Plateau Energy Metals Inc. (“
Plateau” or the
“
Company”) (TSX-V: PLU | OTCQB: PLUUF) would like
to remind all eligible shareholders and optionholders
(collectively, the “
Securityholders”) of the
Company that the deadline to vote their common shares and stock
options in advance of the special meeting (the “
Special
Meeting”) of Securityholders is 10:00 a.m. (Toronto time)
on April 29, 2021. The Special Meeting will be held in virtual
format on May 3, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. (Toronto time) to approve the
Company’s business combination (the “
Arrangement”)
with American Lithium Corp. (“
American Lithium”)
announced February 9, 2021.
Securityholders are encouraged to review and
consider the information circular in connection with the Special
Meeting. A copy of the information circular and all other meeting
materials is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on
the Plateau website
at https://plateauenergymetals.com/special-meeting/.
The directors and management of Plateau
recommend that eligible Plateau Securityholders VOTE FOR the
Arrangement.
Closing of the Arrangement is anticipated to
occur on or about May 11, 2021, subject to the receipt of
applicable regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of certain
other closing conditions customary in transactions of this nature,
including, without limitation, final approval of the Ontario
Superior Court of Justice and the TSX Venture Exchange.
Additional Background to the
Arrangement
Special Committee
In connection with the Arrangement, the Company
formed a special committee (the “Special
Committee”) of the board of directors (the
“Board”) on January 22, 2021. The Special
Committee was mandated, among other things, to:
- examine and review, from the point of view of the best
interests of the Company, the merits and fairness of any proposed
strategic transactions (the “Proposed
Transactions”) in conjunction with management and
financial and legal advisors;
- to consider, assess, examine and advise the Board regarding any
and all alternatives to the Proposed Transactions which may be
available to the Company to enhance shareholder value including,
without limitation, in the context of a change of control or sale
of the Company’s assets or soliciting competing offers from third
parties;
- to consider and advise the Board as to whether the Proposed
Transactions are in the best interests of the Company and its
shareholders and whether the Proposed Transactions should be
pursued by the Company and, if necessary or appropriate,
recommended to its shareholders;
- to the extent necessary or appropriate, supervise the
negotiation by management of the terms of the Proposed Transactions
and any agreements necessary to give effect thereto;
- to report to the Board on its activities and recommendations
from time to time and to provide such advice as requested by the
Board in respect of any value enhancement initiative which may be
proposed;
- to oversee and assist with:(i) the procedures necessary to
obtain all necessary or appropriate regulatory, shareholder or
other approvals of the Proposed Transactions and comply with
applicable corporate and securities requirements; and(ii) the
preparation of all necessary or appropriate disclosure in respect
of the Proposed Transactions, including such materials as are
necessary in connection with obtaining shareholder approval of the
final terms of any Proposed Transactions, including the
Arrangement; and
- ensure such
process is fair and equitable.
At the request of the Special Committee, Mr.
Alex Holmes (as CEO of the Company at the time) and Dr. Laurence
Stefan negotiated terms of the Arrangement with American Lithium,
on behalf of the Company, and to report back to the Special
Committee on a regular basis. The Special Committee provided
direction and oversaw the negotiations.
Haywood Fairness Opinion
The Special Committee determined that Haywood
Securities Inc. (“Haywood”) would be engaged to
provide a fairness opinion (“Fairness Opinion”)
with respect to the Arrangement.
In preparation of the Fairness Opinion, Haywood
relied upon: due diligence reporting by management of Plateau
without independent verification; public disclosure documents and
technical reports of both parties; audited and unaudited financial
statements of both parties; discussions with management of Plateau
and internal reports, models and documents; sector financial due
diligence including, but not limited to, peer valuations, industry
analysis, analyst research reports, and precedent transaction
analysis; and review of the draft transaction documents with
respect to the Arrangement.
The Fairness Opinion was based upon a selection
of methodologies deemed appropriate in the circumstances by
Haywood, including: premium analysis (including both the share and
warrant consideration) relative to precedent transactions and
Plateau’s historic trading price range; multi-scenario net asset
value analysis; analysis of comparable public companies; analysis
of the public market trading liquidity of each company; review of
strategic alternatives; and an assessment of risk
diversification.
