NYSE AMERICAN: MTA
TSXV: MTA
VANCOUVER, BC, July 27, 2020 /CNW/ - Metalla Royalty &
Streaming Ltd. ("Metalla" or the "Company") (NYSE
American: MTA) (TSXV: MTA) is pleased to announce it has entered
into a purchase and sale agreement with NuEnergy Gas Limited
("NuEnergy")(ASX:NGY) to acquire an existing 2.5% net
smelter return royalty interest (the "Royalty") on the
northern and southern portions of Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd.'s
("Kirkland Lake") (NYSE:
KL) operating Fosterville mine
("Fosterville") for a total
consideration of AUD$6 million, consisting of AUD$4 million in
common shares of Metalla ("Metalla Shares") and AUD$2
million in cash.
Brett Heath, President &
CEO of Metalla commented, "This transaction marks our
50th royalty asset in less than four years and we are
pleased to add a royalty on an iconic mine for the gold sector and
major counterparty in Kirkland
Lake into our growing portfolio. Kirkland Lake has made an incredible discovery
on the Fosterville Mine in the last few years, and we are excited
to have exposure to the southern and northern extensions of the
high-grade deposits which include the Swan zone, Harrier, and
Robbin's Hill. This transaction provides shareholders with exposure
to one of the highest-margin gold mines on the planet, and with
nine rigs currently drilling at Fosterville we see strong potential for
further high-grade discoveries (1,2)."
Mr. Heath continued, "We are excited to partner with
NuEnergy using our third-party model and welcome them
as a new shareholder of Metalla. The transaction provides NuEnergy
with a more efficient way to maximize long-term value through
holding the royalty through our equity, provides for immediate and
long-term liquidity, exposure to the diversified growing portfolio,
and more attractive public market premiums."
TRANSACTION STRUCTURE
Metalla has agreed to acquire a 2.5% Royalty from NuEnergy for a
total purchase price of AUD$6 million. Metalla will satisfy the
consideration for the Royalty by paying AUD$2 million in cash and
issuing 467,730 Metalla Shares representing AUD$4 million in value
based on the ten (10) trading day volume weighted average
price of the Metalla Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange (the
"TSXV") prior to this announcement. The transaction is
subject to other customary closing conditions, including obtaining
the requisite TSX Venture Exchange and NYSE American approvals,
Foreign Investment Review Board ("FIRB") approval from the
Government of Australia and is
expected to close in October
2020.
FOSTERVILLE
MINE(1)(2)
Fosterville is a high-grade,
low cost underground gold mine in Victoria, Australia which has been in
production since 2005. In 2019, Fosterville produced 619koz gold at a grade of
39.6 g/t and a cash cost of US$119/oz
and AISC of US$291/Oz. Kirkland Lake recently reissued its guidance
for 2020 at Fosterville where it
anticipates producing 590 – 610koz of gold at an operating cost of
US$130-US$150/Oz of gold(2). In 2015,
drilling at depth on the Phoenix
decline led to the discovery of the high-grade Eagle/Swan Zone,
containing mineralization which resulted in a large increase in
reserve grade for the mine and production. Similar zones at depth
have been documented at the Harrier Zone which continues to extend
south toward Metalla's royalty claims. A ramp up in mining in the
Harrier zone is anticipated to begin once development and
ventilation upgrades are completed. Kirkland Lake has stated they are undergoing
US$70 – US$80
million dollars of exploration and development drilling at
Fosterville with a focus on the
highly prospective Harrier south area where they have disclosed
they have intersected quartz veins with visible gold similar in
texture to those found in the Swan Zone.(2)
ROYALTY MAP (7)
The Royalty covers the southeastern and northeastern sections of
the Fosterville mining lease and a
large area east and south of the mining lease. Mineralization at
the Harrier and Phoenix/Swan Zone
are on strike with the royalty grounds in the south. We expect the
Harrier mineralization to continue onto the royalty area after
further resource conversion drilling is completed. The Royalty
claims currently do not cover any publicly disclosed and NI 43-101
compliant reserves or resources. The Russell's Reef and Hallanan's
prospects are within the southern royalty grounds. In the north,
Robbin's Hill is on strike with the royalty grounds as well with
the Goornong South prospect further north.
