TORONTO, April 19,
2023 /CNW/ - Superior Gold Inc. ("Superior
Gold" or the "Company") (TSXV: SGI) (OTCMKTS: SUPGF)
announces that the Company has received a favourable judgment in
its appeal regarding the litigation between its wholly-owned
subsidiary, Billabong Gold Pty Ltd ("Billabong") and
Catalyst Metals Ltd's ("Catalyst") subsidiary Dampier (Plutonic)
Pty Ltd ( "Dampier"). Since the initial filing of the
application, Dampier (previously a subsidiary of Vango Mining
Limited) has been acquired by Catalyst. The appeal overturns a
prior ruling and confirms that Dampier is to offer Billabong the
right to purchase a 40% interest in the now Catalyst held Marymia
Tenements, neighbouring the Company's 100% owned Plutonic Gold
mine.
The industrial logic of the consolidation is what creates value
for shareholders. Ongoing legal challenges prevent both companies
from realising value from their assets. Without consolidation, both
companies' shareholders continue to suffer.
The outcome of the appeal only further intertwines the future of
both companies, confirming to both Superior Gold and Catalyst
Metals that it is in the best interests of both companies that the
proposed transaction, announced on February
23, 2023, proceeds.
Chris Jordaan, President and CEO
of the Superior Gold said: "While Superior Gold welcomes the
outcome of the appeal hearing, it only further confirms to us the
strategy of the consolidation of the Plutonic Gold Belt by
combining with Catalyst Metals. This is expected to be in the best
interests of both companies and that the proposed transaction,
announced on February 23, 2023,
proceed. With Catalyst, we are now working with a party that
understands the growth potential of this attractive gold belt and
who is committed to the long term gains it can bring to all
parties. We continue to expect the transaction with Catalyst
to be completed in the second quarter of 2023."
James Champion de Crespigny, Managing Director and CEO of
Catalyst Metals said: "We congratulate Chris and his team on the
result of the appeal. Superior Gold have long held the view and
strategy that the Plutonic Gold Belt should be consolidated.
Unfortunately, historical parties prevented this, leaving Superior
with little alternative but to proceed with this appeal.
For a long time now, Catalyst and Superior have shared the
common view our collective shareholders will only benefit from a
consolidation of the entire Plutonic Gold Belt. The proposed merger
announced on February 23, 2023
achieves that. We continue to work with our partners at
Superior Gold to achieve that aim."
The Company has deferred the shareholder meeting date in regard
to the transaction with Catalyst and will confirm a new meeting
date in due course.
Background
As first disclosed in the Company's November 8, 2018, news release, Billabong claimed
breaches by Vango Mining Limited (now a subsidiary of Catalyst) of
the terms of an ore treatment agreement ("OTA"), under which
Billabong held rights of first refusal ("ROFR") in respect
of tenements within Vango's Plutonic Dome project in Western Australia (the "Tenements").
Billabong claimed that these rights were breached with respect to
certain of Vango's intended and actual transactions in 2016 and
2017, which purported to deal with one or more of the Tenements
subject to the ROFRs.
Final orders were provided by the Supreme Court of Western Australia in Civil (the
"Court") on February 11, 2022,
whereby Superior Gold was largely successful in the litigation,
with the Court agreeing that Vango breached its obligations under
the OTA in respect of the 2017 transaction. While Superior Gold was
not originally successful as regards the 2016 transaction, it filed
an appeal and the Court of Appeal ruling on April 18, 2023 found in favour of the
Company.
On April 18, 2023 the Supreme
Court of Western Australia (the
"Court of Appeal") published its decision on this matter and
ruled that Billabong was entitled to relief in respect of a 2016
breach of a right of first refusal. This ruling is in addition to a
2017 breach of the right of first refusal where the Company was
awarded the right to enter into a heads of agreement to earn-in to
50% of the Vango held K2 tenements (as announced by the Company on
March 14, 2022). Final orders are
scheduled to be made in the Court of Appeal on April 26, 2023.