Drawing on the conclusions of its analysis,
Haywood determined in its Fairness Opinion that, as of the date of
the Arrangement, and based upon and subject to the assumptions,
limitations and qualifications stated therein, the consideration to
be received by the shareholders of Plateau under the Arrangement is
fair, from a financial point to view, to such shareholders.
Locked-Up Shareholders
In connection with the Arrangement, each of the
directors and senior officers of the Company, as well as certain
significant shareholders (the “Locked-Up
Shareholders”) representing in aggregate, approximately
17% of Plateau’s outstanding common shares as at the date of
announcement, have entered into voting and support agreements with
American Lithium pursuant to which they have agreed to vote, or
cause to be voted, all of the securities of the Company held or
controlled by them in favour of the Arrangement. The table below
sets out the name of each Locked-Up Shareholder and the number of
securities of the Company beneficially owned or controlled by
each.
Locked-UpShareholder |
Shares |
Options |
Share PurchaseWarrants |
RSUs |
DSUs |
Alex Holmes |
704,620 |
1,281,000 |
267,320 |
301,808 |
- |
Maryse Belanger |
613,712 |
350,000 |
321,118 |
11,710 |
51,139 |
Christian Milau |
1,540,563 |
350,000 |
350,284 |
11,710 |
51,139 |
Alan Ferry |
435,000 |
375,000 |
- |
26,284 |
94,889 |
Philip Gibbs |
198,265 |
486,200 |
13,158 |
68,898 |
- |
Laurence Stefan |
5,880,849 |
1,126,000 |
1,452,972 |
381,026 |
- |
Ted O’Connor |
358,050 |
860,000 |
- |
31,213 |
51,139 |
Wayne Drier |
1,674,290 |
330,000 |
1,025,696 |
11,710 |
51,139 |
Pamela Kinsman |
130,320 |
111,440 |
55,320 |
49,988 |
- |
Thomas Relling |
2,000,000 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Robert Disbrow |
3,800,000 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Additional Information Regarding the
Special Meeting
Securityholder Vote
Each common share and stock option entitled to
be voted at the Special Meeting will entitle the holder to one vote
at the Special Meeting. In order to become effective, the
Arrangement must be approved by at least (i) 66 2/3% of the votes
cast by holders of common shares present in person or represented
by proxy at the Special Meeting; (ii) 66 2/3% of the votes cast by
Securityholders, voting together as a single class, present in
person or represented by proxy at the Special Meeting; and (iii) a
majority of the votes cast by holders of common shares other than
votes attached to common shares required to be excluded pursuant to
Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security
Holders in Special Transactions (“MI 61-101”).
As required by MI 61-101, the Shares held by Mr.
Terrence (Ted) O’Connor, a director of the Company, and the common
shares held by Dr. Laurence Stefan, Interim Chief Executive
Officer, Chief Operating Officer, President and director of the
Company, will be excluded from the shareholder vote required at the
Special Meeting pursuant to MI 61-101.
The securities Mr. O’Connor and Dr. Stefan
beneficially own or have control over are included in the table
above.
About Plateau Energy
Metals
Plateau Energy Metals Inc., a Canadian
exploration and development company, is enabling the new energy
paradigm through exploring and developing its Falchani lithium
project and Macusani uranium project in southeastern Peru, both of
which are situated near significant infrastructure.
For further information, please
contact:Plateau Energy Metals
Inc.
Alan Ferry |
|
|
Chair of the Board |
Facebook: |
www.facebook.com/pluenergy/ |
+1-416-628-9600 |
Twitter:
|
www.twitter.com/pluenergy/ |
IR@PlateauEnergyMetals.com |
Website: |
www.PlateauEnergyMetals.com |
Neither 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.
Forward Looking StatementsThis
news release may contain certain forward-looking information and
forward-looking statements (collectively “forward-looking
statements”) within the meaning of applicable securities
legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical
fact, are forward-looking statements. These include statements
regarding the Special Meeting, the Arrangement, the completion of
the Arrangement, the intent of American Lithium and Plateau (the
“Companies”), or the beliefs or current expectations of the
officers and directors of the Companies post-closing of the
Arrangement. Forward-looking statements in this news release
also include any statements regarding the business plans,
expectations and objectives of the Companies.
