Cadence Minerals #KDNC – Hastings Technology Metals (ASX: HAS) Progress Update on Debt Funding for the Yangibana Project.

Cadence Minerals (AIM/NEX: KDNC; OTC: KDNCY) is pleased to announce 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 provided a progress update on Project Debt Funding.

Cadence Minerals Yangibana Holding:

Cadence owns 30% of the Yangibana, Yangibana North, Gossan, Hook, Kanes Gossan and Lions Ear Rare Earth Deposit, which form part of the Yangibana Rare Earth Deposit. The updated Cadence ore statement can be found on the Yangibana Mineral Resource & Ore Reserve statement from 4^th November 2019: https://www.investegate.co.uk/cadence-minerals-plc–kdnc-/rns/yangibana-mineral-resource—ore-reserves/201911041303331852S/.

Highlights:

·      KfW and Euler Hermes confirm continuing support for Yangibana project financing.

·      Negotiations on long-form term sheet initiated.

·      Completion of due diligence and application for credit approval targeted for Q1 2020.

In July 2018 announced In July 2018, KFW IPEX-Bank (“KfW”) was mandated by Hastings as the Lead Arranger to provide project finance loan advisory services and assistance to Hastings in relation to securing approval from Euler Hermes Aktiengesellschaft (“Euler Hermes”) for the German government sponsored UFK scheme (untied loan guarantee).

On 30 April 2019, Hastings received in principal eligibility for the UFK scheme for an indicative amount of up to USD140 million based on a planned off take from Schaeffler AG for 5,000 tonnes per annum of mixed rare earth carbonate from the Project’s processing plant. (ASX release dated 11 June 2019.)

In June 2019, Euler Hermes and the German government’s Inter Ministerial Committee (IMC) provided Hastings with a confirmation of their cursory favourable assessment of the Yangibana project and to proceed with the lenders due diligence process and collating documentation for credit submission to the IMC for binding credit approval pending completion of due diligence and successful loan negotiations.

An all parties site visit was successfully conducted in mid-September followed by further meetings in Singapore in October with senior representatives of KfW and Euler Hermes and their legal counsels and technical advisors from Behre Dolbear Australia (BDA) as well as PricewaterhouseCoopers, Germany (PwC) acting in their role as mandated Independent Expert Advisor to Euler Hermes.

KfW and Euler Hermes are now at the final stage of their independent in-depth due diligence study, which included a review of the legal, technical, environmental, social and market aspects of the Project. Whilst progressing the due diligence process, negotiations on a long-form term sheet have been initiated.

KfW and Euler Hermes have reaffirmed their continuing support for the Project. Once the due diligence process is satisfactorily completed, KfW and Euler Hermes will apply for credit approval to their respective credit committees and boards. This is targeted for 1Q 2020.

The full release can be found at: https://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20191127/pdf/44bzsnrctdc4tp.pdf

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