Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd (“
Osisko”) (OR: TSX
& NYSE) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a
binding agreement to acquire a 1.0% copper net smelter return
(“
NSR”) royalty and a 3.0% gold NSR royalty (the
“
Royalties”) from Hot Chili Limited (“
Hot
Chili”) covering Hot Chili’s Costa Fuego Copper-Gold
Project (“
Costa Fuego” or the
“
Project”) in Chile, for total cash consideration
of US$15.0 million.
Sandeep Singh, President and CEO of Osisko
commented: “Costa Fuego has the potential to be a long-life,
lower-cost copper mine in Chile, with significant by-product
credits, importantly situated at low elevation and in close
proximity to key infrastructure. We are impressed with what the Hot
Chili team has been able to accomplish to date, most notably on the
exploration and permitting fronts, and we look forward to future
development milestones at Costa Fuego.”
COSTA FUEGO HIGHLIGHTS
-
One of the world’s largest undeveloped copper projects not
currently controlled by a major mining company;
-
A March 2022 NI 43-101 updated global Mineral Resource Estimate
(“MRE”), including both the open pit and
underground portions of the Cortadera and Productora deposits,
contains an Indicated Resource of 725 million tonnes
(“Mt”) grading 0.47% Copper Equivalent
(“CuEq”), grading 0.38% Copper
(“Cu”), 0.11 g/t gold (“Au”),
0.45 g/t silver and 93 ppm Molybdenum;
-
The MRE also includes an Inferred Resource of 202Mt grading 0.30%
Cu and 0.06g/t Au;
-
Hot Chili’s June 28, 2023 Preliminary Economic Assessment
(“PEA”) projects a 16-year life-of-mine with an
annual average production rate of 95kt Cu and 49koz Au in the first
14 years;
- The PEA projects one of the lowest
capital intensity copper development projects globally;
-
Costa Fuego is situated at low altitude and is in close proximity
to all key infrastructure requirements;
- Secured a water permit and power
connection to the grid, and the Project’s Environmental Impact
Assessment is significantly advanced; and
-
An updated MRE for the Project is scheduled for late 2023 and will
serve as the basis for Pre-Feasibility Study
(“PFS”), scheduled for completion in 2024.
ADDITIONAL TRANSACTION
CONSIDERATIONS
-
Osisko has granted Hot Chili an option to buy down a portion of the
royalty, which can only occur upon change of control and
exercisable until the fourth anniversary of the transaction close.
The buydown option can reduce the copper and gold royalties by 0.5%
respectively (resulting in 0.5% Cu royalty and 2.5% Au royalty), in
exchange for payment in an amount equal to 130%, 140%, or 150% of
the up-front price paid by Osisko if exercised before the 2nd, 3rd
or 4th anniversary of the transaction close;
-
Hot Chili has granted Osisko a corporate right of first offer on
all future potential royalty and streaming opportunities, as well
as certain other rights on proposed future royalty financings;
and
-
Osisko will be granted the Royalties on Hot Chili’s effective
ownership of the properties (see below). Should Hot Chili’s
ownership of these properties increase, the royalty will thereafter
apply to the increased ownership level.
THE COSTA FUEGO PROJECT
The Costa Fuego Project contains three deposits
with current Mineral Resources (Productora, Cortadera and San
Antonio), and is located in the Atacama region of Chile in the low
altitude coastal range belt (~800m elevation). The Project is
surrounded by existing infrastructure with the Project centre at
Productora located 15 minutes by road from the city of Vallenar on
the Pan-American Highway. Costa Fuego will leverage existing
surface rights (already secured) for proposed central processing
facilities at Productora. In addition, the Project will take
advantage of existing infrastructure access in the form of
already-obtained powerline and seawater pipeline corridor
easements; of note is that a maritime concession has been recently
granted to Hot Chili for the Project, referring to coastal land
access as well as the right to extract sea water for processing
purposes as metallurgical test work has indicated that no
de-salinization will be required. A key port facility and power
sub-station are located 55 km and 20 km away, respectively, with
Hot Chili having already secured an electrical connection to the
national power grid. An aerodrome is located approximately 14km
from Productora. Finally, of note is that Glencore has an offtake
agreement for 60% of the mine’s production over the first 8
years.
A PFS for Cost Fuego is anticipated for 2024
following the completion of a 30,000 metre drilling campaign which
is planned to commence in 2023. At present, 82% of Costa Fuego’s
global MRE is classified as Indicated, providing an already-strong
platform for Hot Chili as it prepares the PFS.
Productora is held in a joint venture, presently
80% owned by Hot Chili and Cortadera is 100% owned by Hot Chili.
Hot Chili executed an option agreement with a private party to earn
a 90% interest in the San Antonio copper-gold project over a
four-year period.
Qualified Person
The scientific and technical content of this
news release has been reviewed and approved by Guy Desharnais,
Ph.D., P.Geo., Vice President, Project Evaluation at Osisko Gold
Royalties Ltd, who is a “qualified person” as defined by National
Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects
(“NI 43-101”).
About Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd.
Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd is an intermediate
precious metal royalty company which holds a North American focused
portfolio of over 180 royalties, streams and precious metal
offtakes. Osisko’s portfolio is anchored by its cornerstone asset,
a 5% net smelter return royalty on the Canadian Malartic mine, one
of Canada’s largest gold mines.
Osisko’s head office is located at 1100 Avenue
des Canadiens-de-Montréal, Suite 300, Montréal, Québec,
H3B 2S2.