Forward-looking statements are frequently
identified by such words as "may", "will", "plan", "expect",
"anticipate", "estimate", "intend", “indicate”, “scheduled”,
“target”, “goal”, “potential”, “subject”, “efforts”, “option” and
similar words, or the negative connotations thereof, referring to
future events and results. Forward-looking statements are based on
the current opinions and expectations of management are not, and
cannot be, a guarantee of future results or events. Although the
Companies believe that the current opinions and expectations
reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable based
on information available at the time, undue reliance should not be
placed on forward-looking statements since the Companies can
provide no assurance that such opinions and expectations will prove
to be correct.
All forward-looking statements are inherently
uncertain and subject to a variety of assumptions, risks and
uncertainties, including risks, uncertainties and assumptions
related to: the Companies' ability to complete the Arrangement; the
Companies' ability to secure the necessary security holder and
regulatory approvals required to complete the Arrangement; risks
related to the satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions to the
closing of the Arrangement; the Companies' ability to achieve their
stated goals as a result of the Arrangement; the estimated costs
associated with the advancement of the Projects; risks and
uncertainties relating to the COVID-19 pandemic and the extent and
manner to which measures taken by governments and their agencies,
the Companies or others to attempt to reduce the spread of COVID-19
could affect the Companies, which could have a material adverse
impact on many aspects of the Companies’ businesses including but
not limited to: the ability to access mineral properties for
indeterminate amounts of time, the health of the employees or
consultants resulting in delays or diminished capacity, social or
political instability in Peru which in turn could impact Plateau’s
ability to maintain the continuity of its business operating
requirements, may result in the reduced availability or failures of
various local administration and critical infrastructure, reduced
demand for the Companies’ potential products, availability of
materials, global travel restrictions, and the availability of
insurance and the associated costs; risks related to the certainty
of title to the properties of the Companies, including the status
of the “Precautionary Measures” filed by Plateau’s subsidiary
Macusani Yellowcake S.A.C. (“Macusani”), the outcome of the
administrative process, the judicial process, and any and all
future remedies pursued by Plateau and its subsidiary Macusani to
resolve the title for 32 of its concessions; the ongoing ability to
work cooperatively with stakeholders, including but not limited to
local communities and all levels of government; the potential for
delays in exploration or development activities due to the COVID-19
pandemic; the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade
and continuity of mineral deposits; the possibility that any future
exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent
with our expectations; mining and development risks, including
risks related to accidents, equipment breakdowns, labour disputes
(including work stoppages, strikes and loss of personnel) or other
unanticipated difficulties with or interruptions in exploration and
development; risks related to commodity price and foreign exchange
rate fluctuations; risks related to foreign operations; the
cyclical nature of the industry in which the Companies operate;
risks related to failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely
basis and on acceptable terms or delays in obtaining governmental
approvals; risks related to environmental regulation and liability;
political and regulatory risks associated with mining and
exploration; risks related to the uncertain global economic
environment and the effects upon the global market generally, and
due to the COVID-19 pandemic measures taken to reduce the spread of
COVID-19, any of which could continue to negatively affect global
financial markets, including the trading price of the Companies’
shares and could negatively affect the Companies’ ability to raise
capital and may also result in additional and unknown risks or
liabilities to the Companies. Other risks and uncertainties related
to prospects, properties and business strategy of Plateau and
American Lithium are identified, respectively, in the “Risks and
Uncertainties” section of Plateau’s Management’s Discussion and
Analysis filed on January 19, 2021, in the “Risk Factors” section
of American Lithium’s Management’s Discussion and Analysis filed on
January 29, 2021, and in recent securities filings available at
www.sedar.com. Actual events or results may differ materially from
those projected in the forward-looking statements. Neither of the
Companies undertakes any obligation to update forward-looking
statements except as required by applicable securities laws.
Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking
statements.
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