FOSTERVILLE RESERVES
(1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)
Reserves
|
|
Tonnes
|
Gold
|
|
(000's)
|
(g/t)
|
(Koz)
|
Phoenix Proven
Reserves
|
168
|
17.4
|
94
|
Phoenix Probable
Reserves
|
2,120
|
37.1
|
2,530
|
Phoenix Proven
& Probable Reserves
|
2,290
|
35.6
|
2,630
|
|
|
|
|
Harrier Proven
Reserves
|
8
|
4.7
|
1
|
Harrier Probable
Reserves
|
350
|
6.9
|
77
|
Harrier Proven
& Probable Reserves
|
358
|
6.8
|
79
|
QUALIFIED PERSON
The technical information contained in this news release has
been reviewed and approved by Charles
Beaudry, geologist M.Sc., member of the Association of
Professional Geoscientists of Ontario and the Ordre des Géologues du Québec
and a consultant to Metalla. Mr. Beaudry is a Qualified Person as
defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of disclosure for
mineral projects.
ABOUT METALLA
Metalla was created for the purpose of providing shareholders
with leveraged precious metal exposure by acquiring royalties and
streams. Our goal is to increase share value by accumulating a
diversified portfolio of royalties and streams with attractive
returns. Our strong foundation of current and future
cash-generating asset base, combined with an experienced team,
gives Metalla a path to become one of the leading gold and silver
companies for the next commodities cycle.
For further information, please visit our website at
www.metallaroyalty.com.
ON BEHALF OF METALLA ROYALTY & STREAMING LTD.
signed "Brett Heath"
Neither the TSXV nor it's Regulation Services Provider (as
that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accept
responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this
release.
Notes:
|
|
(1)
|
For details on the
estimation of mineral resources and reserves, including the key
assumptions, parameters and methods used to estimate the Mineral
Resources and Mineral Reserves, Canadian investors should refer to
the NI 43-101 Technical Reports for Fosterville and on file at
www.sedar.com and the Kirkland Lake Annual Information Form
December 31, 2019.
|
(2)
|
See Kirkland Lake
news release filed on December 3,2019 and Kirkland Lake news
release filed on June 30, 2020.
|
(3)
|
Numbers may not add
due to rounding.
|
(4)
|
Mineral resources
which are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic
viability.
|
(5)
|
Mineral resource are
exclusive of mineral reserves.
|
(6)
|
See technical report
titled "Updated NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Fosterville Gold
Mine" dated April 1, 2019.
|
(7)
|
Royalty claims
outside the Fosterville mining lease in the map cover historical
claims currently subject to a tender process in the state of
Victoria, Australia and are not guaranteed to be covered
|
TECHNICAL AND THIRD-PARTY INFORMATION
Except where otherwise stated, the disclosure in this press
release relating to Fosterville is
based on information publicly disclosed by the owners or operators
of this property and information/data available in the public
domain as at the date hereof and none of this information has been
independently verified by Metalla. Specifically, as a royalty
holder, Metalla has limited, if any, access to the property subject
to the Royalty. Although Metalla does not have any knowledge that
such information may not be accurate, there can be no assurance
that such third party information is complete or accurate. Some
information publicly reported by the operator may relate to a
larger property than the area covered by Metalla's Royalty
interest. Metalla's royalty interests often cover less than 100%
and sometimes only a portion of the publicly reported mineral
reserves, mineral resources and production of a property.
The disclosure was prepared in accordance with Canadian
National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101"), which differs
significantly from the current requirements of the U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") set out in Industry Guide 7.
Accordingly, such disclosure may not be comparable to similar
information made public by companies that report in accordance with
Industry Guide 7. In particular, this news release may refer to
"mineral resources", "measured mineral resources", "indicated
mineral resources" or "inferred mineral resources". While these
categories of mineralization are recognized and required by
Canadian securities laws, they are not recognized by Industry Guide
7 and are not normally permitted to be disclosed in SEC filings by
U.S. companies that are subject to Industry Guide 7. U.S. investors
are cautioned not to assume that any part of a "mineral resource",
"measured mineral resource", "indicated mineral resource", or
"inferred mineral resource" will ever be converted into a
"reserve." In addition, "reserves" reported by the Company under
Canadian standards may not qualify as reserves under Industry Guide
7. Under Industry Guide 7, mineralization may not be classified as
a "reserve" unless the mineralization can be economically and
legally extracted or produced at the time the "reserve"
determination is made. Accordingly, information contained or
referenced in this news release containing descriptions of mineral
deposits may not be comparable to similar information made public
by U.S. companies subject to the reporting and disclosure
requirements of Industry Guide 7.
