The information contained within this announcement is deemed to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulation ("MAR") (EU) No. 596/2014, as incorporated into UK law by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018. Upon the publication of this announcement, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.
4 July 2022
Beowulf Mining plc
("Beowulf") or the "Company")
Financing of SEK 22 million (approximately £1.76 million)
Beowulf (AIM: BEM; Spotlight: BEO) is pleased to announce that the Company has agreed loan financing from a Nordic Institutional Investor of SEK 22 million (approximately £1.76 million) before expenses (the "Loan"). The funding will be used to advance the Company's projects and achieve key milestones, with the focus being on Kallak.
With the award of the Kallak North ("Kallak") Exploitation Concession and the appointment of Ulla Sandborgh as CEO of Jokkmokk Iron, this financing builds momentum. It supports the Company's ambition to have Kallak producing high-quality iron ore products in 2026. Currently, the Company is working with ESG, environmental and engineering consultants on environmental baseline studies and the completion of a Scoping Study timetabled for Q4 2022.
The latest drilling programme in Kosovo has now finished, with approximately 3,400 metres completed. The focus of drilling has been the Majdan Peak gold target, part of the Mitrovica licence, and all assays should be received by the end of July 2022, when the full set of results will be assessed.
In Finland, while work continues on the downstream anode materials project GVA10/50, Grafintec has also been exploring for more natural flake graphite, contracting the Geological Survey of Finland ("GTK") to do an electromagnetic ("EM") survey over the Räpysjärvi exploration permit, which is located in the municipality of Tuusniemi in Eastern Finland, 8 kilometres north-northwest of the Aitolampi graphite project.
In recent months, Grafintec has also entered into a Memorandum of Understanding ("MoU") with GTK. The MoU provides Grafintec and GTK with a framework and a platform to promote and foster cooperation in the fields of circular economy, mineral processing and exploration of graphite as pertaining to anode materials for the lithium-ion battery market and other markets from different raw material sources (Primary, Recycled and Circular) including beneficiation testing and mineralogical research.
Kurt Budge, CEO Beowulf Mining comments:
"I am very pleased that the Company has received good support from a Nordic institutional investor in this financing. Beowulf is proceeding according to plan, and the funding will push us ahead with our Kallak workstreams and activities in our other business areas.
"The Beowulf team is focused on what can be delivered over the next six months. In particular, the completion of the Kallak Scoping Study, timetabled Q4 2022, and other workstreams on the critical path to submitting an application to the Environmental Court by Q4 2023.
"In early June, I attended the Fastmarkets International Iron Ore 2022 conference. There was much discussion regarding high-grade iron ore concentrates, pellets, DRI and decarbonisation. All good news for sustainable Swedish iron ore mining and fossil free steelmakers, both leveraging available renewable power which benefits the north of Sweden.
"The journey has begun, putting Jokkmokk Iron on the map, and developing a mining project that brings stakeholders together and meets society's needs for metals and the benefits of a Green Transition."
T he Loan - Key Terms
Loan financing of SEK 22 million before expenses has been agreed with the Nordic institutional investor Formue Nord Markedsneutral A/S (the "Creditor"). The Loan has an interest rate of 1.5 percent per each started 30-day period during the duration of the loan to maturity with accrued interest compounding and payable at maturity. The Loan has a commitment fee of 6 per cent and a Maturity Date of 28 February 2023. Beowulf can repay the Loan and accrued interest at any time prior to the Maturity Date. If the Loan and accrued interest is not repaid by 28 February 2023, at the latest, the Creditor has the right to convert the Loan and accrued interest into Swedish Depository Receipts ("SDR") at a price per SDR calculated with a 15 per cent discount on the volume weighted average price ("VWAP") of the SDR during the preceding 5 trading days to the conversion decision. The Loan has otherwise been entered into on market-based terms and is unsecured. Aside from this Loan, Beowulf has no other short or long-term interest-bearing debt.
Swedish Financial Advisor
Sedermera Corporate Finance acted as the Swedish financial advisor to Beowulf in connection with the loan financing.
Enquiries
Beowulf Mining plc |
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Kurt Budge, Chief Executive Officer |
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7583 8304 |
SP Angel
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Ewan Leggat / Stuart Gledhill / Adam Cowl |
Tel: +44 (0) 20 3470 0470 |
BlytheRay |
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Tim Blythe / Megan Ray |
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7138 3204 |
Cautionary Statement
Statements and assumptions made in this document with respect to the Company's current plans, estimates, strategies and beliefs, and other statements that are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements about the future performance of Beowulf. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those using words such as "may", "might", "seeks", "expects", "anticipates", "estimates", "believes", "projects", "plans", strategy", "forecast" and similar expressions. These statements reflect management's expectations and assumptions in light of currently available information. They are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to , (i) changes in the economic, regulatory and political environments in the countries where Beowulf operates; (ii) changes relating to the geological information available in respect of the various projects undertaken; (iii) Beowulf's continued ability to secure enough financing to carry on its operations as a going concern; (iv) the success of its potential joint ventures and alliances, if any; (v) metal prices, particularly as regards iron ore. In the light of the many risks and uncertainties surrounding any mineral project at an early stage of its development, the actual results could differ materially from those presented and forecast in this document. Beowulf assumes no unconditional obligation to immediately update any such statements and/or forecast.