TSX Venture Exchange: ADY
OTC: ADYRF
FSE: 701GR
PORT
MORESBY, Papua New Guinea, May 13, 2024
/CNW/ - Adyton Resources Corporation (TSX.V: ADY)
("Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a
binding Investment and Development Agreement ("IDA") with East
Vision International Holdings PTE Ltd ("EVIH") effective
May 13, 2024 for the
development of its Fergusson Island Gold Project (the "Project").
Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, EVIH has the right to
acquire up to a 50% ownership interest in the Project through a
total investment of up to US$9.5
million, with US$8.5 million
to fund Project expenditures and US$1.0
million to be paid to the Company, of which US$500,000 was paid to the Company upon execution
of the IDA.
Managing Director Tim Crossley
said, "This is a terrific outcome for Adyton, the people of Milne
Bay and particularly the people of Fergusson Island. This agreement has no impact
on the capital structure of Adyton or the ownership of our flagship
Feni Island project which hosts a substantial gold resource with
significant additional copper and gold prospectivity, while
providing a full financing pathway for the Fergusson Island Project
to development and cash flow with Adyton retaining a 50% economic
interest. Furthermore, EVIH has deep mining pedigree though
their Sichuan province mining
business and have also demonstrated project execution experience in
PNG through their recently constructed Edevu Hydro power station
project. We are excited to work with EVIH, local landowners, the
Provincial Government, MRA and CEPA to progress the Fergusson
Island Gold Projectto being shovel ready."
Tim Crossley continued, "The
Fergusson Island projects are advanced exploration projects with
Wapulo developed as a mine in 1994 and then later closed due to low
gold prices. The larger and higher grade Gameta resource is likely
to be the focus of first production, however, with the projects
being only 30km apart, they are most likely to be progressed
concurrently with the tenements connected by a proposed road. With
funding now secured, feasibility work will commence in
earnest."
EVIH Chairman Mr. Lou said, "We are greatly looking forward
to working with Adyton on the Fergusson Island Gold Project and
believe our company can bring significant value to the projects
through low-cost operations and advanced processing expertise and
we are ready to immediately deploy our resources to Fergusson Island."
The Fergusson Island Project
The Project comprises the Wapolu and Gameta advanced
Exploration Licenses on Fergusson
Island in Papua New Guinea
for which the Company has previously reported the following mineral
resource estimate:
Project
|
Indicated
|
Inferred
|
Au
(g/t)
|
Tonnes
(million)
|
Au
(koz)
|
Au
(g/t)
|
Tonnes
(million)
|
Au
(koz)
|
Fergusson Island -
Gameta Project
|
1.33
|
4.0
|
173
|
1.01
|
10.5
|
340
|
Fergusson Island –
Wapolu Project
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1.06
|
5.8
|
200
|
Fergusson Island
total
|
1.33
|
4.0
|
173
|
1.02
|
16.3
|
540
|
|
Gameta and Wapolu
resources at 0.5g/t gold cut-off 1
|
Terms of the Agreement
Under the terms of the IDA, EVIH has the right to acquire up to
a 50% ownership interest in the Project through a total investment
of up to US$9.5 million, with
US$1.0 million to be paid to the
Company and US$8.5 million to fund
expenditures for the construction of an experimental production
line, completion of a project feasibility study and other
activities required to obtain all necessary licenses, consents and
approvals to construct a minimum 2 million ton ROM gold concentrate
mining and processing operation at the Project within 2.5 years
from the effective date of the IDA ("Initial Investment Amount").
US$500,000 of the amount to be paid
to the Company was received on execution of the IDA.
Should the Initial Investment Amount of US$8.5 million be insufficient to conclude all
necessary activities as described above, EVIH may provide a
shareholder loan to MRE capped at USD$2
million to complete the activities.
EVIH will earn its 50% interest in the Project by acquiring an
ownership interest in the Company's subsidiary MR Exploration PNG
Pte Ltd ("MRE"). MRE is the 100% legal owner of the Company's
Papua New Guinea subsidiaries that
are the registered holders of the Gameta and Wapolu Exploration
Licences. EVIH will acquire its ownership interest in MRE in the
following manner:
i.
|
MRE will issue
103,365,385 Class B Shares to EVIH. The Class B Shares have no
voting rights and do not participate in dividends or other
distributions by MRE.
|
|
|
ii.
|
The Class B Shares will
convert into Class A Shares of MRE, which have voting rights and
participate in dividends and other distributions, on a 1-for-1
basis on the achievement of the following milestones ("Initial
Investment Milestones") within 2.5 years from the effective date of
the IDA:
|
|
|
(a)
|
20% of the Class B
Shares will convert into Class A Shares at the time that all
necessary statutory and landowner approvals required to
execute and complete the experimental production line, including
bulk sampling pit, metallurgical trials and quantitative testing of
the Project, inclusive of all required, permits, consents,
approvals, equipment and infrastructure to enable the
experimental/bulk sample to be operated in a safe and professional
manner, are obtained;
|
|
|
(b)
|
30% of the Class B
Shares will convert into Class A Shares on the completion of the
project feasibility study for a minimum 2 million ton ROM gold
concentrate mining and processing operation for the Project;
and
|
|
|
(c)
|
50% of the Class B
Shares will convert into MRE Class A Shares on the grant
of a mining lease, environmental permit and any other licenses,
permits or approvals required for the development of the minimum 2
million ton ROM gold concentrate mining and processing operation at
the Project.
