Cadence Minerals #KDNC – Hastings Technology Metals (ASX: HAS) oversubscribed placement raises $14.6m, plus a further $6.1m will be raised.

Cadence Minerals (AIM/NEX: KDNC; OTC: KDNCY) is pleased to note that Hastings Technology Metals (ASX:HAS) (“Hastings”), Cadence’s joint venture partner at the Yangibana Rare Earth Project in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia (“Yangibana” “Yangibana Project”), has received firm commitments to raise $14.6 million (before costs) at $0.125 per share (Placement). An additional $3.1 million will also be raised via a Conditional Placement and a further $3.0 million will be raised from a fully underwritten Share Purchase Plan (SPP). 

Strong interest has been received from existing shareholders and new institutional and sophisticated investors, resulting in a significantly over subscribed Placement. Hastings Executive Chairman, Mr Charles Lew, will participate in the raise for an amount of $0.5 million, subject to shareholder approval at the Annual General Meeting in November 2020. Total funds raised under the Placement, SPP and Conditional Placement are expected to total approximately $20.7 million. 

Funds raised will be used to: 

·       Procure equipment arising from the decoupling of the beneficiation plant and the hydrometallurgy plant;

·       Further engineering design;

·       Grade and resource drilling to increase mining reserves;

·       Mine site works; 

·       Working capital. 

The full HAS release can be found at: https://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20200826/pdf/44lxkj9nw2b91q.pdf

Hastings Executive Chairman, Charles Lew said: “It is gratifying to see the strong interest from new investors in the Hastings story and testament to the hard work done by the Company’s management team in recent months to advance our world-class Yangibana rare earths project from a technical, financial, regulatory and customer point of view. I welcome the new investors onto the Hastings register and look forward to offering the same terms to our existing loyal shareholder base through the SPP and Conditional Placement. The funds from the capital raising will enable us to continue to drive the Yangibana rare earths project forward alongside our target to begin construction next year.”

Cadence CEO Kiran Morzaria commented: “We are pleased to note that strong interest in Hastings Technology Metals and the Yangibana project has resulted in an oversubscribed placing. These funds, along with the prospect of commencement of mine construction next year provide a positive read-over into the value and future potential of our joint venture with Hastings. We look forward to further developments.” 

Cadence Minerals Yangibana Holding:

Cadence owns 30% of 3 Mining Leases, 6 Exploration Licences which form part of the Yangibana Rare Earth Deposit. Hastings Technology Metals owns the remaining 70% (“Hastings”). Further details of our ownership the mineral resources and reserves on our jointly held leases can be found at:

https://www.cadenceminerals.com/projects/yangibana-rare-earth-project-2/

The current mine plan anticipates production to start from our joint venture areas (Yangibana and Yangibana North) in year 6 and continue to the end of mine life (year 13). Further details can be found in the Hastings 2019 Annual Report

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For further information:

Qualified Person

Kiran Morzaria B.Eng. (ACSM), MBA, has reviewed and approved the information contained in this announcement. Kiran holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Industrial Geology) from the Camborne School of Mines and an MBA (Finance) from CASS Business School.

Forward-Looking Statements:

Certain statements in this announcement are or may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as ‘‘believe’’ ‘‘could’’ “should” ‘‘envisage’’ ‘‘estimate’’ ‘‘intend’’ ‘‘may’’ ‘‘plan’’ ‘‘will’’ or the negative of those variations or comparable expressions including references to assumptions. These forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts but rather on the Directors’ current expectations and assumptions regarding the Company’s future growth results of operations performance future capital and other expenditures (including the amount. nature and sources of funding thereof) competitive advantages business prospects and opportunities. Such forward-looking statements reflect the Directors’ current beliefs and assumptions and are based on information currently available to the Directors.  Many factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements including risks associated with vulnerability to general economic and business conditions competition environmental and other regulatory changes actions by governmental authorities the availability of capital markets reliance on key personnel uninsured and underinsured losses and other factors many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Although any forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are based upon what the Directors believe to be reasonable assumptions. The Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements.