TIDMNRRP
RNS Number : 5063C
North River Resources Plc
28 June 2016
North River Resources plc / Ticker: NRRP / Index: AIM / Sector:
Mining
28 June 2016
North River Resources plc
("North River" or the "Company")
US$5.6 million Fundraising, Share Capital Reorganisation &
Notice of General Meeting
North River Resources plc announces that a circular including a
Notice of General Meeting has today been posted to Shareholders
(the "Circular"). The General Meeting is to be held at the offices
of Shakespeare Martineau LLP, 6th Floor, Allianz House, 60
Gracechurch Street, London, EC3V 0HR on 18 July 2016 at 2.00 p.m.
(London time) . A copy of the circular and Notice of General
Meeting will also be available to view on the Company's website
www.northriverresources.com.
The definitions that apply throughout this announcement can be
found at the end of this announcement.
PART 1: LETTER FROM THE INDEPENT NON-EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN
Dear Shareholders
Share Capital Reorganisation
Financing Proposals for Open Offer and Placing of up to
12,317,359 Open Offer Shares and Placing Shares at 23.75 pence per
share
Grant of conversion rights in respect of Loan Notes Waiver of
Rule 9 of the Code
Authorisation to issue Equity Securities and
Notice of General Meeting
1. Introduction
The Company announces today that it has raised conditionally
$5.6 million through the issue of new secured, conditionally
convertible loan notes (the "Loan Notes") to Greenstone Resources
LP, further details of which are set out in paragraph 5 of this
Part I. The funds raised will be used, in conjunction with the
Company's existing cash resources, to repay the 2015 Convertible
Loan Notes issued to Greenstone in 2015 pursuant to the terms of
the 2015 Convertible Loan Note Instrument and 2015 Investment
Agreement and to provide working capital for, inter alia, the
Company's short term Work Programme and ongoing planning for
commencing outstanding pre-construction work streams.
The Company also announces today Financing Proposals to issue
new shares in the Company to enable it to redeem the Loan Notes in
full, subject to Shareholder approval. The Company proposes to
redeem the Loan Notes as to 30 per cent. through conversion of such
Loan Notes into New Greenstone Shares and as to 70 per cent. from
the proceeds of an open offer to all Eligible Shareholders (other
than Greenstone) (the "Open Offer") and a placing of Placing Shares
with existing and new shareholders (the "Placing"). To the extent
that the Open Offer and the Placing do not raise sufficient funds
to repay 70 per cent. of the Loan Notes not already converted or
repaid, it is proposed that the remaining Loan Notes will also be
converted in to New Greenstone Shares at the Conversion Price.
On completion of these Financing Proposals, the Company will
have net additional working capital of approximately US$2.5 million
(before expenses). The Board believes the Namib Project continues
to be the best option to create value for all Shareholders. Subject
to approval of all Resolutions, the Company will be substantially
debt free and fully funded to meet its Phase One Funding
Requirement as set out below.
On completion of the Financing Proposals, if approved by
Shareholders, Greenstone will be interested in a minimum of 29.997
per cent. of the Enlarged Share Capital and a maximum of 76.67 per
cent. of the Enlarged Share Capital. Ordinarily, the acquisition of
an interest in 30 per cent. or more of the voting rights in the
Company's shares would require Greenstone to make a mandatory bid
under Rule 9 of the Code. Accordingly, the Board is seeking, inter
alia, the approval of the Shareholders other than Greenstone (the
"Independent Shareholders") of a waiver by the Panel of Rule 9 of
the Code (the "Waiver") which the Panel has agreed with the Company
to grant, subject to the passing of the ordinary resolution
proposed as Resolution 4 (as set out in the attached notice of
general meeting) (the "Whitewash Resolution") by the Independent
Shareholders at a general meeting of the Company, of any obligation
on the part of Greenstone, to make a general offer to Shareholders
under Rule 9 of the Code which otherwise might arise upon any
conversion of the Loan Notes.
Greenstone's subscription for $5.6 million of Loan Notes
provides the Company with certainty of funding from today, without
which it would need to commence drastic measures to reduce spending
and more than likely enter into an insolvency process, which would
almost certainly lead to the loss of control over the Company's
principal asset, being the Namib Project. The Loan Notes
subscription and the Financing Proposals are the only terms on
which Greenstone is willing to finance the Company at this stage
and, whether or not the elements of the Financing Proposals which
are subject to Shareholder approval (the subject of this document)
are approved, the Loan Notes subscription and the Financing
Proposals secure the Company's immediate financial position and
provide a structure in which all Shareholders are able to
participate and to retain an interest in the Company.
As the proposed Issue Price of the Open Offer and the Placing
(being equivalent to 0.095 pence on a pre Share Capital
Reorganisation basis) is below the nominal value of the Existing
Ordinary Shares (being 0.2 pence per Existing Ordinary Share) which
would not be permitted under the Companies Act, the Company
intends, subject to Shareholder approval, to re-organise its share
capital to enable the Financing Proposals to proceed. Shareholder
approval is therefore also being sought for a sub-division,
re-designation and consolidation of the Existing Ordinary Shares in
order to permit the Company to raise capital through the issue of
additional equity (the "Share Capital Reorganisation"). The Share
Capital Reorganisation will also have the effect of reducing the
number of ordinary shares in issue. The Directors believe that this
will result in a market share price that will be at a more
appropriate level for the Company as well as reducing the share
price volatility.
The Company is therefore convening a general meeting, to be held
at the offices of Shakespeare Martineau LLP, 6th Floor, Allianz
House, 60 Gracechurch Street, London, EC3V 0HR at 2.00 p.m. on 18
July 2016, to approve the necessary resolutions to allow the
Financing Proposals to proceed (the "General Meeting"). Further
details of the General Meeting and Resolutions to be put forward
thereat are set out in the Circular.
Shareholders should note that, if any of the Resolutions set out
in the notice of General Meeting of the Company dated 28 June 2016
are not passed, none of the Financing Proposals will proceed. In
that event, absent any other fundraising by the Company, it is
highly likely that the Company would be unable to repay the Loan
Notes before the final Maturity Date and would therefore be in
default of the terms of the Loan Notes.
In such circumstances, Greenstone would not be able to convert
the Loan Notes into New Greenstone Shares but would have the right
to enforce the Security over the Group's principal asset, NLZM, the
operating subsidiary which owns and operates the Namib Project.
Greenstone has indicated that, in the event of such a default, it
would be its intention to exercise its rights in relation to the
Security. This would leave the Group in a highly uncertain
financial position and in all likelihood it would result in the
Group companies ceasing to trade, insolvency and, ultimately, the
liquidation of the Group resulting in Shareholders losing their
investment in the Company.
The Independent Directors, having considered the likely
alternative sources of capital, believe that it is highly unlikely
that alternative funding could be secured either now or, in the
event that Shareholders do not approve the Resolutions, before the
final Maturity Date. The Company, having exhausted all other
potential avenues for new financing, has, to date, not identified
new sources of financing, in what continues to be a challenging
market environment for pre-construction mining projects such as the
Namib Project. As such, it is critical that Shareholders vote in
favour of the Resolutions at the General Meeting so that the
Financing Proposals can proceed and the Group can continue
trading.
2. Current trading and prospects
The Company submitted an application for a Mining Licence for
the Namib Project in April 2014 while working through the final
phase of the DFS, which was announced in November 2014. The results
of the DFS, in combination with a detailed Board-level review,
identified key additional studies on the mine development plan and
mining process flow sheet that would be required ahead of the
Company being in a position to take an investment decision on the
Namib Project. The Company advanced these studies during the first
half of 2015, announcing the results of the metallurgical test work
programme on 22 July 2015.
Over the same period, the Company has also continued to focus on
exploration drilling at the Namib Project following the last
Mineral Resource Estimate of August 2014. A drilling programme
totalling 4,828 metres and 66 holes was completed in the period to
November 2015. Of these, 52 per cent. (34 holes) had significant
intercepts. The programme focussed primarily on targeting both new
extensions of known mineralised shoots, as well as infill drilling
to potentially convert Inferred Mineral Resources into the
Indicated Mineral Resource category, mainly in the top half of the
North orebody, and also below the historic South mine where the
majority of the current Inferred Mineral Resources lie.
Building on this, a follow-on 3,800 metre drill programme is
currently underway to test extensions at depth below the current
North orebody resource, together with further infill and extension
drilling in the Southern resource. Early assay results, as
announced on 12 February, 21 March and 26 April 2016, indicate the
continuation of mineralisation 80 metres below the existing
Northern part of the orebody, providing greater confidence that
this drilling campaign could, in due course, result in an increased
resource estimate supporting a longer mine life.
To access sufficient underground drilling locations, a 300 metre
drive underneath the existing North resource has been developed
(the "5 Level Drive"). The 5 Level Drive was successfully completed
in March 2016. As the mine moves into an operational phase, the
development drive will be incorporated into the mine plan as an
access road.
Following receipt of funds from the issue of the Loan Notes (the
"Greenstone Placing"), the Company expects to be in a position to
continue in the first instance with the on-going drilling programme
and conclude discussions with the Ministry of Mines and Energy in
Namibia (the "Ministry") on the terms and conditions for the final
grant of the Mining Licence.
The Company is cognisant that the above constitutes a further
revised timeline to project development of the Namib Project. The
discussions with the Ministry on the award of the Mining Licence
have further delayed the originally scheduled commencement of
construction of the Namib Project.
As regards the Mining Licence, the Company received a Notice of
Preparedness to Grant the Mining Licence from the Ministry on 29
January 2016, which the Company formally accepted on 26 February
2016.
The Notice of Preparedness to Grant the Mining Licence contained
a number of supplementary terms and conditions (the "Supplementary
Terms & Conditions") relating to matters including, inter alia,
the work programme, production, environment and Namibian
participation in the Namib Project that will apply to the Mining
Licence. In conjunction with assessing the Supplementary Terms
& Conditions attaching to the Mining Licence, the Company also
continues to examine the implications of the Government of
Namibia's proposed introduction of broad based empowerment
legislation. A draft NEEEF Bill has been published for a period of
public consultation and can be found on the website of the Office
of the Prime Minister of Namibia
(www.opm.gov.na/web/opm/neeef-bill). If enacted, the NEEEF Bill
will set out obligations for companies, irrespective of sector, in
respect of, inter alia, ownership and management participation by
previously disadvantaged Namibians. Certain obligations under the
draft NEEEF Bill are inconsistent with those laid down under the
Supplementary Terms & Conditions to the Notice of Preparedness
to Grant the Mining Licence. The extent to which the NEEEF Bill
would place additional obligations on the Namib Project and the
timeframe for finalising and enacting the NEEEF Bill is not clear
at this stage. It is an area on which the Company and Namibian
mining industry as a whole will need further clarity in due course.
Simultaneously with acceptance of the Supplementary Terms &
Conditions, NLZM requested the Ministry to clarify a number of
these matters. To date, no response has been received from the
Ministry.
On 25 April 2016, the Company submitted a formal proposal to the
Ministry on the Company's structure and composition to address the
Government of Namibia's objectives of poverty eradication by: (i)
providing an opportunity for local ownership of the Namib Project;
(ii) participation by historically disadvantaged Namibians in the
management of the Namib Project; and (iii) implementing a corporate
social responsibility strategy ("ML Proposal"). The pending ML
Proposal sets out a broad based local ownership structure that NLZM
believes fully addresses the objectives sought under NEEEF and the
Ministry's Supplementary Terms and Conditions. The Notice of
Preparedness to Grant the Mining Licence makes provision for
further engagement between the Ministry and the Company to seek
agreement on the final Supplementary Term & Conditions to be
attached to the issue of the Mining Licence.
On 2 June 2016, the Ministry informed NLZM that it is still
reviewing the ML Proposal and that it shall respond to NLZM within
30 days, being on or before 2 July 2016.The Company looks forward
to continuing to work with the Ministry on the Mining Licence
application and remains confident that the application process will
be concluded and the Mining Licence granted. The duration and
outcome of these discussions, on the ML Proposal to be agreed under
the Supplementary Terms & Conditions, however, remain uncertain
and the final issue of the Mining Licence on commercially
acceptable terms cannot be guaranteed.
In light of the above, the Company has devised a revised funding
strategy for the Namib Project. Subject to timing of a project
construction decision and completion of an updated definitive
capital requirement estimate, the Company estimates a total funding
requirement of approximately US$30 million through to expected
project commissioning of the Namib Project. It is the Company's
intention that this financing will be structured in three
phases:
(a) a phase one funding requirement of US$2.5 million of net new
working capital (after repayment of the 2015 Convertible Loan
Notes) to cover the short term Work Programme, including securing
the Mining Licence and continuing with the resource expansion
drilling programme (the "Phase One Funding Requirement");
(b) a phase two funding requirement of an estimated US$2.5
million, subject to formal grant and issue of the Mining Licence by
the Namibian authorities, to complete the remaining
pre-construction work streams, including front end engineering and
design, final mine planning and early development, operational
readiness, defining an updated capital requirement for the
construction of the Namib Project and project financing, (the
"Phase Two Funding Requirement"); and
(c) a phase three funding requirement, being the capital
requirement required for construction of the Namib Project, which
will flow from, and be defined on completion of, the
pre-construction work streams covered by the Phase Two Funding
Requirement and which is indicatively estimated as being an amount
of US$25 million (which remains broadly in line with the DFS) (the
"Phase Three Funding Requirement").
Prior to the issue of the Loan Notes, the Company's had cash
resources of approximately US$0.3 million (GBP0.21 million), and
would have needed to consider reducing operational expenditure
drastically in the short term had further funding not been secured.
The Financing Proposals set out in the Circular enable the Company
to continue to develop the Namib Project whilst the Mining Licence
application process continues. Without further funding, the Company
would have had to cease drilling and reduce operational costs to
the barest minimum, and would have faced significant difficulties
and/or delays therefore in completing the Mining Licence process
and progressing towards production.
3. Background to and reasons for the Financing Proposals
From September to October 2015, the Company carried out an open
offer and placing to eligible Shareholders, and issued the 2015
Convertible Loan Notes to Greenstone raising, in aggregate, a total
amount (before expenses) of US$4 million. This was anticipated as
being sufficient to provide working capital to enable ongoing
development of the Namib Project through to the point at which a
decision could be taken to commence construction of the mine
(subject to the assumption that the Mining Licence would be
received by 31 October 2015).
The Mining Licence was not received by 31 October 2015 and,
although considerable progress has been made, as at the date of the
Circular, the Mining Licence has still not been granted given the
new process and timetable provided for under the Supplementary
Terms & Conditions. As announced on 1 February 2016, the
Company received a Notice of Preparedness to Grant the Mining
Licence, which the Company formally accepted on 26 February 2016,
having raised certain queries with the Ministry regarding the
Supplementary Terms & Conditions which will attach to the
Mining Licence. On 25 April 2016, the Company's 100 per cent. held
subsidiary, NLZM, submitted the ML Proposal following which the
Ministry had 30 days to propose amendments, if any, to the ML
Proposal which the Ministry believes would enable NLZM to support
the Namibian Government's objectives for broad based empowerment
and poverty eradication.
As at the date of the issue of this announcement, the Group
still awaits a formal response from the Ministry on the ML Proposal
of 25 April 2016 and to queries raised by the Company in February
2016 on the Supplemental Terms & Conditions. On 2 June 2016,
the Ministry informed NLZM that it is still reviewing the ML
Proposal and that it shall respond to NLZM within 30 days being on
or before 2 July 2016.
Should NLZM be dissatisfied with the Ministry's counter-proposal
to the ML Proposal it will have an additional 30 days within which
to make written representations to the Ministry, upon consideration
of which the Ministry shall notify NLZM of the final terms and
conditions upon which the Ministry is prepared to grant the Mining
Licence.
Although the funds raised in September 2015 were intended to
fund the Company through the award of the Mining Licence, the time
required to reach that stage has been much longer than anticipated.
Accordingly, in addition to the operational focus outlined above,
the Company has undertaken a process of reviewing and reducing
costs both at an operational and a corporate level in order to make
the best use of Shareholders' funds.
Immediately prior to the issue of the Loan Notes, Company
required additional funding in order to cover the short term
working capital required to continue, in the first instance, with
the resource expansion drilling programme currently underway and
support ongoing efforts to secure the Mining Licence. The
Greenstone Placing will enable the Company to redeem in full the
2015 Convertible Loan Notes (which bear interest at the rate of 10
per cent. per annum) and will provide $2.5 million of new working
capital (before expenses).
The Financing Proposals have been structured to minimise
dilution for existing Shareholders and to allow existing
Shareholders, and potentially new investors, to participate in the
equity of the Company. However, if the Financing Proposals are
approved by Shareholders and there is no take up from existing or
new investors, Greenstone will be, in effect, the sole source of
funding of the $2.5 million of new working capital. While the
Company continues in its efforts to identify new investors in the
Company, Greenstone remains a supportive cornerstone strategic
investor for the Company and is willing to provide this level of
additional financial support in return for certain undertakings,
including the granting of security over the Group's principal
assets and, subject to Shareholder approval, the right to convert
the Loan Notes into equity. On completion of the Financing
Proposals, Greenstone's interest in the Enlarged Share Capital
could be as a high as 76.67 per cent., but, in that scenario, the
Company would be substantially debt free and fully funded to meet
its Phase One Funding Requirement.
Accordingly, the Company and Greenstone have concluded the
Subscription Agreement, the Loan Note Instrument and the
Relationship Agreement, setting out, inter alia, an agreed Work
Programme and use of proceeds and certain measures to protect the
interests of minority shareholders, details of which are set out
throughout this letter and specifically in sections Part III and
paragraph 12 of this Part I (respectively) and in the Circular.
The Financing Proposals will also provide a degree of
flexibility to re-commence planning and implementation of Project
work streams for the Namib Project currently on hold pending
further clarification on the timing and final conditions of the
Mining Licence and the proposed introduction of empowerment
legislation in Namibia. Further working capital funding will be
required at a future date, following issue of the Mining Licence,
to fully fund the various work streams required to take the Namib
Project through to an investment decision.
The Directors believe that the Financing Proposals will allow
the Company both to continue advancement of the Namib Project
towards a construction decision and to meet immediate working
capital requirements. The Board believes that the development of
the Namib Project is the best strategy to unlock value for all
Shareholders.
Greenstone currently holds 29.99 per cent. of the Issued Share
Capital of the Company. Greenstone has committed to providing the
required short-term funding in order to keep the Company as a going
concern, by subscribing for the Loan Notes. However, without the
Whitewash Resolution being approved, Greenstone would not be able
to convert those Loan Notes (assuming conversion of the same is
approved at the General Meeting) without triggering the requirement
to make a Mandatory Offer. Greenstone does not wish to make a
Mandatory Offer.
Assuming no Event of Default (as defined) has occurred, the Loan
Notes bear interest at a rate of 10 per cent. per annum. Conversion
of such Loan Notes into New Greenstone Shares would remove the
interest charges and leave the Company substantially debt free. If
the Resolutions are not approved, the interest rate attaching to
the Loan Notes will increase from 10 per cent. per annum to 20 per
cent. per annum and an Event of Default will be triggered if the
Loan Notes are not repaid when due for repayment on or before 1
September 2016. Any failure to repay the Loan Notes on the relevant
Maturity Date, unless extended pursuant to the Loan Note
Instrument, will give rise to a right for Greenstone to enforce the
Security and take ownership of the Namib Project through the
Company's 100 per cent. Namibian subsidiary, NLZM.
Shareholders should note that, if any of the Resolutions set out
in the notice of General Meeting of the Company dated 28 June 2016
are not passed, none of the Financing Proposals will proceed. In
that event, absent any other fundraising by the Company, it is
highly likely that the Company would be unable to repay the Loan
Notes before the final Maturity Date and would therefore be in
default of the terms of the Loan Notes.
In such circumstances, Greenstone would not be able to convert
the Loan Notes into New Greenstone Shares but would have the right
to enforce the Security over the Group's principal asset, NLZM, the
operating subsidiary which owns and operates the Namib Project.
Greenstone has indicated that, in the event of such a default, it
would be its intention to exercise its rights in relation to the
Security. This would leave the Group in a highly uncertain
financial position and in all likelihood it would result in the
Group companies ceasing to trade, insolvency and, ultimately, the
liquidation of the Group resulting in Shareholders losing their
investment in the Company.
The Independent Directors, having considered the likely
alternative sources of capital, believe that it is highly unlikely
that alternative funding could be secured either now or, in the
event that Shareholders do not approve the Resolutions, before the
final Maturity Date. The Company, having exhausted all other
potential avenues for new financing, has, to date, not identified
new sources of financing, in what continues to be a challenging
market environment for pre-construction mining projects such as the
Namib Project. As such, it is critical that Shareholders vote in
favour of the Resolutions at the General Meeting so that the
Financing Proposals can proceed and the Group can continue
trading.
4. Use of Proceeds
As agreed between the Company and Greenstone pursuant to the
Subscription Agreement, the proceeds of the Greenstone Placing will
be used to:
(a) to repay amounts owing by the Company to Greenstone in
respect of the 2015 Convertible Loan Notes;
(b) to meet the Phase One Funding Requirements under the Work
Programme. This includes, inter alia, short term working capital
requirements including (i) the resource expansion drilling
currently underway, (ii) securing the Mining Licence and (iii)
preparing to build the core project team for the Namib Project in
order to commence with outstanding pre-construction work streams;
and
(c) cover general corporate overheads and costs associated with
fundraising, including the costs related to the Financing Proposals
and the Greenstone Placing.
The proceeds of the Open Offer and the Placing will be used to
repay up to 70 per cent. of the Loan Notes as described in the
introduction to this Part I.
The Board will only be able to take a decision to commence
construction once the Mining Licence has been granted, appropriate
financing to cover the costs of construction (by way of the Phase
Three Funding Requirement) has been agreed and subject to an
assessment of the economics of the Namib Project at the time.
While the Company believes that the balance of US$2.5 million
proposed to be raised pursuant to the Open Offer, the Placing and
the Greenstone Placing (following repayment of the 2015 Convertible
Loan Notes from the total amount of US$5.6 million raised under the
Greenstone Placing) will be sufficient to meet the Phase One
Funding Requirement, additional funding will be required for the
Phase Two Funding Requirement and Phase Three Funding Requirement.
In addition, the Work Programme could be revised to adapt to
circumstances as the ongoing ML Proposal discussions unfold, and it
is likely that further working capital will be required if there
are significant further delays in the issuance of the Mining
Licence. The Company is therefore seeking, additional authority as
part of and pursuant to Resolutions 3 and 6 to raise further equity
of up to a further US$2.5 million for working capital purposes free
from statutory pre-emption rights.
During the past 6 months, the Company has continued to engage
with multiple parties to potentially include a debt component into
overall financing package for the Namib Project's Phase Three
Funding Requirement at the point of an investment decision. It is
clear that the availability of debt for the sector has become
tougher to obtain due to generally weak commodity prices, even for
commodities with positive fundamentals such as zinc and lead, and
uncertainty regarding the potential statutory requirements of the
proposed draft NEEEF Bill. The Company is conscious that there is
no guarantee that debt finance will be available at the relevant
time and as such is aware of the need to make the necessary
provisions for this in its financing strategy.
5. Information on the Greenstone Placing and the Financing Proposals
Issue of Loan Notes
Greenstone has agreed conditionally to subscribe for a total
amount of US$5.6 million Loan Notes, which shall carry interest at
an initial rate of 10 per cent. per annum (rising to 20 per cent.
per annum if the Resolutions are not approved) and shall be
repayable on the relevant Maturity Date, on, and subject to, the
terms of the Subscription Agreement and Loan Note Instrument.
Approximately US$3.1 million of the US$5.6 million will be used to
fully repay and cancel the 2015 Convertible Loan Notes. The
remainder of the funding will, as detailed above, be used to
continue advancement of the Namib Project towards a construction
decision and to meet immediate working capital requirements.
Greenstone's subscription is binding and settlement is due no
later than 15 July 2016, being prior to the General Meeting,
subject only to there being no change in relation to any member of
the Group which is, or could reasonably be expected to be, material
and adverse to the business, operations, financial condition or
assets and liabilities of any member of the Group (save for certain
carve outs, including where such material adverse change results
from changes to global mining industry wide conditions or financial
market conditions). In the event that Greenstone's subscription
does not complete as a result of such material adverse change, the
Financing Proposals will not proceed. Further information regarding
the Subscription Agreement and Loan Note Instrument are set out in
Part III of the Circular.
The Loan Note Instrument contains a number of Events of Default,
as more fully detailed in Part III of the Circular, and is secured
by a pledge and cession in security over 100 per cent. of the
issued share capital of NLZM, which owns the Namib Project and the
Company's outstanding loan claims against NLZM (such pledge and
cession in security is referred to as the "Security").
At the Maturity Date, the Company shall have the right to repay
up to 70 per cent. of the Loan Notes, in which case (assuming all
Resolutions are approved) the remaining 30 per cent. of the Loan
Notes would be converted into New Greenstone Shares pursuant to the
Conversion Requirement and Greenstone would hold approximately
29.997 per cent. of the Enlarged Share Capital.
As noted above, if there is no take up from existing or new
investors under the Open Offer or Placing, and assuming all
Resolutions are approved, all of the Loan Notes would be converted
into New Greenstone Shares pursuant to the Conversion Requirement,
and Greenstone would hold approximately 76.67 per cent. of the
Enlarged Share Capital.
As noted in paragraph 1, the Company and Greenstone are
therefore seeking the Waiver and approval of the Whitewash
Resolution, so as to enable Greenstone, on conversion of the Loan
Notes (assuming that the Resolutions giving the directors the
authority to allot the New Greenstone Shares on a non-pre-emptive
basis are approved at the General Meeting) to increase its interest
in the share capital of the Company to more than 30 per cent. of
the voting rights of the New Ordinary Shares and any issued Open
Offer Shares and Placing Shares without being required to make a
Mandatory Offer for the Company.
Equity Fundraising
The Company proposes to raise further capital by way of an issue
of Open Offer Shares and Placing Shares, comprising the Open Offer
and the Placing.
The Board is grateful for the continued support received from
Shareholders and is now pleased to offer all Eligible Shareholders
the opportunity, subject to approval of the Resolutions, to
subscribe, at the Issue Price, for an aggregate of 8,683,254 Open
Offer Shares, raising gross proceeds of up to GBP2.06 million
(approximately US$2.76 million), being the maximum amount, when
aggregated with amounts raised under the 2015 Open Offer, issuable
under an open offer without incurring the additional expenses of
publishing a prospectus. The Issue Price represents a discount of
13.6 per cent. to the 20 day volume weighted average price EV
compliant ("VWAP") on 24 June 2016, being the last practicable
Business Day before publication of this announcement.
Eligible Shareholders are being given the opportunity to
subscribe for their Open Offer Entitlements at the Issue Price
payable in full on application and free of all expenses, pro rata
to their existing shareholdings on the basis of:
1.41 Open Offer Shares for every 250 Existing Ordinary Shares
held
as calculated on the Open Offer Record Date. Open Offer
Entitlements will be rounded down to the nearest whole number of
New Ordinary Shares and fractional entitlements which would have
otherwise arisen will not be issued. Note, in the event that the
Share Capital Reorganisation was not taking place, this would
equate to 352.5 new shares for every 250 Existing Ordinary Shares
held.
As stated above, Greenstone has committed to advancing the full
US$5.6 million required to meet the Phase One Funding Requirement
pursuant to the Greenstone Placing and issue of the Loan Notes.
Assuming the Open Offer and the Placing proceed to raise the full
US$3.92 million, in aggregate, from Eligible Shareholders and
investors (respectively) other than Greenstone:
(a) 70 per cent. of the Loan Notes will be repaid (and
cancelled) on the initial Maturity Date, attracting no further
interest; and
(b) assuming all Resolutions are approved, the remaining 30 per
cent. of the Loan Notes will be converted fully at the Issue Price
such that Greenstone will hold approximately 29.997 per cent. of
the Enlarged Issued Share Capital following the Open Offer and the
Placing, and no Loan Notes will be outstanding following such
repayment and conversion.
In an aim to reduce the dilutive effects suffered by Eligible
Shareholders as a consequence of the proposed 30 per cent.
conversion by Greenstone of the Loan Notes following the close of
the Open Offer and Placing, Greenstone has undertaken and agreed to
be excluded from the Open Offer (and, in addition, has been deemed
ineligible to participate in the Open Offer by virtue of the
jurisdiction of its holding). Consequently, entitlements under the
Open Offer are calculated excluding Greenstone's shareholding in
order to try and reduce the dilutive effects of the Greenstone
Placing and Placing, should each Eligible Shareholder take up
his/her pro rata entitlements under the Open Offer in full.
Furthermore, Eligible Shareholders have the opportunity to apply
for additional Open Offer Shares under the Excess Applications
Facility (further details of the Excess Applications Facility are
set out in paragraph 6 of this Part I and Part II of the
Circular).
The Company intends to place any Open Offer Shares not taken up
in the Open Offer together with a further 3,634,105 Placing Shares
with institutional or other suitably qualified investors at the
Issue Price, such that the Company will be able to repay up to 70
per cent. of the Loan Notes in full by the Maturity Date. However,
there is no guarantee that all of the available shares will be
placed and, if the Open Offer and Placing do not raise the full
US$3.92 million, in aggregate, the Company would not be in a
position to fully repay the full 70 per cent. of the Loan Notes
and, assuming the Waiver is obtained and all Resolutions are
approved in full, the remaining balance of Loan Notes not repaid
will be converted in full on the Maturity Date.
The terms of the Open Offer are described in paragraph 6 of Part
I and Part II of the Circular. The terms of the Greenstone Placing
are described in Part II of this announcement and Part III of the
Circular.
6. Principal terms of the Open Offer
A total of approximately GBP2.06 million is being raised through
the Open Offer pursuant to which up to 8,683,254 Open Offer Shares
are being hereby offered at an issue price of 23.75 pence per share
(on a post Share Capital Reorganisation basis) to Eligible
Shareholders on the terms and conditions set out in the Circular
and in the Application Form. The Issue Price represents a discount
of approximately 5 per cent. to the closing mid-market price of 0.1
pence per Existing Ordinary Share on 24 June 2016, being the last
practicable Business Day prior to the announcement of the Open
Offer.
The Open Offer is only being made to Eligible Shareholders whose
names appear on the register of members of the Company on the Open
Offer Record Date as holders of Existing Ordinary Shares and who
are resident in the United Kingdom, Australia, the Isle of Man,
France, Switzerland or Portugal. Greenstone has undertaken not to
participate in the Open Offer and will be excluded from the Open
Offer. Each Eligible Shareholder's entitlement has been calculated
on the basis of 1.41 Open Offer Shares for every 250 Existing
Ordinary Shares, as calculated on the Open Offer Record Date. Note,
in the event that the Share Capital Re-organisation was not taking
place, this would equate to 352.5 new shares for every 250 Existing
Ordinary Shares held.
Eligible Shareholders may apply for more or less Open Offer
Shares than they are entitled to under the Open Offer and
applications in excess of the Open Offer Entitlements will be dealt
with under the Excess Application Facility. Once subscriptions
under the Open Offer Entitlements have been satisfied, the Company
shall, in its absolute discretion, determine whether to meet any
excess applications in full or in part, and no assurance can be
given that applications by Eligible Shareholders for Excess Shares
under the Excess Application Facility will be met in full or in
part or at all. To the extent that Excess Shares are not subscribed
by existing Shareholders, Open Offer Entitlements will lapse.
Fractions of Open Offer Shares will not be allotted to Eligible
Shareholders in the Open Offer and, where necessary, entitlements
under the Open Offer will be rounded down to the nearest whole
number of New Ordinary Shares.
The Board considers that an offer to existing Shareholders by
way of a rights or other pre-emptive issue is not currently
feasible due to the significant costs and delays that would be
incurred through the production and approval of a prospectus having
regard to the Company's funding needs. The Open Offer allows
Eligible Shareholders the opportunity to participate in the
fundraising at the Issue Price and, subject to the terms of the
Excess Application Facility, increase their participation by
subscribing for Excess Shares. The total number of Open Offer
Shares available to Eligible Shareholders under the Open Offer is
8,683,254, which represent 100 per cent. of the total number of
Open Offer Shares and 49 per cent. of the total number of New
Ordinary Shares to be issued pursuant to the Open Offer, Placing
and Greenstone Placing together.
The Open Offer Shares have not been and are not intended to be
registered or qualified for sale in any jurisdiction other than the
United Kingdom, Australia, the Isle of Man, France, Switzerland or
Portugal. Accordingly, unless otherwise determined by the Company
and effected by the Company in a lawful manner, the Application
Form will not be sent to Existing Shareholders with registered
addresses in any jurisdiction other than the United Kingdom,
Australia, the Isle of Man, France, Switzerland or Portugal, since
to do so would require compliance with the relevant securities laws
of that jurisdiction. Applications from any such person will be
deemed to be invalid. If an Application Form is received by any
Shareholder whose registered address is elsewhere but who is in
fact a resident or domiciled in a territory other than the United
Kingdom, Australia, the Isle of Man, France, Switzerland or
Portugal, he/she should not seek to take up his/her allocation.
Part II of the Circular, together with the accompanying
Application Form, contains further terms and conditions of the Open
Offer.
7. City Code on Takeovers and Mergers
The Greenstone Placing gives rise to certain considerations
under the Code. Brief details of the Panel, the Code and the
protections they afford are described below.
The Code is issued and administered by the Panel. The Code
applies to all takeover and merger transactions, however effected,
where the offeree company has its registered office in the United
Kingdom, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man and, inter alia,
whose securities are admitted to trading on a multilateral trading
facility in the United Kingdom (such as AIM). The Company is
therefore subject to the Code.
Rule 9 of the Code requires that any person who acquires,
whether by a series of transactions over a period of time or not,
an interest (as defined in the Code) in shares which, taken
together with shares in which persons acting in concert with him
are interested, carry 30 per cent. or more of the voting rights of
a company which is subject to the Code, will normally be required
to make a general offer to all of the remaining shareholders to
acquire their shares.
Similarly, when any person, together with any persons acting in
concert with him, is interested in shares which, in aggregate,
carry not less than 30 per cent. of the voting rights of such a
company but not more than 50 per cent. of such voting rights, a
general offer will normally be required if any further interests in
shares are acquired by any such person, or any person acting in
concert with him. An offer under Rule 9 of the Code must be made in
cash and at the highest price paid by the person required to make
the offer, or any person acting in concert with him, for any
interest in shares in the company during the 12 months prior to the
announcement of the offer.
Rule 9 of the Code further provides, inter alia, that where any
person who, together with persons acting in concert with him, holds
over 50 per cent. of the voting rights of a company and acquires an
interest in shares which carry additional voting rights, then they
will not normally be required to make a general offer to the other
shareholders to acquire their shares. However, the Panel may deem
an obligation to make an offer to have arisen on the acquisition by
a single member of a concert party of an interest in shares
sufficient to increase his individual interest to 30 per cent. or
more of a company's voting rights, or, if he already holds more
than 30 per cent. but less than 50 per cent., an acquisition which
increases his interest in shares carrying voting rights in that
company.
Under the Code, a concert party arises where persons acting
together pursuant to an agreement or understanding (whether formal
or informal) co-operate to obtain or consolidate control of, or to
frustrate the successful outcome of an offer for a company, subject
to the Code. Control means an interest, or interests, in shares
carrying, in aggregate, 30 per cent. or more of the voting rights
of a company, irrespective of whether such interest or interests
give de facto control.
In the event that the Resolutions are approved, and there is no
take up by any Shareholders under the Open Offer and no Placing
Shares are placed, Greenstone has the potential to increase its
interest in shares carrying voting rights in the Company up to a
maximum of 20,234,259 New Ordinary Shares representing 76.67 per
cent. of the voting rights in the Enlarged Share Capital which,
without a waiver of the obligations under Rule 9, would oblige
Greenstone to make a general offer under Rule 9 in certain
circumstances. However, if the Open Offer and the Placing raise
sufficient funds to repay the full 70 per cent. of the Loan Notes,
Greenstone will be limited to a 29.997 per cent. interest in the
voting rights in the Enlarged Share Capital.