About Superior Gold
Superior Gold is a Canadian-based gold producer that owns 100%
of the Plutonic Gold Operations located in Western Australia. The Plutonic Gold
Operations include the Plutonic underground gold mine and central
mill, numerous open-pit projects including the Plutonic Main Pit
push-back project, the Hermes open pit projects, and an interest in
the Bryah Basin joint venture. Superior Gold is focused on
expanding production at the Plutonic Gold Operations and building
an intermediate gold producer with superior returns for
shareholders.
About Catalyst Metals
Catalyst Metals Limited is an ASX listed gold producer and
explorer. Catalyst has a multi-asset strategy and controls
three highly prospective gold belts.
It owns and operates the high-grade Henty Gold Mine in Tasmania which lies within the 25km Henty gold
belt. Catalyst controls +75km of strike length immediately
north of the Bendigo goldfield and home to the new, greenfield
discovery at Four Eagles. It also owns the Marymia Gold
Project located in Western
Australia following its recent acquisition of Vango Mining
Limited.
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Forward Looking Information
This news release contains "forward-looking information" within
the meaning of applicable securities laws that are intended to be
covered by the safe harbours created by those laws.
"Forward-looking information" includes statements that use
forward-looking terminology such as "may", "will", "expect",
"anticipate", "believe", "continue", "potential" or the negative
thereof or other variations thereof or comparable terminology.
Forward-looking information includes information with respect to
guidance as to projections, outlook, guidance, forecasts,
estimates, and other statements regarding future or estimated
financial and operational performance, gold production and sales,
revenues and cash flows, and capital costs (sustaining and
non-sustaining), including projected cash operating costs and
all-in sustaining costs) as well as statements with respect to the
mine plan, exploration, drilling, operating, and organizational
matters and activities relating to the Plutonic Gold Operations and
the Company generally, including its liquidity and capital
requirements and financial results, the advancement of the
transaction with Catalyst, the Court of Appeal ruling motivating
the Company and Catalyst to complete the transaction, and the
completion of the transaction with Catalyst in the second quarter
of 2023. By identifying such information in this manner, the
Company is alerting the reader that such information is subject to
known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may
cause the actual results, level of activity, performance, or
achievements of the Company to be materially different from those
expressed or implied by such forward-looking information.
Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future
performance and is based upon a number of estimates and assumptions
of management at the date the statements are made. Furthermore,
such forward-looking information involves a variety of known and
unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the
actual plans, intentions, activities, results, performance, or
achievements of the Company to be materially different from any
future plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or
achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking
information. Readers are encouraged to refer to the annual
information form of the Company dated October 16, 2020 for a discussion of other risks
including outbreaks or threats of outbreaks of viruses, other
infectious diseases, or other similar health threats, such as the
novel coronavirus outbreak, which could have a material adverse
effect on the Company by causing operational and supply chain
delays and disruptions, labour shortages, shutdowns, inflationary
pressures on operating or capital costs, the inability to sell
gold, capital markets volatility or other unknown but potentially
significant impacts. The Company cannot accurately predict what
effects these conditions will have on the Plutonic Gold Operations
or the financial results of the Company, including uncertainties
relating to travel restrictions to the Plutonic Gold Operations or
otherwise and business closures that have been or may be imposed by
governments. If an outbreak or threat of an outbreak of a virus or
other infectious disease or other public health emergency occurs,
it could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business,
financial condition, and results of operations.
The Company cautions that there can be no assurance that
forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual
results and future events could differ materially from those
anticipated in such information. Accordingly, investors should not
place undue reliance on forward-looking information as no assurance
can be given that any of the events anticipated by the
forward-looking information will transpire or occur, and if any of
them do so, what benefits the Company will derive therefrom. Except
as required by law, the Company does not assume any obligation to
release publicly any revisions to forward-looking information
contained in this news release to reflect events or circumstances
after the date hereof. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange (the
"TSXV") nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term
is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accept responsibility for
the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that
term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accept responsibility
for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
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SOURCE Superior Gold Inc.