"Inferred mineral resources" have a great amount of
uncertainty as to their existence and great uncertainty as to their
economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or
any part of an inferred mineral resource will ever be upgraded to a
higher category. Further, while NI 43-101 permits companies to
disclose economic projections contained in preliminary economic
assessments and pre-feasibility studies, which are not based on
"reserves", U.S. companies have not generally been permitted under
Industry Guide 7 to disclose economic projections for a mineral
property in their SEC filings prior to the establishment of
"reserves". Disclosure of "contained ounces" in a resource is
permitted disclosure under Canadian reporting standards; however,
Industry Guide 7 normally only permits issuers to report
mineralization that does not constitute "reserves" by Industry
Guide 7 standards as in-place tonnage and grade without reference
to unit measures. Historical results or feasibility models
presented herein are not guarantees or expectations of future
performance.
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be
identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is
expected", "budgets", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts",
"predicts", "projects", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates"
or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such
words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect
that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or
"will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements
and information include, but are not limited to, statements with
respect to the closing of the proposed transactions, stock exchange
acceptance, FIRB approval, , continuance of commercial production
at Fosterville, future
development, production, recoveries, cash flow, the profitability
margins achieved at Fosterville,
other anticipated or possible future developments at Fosterville and the properties on which the
Company currently holds royalty and stream interests or relating to
the companies owning or operating such properties; and current and
potential future estimates of mineral reserves and resources, and
the future value of the Company's stock on the stock exchanges.
Forward-looking statements and information are based on forecasts
of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and
assumptions that, while believed by management to be reasonable,
are inherently subject to significant business, economic and
competitive uncertainties, and contingencies. Forward-looking
statements and information are subject to various known and unknown
risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the ability of
Metalla to control or predict, that may cause Metalla's actual
results, performance or achievements to be materially different
from those expressed or implied thereby, and are developed based on
assumptions about such risks, uncertainties and other factors set
out herein, including but not limited to: the risk that the parties
may be unable to satisfy the closing conditions for the
contemplated transactions or that the transactions may not be
completed; risks associated with the impact of general business and
economic conditions; the absence of control over mining operations
from which Metalla will purchase precious metals or from which it
will receive stream or royalty payments and risks related to those
mining operations, including risks related to international
operations, government and environmental regulation, delays in mine
construction and operations, actual results of mining and current
exploration activities, conclusions of economic evaluations and
changes in project parameters as plans are refined; problems
related to the ability to market precious metals or other metals;
industry conditions, including commodity price fluctuations,
interest and exchange rate fluctuations; interpretation by
government entities of tax laws or the implementation of new tax
laws; regulatory, political or economic developments in any of the
countries where properties in which Metalla holds a royalty, stream
or other interest are located or through which they are held; risks
related to the operators of the properties in which Metalla holds a
royalty or stream or other interest, including changes in the
ownership and control of such operators; risks related to global
pandemics, including the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) global health
pandemic, and the spread of other viruses or pathogens; influence
of macroeconomic developments; business opportunities that become
available to, or are pursued by Metalla; reduced access to debt and
equity capital; litigation; title, permit or license disputes
related to interests on any of the properties in which Metalla
holds a royalty, stream or other interest; the volatility of the
stock market; competition; future sales or issuances of debt or
equity securities; use of proceeds; dividend policy and future
payment of dividends; liquidity; market for securities; enforcement
of civil judgments; and risks relating to Metalla potentially being
a passive foreign investment company within the meaning of U.S.
federal tax laws; and the other risks and uncertainties disclosed
under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's most recent
annual information form, annual report on Form 40-F and other
documents filed with or submitted to the Canadian securities
regulatory authorities on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com and
the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on the EDGAR website at
www.sec.gov. Metalla undertakes no obligation to update
forward-looking information except as required by applicable law.
Such forward-looking information represents management's best
judgment based on information currently available. No
forward-looking statement can be guaranteed, and actual future
results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers are advised not
to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or
information.
SOURCE Metalla Royalty and Streaming Ltd.