Under Note 1 on the Notes on the Dispensations from Rule 9 of
the Code, the Panel will normally waive the requirement for a
general offer to be made in accordance with Rule 9 of the Code if,
inter alia, the shareholders of the company who are independent of
the person who would otherwise be required to make an offer and any
person acting in concert with him pass an ordinary resolution on a
poll at a general meeting approving such a waiver (a "Whitewash
Resolution").
The Panel has agreed, subject to the Whitewash Resolution being
passed on a poll by the Independent Shareholders at the General
Meeting, to waive the obligation on Greenstone to make a general
offer to Shareholders under Rule 9 of the Code, which would
otherwise arise on conversion of the Loan Notes (in full or in
part).
Neither Greenstone nor any party acting in concert with it has
purchased an interest in any Existing Ordinary Shares (other than
the Existing Greenstone Shares) preceding the date of the Circular,
nor has any interest other than the Existing Greenstone Shares. The
Waiver, which the Panel has agreed to provide subject to the
passing of the Whitewash Resolution, will be invalidated if any
purchases of interests in Existing Ordinary Shares are made by
Greenstone or any party acting in concert with it between the date
of the Circular and the General Meeting. Greenstone has undertaken
to the Company that it will not, and neither will any party acting
in concert with it, during such period make any such purchases of
interests in Existing Ordinary Shares.
Any increase in Greenstone's aggregate interest in shares
carrying voting rights to between 30 per cent. and up to 50 per
cent. of the voting rights arising other than from conversion of
the Loan Notes will be subject to the provisions of Rule 9 of the
Code.
In the event that, following Conversion of any Loan Notes not
repaid by the Maturity Date, the Greenstone Shares, which
Greenstone would then be interested in together carry 30 per cent.
or more of the voting rights in the Company but not more than 50
per cent. of the voting rights in the Company, neither Greenstone
nor any party acting in concert with it could acquire an interest
in any further shares carrying voting rights in the Company without
being subject to the provisions of Rule 9 of the Code.
In the event that, following Conversion of any Loan Notes not
repaid by the Maturity Date, the Greenstone Shares which Greenstone
would then be interested in carry 50 per cent. or more of the
voting rights in the Company, it would be free (subject as set out
below and in Note 4 to Rule 9.1 of the Code) to increase its
aggregate interest in New Ordinary Shares carrying voting rights
without any obligation to make a general offer for the Company
under the provisions of Rule 9 of the Code.
8. Independent advice
Strand Hanson has provided advice to the Independent Directors
in relation to the Waiver in accordance with the requirements of
paragraph 4(a) of Appendix 1 to the Code. This advice was provided
by Strand Hanson to only the Independent Directors and, in
providing such advice, Strand Hanson has taken into account the
Independent Directors' commercial assessments as well as, but not
limited to, the confirmations of the future intentions of
Greenstone as described in paragraph 9 of this Part I.
9. Greenstone's Intentions
Greenstone has confirmed that it does not currently intend,
irrespective of whether or not it obtains any increase in its
interest in shares carrying voting rights as a result of the
Financing Proposals, to seek any change in the general nature and
strategy of the Company's business, nor does it currently intend to
take any action, other than as provided pursuant to its rights
under the Relationship Agreement or as reasonably required in the
ordinary course of the Company's business, to alter the management
of the Company or the continued employment of its employees
(including any material change in conditions of employment),
employer contributions into the Company's pension schemes, the
location of the Company's places of business, the maintenance of
the Company's trading facilities of its shares or the deployment of
the Company's fixed assets.
10. Information regarding Greenstone
Greenstone was established in Guernsey, Channel Islands on 16
July 2013 and was registered with the Guernsey Financial Services
Commission ("GFSC") as a closed ended investment fund on 8 August
2013. Greenstone was established with the purpose to pursue
investments in post-exploration metals and mining projects (from
pre-feasibility study through to production stages) in both
developed and emerging markets. The size of the Greenstone fund is
approximately US$150 million and five (5) investments have been
made to date. Greenstone's manager and general partner is
Greenstone Management Limited ("GML"), a non- cellular Guernsey
company limited by shares. GML's directors are Michael Haworth,
Mark Sawyer, Sadie Morrison and Joanna Duquemin Nicolle. GML is
licensed by the GFSC to carry out the activities of promotion,
subscription, registration, dealing, management, administration and
advising with registration number 2103131. Investment decisions
relating to Greenstone are taken by GML.
Further information in relation to Greenstone is provided in
Part V of the Circular.
11. Related Party Transaction
Greenstone is a related party of the Company for the purposes of
the AIM Rules by virtue of its shareholding in the Company and Mark
Sawyer (who is Greenstone's representative) being a non-executive
director of the Company. In such circumstances, the Independent
Directors are required by the AIM Rules, in consultation with
Strand Hanson, the Company's nominated adviser under the AIM Rules,
to consider the Financing Proposals and reach an opinion as to
whether the terms of the proposed issue of Loan Notes and connected
agreements are fair and reasonable insofar as Shareholders are
concerned.
The Independent Directors have considered other sources of
funding before entering into negotiations and ultimately reaching
agreement with Greenstone. In general terms, raising debt or equity
finance for pre- production mining ventures has become more
difficult over recent years, as both debt and equity investors have
increasingly turned away from the sector and commodity prices have
remained weak. The Independent Directors have considered other
alternative sources of funding, including bank debt and alternative
private equity, and have concluded that such alternatives would
neither be prudent without any mining revenue streams nor available
to the Company, within the required timeframe, on terms more
beneficial than those offered by Greenstone.
The Company has been successful in the past in raising small
tranches of equity funding from investors other than Greenstone of
around US$1.0 million or less from equity investors. However, the
Independent Directors believe that the Company's near term funding
requirements are such that a larger raise is necessary to enable
the repayment of the 2015 Convertible Loan Notes to render the
Company substantially debt free and to provide ongoing working
capital for the Namib Project's further development.
The Greenstone Placing:
-- leaves the Company substantially debt free (subject to the
Waiver and approval of all Resolutions) at a time when the timeline
through to commencement of cash generative activities to support
the service and repayment of debt is not clear, and secures US$2.5
million working capital after repayment of the 2015 Convertible
Loan Notes;
-- provides certainty of funding for the Phase One Funding
Requirement whatever the outcome of the Open Offer and Placing;
and
-- demonstrates the confidence that the Independent Directors
and Greenstone have in the Namib Project, which the Independent
Directors hope will encourage other investors to take up the
US$3.92 million to be offered in the Open Offer and Placing.
Accordingly, the Independent Directors consider, having
consulted with Strand Hanson, that the terms of the Greenstone
Placing are fair and reasonable insofar as Shareholders are
concerned.
12. Relationship Agreement
Greenstone has agreed to be bound by the terms of the
Relationship Agreement, as summarised in paragraph 5 of Part II.
The Relationship Agreement includes, inter alia, the following
minority shareholder protections:
(a) the Company shall carry on its business independently of
Greenstone, Greenstone Management Limited and their respective
Subsidiaries (the "Significant Shareholder Group") having regard to
the interests of the Company's Shareholders as a whole, rather than
for the benefit of any particular Shareholder or group of
Shareholders;
(b) the business and affairs of the Company shall, subject to
the terms of the Relationship Agreement, be managed by the Board in
accordance with the Articles and all applicable laws;
(c) the Company shall comply with the AIM Rules;
(d) the provisions of the Relationship Agreements shall be observed;
(e) Greenstone shall use its voting rights at each annual
general meeting of the Company to vote in favour of resolutions
seeking to confer authority on the Board to issue Equity Securities
generally and free of statutory pre-emption rights, during each
calendar year, up to 5 per cent. of the then Issued Share Capital
of the Company (unless a higher figure is agreed between Greenstone
and the Company for the relevant calendar year);
(f) Greenstone shall exercise its voting rights in respect of
the Company and procure that the other members of the Significant
Shareholder Group vote in such manner as may be required to ensure
(in so far as it is reasonably able to do so) that:
(i) the affairs of the Company are conducted consistently with
the principles summarised in paragraphs (a) to (d) above (provided
that, in the case of general principal (a), this undertaking shall
not prevent Greenstone from exercising its voting rights in its own
self interests);
(ii) save as contemplated by the Resolutions, no amendments
shall be made to the Articles without the prior approval of the
Board or that are inconsistent with the principal that:
(A) the majority of the Directors shall be independent directors
(which, for the purposes of the Relationship Agreement and this
paragraph 12 of Part I of the Circular, shall mean a director who:
(i) has not been nominated by, nor employed by, nor been an officer
or director of, nor otherwise the recipient of any ongoing or past
financial compensation from, in each case directly or indirectly,
any member of the Significant Shareholder Group or any Associate of
the Significant Shareholder Group, and/or who (ii) is considered to
be independent of the Significant Shareholder Group and Associate
of the Significant Shareholder Group by the nominated adviser of
the Company,acting reasonably taking into account applicable laws)
and meetings of the Board shall not be quorate without a majority
of independent directors (an "Independent Quorum") being present,
provided that any meeting of the Board postponed for lack of an
Independent Quorum shall, when reconvened, be quorate provided any
two Directors are present;
(B) committees of the Board shall be comprised of a majority of
independent directors and shall be chaired by an independent
director;
(iii) the majority of the Directors shall be independent directors;
(g) no contracts or arrangements between the Group and
Greenstone or any member of the Significant Shareholder Group shall
be entered into without the approval of a majority of the
independent directors, following consultation with the Company's
nominated adviser (similarly any amendment, variation, supplement,
rescission, suspension, surrender or termination of any such
contract or arrangement will also require the approval of a
majority of independent directors and consultation with the
Company's nominated adviser); and
(h) Greenstone shall not use its voting rights or, in the case
of other members of the Significant Shareholder Group, shall
procure that such other members do not use their voting rights in
respect of the Company, to seek to procure or vote on any
resolution to cancel the admission of the Company's Shares to
trading on AIM without the prior approval of a majority of the
independent directors (unless it, or a member of the Significant
Shareholder Group (or a concert party thereof) has made a general
offer for the Company in accordance with the Code, or where not
applicable, such regulatory requirements as then may be applicable
to such an offer),
together, the "Minority Shareholder Protections".
As the existing relationship agreement containing certain
constitutional measures relating to the independence of the Board
has been terminated with effect from today, Mark Sawyer has also
entered into a letter with the Company dated 28 June 2016 agreeing
to exercise his voting rights as Director so as to ensure (so far
as he is reasonably able) that the principles set out in paragraph
(f) above are complied with. The purpose of this letter is to
ensure that the Company benefits from the constitutional measures
set out in paragraph (f) above for the period from today until
Resolution 5 (which deals with amendments to the Articles in order
to, inter alia, reflect the Minority Shareholder Protections) is
approved by Shareholders.
13. Proposed Share Capital Reorganisation
Overview
The Company presently has 2,199,091,843 Existing Ordinary Shares
in issue, each of which has a nominal value of GBP0.002. The 20-day
VWAP as at 24 June 2016 is GBP0.0011 and the Company is not
permitted by law to issue shares at an issue price which is below
their nominal value. In order to enable the Company to issue shares
in the future at an issue price which exceeds their nominal value,
and to reduce the number of shares in issue, shareholder approval
is being sought to complete a share capital reorganisation ("Share
Capital Reorganisation"). The Share Capital Reorganisation is
subject to Shareholder approval and therefore the passing of
Resolutions 1, 2 and 5.
As more fully explained below, the Share Capital Reorganisation
is a standard, multi-phase process designed to alter the nominal
value of the Company's ordinary share capital and create an
appropriate buffer between the nominal value and market value of
such shares.
As set out in the Circular, the Company needs to reduce its debt
obligations and raise additional finance for working capital and in
order to progress the development of the Namib Project. Under the
Companies Act, the current nominal value restricts the Company's
ability to raise capital through the issue of additional equity.
The Company's ability to preserve cash by using its shares as
consideration for various ongoing expenses (such as consultants'
fees and a portion of Directors salaries) would, should it wish to
do so, be similarly restricted.
A further consequence of having a very large number of shares in
issue, with a very low market share price, is that small share
trades can result in large percentage movements in the market share
price which results in considerable volatility in the stock price.
The Board also believes that the bid-offer spread on shares priced
at low absolute levels can be disproportionate to the market share
price, to the detriment of Shareholders. The Share Capital
Reorganisation may therefore avoid large dealing spreads in the
shares and may ensure that the share price volatility is
reduced.
The Share Capital Reorganisation will enable the Company to
issue shares at a value above their normal value and reducing the
number of Existing Ordinary Shares in issue. The Directors believe
that this will result in a market share price that will be at a
more appropriate level for the Company as well as reducing the
share price volatility.
Details of the proposed Share Capital Reorganisation
It is proposed that the 2,199,091,843 Existing Ordinary Shares
will be subdivided, re-designated and consolidated on the basis of,
and according to, the steps set out in Resolutions 1 and 2, as
detailed below:
Resolution 1 - Subdivision and re-designation of Existing
Ordinary Shares
It is proposed that each Existing Ordinary Share will be
subdivided and re-designated as 1 ordinary share of 0.0008 pence
(each, a "Subdivided Share") and 249 Deferred Shares of 0.0008
pence. Please refer to section 4 below for details of the Deferred
Shares.
Resolution 2 - Consolidation of Subdivided Shares
It is then proposed that every 250 Subdivided Shares will be
consolidated into 1 New Ordinary Share of 0.2 pence each. Unless a
shareholding equals or exceeds 250 Existing Ordinary Shares (and
therefore 250 Subdivided Shares), Shareholders will be left with a
fractional entitlement to the New Ordinary Shares if the
Resolutions are approved). No Shareholder will be entitled to a
fraction of a New Ordinary Share and where, as a result of the
consolidation of Existing Ordinary Shares described above, any
Shareholder would otherwise be entitled to a fraction only of a New
Ordinary Share in respect of their holding of Existing Ordinary
Shares at the Share Capital Reorganisation Record Date (a
"Fractional Shareholder"), such fractions shall be aggregated with
the fractions of New Ordinary Shares to which other Fractional
Shareholders of the Company may be entitled so as to form full New
Ordinary Shares and sold in accordance with the relevant provisions
of the Existing Articles. This means that any such Fractional
Shareholder will not have a resultant proportionate shareholding of
New Ordinary Shares exactly equal to their proportionate holding of
Existing Ordinary Shares.
The Company will be authorised to sell New Ordinary Shares
arising from fractional shareholdings on behalf of Fractional
Shareholders as soon as reasonably practicable following the
passing of the Share Capital Reorganisation Resolution for the best
price then reasonably available for those shares.
In accordance with article 13.5 of the Company's Existing
Articles, the Board has resolved that cash proceeds of less than
GBP5.00 per Fractional Shareholder from the sale of the New
Ordinary Shares arising from fractional shareholdings will not be
distributed to Fractional Shareholders but shall belong absolutely
to the Company.
Upon implementation of the Share Capital Reorganisation,
Shareholders on the register of members of the Company at the close
of business on the Share Capital Reorganisation Record Date, which
is expected to be 18 July 2016, will exchange 250 Existing Ordinary
Shares for 1 New Ordinary Share and so on, in proportion for any
other number of Existing Ordinary Shares then held. The proportion
of the issued ordinary share capital of the Company held by each
Shareholder immediately following completion of the Share Capital
Reorganisation (but prior to the issue of any Open Offer Share,
Placing Shares or New Greenstone Shares) will, save for fractional
entitlements, be unchanged.
Following the subdivision and re-designation of the Existing
Ordinary Shares and subsequent consolidation of the Subdivided
Shares, the nominal value of each New Ordinary Share will be 0.2
pence. Apart from the anticipated change in market value, the New
Ordinary Shares arising on implementation of the Share Capital
Reorganisation will have the same rights as the Existing Ordinary
Shares, including the rights in respect of voting and the
entitlement to receive dividends.
Deferred Share rights
It is proposed that each Deferred Share will have very limited
rights and will effectively be valueless. CREST accounts of
Shareholders will not be credited in respect of any entitlement to
Deferred Shares.
The Deferred Shares shall have the rights and restrictions as
set out in the Amended Articles and shall not entitle the holder
thereof to receive notice of, or attend and vote at, any general
meeting of the Company or to receive a dividend or other
distribution. A Deferred Share shall entitle the holder thereof to
participate in any return of capital on a winding up of the Company
but only after the liabilities of the Company have been paid and
after the holders of New Ordinary Shares have received the sum of
GBP10,000,000 for each New Ordinary Share held by them and the
holder of a Deferred Share shall have no other right to participate
in the assets of the Company. A Deferred Share is liable to be
cancelled without payment of any consideration to the holder of the
Deferred Share.
New Ordinary Share rights
It is proposed that each New Ordinary Share will carry the same
rights in all respects under the Amended Articles as each Existing
Ordinary Share does at present under the Existing Articles,
including the rights in respect of voting and the entitlement to
receive dividends.
Amendment to the Existing Articles
As part of the Share Capital Reorganisation, and in order to
reflect certain terms of the Relationship Agreement, the Company
proposes to make consequential amendments to the Existing Articles
to include provisions in respect of the Deferred Shares and the
Minority Shareholder Protections. Please refer to Resolution 5 set
out in the Notice of the General Meeting at the end of the Circular
for further details on such proposed amendments.
14. Discounted online dealing facility
The Company has put in place arrangements with its Registrar,
Capital Asset Services, such that Eligible Shareholders holding New
Ordinary Shares in certificated form will be able to take advantage
of a discount to the online dealing service currently available to
Shareholders. For a two month period following completion of the
Share Capital Reorganisation, sale commission will be chargeable by
Capita Asset Services at 1 per cent. of the trade value, subject to
a minimum of GBP25. Purchase commission will be chargeable at 1 per
cent. of the trade value, subject to a minimum of GBP25. To take
advantage of this service, please login to www.capitadeal.com. If
you have any questions regarding this facility, please telephone
Capita Asset Services on 0371 664 0445 (Calls are charged at the
standard geographic rate and will vary by provider. Calls outside
the United Kingdom are charged at the applicable international
rate. Lines are open between 8.00 am to 4.30 pm, Monday to Friday
excluding public holidays in England and Wales). This is not a
recommendation to buy or sell shares. The value of shares can go up
as well as down. If you are in any doubt about the merits or risks
involved when buying or selling shares, you should consult a
suitably qualified professional advisor.