|
Should each of the Initial Investment Milestones
be satisfied, all of the Class B Shares issued
to EVIH will convert to Class A Shares, and each of the
Company and EVIH will hold 50% of the issued Class A
Shares with 50% of the voting rights and rights to participate in
dividends and other distributions.
|
_________________________
|
|
1
See the technical report entitled "NI 43-101 Technical Report on
the Fergusson Gold Property, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea"
dated October 14, 2022 and prepared for the Company in accordance
with National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for
Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") by Mark Berry (MAIG), Simon Tear
(MIGI PGeo), Matthew White (MAIG) and Andy Thomas (MAIG), each an
independent mining consultant and "qualified person" as defined in
NI 43-101, available under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at
www.sedarplus.ca. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and
have not demonstrated economic viability.
|
On the satisfaction of all of the Initial Investment Milestones
and MRE determining to proceed with the development of the Project,
EVIH and the Company have agreed to use reasonable endeavours to
negotiate and enter into a project funding and development
agreement reflecting the following terms:
i.
|
EVIH will finance the
development of the Project through a loan provided by EVIH to MRE,
at an interest rate of 8% per annum ("EVIH PFA Loan"). The
required funding amount will be determined by the project
feasibility study.
|
|
|
ii.
|
EVIH will be reimbursed
for the EVIH PFA Loan amount and accrued interest thereon
through a preferential cash sweep of 90% of the free cash
flow from the Project until the EVIH PFA Loan amount and accrued
interest thereon have been repaid.
|
If EVIH does not provide the required project funding for the
development of the Project, its ownership interest in MRE will be
reduced to 10% through the issue of additional Class A Shares to
the Company.
In addition to the Initial Investment Amount and the EVIH PFA
Loan amount referred to above, EVIH is required to pay the Company
an additional amount of US$500,000
within 90 days of the issuance of a bulk sampling permit and the
construction of the experimental production line for the
Project.
The transaction is an arm's length transaction and qualifies as
an Exempt Transaction under the policies of the TSX Venture
Exchange. The Company is not paying any finder fees in connection
with the transaction.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF ADYTON RESOURCES
CORPORATION
Tim Crossley, Chief Executive
Officer
Neither the TSX Venture
Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies
of the TSX Venture Exchange)
accepts responsibility for the adequacy
or accuracy of this press release.
ABOUT ADYTON RESOURCES
CORPORATION
Adyton Resources Corporation is focused on the development of
gold and copper resources in world class mineral jurisdictions. It
currently has a portfolio of highly prospective mineral exploration
projects in Papua New Guinea on
which it is exploring to expand its identified gold Inferred and
Indicated Mineral Resources and expand on its recent significant
copper drill intercepts on the 100% owned Feni Island project. The
Company's mineral exploration projects are located on the Pacific
Ring of Fire on easy to access island locations which hosts several
globally significant copper and gold deposits including the Lihir
gold mine and Panguna copper/gold mine on Bougainville Island,
both neighboring projects to the Company's Feni Island
project.
Adyton has a total declared Resource inventory (disclosed in
accordance with NI 43-101) within its PNG portfolio of projects of
2,175,000 ounces gold.
Adyton is also quoted on the OTC under
the code ADYRF and on the
Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the code 701:GR.
For more information about Adyton and its projects, visit www.adytonresources.com
Qualified Person
The scientific and technical information contained in this press release
has been prepared, reviewed, and approved
by Rod Watt, BSc Hons (Geo), FAusIMM, Chief
Geologist of Adyton, who is a "Qualified Person" as defined by
National Instrument 43‐ 101 ‐ Standards of Disclosure for
Mineral Projects. Mr. Watt consents to the inclusion of his name in
this release.
Forward looking statements
This press release includes "forward‐looking statements",
including forecasts, estimates, expectations, and objectives for
future operations that are subject
to several assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, many of which are beyond
the control of Adyton. Forward‐ looking
statements and information can generally be identified by the use
of forward‐looking terminology such as "may",
"will", "should", "expect", "intend", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "plans" or similar terminology. Forward looking statements
in this news release include all statements with respect to the
funding of the Initial Investment Amount, the completion of the
Initial Investment Milestones and the funding and development of
the Project. The forward‐looking information
contained herein is provided for the purpose
of assisting readers
in understanding management's current expectations and plans relating
to the future. Readers are cautioned that such
information may not be appropriate for other
purposes. Forward‐looking information are based on
management of the parties' reasonable assumptions, estimates,
expectations, analyses and opinions, which are based on such
management's experience and perception of trends, current
conditions and expected developments, and other factors
that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the
circumstances, but which may prove to be incorrect. Such
factors, among other things, include: impacts arising from the
global disruption caused by the Covid‐19 coronavirus outbreak,
changes in general macroeconomic conditions; changes in
securities markets; changes in the price of gold or certain other
commodities; change in national and local government,
legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or
economic developments; risks and hazards
associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual
or unexpected formations pressures, cave‐ins and flooding);
discrepancies between actual and estimated
metallurgical recoveries; inability to obtain adequate
insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and
regulations that may impose restrictions on mining;
employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of and changes in the costs
associated with mining inputs and labour;
the speculative nature
of mineral exploration and development (including
the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals
from government authorities); and title to
properties. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and that actual
results or developments may differ materially from those projected
in the forward‐looking statements. Such forward‐looking information represents management's best judgment based on information currently available. No forward‐looking statement
can be guaranteed, and actual
future results may vary materially. Readers are cautioned
not to place undue reliance
on forward looking
statements or information. Adyton Resources Corporation undertakes no obligation to update forward‐looking information except as required
by applicable law.
SOURCE Adyton Resources Corporation