Pure Gold Mining Inc. (TSX-V:PGM, LSE:PUR) (“PureGold” or the
“Company”), today announced the finalization of several agreements
(“Agreements”) with its lending partner, a fund managed by Sprott
Resource Lending Corp. (“Sprott”), including a new debt repayment
schedule to enhance the Company’s liquidity and provide financial
flexibility.
PureGold also announced that its Operational
Turnaround Plan is progressing, its Updated Life of Mine plan
remains on track, and that the Company is launching a strategic
review process with the objective of maximizing shareholder value
and the value of its PureGold mine in Ontario. Meanwhile, in order
to better forecast the mine’s near-term production, the Company is
postponing until August a 2022 guidance update that had previously
been scheduled for June 2022.
Mark O’Dea, President & CEO of PureGold,
stated, “We have initiated a strategic review process to explore
potential alternatives for maximizing shareholder value and
generating the financial strength to allow the PureGold Mine to
achieve its potential. We remain focused on achieving positive
site-level cash flow by Q3 2022, and delivering an updated NI
43-101 Technical Report and Life of Mine plan by Q4 2022. If we can
maximize the value of the mine, we can also maximize value for our
stakeholders, including but not limited to our shareholders,
employees, and the local communities surrounding Red Lake.”
Amendments to the Credit Agreement and
Additional Credit Facility
The Company together with Sprott have agreed to
a second amendment of the restated credit agreement dated April
2021 (“Second ARCA”). Pursuant to the Second ARCA, and as
previously announced, Sprott has provided the Company with an
additional secured, first-priority, non-revolving credit facility
(“Additional Credit Facility”) up to a maximum principal amount of
US$6 million. Drawdowns on the Additional Credit Facility are
permitted for payments owing to Sprott including interest, gold
stream and production payment agreement (“PPA”) payments. The first
such drawdown is expected to be made in respect of amounts owing to
Sprott as of June 30, 2022. The Additional Credit Facility matures
on December 31, 2022 and accrues interest at a rate of 14% per
annum.
In addition, the Company has agreed with Sprott
to defer the first four scheduled principal repayments, each 2.5%
of the total principal amount, originally scheduled for the last
day of September 2022, December 2022, March 2023, and June 2023,
respectively, to the bullet payment in August 2026. The bullet
payment will increase from 35% of the total principal amount to 45%
as a result. This creates approximately C$12 million of additional
liquidity for PureGold within the next 15 months that would have
otherwise been allocated to debt repayments.
The Company has further agreed with Sprott on
temporary reductions to the minimum cash and minimum working
capital ratio covenants to US$5 million (approximately C$6.5
million at the current exchange rate) and 0.75x, respectively, for
the months ending June 30 and July 31, 2022. As of June 30, 2022,
the Company had C$13 million in cash, C$21 million in available
liquidity including the full Additional Credit Facility, and a net
working capital ratio of approximately 0.85x. The Company cautions
that it might not be able to comply with its covenants in the
future without further amendments from Sprott.
Other amended terms pursuant to the Second ARCA
and related agreements include removal of requirement to pass the
completion test, removal of the post-completion test interest
step-down, and an increase in the PPA amount from US$12 per ounce
to US$14 per ounce. The consideration for these amendments is a
payment of US$0.5 million which will be added to the outstanding
principal amount with no upfront cash outlay.
Strategic Review Process
The strategic review process, which was
initiated with the assistance of advisors, might include a
potential sale or merger of the Company, sale of some or all of the
PureGold Mine, or various other potential long-term financing
alternatives.
The Company has not made any decisions related
to strategic alternatives at this time, and there can be no
assurance that the evaluation of strategic alternatives will result
in any transaction or change in strategy. Any breach of the
Agreements with Sprott including an unsuccessful strategic review
process could result in an event of default under the Credit
Agreement. The Company does not intend to comment further unless
and until the Board of Directors of the Company has approved a
specific course of action or the Company has determined further
disclosure is appropriate or necessary.
Grant of RSUs
The Board of Directors of the Company has
approved the grant of an aggregate of 400,000 Restricted Share
Units (“RSUs”) to an executive pursuant to its RSU Plans. The RSUs
are payable in common shares of the Company on exercise, vest
immediately and must be redeemed within 30 days of July 12, 2025,
or they expire.