15. Admission to AIM, settlement and dealings
Application will be made to the London Stock Exchange for the
New Ordinary Shares following the Share Capital Reorganisation,
including the Open Offer Shares, Placing Shares and New Greenstone
Shares, to be admitted to trading on AIM. It is expected that
Admission will become effective and that dealings in respect of the
New Ordinary Shares will commence at 8.00 a.m. on 19 July 2016.
Further information in respect of settlement and dealings in the
Open Offer Shares is set out in paragraph 9 of Part II of the
Circular.
The Open Offer Shares, Placing Shares and New Greenstone Shares
will represent, in aggregate, approximately 200 per cent. of the
Company's existing Issued Share Capital and approximately 66.7 per
cent. of the Enlarged Share Capital.
The Open Offer Shares, Placing Shares and New Greenstone Shares
will, upon Admission, rank pari passu with the New Ordinary Shares,
including the right to receive dividends and other distributions
declared following Admission. The Open Offer Shares, Placing Shares
and New Greenstone Shares are not being made available to the
public and are not being offered or sold in any jurisdiction where
it would be unlawful to do so.
If you hold a share certificate in respect of your Existing
Ordinary Shares in the Company, your certificate will no longer be
valid from the time that the proposed Share Capital Reorganisation
becomes effective. If you hold 250 or more Existing Ordinary Shares
on the Share Capital Reorganisation Record Date you will be sent a
new share certificate evidencing the New Ordinary Shares to which
you are entitled under the Share Capital Reorganisation. Such
certificates are expected to be despatched no later than 26 July
2016 by first class post at the risk of the Shareholder. Upon
receipt of the new certificate, you should destroy any old
certificates. Pending the despatch of the new certificates,
transfers of certificated New Ordinary Shares will be certified
against the Company's share register.
If you hold your Existing Ordinary Shares in uncertificated
form, you should expect to have your CREST account credited with
the New Ordinary Shares to which you are entitled on implementation
of the Share Capital Reorganisation on 19 July 2016 or as soon as
practicable after the Share Capital Reorganisation becomes
effective.
16. General Meeting
A General Meeting of the Company, notice of which is set out at
the end of the Circular, is to be held at 2.00 p.m. on 18 July 2016
at the offices of Shakespeare Martineau LLP, 6th Floor, Allianz
House, 60 Gracechurch Street, London, EC3V 0HR at which the
Resolutions will be proposed. Please note that the summary and
explanation set out below is not the full text of the Resolutions
and Shareholders should review the full text of the Resolutions
before returning their Forms of Proxy.
The Resolutions can be summarised as follows:
Resolution 1 - Subdivision and re-designation of Existing
Ordinary Shares
Resolution 1 will be proposed as an ordinary resolution of the
Company, and is conditional on the passing of all other
Resolutions. Resolution 1 approves the subdivision and
re-designation of the 2,199,091,843 Existing Ordinary Shares of 0.2
pence each in the capital of the Company into: (i) 2,199,091,843
Subdivided Shares of 0.0008 pence each and (ii) 547,573,868,907
Deferred Shares of 0.0008 pence each in the capital of the
Company.
Resolution 2 - Consolidation of Subdivided Shares
Resolution 2 will be proposed as an ordinary resolution of the
Company and is conditional on the passing of all other Resolutions.
Resolution 2 approves the consolidation of the 2,199,091,843
Subdivided Shares into 8,796,367 New Ordinary Shares of 0.2 pence
in the capital of the Company.
Resolution 3 - General Authority to allot Equity Securities
Resolution 3 is included in order to give the Directors
authority to issue and allot new Equity Securities (including
pursuant to the Open Offer, the Placing and the Greenstone Placing)
generally (and is conditional on all Resolutions being
approved).
Resolution 4 - Whitewash Resolution
Resolution 4 will be put to the Independent Shareholders of the
Company on a poll, and is conditional on all other Resolutions
being approved. The reasons for, and consequences of, Resolution 4
are set out in paragraph 7 of this Part I. In accordance with the
provisions of the Code, Greenstone will not vote on the Whitewash
Resolution, and Greenstone has confirmed this to the Company.
Resolution 5 - Amendments to Existing Articles
Resolution 5 will be proposed as a special resolution to enable
the Directors to make consequential amendments to the Existing
Articles in order to include provisions in respect of the Deferred
Shares and the subdivision and re-designation of the Existing
Ordinary Shares and is conditional on the passing of all other
Resolutions. As explained in paragraph 13 of this Part I, the
Deferred Shares will have limited rights in respect of voting and
the entitlement to receive dividends, and only very limited rights
on a return of capital.
Resolution 6 - Authority to allot Equity Securities free of
pre-emption rights
Resolution 6 is included in order to give the Directors
authority to issue and allot new Equity Securities (including
pursuant to the Open Offer, the Placing and the Greenstone Placing)
free of statutory pre-emption rights, and is conditional on all
other Resolutions being approved. The level of authority sought
pursuant to Resolution 3 represents a total number of 41,913,590
New Ordinary Shares, and can be broken down as follows (and as
rounded up):
(a) up to 17,596,229 New Greenstone Shares;
(b) 8,683,254 Open Offer Shares;
(c) up to 3,634,105 Placing Shares; and
(d) Equity Securities with a total nominal value of GBP24,000
which may be issued by the Directors prior to the Company's next
annual general meeting (should the Company need to issue further
equity during this time following the conclusion of the Greenstone
Placing, the Open Offer and the Placing).
Pursuant to Resolution 6, the Directors will, assuming
Resolution 6 is passed, have authority to allot the number of New
Greenstone Shares, Open Offer Shares, Placing Shares and Equity
Securities set out in (a) to (d) (inclusive) above, free of
statutory pre-emption rights.
17. Taxation
In relation to the Share Capital Reorganisation
The following statements are intended only as a general guide to
the current tax position under UK taxation law and practice. They
relate only to certain limited aspects of the UK tax position for
individual Shareholders who are the beneficial owners of Existing
Ordinary Shares and who are resident and domiciled in the UK for
tax purposes and who hold their shares in the Company as an
investment (and not as securities to be realised in the course of a
trade). The following is not, and is not intended to be, an
exhaustive summary of the tax consequences of acquiring, holding
and disposing of Existing Ordinary Shares or New Ordinary Shares
and it does not constitute advice. If you are in any doubt as to
your tax position or are subject to tax in any jurisdiction other
than the UK, you should consult, and rely upon the advice of, a
duly authorised professional adviser.
The proposed Share Capital Reorganisation should constitute a
reorganisation of the Company's share capital for the purposes of
section 126 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992. For the
purposes of UK taxation of chargeable gains, to the extent that you
receive New Ordinary Shares under the proposed Share Capital
Reorganisation, you should not be treated as making a disposal of
any of your Existing Ordinary Shares or an acquisition of New
Ordinary Shares. The New Ordinary Shares will be treated as the
same asset as, and as having been acquired at the same time and for
the same aggregate cost as, the holding of Existing Ordinary Shares
from which they derive.
Any entitlements to fractions of New Ordinary Shares arising as
a result of the Share Capital Reorganisation will be consolidated
and sold on behalf of the Shareholders entitled to the same.
If you hold fewer than 250 Existing Ordinary Shares at the time
the proposed Share Capital Reorganisation takes effect and
accordingly you only receive cash under the proposed Share Capital
Reorganisation, as a result of this sale, you will be treated as
having disposed of such Existing Ordinary Shares. As a result, you
may, depending on your individual circumstances, realise a
chargeable gain or an allowable loss for tax purposes.
If, and to the extent that, you receive cash and New Ordinary
Shares under the proposed Share Capital Reorganisation as a result
of the sale of fractional entitlements, you may, under the current
practice of HM Revenue and Customs, treat the cash received as a
deduction from any base cost you may have in your Existing Ordinary
Shares (and, accordingly, the New Ordinary Shares held after the
proposed Share Capital Reorganisation) rather than as consideration
for a disposal of the Existing Ordinary Shares held representing
such fractional entitlement.
Shareholders due to receive cash proceeds of less than GBP5.00
will not receive any payment from the Company for their fractional
entitlement. Such Shareholders should be treated as having disposed
of their fractional entitlement for GBP0 and, accordingly, do not
need to deduct any amount from the base cost on their Existing
Ordinary Shares.
No liability to stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax should be
incurred by a holder of Existing Ordinary Shares as a result of the
proposed Share Capital Reorganisation.
In connection with the Open Offer
Information regarding taxation in the United Kingdom in
connection with the Open Offer is set out in paragraph 8 of Part V
of the Circular. Shareholders who are in any doubt as to their tax
position, or who are subject to tax in any other jurisdiction,
should consult their professional adviser as soon as possible.
18. Action to be taken
General Meeting
A Form of Proxy is enclosed for use by Shareholders at the
General Meeting. If you are a Shareholder, you are requested to
complete, sign and return the Form of Proxy, whether or not you
intend to be present at the meeting, and return it to the Company's
Registrars, by hand, or send by post to Capita Asset Services, PXS,
The Registry, 34 Beckenham Road, Beckenham, BR3 4TU. The completion
and return of a Form of Proxy will not prevent you from attending
the General Meeting and voting in person should you subsequently
wish to do so.
Open Offer
If an Eligible Shareholder does not wish to apply for Open Offer
Shares he should not complete or return the Application Form nor
send a USE message through CREST.
(i) Eligible Non-CREST Shareholders (i.e. Eligible Shareholders
who hold their shares in certificated form)
If you are an Eligible Non-CREST Shareholder and wish to
participate in the Open Offer, you should carefully read the
Application Form accompanying the Circular and send the Application
Form along with the appropriate remittance to Capita Asset
Services, Corporate Actions, The Registry, 34 Beckenham Road,
Beckenham, Kent, BR3 4TU by no later than 11.00 a.m. on 15 July
2016 and in accordance with the procedure set out at paragraph 4 of
Part II of the Circular.
(ii) Eligible CREST Shareholders (i.e. Eligible Shareholders who
hold their shares in uncertificated form through CREST)
If you are an Eligible CREST Shareholder, no Application Form is
enclosed. You will instead receive a credit to your account in
CREST in respect of your Entitlement. You should refer to the
procedure for application set out in paragraph 4 of Part II of the
Circular.
Eligible CREST Shareholders who are CREST sponsored members
should refer to their CREST sponsors regarding the action to be
taken in connection with the Circular and the Open Offer. Eligible
Shareholders with holdings of Existing Ordinary Shares in both
certificated and uncertificated form will be treated as having
separate holdings for the purpose of their applications. If you are
not an Eligible Shareholder and a person who has a contractual or
other legal obligation to forward the Circular or an Application
Form into a jurisdiction outside the United Kingdom, Australia, the
Isle of Man, France, Switzerland or Portugal and who has a
registered address in, or who is resident or ordinarily resident
in, or a citizen of, or which is a corporation, partnership or
another entity created or organised under the law of a country
other than the United Kingdom, Australia, the Isle of Man, France,
Switzerland or Portugal, then your attention is drawn to the
information in paragraph 7 of Part II of the Circular.
Eligible CREST Shareholders should note that, although Open
Offer Entitlements will be admitted to CREST and be enabled for
settlement, applications in respect of entitlements under the Open
Offer may only be made by the Eligible Shareholder originally
entitled or by a person entitled by virtue of a bona fide market
claim raised by Euroclear's Claim Processing Unit. Eligible
non-CREST Shareholders should note that their Application Form is
not a negotiable entitlement and cannot be traded.
19. Overseas Shareholders
Information for Shareholders who have registered addresses
outside the United Kingdom, Australia, the Isle of Man, France,
Switzerland or Portugal appears in paragraph 7 of Part II of the
Circular, which sets out the restrictions applicable to such
persons. If you are an Overseas Shareholder, it is important that
you read that part of the Circular.
20. Consequences of a failure to approve the Resolutions
Greenstone's subscription for $5.6 million of Loan Notes
provides the Company with certainty of funding from today, without
which it would need to commence drastic measures to reduce spending
and more than likely enter into an insolvency process, which would
almost certainly lead to the loss of control over the Company's
principal asset, being the Namib Project. The Loan Notes
subscription and the Financing Proposals are the only terms on
which Greenstone is willing to finance the Company at this stage
and, whether or not the elements of the Financing Proposals which
are subject to Shareholder approval (the subject of this document)
are approved, the Loan Notes subscription and the Financing
Proposals secure the Company's immediate financial position and
provide a structure in which all Shareholders are able to
participate and to retain an interest in the Company.
If any of the Resolutions set out in the notice of General
Meeting of the Company dated 28 June 2016 are not passed, none of
the Financing Proposals will proceed. In that event, absent any
other fundraising by the Company, it is highly likely that the
Company would be unable to repay the Loan Notes before the later
Maturity Date and would therefore be in default of the terms of the
Loan Notes.
In such circumstances, Greenstone would be able to enforce the
Security over the Group's principal asset, being the operating
subsidiary which owns and operates the Namib Project. Greenstone
has indicated that in the event of such a default it would be its
intention to enforce the Security. This would leave the Group in a
highly uncertain financial position and in all likelihood it would
result in the Group ceasing to trade, insolvency and, ultimately,
the liquidation of the Group resulting in shareholders losing their
investment in the Company.
The Independent Directors, having considered the likely
alternative sources capital available to the Company, believe that
it is highly unlikely that alternative funding could be secured
before the later Maturity Date. As such, it is critical that
Shareholders vote in favour of the Resolutions at the General
Meeting so that the Financing Proposals can proceed and the Group
can continue trading.
21. Irrevocable Undertakings
As at the date of the Circular, the Company has received:
(a) irrevocable undertakings from each of James Beams, Mark
Thompson and Kenneth Sangster to vote in favour of the Resolutions
covering their entire combined shareholdings of 82,146,559 Existing
Ordinary Shares, representing 3.74 per cent. of the Issued Share
Capital; and
(b) an irrevocable undertaking from Greenstone to vote in favour
of the Resolutions covering its entire shareholding of 659,507,644
Existing Ordinary Shares, representing 29.99 per cent. of the
Issued Share Capital, except for the Whitewash Resolution on which,
in accordance with the City Code, Greenstone is not eligible to
vote.
In an aim to reduce the dilutive effects suffered by Eligible
Shareholders as a consequence of the proposed 30 per cent.
conversion by Greenstone of the Loan Notes following the close of
the Open Offer and Placing, Greenstone has undertaken and agreed to
be excluded from the Open Offer (and, in addition, has been deemed
ineligible to participate in the Open Offer by virtue of the
jurisdiction of its holding). Consequently, entitlements under the
Open Offer are calculated excluding Greenstone's shareholding in
order to try and reduce the dilutive effects of the Greenstone
Placing and Placing, should each Eligible Shareholder take up
his/her pro rata entitlements under the Open Offer in full.
Consequently, the total number of Open Offer Shares available to
Eligible Shareholders under the Open Offer is 8,683,254, which
represent 100 per cent. of the total number of Open Offer Shares
and 49 per cent. of the total number of New Ordinary Shares to be
issued pursuant to the Open Offer, Placing and Greenstone Placing
(on conversion of the Loan Notes) together.
22. Further Information
Your attention is drawn to the Risk Factors relating to the
Group set out in Part III of this announcement and Part IV of the
Circular, the additional information set out in Part V of the
Circular and the terms and conditions of the Open Offer and the
Greenstone Placing set out in Part II and Part III (respectively)
of the Circular, as well as the Application Form.
23. Recommendation
The Independent Directors, who have been so advised by the
Company's financial adviser, Strand Hanson, consider the Financing
Proposals to be fair and reasonable and in the best interests of
Independent Shareholders and of the Company as a whole.
Accordingly, the Independent Directors recommend that the
Independent Shareholders vote in favour of the Whitewash Resolution
(Resolution 4) at the General Meeting as they intend to do in
respect of their entire holdings which amount to interests in
92,146,559 Existing Ordinary Shares, representing approximately
4.19 per cent. of the Existing Ordinary Shares.
The Directors consider that the Financing Proposals are in the
best interests of the Company and Shareholders as a whole, and that
the Namib Project continues to be the best option to create value
for all Shareholders. Accordingly, the Directors recommend that
Shareholders vote in favour of the Resolutions at the General
Meeting as they intend to do in respect of their entire holdings
which amount to interests in 92,146,559 Existing Ordinary Shares,
representing approximately 4.19 per cent. of Existing Ordinary
Shares.
Voting on the Whitewash Resolution will be by means of a poll at
the General Meeting of Independent Shareholders.
Greenstone will not vote on the Whitewash Resolution at the
General Meeting.
Yours faithfully,
Rodney Beddows
Independent Non-Executive Chairman
PART II: TERMS OF THE GREENSTONE PLACING
Pursuant to the terms of the Greenstone Placing, Greenstone has
subscribed for US$5.6 million Loan Notes on the terms of, and
subject to, the Subscription Agreement and Loan Note Instrument and
has been granted the Security.
The following summarise the key terms of the agreements
comprising the Greenstone Placing and the Security (it being noted
that these summaries do not purport to present comprehensive or
complete descriptions of relevant documents):
1. Subscription Agreement
Pursuant to the Subscription Agreement, dated 28 June 2016:
(a) Greenstone has agreed to conditionally subscribe for the
Loan Notes within 12 Business Days from the date of the
Subscription Agreement, being prior to the General Meeting, in
three tranches for a total consideration of US$5.6 million, save
only for there being no change in relation to any member of the
Group which is, or could reasonably be expected to be, material and
adverse to the business, operations, financial condition or assets
and liabilities of any member of the Group (save for certain carve
outs, including where such material adverse change results from
changes to global mining industry wide conditions or financial
market conditions).
(b) The Company agrees to apply the subscription monies for the
Loan Notes, in part, in repayment of the outstanding 2015
Convertible Loan Notes (refer to the summary of the Side Letter to
the Subscription Agreement in paragraph 2 of this Part III,
below).