For further information, please contact
Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd:
Grant MoentingVice President,
Capital Markets Tel: (514) 940-0670 #116Email:
gmoenting@osiskogr.com |
Heather TaylorVice President,
Sustainability & Communications Tel: (514) 940-0670 #105Email:
htaylor@osiskogr.com |
CAUTIONARY
NOTE REGARDING
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements contained in this press
release may be deemed "forward-looking statements" within the
meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995 and “forward-looking information” within the meaning of
applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking
statements are statements other than statements of historical fact,
that address, without limitation, future events, that development
of the Project will continue in a timely manner, including the
timely delivery of a PFS, that the asset will prove to be a
long-life and low-cost copper mine, that mineral resources will
eventually convert into mineral reserves, that forecasted
production estimates will be achieved, that conditions will be met
to allow Hot Chili to exercise its buydown option and its option in
respect of the San Antonio property, that opportunities will arise
to allow Osisko to exercise its right of first offer as well as
certain other royalty financing rights, production estimates of
Osisko’s assets (including increase of production), timely
developments of mining properties over which Osisko has royalties,
streams, offtakes and investments, management’s expectations
regarding Osisko’s growth, results of operations, estimated future
revenues, production costs, carrying value of assets, ability to
continue to pay dividend, requirements for additional capital,
business prospects and opportunities future demand for and
fluctuation of prices of commodities (including outlook on gold,
silver, diamonds, other commodities) currency, markets and general
market conditions. In addition, statements and estimates (including
data in tables) relating to mineral reserves and resources and gold
equivalent ounces are forward-looking statements, as they involve
implied assessment, based on certain estimates and assumptions, and
no assurance can be given that the estimates will be realized.
Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical
facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words
"expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends",
"estimates", "projects", "potential", "scheduled" and similar
expressions or variations (including negative variations), or that
events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should"
occur. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown
risks, uncertainties and other factors, most of which are beyond
the control of Osisko, and actual results may accordingly differ
materially from those in forward-looking statements. Such risk
factors include, without limitation, (i) with respect to properties
in which Osisko holds a royalty, stream or other interest; risks
related to: (a) the operators of the properties, (b) timely
development, permitting, construction, commencement of production,
ramp-up (including operating and technical challenges), (c)
differences in rate and timing of production from resource
estimates or production forecasts by operators, (d) differences in
conversion rate from resources to reserves and ability to replace
resources, (e) the unfavorable outcome of any challenges or
litigation relating title, permit or license, (f) hazards and
uncertainty associated with the business of exploring, development
and mining including, but not limited to unusual or unexpected
geological and metallurgical conditions, slope failures or
cave-ins, flooding and other natural disasters or civil unrest or
other uninsured risks, (ii) with respect to other external factors:
(a) fluctuations in the prices of the commodities that drive
royalties, streams, offtakes and investments held by Osisko, (b)
fluctuations in the value of the Canadian dollar relative to the
U.S. dollar, (c) regulatory changes by national and local
governments, including permitting and licensing regimes and
taxation policies, regulations and political or economic
developments in any of the countries where properties in which
Osisko holds a royalty, stream or other interest are located or
through which they are held, (d) continued availability of capital
and financing and general economic, market or business conditions,
and (e) responses of relevant governments to infectious diseases
outbreaks and the effectiveness of such response and the potential
impact of such outbreaks on Osisko’s business, operations and
financial condition, (f) that that conditions will be met to allow
Osisko to exercise its right of first offer as well as certain
other royalty financing rights; (iii) with respect to internal
factors: (a) business opportunities that may or not become
available to, or are pursued by Osisko, (b) the integration of
acquired assets or (c) the determination of Osisko’s PFIC status.
The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are
based upon assumptions management believes to be reasonable,
including, without limitation: that Hot Chili will maintain its
development schedule in a manner consistent with past practice
achieve exploration success; the accuracy of public statements and
disclosures made by Hot Chili; no adverse development in respect of
the Project; and the absence of any other factors that could cause
actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated,
estimated or intended and the absence of significant change in
Osisko’s ongoing income and assets relating to determination of its
PFIC status; the absence of any other factors that could cause
actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated,
estimated or intended and, with respect to properties in which
Osisko holds a royalty, stream or other interest, (i) the ongoing
operation of the properties by the owners or operators of such
properties in a manner consistent with past practice and with
public disclosure (including forecast of production), (ii) the
accuracy of public statements and disclosures made by the owners or
operators of such underlying properties (including expectations for
the development of underlying properties that are not yet in
production), (iii) no adverse development in respect of any
significant property, (iv) that statements and estimates relating
to mineral reserves and resources by owners and operators are
accurate and (v) the implementation of an adequate plan for
integration of acquired assets.
For additional information on risks,
uncertainties and assumptions, please refer to the most recent
Annual Information Form of Osisko filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com
and EDGAR at www.sec.gov which also provides additional general
assumptions in connection with these statements. Osisko cautions
that the foregoing list of risk and uncertainties is not
exhaustive. Investors and others should carefully consider the
above factors as well as the uncertainties they represent and the
risk they entail. Osisko believes that the assumptions reflected in
those forward-looking statements are reasonable, but no assurance
can be given that these expectations will prove to be accurate as
actual results and prospective events could materially differ from
those anticipated such the forward looking statements and such
forward-looking statements included in this press release are not
guarantee of future performance and should not be unduly relied
upon. In this press release, Osisko relies on information
publicly disclosed by Hot Chili pertaining to its Project and the
development thereof and, therefore, assumes no liability for such
third party public disclosure. These statements speak only
as of the date of this press release. Osisko undertakes no
obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events
or otherwise, other than as required by applicable law.
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