Qualified Persons and 43-101
Disclosure
Terrence Smith, P.Eng., Chief Operating Officer
for the Company, is the designated Qualified Person for this news
release within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 (“NI
43-101”) and has reviewed and verified that the technical
information contained herein is accurate and approves of the
written disclosure of same.
About Pure Gold Mining Inc.
PureGold is a Canadian gold mining company,
located in the heart of Red Lake, Ontario, Canada. The Company owns
and operates the PureGold Mine, which entered commercial production
in 2021 after the successful construction of an 800 tpd underground
mine and processing facilities. Gold reserves and resources are
centered on a forty-seven square kilometre property with
significant discovery potential.1
Additional information about the Company and its
activities may be found on the Company’s website
at www.puregoldmining.ca and under the Company’s profile
at www.sedar.com
-
For further information, see the technical report titled “Madsen
Gold Project Technical Report Feasibility Study for the Madsen
Deposit, Red Lake, Ontario, Canada” with an effective date of
February 5, 2019, and dated July 5, 2019 (the “Feasibility Study”),
for further information please see puregoldmining.ca or under
the Company’s Sedar profile at www.sedar.com
ON BEHALF OF THE
BOARD "Mark
O’Dea" Mark
O’Dea, President & CEOInvestor
inquiries: Adrian O’Brien, Director, IR &
CommunicationsTel: 604-809-6890aobrien@puregoldmining.ca
Neither 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.
All statements in this press release, other than
statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information"
with respect to PureGold within the meaning of applicable
securities laws, including, but not limited to statements including
statements with respect to future compliance with the Credit
Facility and the Additional Credit Facility; expectation to be able
to meet all financial commitments and to fund operations with
available cash and liquidity on hand; the results of the Strategic
Review Process; potential for extending the mine life of the
PureGold Mine; and potential for additional resources and expansion
of known deposits and potential for making new discoveries and the
focus of the Company in the coming months. Forward-looking
information is often, but not always, identified by the use of
words such as "seek", "anticipate", "plan", "progress", "confirms",
"continue", "planned", "expect", "expectations", "expand",
"enhanced", "increasing", "optimize", "project", "predict",
"potential", "supports", "targeting", "intends", "believe",
"improved", and similar expressions, or describes a "goal", or
variation, of such words and phrases or state that certain actions,
events or results "may", "should", "confirms", "could", "would",
"might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking
information is not a guarantee of future performance and is based
upon a number of estimates and assumptions of management at the
date the statements are made including, among others, assumptions
about future prices of gold and other metal prices, currency
exchange rates and interest rates, favourable operating conditions,
political stability, obtaining governmental approvals and financing
on time, obtaining renewals for existing licences and permits and
obtaining required licences and permits, labour stability,
stability in market conditions, availability of equipment, accuracy
of any mineral resources, successful resolution of disputes and
anticipated costs and expenditures. Many assumptions are based on
factors and events that are not within the control of PureGold and
there is no assurance they will prove to be correct.
Such forward-looking information, involves known
and unknown risks, which may cause the actual results to be
materially different from any future results expressed or implied
by such forward-looking information, including, risks related to
liquidity and the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern;
mine closure and rehabilitation; failure to achieve estimates or
material increases in costs; history of net losses and negative
operating cash flow, indebtedness; interpretation of results at the
PureGold Mine complex, including reserve and resource estimates may
prove to be incorrect; changes in project parameters as plans
continue to be refined; current economic conditions; future prices
of commodities; possible variations in grade or recovery rates; the
costs and timing of the development of new deposits; failure of
equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; the failure of
contracted parties to perform; the timing and success of
exploration and development activities generally; delays in
permitting; possible claims against the Company; the timing of
future economic studies; labour disputes and other risks of the
mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals,
financing or in the completion of exploration as well as those
factors discussed in the Annual Information Form of the Company
dated March 30, 2022 in the section entitled "Risk Factors", under
PureGold’s SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.
Although PureGold has attempted to identify
important factors that could cause actual actions, events or
results to differ materially from those described in
forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause
actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or
intended. There can be no assurance that such information will
prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could
differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.
PureGold disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise
any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise unless required by law.
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