(c) Greenstone is entitled to deduct its agreed professional and
other costs, charges and expenses relating to its investigations
into the Company and the negotiation, preparation, execution and
termination of the documentation relating to the Greenstone Placing
from any amounts payable by Greenstone to the Company under the
Subscription Agreement. Greenstone shall pay the subscription
monies in respect of each tranche (or net amount thereof, in
accordance with the Side Letter to the Subscription Agreement),
less such agreed costs and expenses, to the Company on satisfaction
of the conditions relevant to each such tranche. In the event the
conditions relating to each tranche are not satisfied within 12
Business Days following the date of the Subscription Agreement (or
such other date as the parties may agree), Greenstone may give
notice to the Company to terminate the Subscription Agreement.
(d) The Company and Greenstone give certain warranties to each
other regarding due incorporation and capacity. The Company gives
additional warranties to Greenstone (including, but not limited to,
warranties regarding the assets, business and financial position of
the Company). The Company's liability under such additional
warranties is subject to certain limitations. The Company agrees to
indemnify Greenstone and all of its officers, directors, employees
and agents for any loss or damage arising in relation to any breach
by the Company of any representation, warranty or covenant set out
in the Subscription Agreement.
(e) The Company gives certain undertakings to Greenstone, including:
(i) that for so long as any Loan Notes remain outstanding, it
will provide certain information in relation to the Company and its
business to Greenstone, including copies of accounts and
information distributed to Shareholders;
(ii) that it will, as soon as is reasonably practicable after
having become aware of the same, notify Greenstone that an Event of
Default (as defined in paragraph 3 of this Part III, below) has or
is reasonably likely to occur and take such steps as may be
reasonably open to it to mitigate any adverse effect on the Company
or its assets;
(iii) that save pursuant to the Placing and Open Offer, and save
for the issue of New Greenstone Shares on any conversion of the
Loan Notes, it will not issue any ordinary shares in the capital of
the Company to any person, provided that the Company will be
permitted: (A) to issue ordinary shares in the capital of the
Company pursuant to any exercise of existing options; and (B) where
the Resolutions have not been approved by the initial Maturity Date
(being 2 August 2016), to issue such number of ordinary shares of
0.2 pence each in capital of the Company at a price not lower than
0.095 pence per share (on a pre Share Capital Reorganisation basis)
in order to repay any amounts then outstanding in respect of the
Loan Notes (together with any accrued but unpaid interest thereon)
(the "Undertaking Not To Issue Shares");
(iv) as to its compliance with applicable laws; and
(v) that it will not, without Greenstone's prior written consent:
(A) grant, or allow any member of the Group to grant any
encumbrance over any assets of the Group, save for the Security and
any lien or retention of title arising automatically by the
operation of law and in the ordinary course of business of the
Group; or
(B) incur or permit to exist (or allow any member of the Group
to incur or permit to exist) any indebtedness, save with respect to
the 2015 Convertible Loan Notes, the Loan Notes or as arising
automatically by the operation of law and in ordinary course of
business of the Group, or as otherwise disclosed to Greenstone;
or
(C) dispose, or allow any member of the Group to dispose, of all
or a material part of its assets and undertakings.
(f) Greenstone undertakes to the Company that:
(i) until the earlier of: (A) the later Maturity Date; and (B)
repayment in full of any amounts outstanding in respect of the 2015
Convertible Loan Notes, it will not exercise any of its rights of
enforcement, or claim any event of default, under the 2015
Convertible Loan Notes, save for any rights arising on the
occurrence of any insolvency event in relation to the Group or any
concurrent enforcement action taken by Greenstone in relation to
the Loan Notes; and
(ii) it will, in the event that the Resolutions are not approved
by the initial Maturity Date, exercise it voting rights to vote in
favour of any resolutions put to Shareholders at a general meeting
in order to enable the Company to issue Existing Ordinary Shares or
New Ordinary Shares (as the case may be), generally and free of
statutory pre-emption rights, in order to refinance the Loan Notes
but without prejudice of its rights under the Relationship
Agreement.
(g) The 2015 Investment Agreement is terminated pursuant to the Subscription Agreement.
The Subscription Agreement is governed by English law, and the
parties have irrevocably submitted to the non-exclusive
jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
2. Side Letter to the Subscription Agreement
Pursuant to a side letter to the Subscription Agreement dated
the same date as the Subscription Agreement and entered into by
each of Greenstone and the Company, the parties agree that
Greenstone may set off its obligation to pay the subscription
monies for the Loan Notes, in part, against the Company's
obligation to repay the 2015 Convertible Loan Notes in full, such
that the net amount of cash received by the Company in respect of
the Loan Notes and in accordance with the terms of the Subscription
Agreement and the Side Letter to the Subscription Agreement is not
less than approximately US$2.5 million.
3. Loan Note Instrument
The Loan Note Instrument, dated 28 June 2016, constitutes up to
US$5.6 million of conditionally convertible Loan Notes.
(a) Subject to approval of the Resolutions, the Loan Notes shall
be convertible at a price equal to the lower of: (i) 23.75 pence
per share (on a post Share Captal Reorganisation basis); and (ii)
the Issue Price converted into US$ applying the Exchange Rate (the
"Conversion Price").
(b) Following approval of the Resolutions (but prior to any
pending notice issued by Greenstone to the Company to convert any
outstanding Loan Notes into New Greenstones Shares) the Company
may, on or prior to the later Maturity Date, use the proceeds of
the Open Offer and Placing to redeem the Loan Notes in an amount
which shall be specified by the Company in a redemption notice
served on Greenstone (the "Redemption Notice"), and which may be
zero and which shall not exceed 70 per cent. of the principal
amount of the Loan Notes (the "Redemption Right").
(c) Following approval of the Resolutions, the portion of Loan
Notes outstanding following the exercise by the Company of its
Redemption Right in respect of the amount of Loan Notes specified
in the Redemption Notice shall automatically be converted into New
Greenstone Shares (the "Conversion Requirement").
(d) The New Greenstone Shares to be issued on any conversion of
any of the Loan Notes will rank pari passu with the fully paid New
Ordinary Shares of the Company on issue at the date of allotment of
such New Greenstone Shares.
(e) The Loan Notes will be issued, pursuant to the terms of the
Subscription Agreement, in denominations and integral multiples of
US$1.00 in nominal amount (or such other multiples as the Company
may permit).
(f) The Loan Notes shall not be listed on AIM or any other
recognised investment exchange, whether in the United Kingdom or
elsewhere, however if the Loan Notes are not fully converted
pursuant to the Conversion Requirement in accordance with the terms
of the Subscription Agreement by the later Maturity Date, the
noteholders shall, at the request of the Company, cooperate with
the Company to achieve a listing of the Loan Notes on the Channel
Islands Stock Exchange.
(g) Until the Loan Notes are repaid or, subject to approval of
the Resolutions and approval by the Panel of the Waiver, converted
into New Greenstone Shares, the Loan Notes shall bear interest at a
compound rate of 10 per cent. per annum, provided that if the
Resolutions are not approved by the initial Maturity Date, the Loan
Notes shall bear interest at a compound rate of 20 per cent. per
annum from such date. The Company shall pay all accrued but unpaid
interest in cash in arrears at the applicable rate on each of the
initial and the later Maturity Date. If the Company fails to pay
any amount of interest or principal on any Loan Note when such
amount is due then interest at the applicable rate, plus 2 per
cent. per annum shall accrue on the unpaid amount from the due date
until the date of payment.
(h) The Loan Notes are repayable on the relevant Maturity Date.
On the relevant Maturity Date, the Company will pay to the
noteholder the principal amount of the Loan Notes to be repaid
(less any amount due pursuant to Loan Notes that have been
converted, repaid or redeemed) together with any accrued interest
on such Loan Notes (less any tax which the Company is required by
law to deduct or withhold from such payment but subject to any
grossing up required pursuant to the terms of the Loan Note
Instrument) up to and including the date of payment. Save pursuant
to the Company's Redemption Right, as set out in paragraph (b)
above, the Company does not have the right to repay the Loan Notes
early.
(i) The Loan Notes are subject to certain events of default, the
most salient details of which are summarised below (each being an
"Event of Default"):
(i) save in the event of any failure in the banking system or
where any loan noteholder (each, a "Loan Noteholder") fails to
comply with its payment obligations under the Subscription
Agreement, the Loan Note Instrument, the Security, the Relationship
Agreement or any loan note certificate issued to a Loan Noteholder
pursuant to the Loan Note Instrument (together, the "Loan Note
Documents"), the Company does not pay on, or within three Business
Days of, the due date any amount payable pursuant to the relevant
Loan Note Document;
(ii) save where any Loan Noteholder which holds Existing
Ordinary Shares fails to exercise its voting rights attaching to
such Existing Ordinary Shares (to the extent permitted by the Code
and applicable laws) to vote in favour of the same, the Resolutions
are not approved on or prior to the later Maturity Date;
(iii) the Company or NLZM does not comply with any material
provision of the Loan Note Documents to which it is a party,
including (without the prior written consent of a majority of the
Loan Noteholders: (i) the application of the proceeds of the
Greenstone Placing to any material extent other than as provided
for in the Loan Note Instrument or the Subscription Agreement
(where such failure continues for a period of ten Business Days
after written notice has been given by the majority of Loan
Noteholders to the Company requiring the Company to remedy such
failure);
(iv) there is a material breach of any of the terms of the
licences relating to the Namib Project or the same are terminated
for whatever reason or any act or event occurs which in the
reasonable opinion of a majority of the Loan Noteholders may
entitle the Government of Namibia to terminate such licences, in
each case other than as a result of the grant of the Mining
Licence;
(v) the application for the Mining Licence is rejected or the
Mining Licence is issued subject to conditions (other than those
known, or which could reasonably be anticipated at the date of the
Loan Note Instrument, including as referred to in the Circular)
which in the reasonable the opinion of a majority of the Loan
Noteholders are commercially unacceptable or, having been issued,
the Mining Licence is terminated for whatever reason or any act or
event occurs which in the reasonable opinion of a majority of the
Loan Noteholders may entitle the Government of Namibia to terminate
the Mining Licence;
(vi) there has been a change in relation to the Group which is,
or could reasonably be expected to be, material and adverse to the
business, operations, financial condition or assets and liabilities
of the Group (save for certain carve outs, including where such
material adverse change results from changes to global mining
industry wide conditions or financial market conditions);
(vii) the occurrence of certain insolvency events which are not
cured within appropriate grace periods;
(viii) any encumbrance on or over the assets of the Company or
any member of the Group is enforced and any step (including the
taking of possession or the appointment of a receiver or analogous
event) is taken to enforce the encumbrance;
(ix) in respect of the Company or NLZM:
(A) any financial indebtedness is not paid when due or, where
applicable, nor within any originally applicable grace period.
(B) any financial indebtedness is declared to be or otherwise
becomes due and payable prior to its specified maturity as a result
of an event of default (however described).
(C) any commitment for any financial indebtedness is cancelled
or suspended by a creditor as a result of an event of default
(however described).
(D) any creditor becomes entitled to declare any financial
indebtedness due and payable prior to its specified maturity as a
result of an event of default (however described),
save where the aggregate amount of financial indebtedness or
commitment for financial indebtedness is less than US$100,000 or
its equivalent in any other currency or currencies such event has
been waived for the time being pursuant to the Subscription
Agreement;
(x) the Company declares or pays any dividends or return of
capital in respect of its issued share capital or any part
thereof;
(xi) save with the prior written consent of a majority of the
Loan Noteholders (not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or
conditioned), the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (including
NLZM) stops (or threatens to stop) payment of its debts generally
or ceases (or threatens to cease) to carry on its business or a
substantial part of its business;
(xii) quotation of the Company's shares on AIM is suspended for
more than 5 consecutive Business Days or for more than 5 Business
Days in any twelve month period;
(xiii) there is a change of control in respect of the Company
within the meaning of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 by any person or
persons acting in concert (as defined in the Code), other than by
any of the Loan Noteholders;
(xiv) it is or becomes unlawful for either the Company or NLZM
to perform any of its obligations under the Loan Note Documents, or
any such obligation or obligations of the Company or NLZM under the
Loan Note Documents to which it is party are not or cease to be
legal, valid, binding or enforceable or any Loan Note Document
ceases to be in full force and effect, save where the same arises
as a result of:
(A) the fraud, recklessness, wilful default or negligence of any
other party, other than the Company or NLZM; and/or
(B) the breach by any party other than the Company or NLZM of
its obligations under that Loan Note Document or of any applicable
laws, rules or regulations,
in each case except to the extent the same occurs with the prior
written consent of a majority of the Loan Noteholders.
At any time after an Event of Default has occurred, noteholders,
holding a majority of the notes may, by notice to the Company,
declare that all outstanding Loan Notes, accrued interest and all
other amounts accrued or outstanding the Loan Note Instrument shall
be immediately due and payable.
(j) The Company's obligations in respect of the Loan Notes are secured by the Security.
(k) The Company has agreed to indemnify Greenstone in respect of:
(i) any failure to pay or delay in paying any stamp,
registration and other taxes (other than (i) taxes on non-Namibian
source profits of any Loan Noteholder or (ii) stamp taxes relating
to the transfer of Loan Notes or (iii) taxes arising or increasing
as a result of (a) any amendment to the tax structuring of, or any
tax election made by, any Loan Noteholder in either case without
prior agreement of the Company (other than as agreed in the
Subscription Agreement) or (b) a transfer of Loan Notes to a person
other than the original Loan Noteholder) to which any Loan Note
Document or any judgment given in connection with such documents is
or at any time may be; and
(ii) any cost, tax liability, claim or expense (including legal
fees and expenses) incurred by any Loan Noteholder as a result of
the occurrence of an Event of Default, including where the same is
incurred in connection with the enforcement of or the preservation
of any rights under any Loan Note Document and any proceedings
instituted by or against Greenstone as a consequence of taking or
holding the Security or enforcing those rights.
(l) The Loan Note Instrument contains certain provisions,
dealing with (inter alia) automatic conversion on a change of
control (save where the same would trigger a Mandatory Offer),
adjustment in the event of certain variations to the share capital
of the Company by way of capitalisation, rights issue,
consolidation, subdivision or reduction of capital, the procedure
for conversion of the Loan Notes, the giving of notices and the
procedure for noteholder meetings.
(m) The Convertible Loan Note Instrument is governed by English
law, and the parties have irrevocably submitted to the exclusive
jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
4. Pledge and Cession in Security between the Company, Greenstone and NLZM
On 28 July 2016 the Company entered into a pledge and cession in
security agreement with Greenstone and NLZM constituting the
Security (the "Pledge Agreement").
Pursuant to the terms of the Pledge Agreement:
(a) the Company, as security for its obligations to Greenstone
under the terms of the Subscription Agreement, the Loan Note
Instrument and in respect of the Loan Notes (the "Secured
Obligations"), has agreed to pledge and cede its shares (and all
related rights to proceeds and dividends pertaining to such shares)
in NLZM and loan claims against NLZM to Greenstone;
(b) the Company has pledged and ceded 1,500 ordinary par value
shares of N$1.00 (one Namibia Dollar) each in the capital of NLZM,
issued at a premium for a total stated capital of N$4,197,700
representing the entire issued share capital of NLZM (the "NLZM
Shares"); and
(c) the Company has also ceded its rights to any proceeds,
title, interest and claims attached and in relation to the NLZM
Shares and its shareholder claims against NLZM (the "NLZM Rights
and Interests" and together with the NLZM Shares, the "Secured
Property").
The Company has provided Greenstone with a number of
representations and warranties, including that the NLZM Shares
represent the entire issued share capital of NLZM and that the
Company is the sole legal and beneficial owner of the Secured
Property.
The Pledge Agreement contains a negative pledge whereby if any
of the Secured Property is subject to any right, in breach of the
representations and warranties granted by the Company, then the
Company will also pledge and cede any reversionary or other
interests in the Secured Property to Greenstone, and furthermore
the Company will be obliged to deliver photocopies of any documents
pertaining to the Secured Property to Greenstone, and as soon as
the holder of the other right ceases to be entitled to possession
or gives up possession, the Company shall deliver the relevant
original documents to Greenstone.
Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, all rights, powers
and privileges attaching to the Secured Property shall vest in
Greenstone and the Secured Obligations shall become immediately due
and enforceable.
The Pledge Agreement shall terminate upon the unconditional and
irrevocable fulfilment of the Secured Obligations, or until
lawfully terminated by agreement between the parties.
The Company shall not be entitled to grant any further pledges
or cessions or in any other manner encumber or deal with the
Secured Property without Greenstone's prior written consent.
The Pledge Agreement shall be governed in accordance with the
laws of Namibia.
5. Relationship Agreement
On 28 June 2016, pursuant to the Subscription Agreement, the
Company and Greenstone agreed to enter into a relationship
agreement in substitution for a relationship agreement entered into
by them on 3 July 2014 (as amended) in order to govern the
relationship between the parties.
Pursuant to the Relationship Agreement, inter alia:
(a) Subject to certain qualifications, Greenstone has the
following director appointment rights:
(i) for so long as the Significant Shareholder Group holds a
Significant Interest, but less than 40 per cent. of the voting
rights in the Company, it will be entitled to nominate one (1)
Director for appointment to the Board;
(ii) for so long as Significant Shareholder Group holds at least
40 per cent. of the voting rights in the Company, but less than 60
per cent. of the voting rights in the Company, it will be entitled
to nominate a total of two (2) Directors for appointment to the
Board; and
(iii) for so long as Significant Shareholder Group holds at
least 60 per cent. of the voting rights in the Company, it will be
entitled to nominate a total of three (3) Directors for appointment
to the Board.
In addition to being able to remove its nominated directors from
the Board, Greenstone shall also have the right, where: (a) its
Applicable Interest in the Company is greater than 50 per cent; and
(b) it is of the view that an Independent Director is no longer
suitable for election to the Board; and (c) a majority of
Directors, even if not a majority of the independent directors,
agrees with Greenstone's view, to give a notice to the nominated
advisor of the Company for the purpose of the AIM Rules (from time
to time) that it wishes to exercise its shareholder voting rights
to remove such Independent Director (the "Unpropitious Director").
