The information contained within
this announcement is deemed to constitute inside information as
stipulated under the retained EU law version of the Market Abuse
Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014 (the "UK MAR") which is part of UK law
by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018. The
information is disclosed in accordance with the Company's
obligations under Article 17 of the UK MAR. Upon the publication of
this announcement, this inside information is now considered to be
in the public domain.
FIRST CLASS METALS
PLC
9 April
2024
Initiation of Multiple Asset
Sales Process with
Seventy Ninth
Resources
First Class Metals PLC ("First Class Metals" "FCM" or the
"Company") the UK listed metals
exploration company seeking economic metal discoveries across its
extensive Canadian, north Ontario land holdings, is pleased to
announce that it has entered into discussions with Seventy Ninth
Resources Limited ("Seventy
Ninth") which may result in the disposal of certain FCM
properties ("Potential
Transaction").
Highlights
· Discussions commenced regarding a number of FCM's core and
non-core assets with Seventy Ninth Resources
Limited, a division of the
Seventy Ninth Group, who are a leading UK asset management
company.
· This
negotiation validates FCM's business model to acquire, value add
and monetise its assets.
· In
addition, the Company is also actively exploring further mutually
beneficial synergies with Seventy Ninth Resources, to further
expand on their existing portfolio of natural resources assets.
Following the announcement of their intent to list on the Toronto
Stock Exchange Venture in 2024, Seventy Ninth Resources
is committed to exploring
opportunities to enhance the relationship between both
entities.
· Seventy Ninth Resources and FCM are working towards
establishing commercial Heads of Terms ("HOTs") and further announcements will
be made as these progress.
· The
acquisition of additional properties recently announced by FCM adds
positively to the business model adopted by FCM.
First Class Metals CEO, Marc. J Sale
Commented:
"The initiation of these discussions is a significant
milestone for FCM. The Potential Transaction validates the business
model we at FCM have been expounding. The collaboration with a
company of Seventy Ninth Resources' impressive calibre supports our
assertion of the value of our properties. The interest shown by
Seventy Ninth Resources confirms FCM's belief that the current
market capitalisation of the Company does not fully reflect the
value of the properties in our portfolio and their potential to
deliver. This belief is further supported by the significant upside
that our successful exploration activities have achieved since the
IPO, for that I am indebted to Bruce at Emerald Geological Services
'EGS'.
I
look forward to working with Natalie Bellis, CEO, and the wider
team at Seventy Ninth Resources, not only to progress the Potential
Transaction but also in future collaboration. We will provide
further updates as more details become available. This milestone
marks a crucial moment for FCM, and our focus remains on maximising
value for our shareholders throughout the entire
process.
Natalie Bellis CEO, Seventy Ninth Resources
Commented:
"This is an incredibly exciting move for Seventy Ninth
Resources and continues our strategic development of building out a
successful pipeline of data-verified assets, as well as helping in
preparation for our proposed IPO later this year. By partnering with companies such as FCM,
we are continuing to create multiple value points for the business
and deliver on its corporate vision".
Seventy Ninth Resources
Limited
Seventy Ninth Resources, a division
of the Seventy Ninth Group, is an award-winning asset management
company founded by entrepreneur Dave Webster and his two sons, Jake
and Curtis Webster. Seventy Ninth Resources holds a unique and
advantageous position in the natural resource sector, specialising
in the acquisition, management, and development of desirable
assets.
Seventy Ninth Resources has been
unlocking the potential of the natural resources sector within the
Republic of Guinea since 2011. With 15 employees in the operational
in-country team, the company's extensive presence in the Republic
of Guinea has allowed them to cultivate trusted relationships with
local communities. Through these relationships, they gain unique
access to acquire land in areas with significant potential for gold
and diamond mining. The company's hands-on approach has enabled
Seventy Ninth Resources to pair local knowledge with industry
expertise.
The developed board and in-country
team for Seventy Ninth Resources includes world-class experienced
geologists, field consultants, and ESG specialists, working
alongside our industry leading partners, SRK Exploration Services
and The MSA Group, in executing specific and focused exploration on
assets.
https://79thresources.com/
There can be no certainty that the Potential
Transaction will be concluded, however, both parties are
committed to proceeding to agree HOTs.
Ends
For further information, please
contact:
Novum Securities Limited
(Financial Adviser)
David Coffman/ George
Duxberry
|
www.novumsecurities.com
|
(0)20 7399 9400
|
NOTES TO EDITORS
First Class Metals PLC - Background
First Class Metals listed on the LSE
in July 2022 and is focused on metals exploration in Ontario,
Canada which has a robust and thriving junior mineral exploration
sector. In particular, the Hemlo 'camp' near Marathon, Ontario is a
proven world class address for gold exploration, featuring the
Hemlo gold deposit operated by Barrick Gold (>23M oz gold
produced), with the past producing Geco and Winston Lake base metal
deposits also situated in the region.
FCM currently holds 100% ownership
of seven claim blocks covering over 180km² along a 150km strike of
the Hemlo-Schreiber-Dayohessarah greenstone belt, exploring for
gold, base metals, and rare earth element mineralization. In
addition, FCM is carrying out a joint venture with Palladium One on
the West Pickle Lake Property in the region, a drill-proven
ultra-high-grade Ni-Cu project.
The flagship property North Hemlo
had a high-definition low level magnetic Heli-borne survey flown in
April 2022, this was followed with ground prospecting which
ultimately defined the 'Dead Otter Trend' which is a discontinuous
4.5km gold anomalous trend with a 19.6g/t Au peak grab sample. This
sampling being the highest known assay ever recorded on the North
Limb of Hemlo.
In October 2022 FCM completed the
option to purchase the historical high-grade past-producing Sunbeam
gold mine near Atikokan, Ontario, ~15 km southeast of Agnico
Eagle's Hammond Reef gold deposit (3.3 Moz of open pit probable
gold reserves).
FCM acquired the Zigzag Project near
Armstrong, Ontario in March 2023. The property features
Li-Ta-bearing pegmatites in the same belt as Green Technology
Metals' Seymour Lake Project, which contains a Mineral Resource
estimate of 9.9 Mt @ 1.04% Li2O. Zigzag was drilled prior to
Christmas 2023 and results have now been released.
The significant potential of the
properties for precious, base and battery metals relates to
'nearology', since all properties lie in the same districts as
known deposits (Hemlo, Hammond Reef, Seymour Lake), and either
contain known showings, geochemical or geophysical anomalies, or
favourable structures along strike from known showings (e.g. the
Esa project, with an inferred Hemlo-style shear along strike from
known gold occurrences).
Forward Looking
Statements
Certain statements in this announcement may contain
forward-looking statements which are based on the Company's
expectations, intentions and projections regarding its future
performance, anticipated events or trends and other matters that
are not historical facts. Such forward-looking statements can be
identified by the fact that they do not relate only to historical
or current facts. Forward-looking statements sometimes use words
such as 'aim', 'anticipate', 'target', 'expect', 'estimate',
'intend', 'plan', 'goal', 'believe', or other words of similar
meaning. These statements are not guarantees of future performance
and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other
factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
Given these risks and uncertainties, prospective investors are
cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking
statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of
such statements and, except as required by applicable law, the
Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise.