Terminates Minority Equity Investment, Pursues Focused Warintza Strategy
21 Maggio 2024 - 12:00PM
Solaris Resources Inc. (TSX: SLS; NYSE: SLSR)
(“Solaris” or the “Company”) announces the voluntary termination of
the previously announced minority equity investment intended to
support the growth of the Warintza Project (“Warintza” or “the
Project”) in Ecuador, including the potential major purchase of an
adjacent asset. After four months of Canadian regulatory review in
an evolving environment, approval has not been obtained and the
transaction no longer adequately reflects market value. The Company
remains funded for its 2024 and 2025 Warintza baseline programs and
key deliverables with an additional US$40 million available through
the offtake financing package announced in December and will pursue
a focused strategy that maximizes long-term shareholder value with
enhanced strategic flexibility.
Summary
- Solaris announces voluntary
termination of minority equity investment intended to support an
expansion of activities at Warintza, including the potential major
purchase of an adjacent asset
- The transaction was priced at a 14%
premium, however, Solaris’ share price has increased by greater
than 35% in the four months since announcement and the transaction
no longer adequately reflects market value
- Even with significant appreciation,
Solaris’ share price has underperformed peers in the recent sector
rally due to the overhang of Canadian regulatory uncertainty in an
environment of heightened domestic political sensitivity
- Given the minority investment
nature of the transaction and that it involved assets outside of
Canada with a use of proceeds to expand Canadian interests in
critical minerals, the parties expected regulatory approval within
the four months that have now elapsed
- The inability to complete the
transaction in a reasonable timeframe and remaining regulatory
uncertainty together with the unattractive pricing in the context
of the market are unfair to the Company’s shareholders and the
investor
- In addition, the Company is
pursuing the recently awarded option to acquire ~40,000 hectares
adjacent to Warintza, with fieldwork already underway on a target
with a similar geological and “bullseye” geophysical signature as
the Warintza cluster (refer to release dated April 30, 2024)
- The Company remains funded for 2024
and 2025 Warintza baseline programs and key deliverables with a
further US$40 million available through the offtake financing
package announced in December
- The Company reiterates the Warintza
Project timeline with expected delivery of an Environmental Impact
Assessment in H2/24 and a Pre-Feasibility Study in H2/25
Mr. Daniel Earle, President & CEO,
commented: “This transaction represented a minority equity
investment from a well-known and respected, publicly-listed foreign
company where the proceeds were intended to be used for the growth
of a Canadian-controlled company’s principal asset in a foreign
jurisdiction. That this transaction cannot be completed in a
reasonable timeframe signals that Canada’s critical minerals policy
is counterproductive in relation to foreign assets. We intend to
deliver a strategy focused on the growth and de-risking of the
Warintza Project by 2026 and maximize long-term shareholder value
with enhanced strategic flexibility.”
Qualified Person
The scientific and technical content of this
press release has been reviewed and approved by Jorge Fierro,
M.Sc., DIC, PG, Vice President Exploration of Solaris who is a
“Qualified Person” as defined in National Instrument 43-101
Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Jorge Fierro is
a Registered Professional Geologist through the SME (registered
member #4279075).
On behalf of the Board of Solaris
Resources Inc.
“Daniel Earle”President & CEO, Director
For Further Information
Jacqueline Wagenaar, VP Investor RelationsDirect: 416-366-5678
Ext. 203Email: jwagenaar@solarisresources.com
About Solaris Resources
Inc.
Solaris is advancing a portfolio of copper and
gold assets in the Americas, which includes a world class copper
resource with expansion and discovery potential at its Warintza
Project in Ecuador; a series of grass roots exploration projects
with discovery potential in Peru and Chile; and significant
leverage to increasing copper prices through its 60% interest in
the La Verde joint-venture project with a subsidiary of Teck
Resources in Mexico.
Cautionary Notes and Forward-looking
Statements
This document contains certain forward-looking
information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of
applicable securities legislation (collectively “forward-looking
statements”). The use of the words “will” and “expected” and
similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking
statements. These statements include statements that the Company
remains funded for its 2024 and 2025 Warintza baseline programs
with an additional US$40 million available through the offtake
financing package announced in December and will pursue and deliver
a focused strategy that maximizes long-term shareholder value with
enhanced strategic flexibility, and the Company reiterates the
Warintza Project timeline with expected delivery of an
Environmental Impact Assessment in H2/24 and a Pre-Feasibility
Study in H2/25, and the Company is pursuing the recently awarded
option to acquire ~40,000 hectares adjacent to Warintza, with
fieldwork already underway on a target with a similar geological
and “bullseye” geophysical signature as the Warintza cluster.
Although Solaris believes that the expectations reflected in such
forward-looking statements and/or information are reasonable,
readers are cautioned that actual results may vary from the
forward-looking statements. The Company has based these
forward-looking statements and information on the Company’s current
expectations and assumptions about future events including
assumptions regarding 2024 and 2025 baseline programs and funding,
that all conditions required to draw down the remaining US$40
million of offtake financing will be obtained, that such remaining
US$40 million of offtake financing will close, and the completion
of the EIA, PFS and de-risking the Warintza Project by 2026. These
statements also involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and
other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ
materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking
statements, including the risks, uncertainties and other factors
identified in the Solaris Management’s Discussion and Analysis, for
the year ended December 31, 2023 available at www.sedarplus.ca.
Furthermore, the forward-looking statements contained in this news
release are made as at the date of this news release and Solaris
does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any
of these forward-looking statements except as may be required by
applicable securities laws.
Grafico Azioni Solaris Resources (TSX:SLS)
Storico
Da Ott 2024 a Nov 2024
Grafico Azioni Solaris Resources (TSX:SLS)
Storico
Da Nov 2023 a Nov 2024