Following the service of any such notice, the Company's nominations
committee will notify Greenstone, within a period of 90 days, as to
whether it has identified another person to replace the
Unpropitious Director. Where the nominations committee advises
Greenstone that it has identified a replacement for the
Unpropitious Director, the Company will take such steps as are
necessary to effect the appointment of the new director and removal
of the Unpropitious Director, and Greenstone and any member of the
Significant Shareholder Group will be entitled to exercise their
respective voting rights in relation to the same. Where the
nominations committee advises Greenstone that it has not identified
a replacement for the Unpropitious Director within such period
then, subject to certain conditions: (i) the Company will effect
the removal of the Unpropitious Director; (ii) Greenstone and any
member of the Significant Shareholder Group will be entitled to
exercise its voting rights in relation to the same; and (iii)
Greenstone will support the appointment of a replacement for the
Unpropitious Director through the exercise of its voting rights
(and the procurement of the exercise of any voting rights held by
any of the other members of the Significant Shareholder Group) when
notified to do so by the Company.
Greenstone has agreed that in no other circumstances shall it
seek to exercise its voting rights, or procure that any other
member of the Significant Shareholder Group exercise its voting
rights, so as to cause an Independent Director to be removed from
the Board.
The parties agree that the Company shall not be required to pay
any director fees to any Director nominated by the Significant
Shareholder Group who is a member of the Significant Shareholder
Group or of any Associate of the Significant Shareholder Group, but
shall, if so requested, pay director fees to any other Director
nominated by the Significant Shareholder Group in an amount
commensurate with those for non-executive independent directors (in
which case Greenstone shall be deemed to have consented thereto for
the purposes of the Work Programme).
(b) So long as the Significant Shareholder Group holds a
Significant Interest. Greenstone has the right to maintain its
Applicable Interest by participating in future equity issues;
(c) Greenstone has the right to nominate potential customers to
be afforded the opportunity to negotiate and purchase, on an
arms-length basis, a proportion of the Company's mineral
production, equal to the Significant Shareholder Group's Applicable
Interest in the Company on arms' length terms no less favourable to
the Company than those afforded to third parties of a similar
credit worthiness to the potential customer;
(d) Pursuant to the Subscription Agreement (as more fully
summarised in Part II), the Company has given the Undertaking Not
To Issue Shares (as defined in Part II). Pursuant to the
Relationship Agreement, Greenstone has agreed, in addition to the
obligation summarised in item (f) of paragraph 12 of Part I, to
exercise its voting rights to vote in favour of any resolutions put
to Shareholders at a general meeting in order to enable the Company
to issue shares (generally and free of statutory pre-emption
rights) in order to refinance the Loan Notes; and
(e) Greenstone has agreed to the Minority Shareholder
Protections, as set out in paragraph 12 of Part I.
Greenstone has given certain confirmations to the Company
regarding its understanding of the legal and practical requirements
surrounding price sensitive information relating to the Company,
and has given certain undertakings to the Company surrounding
disclosure of confidential and price sensitive information.
The Relationship Agreement provides that, save where the
exercise of Greenstone's voting rights would amount to a breach of
the Relationship Agreement Greenstone shall not be prevented by the
Relationship Agreement from exercising its voting rights in its
discretion and how its sees fit.
The Relationship Agreement is governed by the laws of England
and Wales, and each party irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive
jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
PART III RISK FACTORS
In addition to the other relevant information set out in the
Circular, the following specific factors should be considered
carefully when evaluating an investment in the Group. The
investment offered in the Circular may not be suitable for all of
its recipients. If you are in any doubt as to the action you should
take, you should consult a person authorised under FSMA who
specialises in advising on the acquisition of shares and other
securities. A prospective investor should consider carefully
whether an investment in the Group is suitable for him/her in the
light of his/her personal circumstances and the financial resources
available to him/her.
The exploration for, and development of, natural resources is a
highly speculative activity which involves a high degree of risk.
Accordingly, the New Ordinary Shares should be regarded as a highly
speculative investment and any investment in the Company should
only be made by those with the necessary expertise to evaluate the
investment fully. The Directors consider that the risks and other
factors described below are the most significant and should be
considered carefully together with all the information contained in
the Circular, prior to applying for Open Offer Shares. It should be
noted that the risks described below are not the only risks faced
by the Group; there may be additional risks that the Directors
currently consider not to be material or of which they are
currently unaware.
If any of the risks referred to in this Part IV crystallise, the
Company's business, financial condition, results or future
operations could be materially adversely affected. In such case,
the price of its shares could decline and investors may lose all or
part of their investment.
SECTION A: TRANSACTION SPECIFIC RISK FACTORS RISKS ASSOCIATED
WITH ANY OF THE RESOLUTIONS NOT BEING APPROVED
Shareholders should note the following risk factors related to
the Resolutions not being approved:
Events of Default under the Loan Note Instrument
The Loan Notes Instrument sets out a number of Events of
Default, as more fully detailed in Part III of the Circular.
Although, as at 27 June 2016, being the last practicable date prior
to the date of the Circular, the Company is not aware of any Events
of Default, if any of the Resolutions is not approved, an Event of
Default will be triggered unless new equity is raised and repayment
of the Loan Notes is made on or before 1 September 2016. Please see
the risk factor immediately below regarding the effects of
mandatory repayment of the Loan Notes on the Company.
Impact on Group's financial resilience
If any of the Resolutions is not approved, the Loan Notes will
become repayable on 1 September 2016. The Group will have very
little financial flexibility, particularly in the event of any
significant deterioration in market conditions and will have to
consider alternative funding options which may not be as
favourable. The Company will not be permitted, by the terms of the
Greenstone Placing, to raise alternative debt finance. In the event
that any of the Resolutions is not approved, and the Loan Notes
cannot be repaid on or before 1 September 2016, Greenstone would
not be able to convert the Loan Notes into New Greenstone Shares
but would have the right to enforce the Security over the Group's
principal asset, NLZM, the operating subsidiary which owns and
operates the Namib Project, leaving Shareholders with little or no
value but for the Company's remaining portfolio of early stage
exploration assets. Greenstone has indicated that, in the event of
such a default, it would be its intention to exercise its rights in
relation to the Security. This would leave the Group in a highly
uncertain financial position and in all likelihood it would result
in the Group companies ceasing to trade, insolvency and,
ultimately, the liquidation of the Group resulting in Shareholders
losing their investment in the Company.
Interest Payable on the Loan Notes
If any of the Resolutions is not approved, the rate of interest
applicable to the Loan Notes will increase from 10 per cent. per
annum to 20 per cent. per annum.
RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE RESOLUTIONS BEING APPROVED, BUT THE
OPEN OFFER AND PLACING FAILING TO RAISE US$3.92 MILLION
If the Resolutions are approved, but the Open Offer and Placing
do not proceed to raise US$3.92 million, Shareholders should note
the following risk factors. Shareholders should note that, due to
regulatory restrictions, the size of the Open Offer cannot exceed
EUR2,545,292.42 (approximately US$2.83 million) and so, if the
Placing does not raise approximately US$1.09 million, the Company
will not be in a position to repay 70 per cent. of the Loan Notes.
As at the date of the Circular, the Company has not received any
commitments in respect of the Placing, nor identified any potential
Placees.
Influence of significant Shareholder and Relationship
Agreement
If the Resolutions are approved, Greenstone's shareholding will
increase to between 29.997 per cent. and 76.67 per cent. of the
then Issued Share Capital, depending on the level of take up under
the Open Offer and Placing. Take up of less than US$2.24 million
will mean Greenstone's interest exceeding 50 per cent. of the
enlarged Issued Share Capital.
Depending on its resulting shareholding, Greenstone may be able
to exercise significant influence over the Company and may be able
to control substantially all matters requiring approval by
Shareholders including the election of directors, sales of assets,
share issues and amendments to the Articles. However, pursuant to
the Relationship Agreement, certain obligations are placed on
Greenstone, including (but not limited to) the Minority Shareholder
Protections outlined in paragraph 12 of Part I of the Circular.
Shareholders should note that the Relationship Agreement
provides that, save where the exercise of Greenstone's voting
rights would amount to a breach of other provisions of the
Relationship Agreement Greenstone shall not be prevented by the
Relationship Agreement from exercising its voting rights in its own
self interests in relation to the principles outlined in paragraphs
(a) to (d) of paragraph 12 of Part I of the Circular..
Greenstone also enjoys certain benefits and protections pursuant
to the Relationship Agreement, including (but not limited to) the
right to appoint directors to the Board depending on its
shareholding (as more fully set out in Part V of the Circular), a
right to participate in any issue of equity carried out by the
Company so as to maintain Greenstone's percentage shareholding, and
certain marketing rights in relation to the products produced by
the Company's projects (including, without limitation, the Namib
Project).
Events of Default under the Loan Note Instrument
Pursuant to the terms of the Loan Note Instrument, the Loan
Notes shall become repayable in full on the occurrence of any of
the Events of Default, as summarised in Part III of the
Circular.
Potential dilution of current Shareholders
Shareholders who do not (or, due to regulatory restrictions, are
not given the opportunity to) participate in the Open Offer to the
full extent of their pro rata entitlement will experience
significant dilution in their ownership and voting interests in the
Company on any conversion of the Loan Notes by Greenstone. In such
circumstances, such Shareholders' proportionate ownership and
voting rights in the Company will be reduced and the percentage
that their New Ordinary Shares will represent of the then total
Issued Share Capital will be reduced accordingly.
SECTION B: ECONOMIC RISK
There may be a number of associated risks over which the Group
will have no, or limited, control. These may include contract
renegotiation, contract cancellation, economic, social, or
political instability or change, hyperinflation, currency
non-convertibility or instability and changes of laws affecting
foreign ownership, government participation, taxation, working
conditions, rates of exchange, exchange control, exploration
licensing and mineral export licensing and export duties as well as
government control over domestic mineral pricing. While most of the
Group's financial obligations are denominated in US$, Namibian
dollars or Pounds Sterling, foreign currency effects may arise from
exchange rate movements.
SECTION C: RISKS RELATING TO THE COMPANY
Requirement for Additional Funding
The Proceeds of the Greenstone Placing, Open Offer and Placing
are only anticipated to be sufficient to fund the Company's working
capital needs for the remainder of 2016. Further funds will be
required to meet the Phase Two Funding Requirement and to develop
the Namib Project (the Phase Three Funding Requirement) and the
Company may also include funds required for additional working
capital. Failure to secure the Mining Licence and/or to obtain
sufficient financing for the Namib Project and any future projects
may result in a delay or indefinite postponement of exploration,
development or production on the Group properties or even a loss of
a property interest. Additional financing may not be available when
needed or, if available, the terms of such financing might not be
favourable to the Company and might involve substantial dilution to
Shareholders.
Nominal value of Existing Ordinary Shares
The Existing Ordinary Shares have a nominal value of 0.2 pence
each, and the New Ordinary Shares will continue to have a nominal
value of 0.2 pence each following completion of the Share Capital
Reorganisation. As a matter of English law, companies are not
permitted to issue shares at below nominal value. Therefore, if at
any time the Company wishes or needs to issue New Ordinary Shares
at a lower value to their nominal value, the Company will need to
propose resolutions to its Shareholders in order to effect a
further Share Capital Reorganisation. As with the Share Capital
Reorganisation, there can be no guarantee that such resolutions
would, if proposed, achieve the required majority to enable them to
be passed such as to enable the Company to issue shares at or above
nominal value.
Ability to raise sufficient debt finance
The Company has been engaging with multiple parties in order to
prepare for the inclusion of a debt package into the Namib
Project's Phase Three Funding Requirement financing package at the
point of a construction decision. While conversations with debt
providers continue, it is clear that the availability of debt for
the sector has become tougher to obtain due to weak commodity
prices, even for commodities with positive fundamentals such as
zinc and lead. The Company is conscious that there is no guarantee
that debt finance will be available at the relevant time, or at
all, and, as such, it may become necessary for the Company to seek
the finance for the Phase Three Funding Requirement from
alternative sources.
Taxation Risk
Any change in the Group's tax status, the tax applicable to
holding New Ordinary Shares or in taxation legislation or its
interpretation, could affect the value of the investments held by
the Group, the Company's ability to provide returns to Shareholders
and/or post-tax returns to Shareholders. Statements in the Circular
concerning the taxation of the Company's investors are based upon
current tax law and practice, which is subject to change.
Exploration and Mining Licences
All of the licences currently held by the Group are exploration
licences. Prior to the commencement of mining and processing
activities, mining licences and all other permits and regulatory
consents will need to be obtained.
Although the Company believes that such licences, permits and
regulatory consents should be obtained for the commencement of
mining and production activities, there can be no assurance
regarding these matters.
The exploration licences currently held by the Group and any
mining or prospecting licences acquired by the Group in the future
will be subject to licence requirements, which include, inter alia,
certain financial commitments which, if not fulfilled, could result
in the suspension or ultimate forfeiture of the relevant
licences.
The Group has applied for the Mining Licence in relation to the
Namib Project. If such application is successful, this will provide
mining rights in relation to the Namib Project under Namibian
mining law for a period of up to a maximum of 25 years. There is no
guarantee that the Mining Licence will be granted for the duration
of the life of mine for the Namib Project. Failure by the Group to
obtain the Mining Licence or other necessary mining licences or
government consents for its other projects either at all or within
anticipated timeframes or on acceptable terms and conditions, or
revocation of existing licences could materially jeopardize the
viability of the Group's projects.
Failure by the Group to obtain the Mining Licence without any
further significant delay or on commercially viable terms and
conditions may adversely affect the Company's requirement for the
Phase Two Funding Requirement and/or result in additional working
capital being required. Please further refer to the risk factor
titled "Supplementary Terms & Conditions and ML Proposal"
below.
Supplementary Terms & Conditions and ML Proposal
As announced on 1 February 2016, the Company has received from
the Namibian Government a Notice of Preparedness to Grant the
Mining Licence, which the Company formally accepted on 26 February
2016, having raised certain queries with the Ministry regarding the
Supplementary Terms & Conditions which will attach to the
Mining Licence. On 25 April 2016, the Company's 100 per cent. held
subsidiary, NLZM, submitted its ML Proposal, following which the
Ministry had 30 days to propose amendments, if any, to the ML
Proposal which the Ministry believes would enable NLZM to support
the Namibian Government's objectives for broad based empowerment
and poverty eradication. Should NLZM be dissatisfied with the
Ministry's counter-proposal it shall have an additional 30 days
within which to make written representations to the Ministry, upon
consideration of which the Ministry shall notify NLZM of the final
terms and conditions upon which the Ministry is prepared to grant
the Mining Licence.
On 2 June 2016, the Ministry informed NLZM that it is still
reviewing the ML Proposal and that it shall respond to NLZM within
30 days, being on or before 2 July 2016.
As at the date of the issue of the Circular, the Group still
awaits a formal response from the Ministry on the ML Proposal of 25
April 2016 and to queries raised by the Company in February 2016 on
the Supplemental Terms & Conditions.
Failure by the Group to reach agreement on the ML Proposal
and/or obtain the Mining Licence on commercially viable
Supplementary Terms & Conditions may, in turn, materially
jeopardize the viability of the Namib Project and the Group's
business.
Political and Other Potential Country Risks
The Group's operations are based in Namibia. Whilst the Namibian
government has been stable for many years, the Company could be
subject to the political, economic and social factors affecting
both Africa generally and Namibia in particular, including regional
diplomatic developments and changes in laws, regulations and
policies. Government actions, changes in government or ministry
personnel or changes in political conditions (and the impact
thereof on the domestic economy) in the future could have a
significant effect on political or economic conditions in Namibia,
which could adversely affect the Group's business and its financial
results. Please refer to the risk factor titled "Draft NEEEF Bill"
below.
In addition, the Group may be adversely affected by changes in
judicial, administrative, taxation or other regulatory factors in
the United Kingdom or elsewhere.
Draft NEEEF Bill
The draft NEEEF Bill has been published which, if enacted, could
set out obligations for companies, irrespective of sector, in
respect of, inter alia, ownership and management participation by
previously disadvantaged Namibians. Certain obligations under the
proposed NEEEF Bill are inconsistent with those laid down under the
Supplementary Terms & Conditions to the Notice of Preparedness
to Grant the Mining Licence received by the Company and dated 28
January 2016. The extent to which the proposed NEEEF Bill would
place obligations on the Namib Project and the timeframe for
finalising and enacting the NEEEF Bill is not clear at this stage,
but will undoubtedly be an area on which the Company will need
further clarity in due course.
Labour Risk
The Group needs to employ both skilled and unskilled labour
force to undertake its exploration, evaluation and development
programme. The labour risk identifies that a suitably skilled
labour force may not be available. To mitigate the risk, the Group
has undertaken to train employees in the skills required and will
engage suitably skilled specialists as required.
Joint Ventures
Members of the Group hold interests in joint ventures. Joint
ventures involve special risks associated with the possibility that
the joint venture partners may: (i) have economic or business
interests or targets that are inconsistent with those of the Group;
(ii) take action contrary to the Group's policies or objectives
with respect to their investments, for instance by veto of
proposals in respect of joint venture operations; (iii) be unable
or unwilling to fulfil their obligations under the joint venture or
other agreements; or (iv) experience financial or other
difficulties. Any of the foregoing may have a material adverse
effect on the results of operations or financial condition of the
Group. In addition, the termination of certain of these joint
venture agreements, if not replaced on similar terms, could have a
material adverse effect on the results of operations or financial
condition of the Group.
Competition
A number of other mining companies operate mineral exploration
and development assets in the regions in which the Company
currently operates and may operate in the future, thereby providing
competition to the Group. Larger companies, in particular, may have
access to greater resources than the Group which may give them a
competitive advantage.
Legal systems
Jurisdictions in which the Group operates or might operate in
the future may have less developed legal systems than more
established economies, which could result in risks such as:
-- effective legal redress in the courts of such jurisdictions,
whether in respect of a breach of law or regulation, or in an
ownership dispute, being more difficult to obtain;
-- a higher degree of discretion on the part of governmental authorities;
-- the lack of judicial or administrative guidance on
interpreting applicable rules and regulations;
-- inconsistencies or conflicts between and within various laws,
regulations, decrees, orders and resolutions; or
-- relative inexperience of the judiciary and courts in such matters.
