Vedanta to exclude base metals business from sweeping demerger
The group said it will consider the base metals business demerger at a later stage.
Nevada Copper (TSE:NCU) closed a US$200 million senior secured loan facility and copper concentrate off-take agreement with RK Mine Finance (Red Kite), a company that specializes in providing mining companies with project financing and metal off-take agreements.
The company, which made the announcement on Thursday, said that the proceeds will be used for construction of an underground mining operation at its Pumpkin Hollow copper project located near Yerington, Nevada.
A feasibility study was completed on Pumpkin Hollow on January 2012 showing a NPV of 8% or US$1.26 billion. The annual average copper production over five years is 274 million pounds.
Nevada Copper summarized the terms of the off-take agreement in a press release:
- US$36 million has been paid to Nevada Copper. This cash amount, combined with the Company’s current treasury, provides approximately US$65 million (excluding marketable securities currently valued at approximately US$17 million) to continue current shaft sinking activities, commence detailed engineering and secure long lead time equipment;
- US$15 million will be advanced on receipt of the key State permits allowing for the commencement of full construction of an underground mining operation. These permits are expected in Q2-2013 (See February 15, 2013 News Release);
- US$10 million will be advanced on passage of the Lyon County Bill and land conveyance to the City of Yerington (See February 15, 2013 News Release). This bill has been introduced on a bi-partisan basis in both the Senate and U.S. House of Representatives. Passage of the bill does not affect the development timeline of the underground mining operation;
- US$139 million (US$149 million should passage of the land bill be delayed) will be advanced on the completion of certain other project milestones, including completion of the 24 foot diameter, 2,200 foot production sized shaft;
- The Loan Facility has a six year term maturing on January 3, 2019, with interest payable at an annual rate of LIBOR plus 6%. The loan and interest are repayable in equal quarterly installments commencing April 2015, and mandatory prepayments equal to 20% of excess cash, as defined in the Loan Facility are required. The Company has the ability in certain circumstances to repay the loan in full without penalty prior to maturity. The loan is secured against all current and future assets of the Company and its subsidiaries. As part of the loan agreement, the Company has paid an origination fee of 3% of the principal amount of the loan; and,
- Under the terms of the Concentrate Off-Take agreement, the Company will sell to Red Kite, for the life of the mine on the Eastern deposits (East & E2 underground mineable deposits and JK34 zone), such percentage of copper concentrates produced from the Eastern deposits on the Pumpkin Hollow project as is equal to the amount advanced by Red Kite to the Company under the loan agreement as a percentage of the US$200 million maximum principal amount of the loan.
- The Concentrate Off-Take agreement does not include any rights to future copper concentrate production from the open-pittable North and South deposits and provides for benchmark-referenced treatment and refining charges, and standard payment factors for contained copper, gold and silver.
Location of Nevada Copper’s Pumpkin Hollow project from InfoMine
