29th January 2024
Pathfinder Minerals
plc
("Pathfinder" or the
"Company")
Agreed amendment to the revised SPA
concerning the sale of IM Minerals
Pathfinder Minerals PLC (AIM: PFP),
an AIM Rule 15 cash shell, announces that it has been informed
by Acumen Advisory Group LLC ("AAG") that
AAG contemplated not complying with the deferred consideration
payment terms of the revised sale and
purchase agreement in respect of the disposal of IM Minerals
Limited ("IMM") (the "Disposal"), and with it, the rights to bring
a claim against the Government
of Mozambique for the expropriation of Mining Concession 4623C (the
"Claim") (together the "Revised SPA").
Details of the Revised SPA was announced by the Company on 28 July
2023, and in this respect, the Disposal completed on 18 August
2023.
In light of the above developments,
the directors of the Company (the "Directors") believe that there
was a high probability of AAG defaulting on the current terms and
conditions of the Revised SPA. Accordingly, to avoid any such
default from occurring, and following pre-emptive discussion
between Pathfinder and AAG it is now agreed between the parties
that certain terms and conditions of the Revised SPA are amended
(the "Agreed Amendments").
AAG have confirmed they have
submitted the Claim by way of a Request for Arbitration to the
International Centre for Settlement of Investment
Disputes.
Background to and details of the Agreed
Amendments
Pursuant to the Revised SPA
it was agreed between Pathfinder and AAG that,
inter alia, a contingent
payment would be made by AAG to Pathfinder of the greater sum
of US$30 million or 25% of the aggregate amount
(including all deferred or conditional payments) payable on
Claim, less all
reasonable costs and expenses properly incurred in respect of the
Claim (the "Original Deferred Consideration Clause").
It is now agreed that the Deferred
Consideration will be based solely a sliding recovery scale, as
outlined below (the "New Deferred Consideration
Clause"):
Amount for which Rights Claim Finalised
(US$m)
|
Percentage of Net Recoveries to be paid to
Pathfinder
|
0 - 10m
|
40.0%
|
10m - 20m
|
37.5%
|
20m - 30m
|
35.0%
|
30m - 40m
|
32.5%
|
40m - 50m
|
30.0%
|
50m - 70m
|
27.5%
|
70m - 120m
|
25.0%
|
>120m
|
22.5%
|
In addition, and separate to the above agreed
amendment, the Revised SPA prohibits AAG from
assigning/transferring any of its rights under the Revised SPA. In
this respect, Pathfinder and AAG now agree to amend this clause as
such to allow for AAG to assign/transfer all of their interest in
IM Minerals to a new third party entity, Luangwa Resources LLC
("Luangwa") and to allow for Luangwa to perform all of AAG's
obligations under the Revised SPA (the "New Assignment Clause").
Notwithstanding this amendment, AAG will continue to guarantee to
Pathfinder all of the future obligations of Luangwa under the
Revised SPA if and when they become performable in accordance with
the Revised SPA.
Reasons in
favour of the Agreed Amendments
The Directors recognise that the Original
Deferred Consideration Clause provides limited economic exposure to
AAG in the event that the Claim results in an award lower than
US$30 million. As a result, the Directors believe that the agreed
New Deferred Consideration Clause will offer AAG economic exposure
to the Claim in all situations, provided that a successful monetary
award is made pursuant to the Claim.
Without such economic exposure, the Directors
believe that AAG had limited incentive to pursue the Claim and
would have likely defaulted on the Revised SPA. Defaulting on the
Revised SPA would mean that Pathfinder would likely fail to benefit
from any future potential successful Claim. With this in mind, the
Directors believe that it was not in the best interest of the
Company's shareholders to pursue any legal claim against AAG and in
this respect, believe that the Agreed Amendments are the most
pragmatic way forward to resolve any risk of AAG default.
Similarly, agreeing to the New Assignment Clause will result in the
introduction of Luangwa. Luangwa are a Delaware-registered entity,
independent of AAG. The Directors believe that with Luangwa
performing all of AAG's obligations under the Revised SPA, there
will now be an amicable way forward towards pursuing the
Claim.
Paul Barrett, Executive Director of Pathfinder,
said 'I am pleased that the claim
has been submitted and the process is now fully underway.
There were commercial wrinkles in the original agreement with AAG
which have now been ironed out and we look forward to the claim
progressing though the system and rewarding shareholders for their
patience in this matter.'
Enquiries:
Pathfinder
Minerals Plc
Paul Barrett, Executive Director
Tel. +44 (0)20 3143 6748
Allenby Capital
Limited (Nominated Adviser and Broker)
John Depasquale / Vivek Bhardwaj (Corporate
Finance)
Stefano Aquilino / Joscelin Pinnington (Sales
& Corporate Broking)
Tel. +44 (0)20 3328 5656