In certain jurisdictions, the commitment of local business
people, government officials and agencies and the judicial system
to abide by legal requirements and negotiated agreements may be
more uncertain, creating particular concerns with respect to the
Group's licences and agreements for business. These may be
susceptible to revision or cancellation and legal redress may be
uncertain or delayed. There can be no assurance that joint
ventures, licences, licence applications or other legal
arrangements will not be adversely affected by the actions of
government authorities or others and the effectiveness of and
enforcement of such arrangements in these jurisdictions cannot be
assured.
SECTION D: RESOURCE SECTOR RISKS
General Business Risk
The activities of the Group are subject to the usual commercial
risks and factors such as competition. In addition, economic
conditions may generally affect the Group's ability to generate
income or achieve its objectives.
Environmental Risk
The Group's operations are subject to existing and possible
future environmental and health and safety legislation, regulations
and actions which could impose significant costs and burdens on the
Group (the extent of which cannot be predicted) both in terms of
compliance and potential penalties, liabilities and remediation.
Breach of any environmental obligations could result in penalties
and civil liabilities and/or suspension of licences or operations,
any of which could adversely affect the Group.
Resources Risk
The potential resources of the Group's projects have been
independently reviewed and confirmed. However, the figures for
potential resources are estimates and no assurance can be given
that the anticipated tonnage and grades will be achieved. The
exploration of mineral rights is speculative in nature and is
frequently unsuccessful. Therefore, the Company may not define
resources that can be economically exploited. The Directors are
committed to complying with and reporting under the JORC Code and
this reporting will be done by competent persons as defined by the
JORC Code.
Volatility of Mineral Prices
The activities of the Group and the viability of its projects
will be subject to fluctuations in demand and prices for minerals
generally. A significant reduction in global demand for the
minerals to be sold by the Group, leading to a fall in prices,
could lead to a delay in exploration and production or even
abandonment of one or more of the Group's projects should they
prove uneconomical to develop.
There is also uncertainty as to the possibility of increases in
world production both from existing mines and as a result of mines
currently closed being reopened in the future if price increases
make such projects economic. Consequently, price forecasting can be
difficult to predict or imprecise. Any future income from mineral
sales may be subject to exchange rate fluctuations and become
subject to exchange control or similar restrictions.
The availability of a ready market for the minerals expected to
be produced by the Group depends upon numerous factors beyond its
control. These factors (the list of which is not exhaustive)
include: general economic activity, world metal market prices,
action taken by other producing nations, the availability and
pricing of other substitute minerals, the extent of governmental
regulation and taxation. The aggregate effect of these factors on
the Group's activities is difficult to predict.
Exploration Risk
Whether or not income will result from the Group's projects
depends on the successful establishment of mining operations.
Factors including costs, actual mineralisation, consistency and
reliability of ore grades and mineral prices affect successful
project development, as does the design and construction of
efficient processing facilities, competent operation and management
and prudent financial administration, including the availability
and reliability of appropriately skilled and experienced
consultants.
Mineral exploration is speculative in nature, involves many
risks and frequently is unsuccessful. There can be no assurance
that any discovered mineralisation will result in an increase in
the reserves or resources of the Group. If reserves are developed,
it can take a number of years from the initial phases of drilling
and identification of mineralisation until production is possible,
during which time the economic feasibility of production may
change. Substantial expenditures are required to establish reserves
through drilling, to determine processes to extract minerals and,
in the cases of new properties, to construct mining and processing
facilities. Even if the Group recovers commercial quantities of
minerals, there is a risk that it will not achieve a commercial
return. For example, the Group may not be able to transport the
minerals to commercially viable markets at a reasonable cost or may
not be able to sell the minerals to customers at a price and
quantity which would cover its operating and other costs.
Exploration and evaluation may be hampered by mining, heritage
and environmental legislation, industrial disputes, cost overruns,
land claims and compensation and other unforeseen contingencies.
Adverse weather conditions over a prolonged period could also
negatively affect exploration, mining and drilling operations and
the timing of earning revenues.
As a result of these uncertainties, no assurance can be given
that the exploration programmes undertaken by the Group will result
in any new commercial mining operations being brought into
operation.
Mining risk
The business of the development and exploitation of mineral
deposits involves a high degree of risk. The operations of the
Company may be disrupted by a variety of risks and hazards which
are beyond the control of the Company, including geological,
geotechnical and seismic factors, environmental hazards (including
discharge of pollutants or hazardous chemicals), industrial and
mechanical accidents, occupational and health hazards, unscheduled
plant shutdowns or other processing problems, technical failures,
labour disputes, unusual or unexpected rock formations,
unanticipated ground or water conditions, flooding and extended
interruptions due to inclement or hazardous weather conditions,
explosions and other acts of God.
The occurrence of any of these hazards may delay or interrupt
production, increase production costs and result in liability to
the owner or operator of the mine. The Group may become subject to
liability for pollution or other hazards against which it has not
insured or cannot insure, including those in respect of past mining
activities for which it was not responsible.
Development Projects
Development projects have no operating history upon which to
base estimates of future cash operating costs. For development
projects, estimates of proven and probable reserves and cash
operating costs are, to a large extent, based upon the
interpretation of geological data obtained from drill holes and
other sampling techniques and feasibility studies which derive
estimates of cash operating costs based upon anticipated recoveries
to be mined and processed, the configuration of the mineral body,
expected recovery rates, comparable facility and equipment
operating costs, anticipated climatic conditions and other factors.
As a result, it is possible that actual cash operating costs and
economic returns may differ from those currently estimated.
Production Estimates
Actual production may vary from estimates of future production
for a variety of reasons. It is likely that actual production will
vary from estimates of production for properties not yet in
production.
SECTION E: GENERAL RISKS
Possible volatility of the price of ordinary shares
The market price of the Existing Ordinary Shares, and the future
market price of the New Ordinary Shares, following completion of
the Share Capital Reorganisation, may not reflect the underlying
value of the Company's net assets and could be subject to
significant fluctuations due to a change in sentiment in the market
regarding the Company's shares (or securities similar to them) or
in response to various factors and events, including any regulatory
changes affecting the Group's operations, variations in the Group's
operating results and business developments of the Group or its
competitors. Stock markets have from time to time experienced
significant price and volume fluctuations which have affected the
market prices for securities which may be unrelated to the Group's
operating performance or prospects. Furthermore, the Group's
operating results and prospects from time to time may be below the
expectations of market analysts and investors. Any of these events
could result in a decline in the market price of the New Ordinary
Shares. The trading prices of the New Ordinary Shares may go down
as well as up and Shareholders may, therefore, not recover their
original investment costs.
Substantial sales of New Ordinary Shares could cause the price
of New Ordinary Shares to decline
There can be no assurance that the Directors or other
shareholders will not elect to sell their New Ordinary Shares when
they are legally entitled so to do. The market price of New
Ordinary Shares could decline as a result of any sales of such New
Ordinary Shares or as a result of the perception in the market
which may occur as a result of such a sale. If these or any other
sales were to occur, the Company may in the future have difficulty
in offering or selling New Ordinary Shares at a time or at a price
it deems appropriate.
General Economic Conditions
Market conditions, particularly those affecting resource
companies, may affect the ultimate value of the Company's share
price regardless of operating performance. The Company could be
affected by unforeseen events outside its control, including
natural disasters, terrorist attacks and political unrest and/or
Government legislation or policy. Market perception of resource
companies may change which could impact on the value of investors'
holdings and impact on the ability of the Company to raise further
funds by an issue of further shares in the Company. General
economic conditions may affect exchange rates, interest rates and
inflation rates. Movements in these rates will have an impact on
the Company's cost of raising and maintaining debt financing.
Insurance Risk
The Company has in place indemnity insurance to protect the
Group's assets. The insurance obtained also indemnifies the
insurable interests of the Group. However, the insurance coverage
may prove inadequate to satisfy potential claims and losses.
Further, the Group may become subject to liabilities that cannot
be insured against or against which it may elect not to be insured
fully or at all because of high premium costs.
Litigation Risk
Legal proceedings may arise from time to time in the course of
the Company's business. The Company cannot preclude the possibility
that litigation may be brought against it or other companies in the
Group.
Legal Risk
There is a possibility that new legislation or regulations in
any relevant jurisdiction may be adopted in the future that may
materially adversely affect the Group's operations or its cost
structure. New legislation or regulations, or different or more
stringent interpretation or enforcement of existing laws and
regulations, may also require the Group or its suppliers or
customers to change operations significantly or incur increased
costs which could have a material adverse effect on the financial
results of the Group.
Key Personnel and Management Risks
There can be no assurance that the Group's current personnel,
systems, procedures and controls will be adequate to support the
Group's operations. Any failure of management to manage effectively
the Group's growth and development could have a material adverse
effect on the Group's business, financial condition and results of
operations.
The Group's business is dependent on retaining the services of a
small number of key personnel of the appropriate calibre as the
business develops. The success of the Group is, and will continue
to be to a significant extent, dependent on the expertise and
experience of the Directors and senior management.
Whilst the Group has entered into contractual arrangements with
the aim of securing the services of the existing management team,
the retention of their services cannot be guaranteed. Accordingly,
the loss of one or more could have a material adverse effect on the
Group.
Dividends
The dividend policy of the Company is dependent upon its
financial condition, cash requirements, future prospects, profits
available for distribution and other factors deemed to be relevant
at the time and on the continued health of the markets in which it
operates. As a matter of English law, the Company can pay dividends
only to the extent that it has distributable reserves available
which, as the Company is a group holding company is dependent on
the Company's ability to receive funds for such purposes, directly
or indirectly, from operating subsidiaries in a manner which
creates distributable reserves for the Company. The Company's
ability to pay dividends to shareholders is therefore a function of
existing Group distributable reserves, future Group profitability,
the ability to distribute or dividend profits from subsidiaries up
the Group structure to the Company and other factors that the
Directors deem significant from time to time, such as capital
requirements and general economic conditions. There can be no
guarantee that the Company will pay dividends in the foreseeable
future.
Forward looking statements
The Circular contains "forward-looking statements" which
includes all statements other than statements of historical fact
including, without limitation those regarding the Company's
financial position, business strategy, plans and objectives of
management for future operations, or any statements preceded by,
followed by or that include the words "targets", "believes",
"expects", "aims", "intends", "will", "may", "might",
"anticipates", "would, "could" or similar expressions or negatives
thereof. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown
risks, uncertainties and other important factors beyond the
Company's control that could cause the actual results, performance
or achievements of the Company to be materially different from
future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by
such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements
are based on numerous assumptions regarding the Company's present
and future business strategies and the environment in which the
Group will operate in the future. These forward- looking statements
speak only as at the date of the Circular. The Company expressly
disclaims any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates
or revisions to forward-looking statements contained herein to
reflect any change in the Company's expectations with regard
thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on
which any such statements are based unless required to do so by
applicable law.
This list of risk factors should not be considered an exhaustive
statement of all potential risk and uncertainties.
Definitions
The following definitions apply throughout this Announcement,
except where the context requires otherwise:
"5 Level Drive" has the meaning given to that
term in paragraph 2 of Part I
"2006 Act" the Companies Act 2006 (as amended,
or "Companies modified, consolidated, re-enacted
Act" or "Act" or replaced from time to time)
"2015 Convertible 10 per cent. convertible loan
Loan Notes" notes 2018 issued to Greenstone
in 2015
"2015 Convertible the convertible loan note instrument
Loan Note dated 28 August 2015 and executed
Instrument" by the Company constituting the
2015 Convertible Loan Notes
"2015 Greenstone the issue by the Company of the
Placing" 2015 Convertible Loan Notes to
Greenstone pursuant to the 2015
Investment Agreement
"2015 Open the conditionally underwritten
Offer" open offer carried out by the
Company in 2015 of up to 900,677,910
Existing Ordinary Shares to eligible
shareholders at a price of 0.2
pence per Existing Ordinary Share
"2015 Placing" the placing of Existing Ordinary
Shares not taken up under the
2015 Open Offer at a price of
0.2 pence per Existing Ordinary
Share
"2015 Investment the subscription agreement entered
Agreement" into between the Company and Greenstone
on 10 August 2015 relating to
the 2015 Greenstone Placing
"Admission" the admission of the New Ordinary
Shares, the Open Offer Shares,
the Placing Shares and/or the
New Greenstone Shares (as the
context may require) to trading
on AIM becoming effective in accordance
with Rule 6 of the AIM Rules
"Affiliate" has the meaning provided in the
Code (and "Affiliated" and "Affiliates"
shall be construed accordingly)
"AIM" the AIM market operated by the
London Stock Exchange
"AIM Rules" the rules for AIM companies as
issued by the London Stock Exchange
from time to time governing, inter
alia, the admission of securities
to AIM
"Amended Articles" the articles of association of
the Company as amended following
the passing of Resolution 3 at
the General Meeting, further details
of which are set out in Part I,
paragraph 13 of this announcement
"Applicable the applicable percentage interest
Interest" of the Significant Shareholder
Group in Shares is calculated
by taking the total number of
all voting rights in the Company
held by the Significant Shareholder
Group (on a fully-diluted basis),
including pursuant to Equity Securities,
including the rights (whether
or not conditional) to convert
the Loan Notes into ordinary shares
of GBP0.002 each in the capital
of the Company, and dividing it
by the total number of voting
rights in the Company held by
Shareholders (on a non-fully-diluted
basis)
"Applicable has the meaning given to that
Securities term in paragraph 5 of Part II
Laws" of the Circular
"Application the application form which accompanies
Form" this Circular on which Eligible
non-CREST Shareholders may apply
for Open Offer Shares under the
Open Offer
"Articles" the articles of association of
the Company, in force from time
to time
"ASIC" Australian Securities and Investments
Commission
"Associate means (i) the directors and officers
of the Significant of any member of the Significant
Shareholder Shareholder Group and (ii) any
Group" third party that has purchased
shares in the Company at the direction
of any member of the Significant
Shareholder Group
"Board" or the board of directors of the
"Directors" Company
"Business any day (excluding Saturdays,
Day" Sundays and public holidays) on
which banks are open in the City
of London for the conduct of normal
banking business
"Capita Asset a trading name of Capita Registrars
Services" Limited
"certificated" not in uncertificated form
or "certificated
form"
"Circular" this Circular including all attachments
and enclosed papers
"Code" the UK Takeover Code on Takeovers
and Mergers
"Company" North River Resources PLC, a company
incorporated in England and Wales
with registered number 5875525,
whose registered office is, at
the date of this Circular, at
One America Square, Crosswall,
London, EC3N 2SG
"Conversion has the meaning given to that
Price" term in paragraph 3(a) of Part
III of the Circular
"Conversion has the meaning given to that
Requirement" term in paragraph 3(c) of Part
III of the Circular
"Corporations Australian Corporations Act 2001
Act" (Cth)
"CREST" the relevant system for the paperless
settlement of trades and the holding
of uncertified securities (as
defined in the Regulations) in
respect of which Euroclear UK
& Ireland Limited is the operator
(as defined in the Regulations)
"DFS" means the definitive feasibility
study carried out in relation
to the Project
"Deferred the new deferred shares of 0.0008
Shares" pence each in the Company arising
from the Share Capital Reorganisation
and having the rights set out
in the Amended Articles
"Eligible Eligible Shareholders holding
CREST Shareholders" Existing Ordinary Shares in uncertificated
form
"Eligible Eligible Shareholders holding
non-CREST Existing Ordinary Shares in certificated
Shareholders" form
"Eligible Shareholders (excluding Greenstone)
Shareholders" whose names appear on the register
of members of the Company on the
Open Offer Record Date as holders
of Existing Ordinary Shares, and
who are eligible to be offered
Open Offer Shares under the Open
Offer in accordance with the terms
and conditions set out in the
Circular and, where relevant,
in the Application Form
"Enlarged the issued ordinary share capital
Share Capital" of the Company comprising the
New Ordinary Shares, the Open
Offer Shares, the Placing Shares
and the New Greenstone Shares
"Equity Securities" has the meaning given to that
term in the 2006 Act
"Events of has the meaning given to that
Default" term in Part III of the Circular
"Ex date" 8.00 a.m. on 29 June 2016 in respect
of the entitlements of Eligible
Shareholders under the Open Offer
"Excess Application the arrangement pursuant to which
Facility" Eligible Shareholders may apply
for Open Offer Shares in excess
of their Open Offer Entitlements
"Excess CREST in respect of each Eligible CREST
Open Offer Shareholder, the entitlement to
Entitlements" apply for Open Offer Shares in
addition to his Open Offer Entitlement
credited to his stock account
in CREST, pursuant to the Excess
Application Facility which is
conditional on him/her taking
up his Open Offer Entitlement
in full and which may be subject
to scaling back in accordance
with the provisions of the Circular
"Excess Open an entitlement for each Eligible
Offer Entitlement" Shareholder to apply to subscribe
for Open Offer Shares in addition
to his Open Offer Entitlement
pursuant to the Excess Application
Facility which is conditional
on him/her taking up his Open
Offer Entitlement in full and
which may be subject to scaling
back in accordance with the provisions
of the Circular
"Excess Shares" New Ordinary Shares in addition
to the Open Offer Entitlement
for which Eligible Shareholders
may apply under the Excess Application
Facility
"Exchange has the meaning given to that
Information" term in paragraph 5 of Part II
of the Circular
"Exchange means the rate of GBP1.00:US$1.34
Rate" being the agreed upon exchange
rate from GBP to US$
"Existing the articles of association of
Articles" the Company as at the date of
the Circular
"Existing the 659,507,644 Existing Ordinary
Greenstone Shares held by Greenstone as at
Shares" the date of this announcement
"Existing the 2,199,091,843 ordinary shares
Ordinary Shares" in issue at the date of this announcement,
each with a nominal value of 0.2
pence each in the capital of the
Company
"FCA" the Financial Conduct Authority
"Financing the Open Offer, the Placing, the
Proposals" grant of conversion rights in
respect of the Loan Notes, the
Waiver, the Share Capital Reorganisation
and the authority to issue Equity
Securities, generally and free
from statutory pre-emption rights
pursuant to Resolutions 3 and
6
"Form of Proxy" as included in the notice of General
Meeting being Part VI of the Circular
"Fractional has the meaning ascribed to that
Shareholders" expression in Part I, paragraph
13 of the Circular
"French Regulations" the rules and regulations (réglement
general) of the Autorité
des Marchés Financiers implementing
Directive 2003/71/EC
"FSMA" the Financial Services and Markets
Act 2000 (as amended)
"GFSC" Guernsey Financial Services Commission
"General Meeting" has the meaning given to that
term in paragraph 1 of Part I
"GML" Greenstone Management Limited
"General Meeting the record date for the General
Record Date" Meeting, being 5.00 p.m. on 27
June 2016 (or such other time
and date as the Directors may
determine)
"Greenstone" Greenstone Resources L.P. (No:1911)
a limited partnership registered
in Guernsey and whose registered
office is at 1st Floor Royal Chambers,
St Julian's Avenue, St Peter Port,
Guernsey, GY1 3JX, Channel Islands
"Greenstone has the meaning given to that
Placing" term in paragraph 2 of Part I
of this announcement
"Greenstone the Existing Greenstone Shares
Shares" and the New Greenstone Shares
"GRL" has the meaning given to that
term in Part V of this the Circular
"Group" the Company and its subsidiaries
as at the date of this announcement
"GRUK" has the meaning given to that
term in Part V of this announcement
"Independent James Beams, Rodney Beddows, Mark
Directors" Thompson, Keith Marshall and Ken
Sangster
"Independent means Shareholders other than
Shareholders" Greenstone
"Indicated has the meaning given to that
Mineral Resources" term in the 2012 Edition of the
JORC Code prepared by the Joint
Ore Reserves Committee of the
Australasian Institute of Mining
and Metallurgy, Australian Institute
of Geoscientists and Minerals
Council of Australia
"Inferred has the meaning given to that
Mineral Resources" term in the 2012 Edition of the
JORC Code prepared by the Joint
Ore Reserves Committee of the
Australasian Institute of Mining
and Metallurgy, Australian Institute
of Geoscientists and Minerals
Council of Australia
"Issue Price" means 23.75 pence per Open Offer
Share or Placing Share (as the
case may be) (on a post Share
Capital Reorganisation basis)
(equivalent to 0.095 pence per
Existing Ordinary Shares pre Share
Capital Reorganisation)
"Issued Share the issued share capital of the
Capital" Company from time to time, being
2,199,091,843 Existing Ordinary
Shares as at the date of this
announcement
"Loan Note means the loan note instrument
Instrument" dated 28 June 2016 and executed
by the Company constituting the
Loan Notes
"Loan Notes" has the meaning given to that
term in paragraph 5 of Part I
of this announcement
"London Stock London Stock Exchange Plc
Exchange"
"Mandatory means the requirement under Rule
Offer" 9 of the Code which provides that
where:
(i) any person acquires an interest
in shares (as defined in the Code)
which, when taken together with
shares in which he or persons
acting in concert with him are
interested, carry 30 per cent.
