shopping trip is worth the price of admission.
Rick Rule:
By the way, with regards to the price of admission, every investment product, every investment education product that Rule Investment Media has ever offered over the last 30 years has come with a complete money back guarantee. If you come to the conference, you pay the tuition, and you don’t think it was worth your money? Email me. I’ll give you your money back.
Maurice:
One important factor that maybe you forgot to highlight there is the intellectual capital that you get from other investors. And the lifelong relationships that I’ve had an opportunity to forge has just been, I can’t put a price tag on that.
Rick Rule:
Oh, that’s a very good point. There’s going to be 500 high net worth investors there. And the idea that all the IQ in the room flows from the dais to the room is stupid. Watching fellow investors, listening to the questions that they ask the exhibitors, listening to the questions and the conversations they have amongst each other, listening to the conversations in the workshop, absolutely invaluable. And as I say, if you aren’t prepared to make money on it, there’s a money back guarantee.
Maurice:
Now I know the next question everyone has is how do I register? We’ve got that taken care of for you CLICK HERE. Check the description box below. Also, just visit www.provenandprobable.com. And the link will be on the right side of our homepage just below the weekly precious metal special through Miles Franklin Precious Metals Investments. Mr. Cole, before we close, what would you like to say to shareholders?
David Cole:
Buy the depths, yeah. As Rick likes to say, you want to use the cycles to your advantage rather than be used by the cycles.
Maurice:
Mr. Cole, for someone that wants to learn more about EMX royalty, please share the website address.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 4, 2022 / Metallic Minerals (TSX.V:MMG)(OTCQB:MMNGF) (“Metallic Minerals“, or the “Company“) is pleased to announce the creation of a dedicated Community & First Nations Relations team for the Metallic Group of Companies and the appointment of Lindsay Wilson to the role of Manager, Community and Investor Relations. Ms. Wilson will be working alongside Lauren Blackburn, the Company’s Yukon-based Regulatory & Permitting Manager, in further strengthening our relationships with First Nations, local communities and governments.
The Metallic Group is well established in the Yukon with multiple projects under development by member companies. The Group employs dedicated personnel in Whitehorse, who are long-time residents of the Yukon and, as such, have an affinity for and understanding of its people, its history and its robust mineral endowment. Ms. Blackburn has been with Metallic Minerals and the Metallic Group since its founding and has taken a leading role in the Company’s community, permitting and regulatory initiatives. The addition of Ms. Wilson greatly increases our capacity to build meaningful and long-lasting and mutually beneficial partnerships in keeping with our strong commitment to environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) aspects of the resource sector. The Metallic Group is committed to applying best industry practices to exploration and to make positive contributions in the Territory and the specific communities in which we work.
Lauren Blackburn – Manager, Regulatory and Permitting
Ms. Blackburn has over 15 years of Yukon-based experience in the mineral exploration sector focused on the exploration and development of early to advanced-stage silver, gold, and base metal deposits. Her primary concentration has been in northern Canada where she has garnered a dynamic skill set that includes expertise in the exploration process, permitting, lands management, regulatory lobbying, land-use planning and community engagement. Ms. Blackburn is highly involved in Territorial legislation and policy review, permitting activities and assists in evaluation of potential project acquisitions and strategic development.
Lindsay Wilson – Manager, Community & Investor Relations
A member of the Snuneymuxw First Nation on Vancouver Island, Ms. Wilson is focused on incorporating traditional ways of being into her work within the resource sector and seeking to develop sustainable and credible partnerships within the communities that she works. Ms. Wilson has a comprehensive background in indigenous studies and public relations, alongside practical experience in the mineral resource sector. Having worked previously in the Yukon with the Yukon Mining Alliance, Ms. Wilson is excited about the opportunity to return to work in the Yukon and looking forward to reconnecting with the communities there.
Arctic Indigenous Investment Conference (AIIC)
The Metallic Group Community and First Nations Team will be attending the AIIC on May 4th & 5th in Whitehorse, Yukon.
Connecting globally – through a hybrid (in-person & virtual) experience – AIIC 2022 will highlight and promote indigenous development corporations and businesses in the northern economy, alongside the north’s business community and colleagues across sectors. The goals of AIIC 2022 are to support economic reconciliation and growth, and youth entrepreneurship by forging new and stronger relationships, advancing meaningful partnerships, and connecting people across the arctic. Indigenous development corporations and businesses play a key role across northern Canada. These efforts are supported when we stand together with a collaborative voice for business, northern investment and our citizens, to ensure a diverse and prosperous economy, community and future.
About Metallic Minerals
Metallic Minerals Corp. is an exploration and development stage company, focused on silver, gold and copper in the high-grade Keno Hill and La Plata mining districts of North America. Our objective is to create shareholder value through a systematic, entrepreneurial approach to making exploration discoveries, growing resources and advancing projects toward development. Metallic Minerals has consolidated the second-largest land position in the historic Keno Hill silver district of Canada’s Yukon Territory, directly adjacent to Alexco Resource Corp’s operations, with more than 300 million ounces of high-grade silver in past production and current M&I resources. In addition, the Company recently announced the inaugural resource estimate for the La Plata silver-gold-copper project in southwestern Colorado. All of the districts in which the Company works have seen significant mineral production and have existing infrastructure, including power and road access. Metallic Minerals is led by a team with a track record of discovery and exploration success on several major precious and base metal deposits, as well as having large-scale development, permitting and project financing expertise.
About the Metallic Group of Companies
The Metallic Group is a collaboration of leading precious and base metals exploration and development companies, with a portfolio of large, brownfields assets in established mining districts adjacent to some of the industry’s highest-grade producers of silver and gold, platinum and palladium, and copper. Member companies include Metallic Minerals in the Yukon’s high-grade Keno Hill silver district and La Plata silver-gold-copper district of Colorado, Granite Creek Copper in the Yukon’s Minto copper district, and Group Ten Metals in the Stillwater PGM-nickel-copper district of Montana and Kluane district in the Yukon. The founders and team members of the Metallic Group include highly successful explorationists formerly with some of the industry’s leading explorer/developers and major producers. With this expertise, the companies are undertaking a systematic approach to exploration and development using new models and technologies to facilitate discoveries in these proven, but under-explored, mining districts. Members of the Metallic Group have been recognized as recipients of awards for excellence in environmental stewardship demonstrating commitment to responsible resource development and appropriate ESG practices. The Metallic Group is headquartered in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and its member companies are listed on the Toronto Venture, US OTCQB and Frankfurt stock exchanges.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
