Baja Issues Corporate Update and Provides Boleo Start-up Schedule Update
June 23 2014 - 8:58AM
Marketwired
Baja Issues Corporate Update and Provides Boleo Start-up Schedule
Update
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Jun 23, 2014) - Baja
Mining Corp. ("Baja" or the "Company")
(TSX-VENTURE:BAJ)(OTCQB:BAJFF) is pleased to announce that further
to its news release of May 13, 2014, Minera y Metalúrgica del
Boleo, S.A. P.I. de C.V. ("MMB") and Korea Resources Corporation
("KORES") have provided it with documentation confirming the
termination of the 2010 Project Financing senior facilities,
including the termination and/or release of all related Baja
guarantees (US$160.6 million as at March 31, 2013, plus any overall
completion guarantee), security interests and pledges. Accordingly,
Baja is no longer liable as a guarantor of any amounts borrowed by
MMB, nor is it liable in respect of any overall economic completion
guarantee related to project finance for the Boleo Project. Baja
remains a 10% shareholder of MMB and if the total costs to complete
the Boleo Project exceed US$1,751 million and further equity
funding is required, Baja must participate on a pro rata basis or
Baja's current 10% interest in MMB will be further diluted.
Tom Ogryzlo, Interim CEO of the Company, commented "This
represents another significant milestone in the restructuring of
aspects of the Company's operations and the reset of relationships
with various Boleo Project stakeholders. The Company's management
team and board members have worked diligently to achieve the best
possible outcomes for Baja shareholders in the challenging
circumstances the Company has faced over the last two years. I
thank all shareholders for their continued support and
understanding as the Company continues to address remaining issues
relating to the cost overruns and change of control of the Boleo
Project."
Mr. Ogryzlo added, "I remain hopeful that with the termination
of the guarantees, as well as many other restructuring achievements
of the last several months, some fundamental value of Baja's
remaining participation in the Boleo Project may be protected for
Baja shareholders."
Since the beginning of the year, Baja has achieved the
following:
- successfully settled the Louis Dreyfus actions (see Baja news
release, January 24, 2014), substantially reducing the Company's
ongoing legal expenses;
- agreed to convert, the Company's shareholder loans in MMB for
equity in exchange for a reduction in the rate of interest on the
MMB-KORES debt facility to 4% (see Baja news release, April 2,
2014), which helped pave the way for the successful MMB bond
issuance and early refinancing of the then remaining 2010 Project
Financing facilities and KDB subordinated debt (see Baja news
release, May 13, 2014);
- reached agreement in principle with KORES on key matters having
significant potential implications for the Company and its
shareholders (see News Release, April 2, 2014), including:
- the determination of an MMB dividend policy to ensure that
available funds are distributed to shareholders at the earliest
possible time, after having satisfied prior debt service and
principal repayment obligations;
- the restructuring of terms relating to the manganese production
decision and manganese refundable deposit liability to avert a
near-term insolvency risk by eliminating US$10,000,000 from the
Company's current liabilities; and
- establishing a framework for further dilution of the Company's
ownership in MMB relating to future cash calls associated with the
Boleo Project;
- voluntarily delisted its common shares from trading on the TSX
and applied for and obtained a Tier 2 Listing on the TSX Venture
Exchange, and filed a Form 15 with the United States Securities and
Exchange Commission to terminate the registration of its common
shares under Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act and suspending its
reporting obligations under Section 15(d), significantly reducing
the Company's listing and compliance costs while maintaining a
market for the Company's common shares;
- worked closely with its legal counsel to defend the class
action law suit. Although the Ontario Superior Court of Justice has
certified the action as a class proceeding under the Ontario Class
Proceedings Act, as against Baja and the remaining individual
defendants, the court granted leave to the plaintiff to proceed
only with respect to statutory claims under s. 138.3 of the Ontario
Securities Act and dismissed all other claims (see Baja news
release, April 29, 2014). It is expected that the narrowed scope of
the class action may facilitate a less complex legal and court
process, to the benefit of the Company and its stakeholders;
- assisted Cinto Colorado to confirm its legal rights to develop
the tailings and slags located adjacent to the Boleo Project, and
to obtain the support of the Municipio of Santa Rosalia, which will
enable Cinto Colorado, together with Baja, to advance plans to
evaluate development options, including the potential processing
and/or sale of the tailings and slag for the benefit of Baja and
its shareholders. Baja's preliminary due diligence review indicates
the Cinto Colorado tailings and slag contain significant residual
copper and cobalt that represents a potential low-risk, low-cost
avenue to near-term cash flow; and
- with the removal of all security interests and pledges relating
to the 2010 Project Financing senior facilities, Baja is now
evaluating options for its Luxembourg subsidiaries with a view to
simplifying the Company's legal structure and eliminating further
operating costs.
Boleo Project Schedule Update
MMB has reported to Baja that it has completed its most recent
schedule review for the Boleo Project, and has advised the Company
of the following:
- Piping and instrumentation construction schedules remain under
pressure due to ongoing work force shortages;
- MMB is now targeting mechanical completion of the copper
circuit by the end of June 2014. First ore or hot commissioning is
now expected to commence in early September, with October 1, 2014
being the targeted date for first copper production; and
- Mechanical completion of the cobalt zinc circuits is now
scheduled for the middle of August 2014 due to lateness in delivery
of certain equipment. Additionally, delays to the completion of the
copper circuit are having a knock-on effect preventing the movement
of crews to work on the construction of the back-end. First cobalt
zinc production is now scheduled for November 1, 2014.
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.
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This
press release contains forward-looking statements or
forward-looking information (forward-looking statements). These
statements can be identified by expressions of belief, expectation
or intention, as well as those statements that are not historical
fact. Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks,
uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results or
events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the
forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in
this press release are based on our current estimates, expectations
and projections, which the Company believes are reasonable as of
the current date. Actual results could differ materially from those
anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements and as a
result undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking
statements. Additional risks and uncertainties can be found in the
Company's reporting documents filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com),
including its Management Discussion and Analysis and Annual
Information Form. Forward-looking statements are given only as at
the date of this press release and the Company disclaims any
obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise,
except as required by law.
Baja Mining Corp.Tom OgryzloInterim
CEO604-685-2323604-629-5229info@bajamining.comwww.bajamining.com
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