or more of the voting rights of
a company subject to the Code;
or
(ii) any person who, together
with persons acting in concert
with him, is interested in not
less than 30 per cent. but does
not hold shares carrying more
than 50 per cent. of the voting
rights of a company subject to
the Code and such person, or persons
acting in concert with him, acquires
further interests in shares which
increase his percentage of the
voting rights,
such persons are normally obliged
to make a general offer to all
the remaining shareholders to
purchase, in cash, their shares
at the highest price paid by him,
or any person acting in concert
with him, within the preceding
12 months
"Maturity means:
Date" (a) where the Resolutions are
approved without amendment, 2
August 2016, being 15 days following
the date of the General Meeting;
or
(b) where the Resolutions are
not approved, 1 September 2016,
being 45 days following the date
of the General Meeting.
"Minerals means the Namibian Minerals (Prospecting
Act" & Mining) Act No. 33 of 1992
"Mining Licence" means NLZM's pending mining licence
no. 185 in relation to the Namib
Project, for base, rare and precious
metals and in respect of which
the Ministry has issued, and NLZM
has accepted, the Notice of Preparedness
to Grant a Mining Licence
"Ministry" the Namibian Ministry of Mines
& Energy
"Minority has the meaning given to that
Shareholder term in paragraph 12 of Part I
Protections" of this announcement
"ML Proposal" has the meaning given to that
term in paragraph 2 of Part I
of this announcement
"Namib Project" the Company's Namib Lead & Zinc
Project located in the Erongo
Region, Namibia
"NEEEF Bill" means the proposed draft National
Equitable Economic Empowerment
Bill, further details of which
are set out in paragraph 2 of
Part I
"New Greenstone the New Ordinary Shares issuable
Shares" to Greenstone on conversion in
full of the Loan Notes pursuant
to the Conversion Requirement
"New Ordinary immediately following completion
Shares" of the Share Capital Reorganisation,
the new ordinary shares of 0.2
pence each in the capital of the
Company arising on the subdivision,
re-designation and consolidation
of the Existing Ordinary Shares
pursuant to the Share Capital
Reorganisation
"NLZM" the Company's 100 per cent. held
Namibian subsidiary, Namib Lead
and Zinc (Pty) Ltd
"Notice of means the formal notice of preparedness
Preparedness to grant the Mining Licence in
to Grant" terms of section 48(4) of the
Minerals Act
"Open Offer" the Open Offer of up to 8,683,254
Open Offer Shares at the Issue
Price (equivalent to approximately
2,170,813,720 Existing Ordinary
Shares pre Share Capital Reorganisation)
"Open Offer an Eligible Shareholder's pro-rata
Entitlements" entitlement to Open Offer Shares
"Open Offer 5.00 p.m. on 27 June 2016 in respect
Record Date" of the entitlements of Eligible
Shareholders under the Open Offer
"Open Offer the New Ordinary Shares to be
Shares" issued pursuant to the Open Offer,
including any Excess Shares (including,
where relevant, reference to such
New Ordinary Shares by reference
to the equivalent number of Existing
Ordinary Shares pre Share Capital
Reorganisation)
"Overseas a Shareholder who is resident
Shareholder" in, or who is a citizen of, or
who has a registered address in,
a jurisdiction outside the United
Kingdom, Australia, the Isle of
Man, France, Switzerland or Portugal
"Panel" the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers
"Phase One has the meaning given to that
Funding Requirement" term in paragraph 2 of Part I
"Phase Three has the meaning given to that
Funding Requirement" term in paragraph 2 of Part I
"Phase Two has the meaning given to that
Funding Requirement" term in paragraph 2 of Part
"Placees" means the placees under the Placing
"Placing" has the meaning given to that
term in paragraph 1 of Part I
of this announcement
"Placing Shares" the New Ordinary Shares to be
issued in connection with the
Placing
"Registrar" Capita Asset Services acting in
or its capacity as registrar pursuant
"Receiving to the terms of the agreement
Agent" for the provision of registry
services entered into between
the Company and Capita Asset Services
"Regulations" the Uncertificated Securities
Regulations 2001 (S1 2001 No.
3755) as amended
"Relationship means the relationship agreement
Agreement" entered into between the Company
and Greenstone and dated 28 June
2016, details on which are set
out in paragraph 12 of Part I
and paragraph 5 of Part II
"Resolutions" the resolutions to be tabled at
the General Meeting as more fully
set out in Part VI of this Circular
"Restricted means any jurisdiction other than
Jurisdictions" the United Kingdom (excluding
the Channel Islands), Australia,
the Isle of Man, France, Switzerland
or Portugal
"Rule 9" Rule 9 of the Code
"Securities US Securities Act of 1933, as
Act" amended
"Security" has the meaning given to that
term in paragraph 5 of Part I
"Shareholders" the holders of shares in the capital
of the Company from time to time
"Share Capital has the meaning ascribed to that
Reorganisation" expression in Part I, paragraph
1 of this announcement
"Share Capital 5.00 p.m. on 18 July 2016 (or
Reorganisation such other time and date as the
Record Date" Directors may determine)
"Share Capital means Resolution 2
Reorganisation
Resolution"
"Significant means an interest in voting rights
Interest" representing 20 per cent. or more
of the rights to vote at a general
meeting of the Company attaching
to New Ordinary Shares
"Significant has the meaning given to that
Shareholder term in paragraph 12(a) of Part
Group" I of this announcement
"Strand Hanson" Strand Hanson Ltd, the Company's
nominated adviser for the purpose
of the AIM Rules
"Subdivided has the meaning ascribed to that
Share" expression in Part I, Paragraph
A, section 3 of this Circular
"Subscription means the loan note subscription
Agreement" agreement dated 28 June 2016 between
the Company and Greenstone
"Subsidiary" any company (or other entity)
controlled, controlling or jointly
controlled by the same person,
directly or indirectly, where
"control" means the ability to
appoint directors (or persons
performing similar functions)
through the exercise of a majority
of the voting rights (or similar
rights)
"Supplementary has the meaning given to that
Terms & Conditions" term in paragraph 2 of Part I
of this announcement
"UK" or "United the United Kingdom of Great Britain
Kingdom" and Northern Ireland
"uncertificated" held in uncertificated form in
or "uncertificated CREST
form"
"United States" the United States of America,
or "US" its territories and possessions,
any state of the United States
of America and the district of
Columbia and all other areas subject
to its jurisdiction
"VWAP" has the meaning given to that
term in paragraph 5 Part I of
this announcement
"Waiver" has the meaning given to that
term in paragraph 1 Part I of
this announcement
"Whitewash has the meaning given to that
Resolution" term in paragraph 1 Part I of
this announcement
"Work Programme" the work programme agreed between
the Company and Greenstone
"GBP" pounds sterling, the lawful currency
of the UK from time to time
"US$" US dollars, the lawful currency
of the United States from time
to time
Expected Timetable of Principal Events
General Meeting Record 5.00 p.m. on
Date 27 June 2016
Open Offer Record Date 5.00 p.m. on
(for entitlement under 27 June 2016
the Open Offer)
Announcement of the Open 28 June 2016
Offer and Placing
Existing Ordinary Shares 8.00 a.m. on
marked 'ex' by London Stock 29 June 2016
Exchange
Posting of this Circular 28 June 2016
and the Application Forms
Existing Ordinary Shares 8.00 a.m. on
marked 'ex' by London Stock 29 June 2016
Exchange
Open Offer Entitlements as soon as practicable
and Excess CREST Open Offer on 29 June 2016
Entitlements credited to
stock accounts in CREST
of Eligible CREST Shareholders
Recommended latest time 4.30 p.m. on
for requesting withdrawal 11 July 2016
of Open Offer Entitlements
and Excess CREST Open Offer
Entitlements from CREST
Latest time for depositing 3.00 p.m. on
Open Offer Entitlements 12 July 2016
into CREST
Latest time for splitting 3.00 p.m. on
of Application Forms (to 13 July 2016
satisfy bona fide market
claims only)
Latest time and date for 2.00 p.m. on
receipt of Forms of Proxy 14 July 2016
for the General Meeting
Latest time and date for 11.00 a.m. on
receipt of Application 15 July 2016
Form and payment in full
under the Open Offer and
settlement of relevant
CREST instructions
General Meeting 2.00 p.m. on
18 July 2016
Share Capital Reorganisation 5.00 p.m. on
Record Date 18 July 2016
Announcement of the results 18 July 2016
of the General Meeting
Expected date of announcement 18 July 2016
of results of the Open
Offer through an RIS
Expected time and date 8 a.m. on 19
for Admission and commencement July 2016
in dealings in the New
Ordinary Shares following
completion of the Share
Capital Reorganisation,
the Placing Shares, the
Open Offer Shares and New
Greenstone Shares on AIM
Expected date for crediting 19 July 2016
of the New Ordinary Shares
following completion of
the Share Capital Reorganisation,
the Placing Shares, the
Open Offer Shares and New
Greenstone Shares in uncertificated
form to CREST accounts
Expected date of despatch on or before
of definitive share certificates 26 July 2016
for the New Ordinary Shares,
the Placing Shares, the
Open Offer Shares and New
Greenstone Shares
Notes:
(1) References to times in this announcement are to London,
United Kingdom, time (unless otherwise stated).
(2) The dates and timing of the events in the above timetable
and in the rest of this Circular may be subject to change (with the
agreement of the Nominated Adviser and the Broker). If any of the
above times or dates should change, the details of the revised
times and/or dates will be notified by an appropriate announcement
via a regulatory information service, but Shareholders may not
receive any further written communication.
(3) In order to subscribe for Open Offer Shares under the Open
Offer, Eligible Shareholders will need to follow the procedure set
out in Part II of the Circular and, where relevant, complete the
accompanying Application Form. If you have any questions relating
to this Circular, and the completion and return of the Application
Form, please telephone Capita Asset Services on 0371 664 0321.
Calls are charged at the standard geographic rate and will vary by
provider. Calls outside the United Kingdom will be charged at the
applicable international rate. The helpline is open between 9.00
a.m. till 5.30 p.m., Monday to Friday excluding public holidays in
England and Wales. Please note that Capita Asset Services cannot
provide any financial, legal or tax advice and calls may be
recorded and monitored for security and training purposes
Illustrative Statistics Relating to the Open Offer, the Placing
and the Greenstone Placing
Market price per Existing Ordinary 0.1 pence
Share(1)
Anticipated market price per 25.00 pence
New Ordinary Share following
completion of the Share Capital
Reorganisation(2)
Issue price per Open Offer 0.095 pence
Share and Placing Share (by
reference to Existing Ordinary
Shares pre the Share Capital
Reorganisation)
Issue price per Open Offer 23.75 pence
Share and Placing Share (post
the Share Capital Reorganisation)(3)
Number of Existing Ordinary
Shares in issue(3) 2,199,091,843
Equivalent number of New Ordinary
Shares in issue (post the Share
Capital Reorganisation) 8,796,367
Number of 2015 Convertible US$3,127,126.17
Loan Notes in issue at the
date of this Circular(4)
Number of Loan Notes in issue US$5.6 million
Number of Open Offer Shares
available under the Open Offer(5) 8,683,254
Maximum number of Placing Shares 3,634,105
Number of New Ordinary Shares,
Open Offer Shares, Placing
Shares and New Greenstone Shares
in issue on Admission(6) 26,392,596
Basis of Open Offer 1.41 Open Offer
Shares for every
250 Existing Ordinary
Shares held(5)
Approximate percentage of the 46.7 per cent.
Enlarged Share Capital represented
by the Open Offer Shares and
Placing Shares(6)
Number of Greenstone Shares
in issue following completion
of the Open Offer and the Placing,
should the full amount of US$3.92
million be raised pursuant
to the Open Offer and the Placing(7) 7,916,899
Number of Greenstone Shares
in issue following completion
of the Open Offer and the Placing,
should the Loan Notes be converted
in full(7) 20,234,259
Estimated net proceeds of the US$5.4 million
Open Offer, the Placing and
the Greenstone Placing(8)
Gross proceeds of the Open US$5.6 million
Offer, the Placing and the
Greenstone Placing (8)
Notes:
(1) The mid-market closing price on 24 June 2016 derived from
the London Stock Exchange, being the last practicable Business Day
prior to the announcement of the Open Offer.
(2) Based on the market price per Existing Ordinary Share and
the Share Capital Reorganisation only and assuming no other market
movements.
(3) As at the close of business on 24 June 2016, being the last
practicable Business Day prior to the publication of this
Circular.
(4) As more fully described in Part I of this Circular, the 2015
Convertible Loan Notes will, pursuant to the terms of the
Subscription Agreement, be repaid (and cancelled) out of the
proceeds of the Greenstone Placing.
(5) In the event that the Share Capital Reorganisation was not
taking place, this would equate to 352.5 new shares for every 250
Existing Ordinary Shares held. The actual number of Open Offer
Shares to be issued will be subject to rounding down to eliminate
fractional entitlements and effects of the Share Capital
Reorganisation. Open Offer Entitlements will be calculated by
reference to the number of Existing Ordinary Shares held, as
calculated on the Open Offer Record Date. Greenstone has undertaken
not to participate in the Open Offer and will be excluded from the
Open Offer so that Greenstone's holding of Existing Ordinary Shares
will not be taken into account in calculating Open Offer
entitlements.
(6) This figure is post the Share Capital Reorganisation and
assumes that the maximum number of 12,317,868 Open Offer Shares
available under the Open Offer and the Placing are allotted
pursuant to the Open Offer and the Placing (combined) and that
US$3.92 of the Loan Notes are repaid, with US$1.68 of the Loan
Notes being converted into 5,278,868 New Greenstone Shares in
accordance with the Conversion Requirement (and assuming all
Resolutions are approved without amendment).
(7) If the Open Offer and the Placing proceed to raise US$3.92
million from investors other than Greenstone, 70 per cent. of the
Loan Notes will be repaid, and 30 per cent. of the Loan Notes will
automatically be converted into New Greenstone Shares in accordance
with the Conversion Requirement. If the Open Offer and Placing do
not raise any proceeds, the Loan Notes will also automatically be
converted into New Greenstone Shares. In each case, this assumes
that all Resolutions are approved without amendment.
(8) Pursuant to the terms of the Greenstone Placing, the Company
has raised a total amount of US$5.6 million through the issue of
the Loan Notes, which (depending on the results of the Open Offer
and Placing) may be repaid out of the proceeds of the Open Offer
and the Placing up to 70 per cent. of the total value of the Loan
Notes.
(9) Share prices and premiums have been derived from the London
Stock Exchange and represent the closing mid-market prices on the
relevant date.
For further information please visit www.northriverresources.com
or contact:
James Beams North River Resources Tel: +44 (0)
Plc 20 7025 7047
Andrew Emmott / Ritchie Strand Hanson Limited Tel: +44 (0)
Balmer 20 7409 3494
Jonathan Williams / RFC Ambrian Limited Tel: +44 (0)
Kim Eckhof 20 3440 6800
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END
IOEPGUUGQUPQGGR
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
June 28, 2016 07:16 ET (11:16 GMT)
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