Black Iron
Black Iron Selects Cargill As Ukraine High-Grade Iron Ore Offtake Purchaser With a US$75M Finance Facility
DGAP-News: Black Iron
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BLACK IRON SELECTS CARGILL AS UKRAINE HIGH-GRADE IRON ORE OFFTAKE PURCHASER WITH A US$75M FINANCE FACILITY
Subject to completion of due diligence and successful conclusion of negotiations, Cargill will offtake the production and extend financing of US$75 million for the construction of the Project through a finance facility. Drawdown on this funding will be subject to certain conditions being met, as is customary for this type of transaction, mainly related to the Project being fully permitted and financed for construction. Black Iron and Cargill will now start work on definitive binding offtake and financing agreements which reflect the Proposal. Based on the proposal agreed between Black Iron and Cargill (the “Proposal“), the offtake agreement will be for an initial term of ten years and will include a profit-sharing component which will align the interests of both parties and thereby generate a strong interdependent relationship of benefit to both parties. On the profit share, Black Iron will receive 100% of the 65% iron content fines benchmark price, currently ~$230 per tonne, and share with Cargill a portion of the incremental sale price of its 3% higher (68%) iron content and low impurity magnetite product. Cargill’s metals business (“Cargill Metals“) focuses on iron ore and steel trading. Connecting iron ore miners around the world with steel mills and steel end users in key markets, Cargill Metals trades over ~50 million tonnes of iron ore per year and is also a strategic investor of a number of mining operations in North America and Northern Europe. Black Iron and Cargill Metals agree that, as the world is becoming more environmentally conscious it will naturally turn to ores with a higher iron content and in forms such as pellets/pellet feed that reduce emissions in the production of steel. Black Iron’s planned 68% iron content magnetite pellet feed is in the top 4% of global production by iron content and is anticipated to reduce emissions generated in the production of steel by an estimated 30% as compared to the more commonly consumed 62% iron content hematite fines. It is envisaged that the high-quality product from the Shymanivske iron ore project will attract a premium price in a variety of markets. Black Iron’s CEO Matt Simpson stated: “Black Iron received several offtake and investment proposals and chose Cargill based on its proposal striking the optimal balance of investment quantum, structure and shared vision on the increasing demand for high-grade ore as the global ferrous industry is shifting to become greener. Cargill brings tremendous value not only in strengthening the project funding with a US$75 million financing facility but, more importantly, its global network and local footprints, unique industry insight and successful experience in the technical marketing of high-grade ore to customers around the world.” “We are very pleased to help finance Black Iron’s Shymanivske Project,” Lee Kirk, Managing Director, Cargill Metals said. “A relationship with Black Iron would be an excellent fit with Cargill Metals’ growth strategy to develop a high-grade and CO2 reducing iron ore portfolio, to help customers navigate the environmental and carbon challenges and opportunities ahead, and to support the sustainability efforts and low carbon ambitions of the ferrous industry.” Cargill has operated in Ukraine since 1991 with offices in several cities to support its more than 500 in-country employees. Cargill’s main Ukraine businesses are in the agricultural sector and include a deep-sea vessel terminal at Port Yuzhny close to the terminal Black Iron plans to use to ship its iron ore. The selection of Cargill as Black Iron’s preferred offtake purchaser has triggered the following activities to bring the Project to a fully financed state for construction: – Update of the Project’s feasibility study will commence upon receipt and review of proposals already requested. – Selection and negotiation of binding terms with the preferred engineering, procurement and construction contractor who proposes to invest ~US$65 million in the Project. – Commencement of third-party due diligence with a consortium of major international financial institutions on binding agreements for senior debt, US$100 million royalty investment and political risk insurance. The above activities will be supported by the outputs from the environmental impact assessment and Ukraine land transfer work currently ongoing which were previously announced. About Black Iron About Cargill About Cargill Metals With around 130 dedicated experts, an established global network and hubs in China, Singapore, U.K. and Vietnam to serve our customers, Cargill operates across over 25 ports and more than 50 warehouses globally, providing physical and financial solutions to over 2,500 customers in 40 countries. Each year we move around 50 million tons of physical iron ore and 6 million tons of physical steel globally. For more information, visit Cargill Metals Supply Chain or Cargill.com. For more information, please contact:
Forward-Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is based on what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, opinions and estimates of the date such statements are made based on information available to them at that time. Forward-looking information may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the financial viability of the Shymanivske project (the “Project”), the Proposal and the offtake agreement to be negotiated between Cargill and the Company, the price of iron ore, the demand for iron ore, the Company’s ability to obtain adequate financing, including offtake financing, the process to be followed to obtain offtake financing, updating of the Project’s feasibility study, engagement of engineering, procurement and construction contractors, third-party due diligence with senior debt providers, the Company’s ability to acquire the requisite land for Project construction, the Company’s ability to develop the Project, the ceasefire of conflict in Ukraine and the Company’s future plans. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “plans”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will be taken”, “occur” or “be achieved”. Forward-looking 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, including but not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, geopolitical and social uncertainties; the actual results of current exploration activities; other risks of the mining industry and the risks described in the annual information form of the Company. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. The Company notes that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.
All information contained in this news release with respect to Cargill was supplied by Cargill for inclusion herein and the Company has relied on the accuracy of such information without independent verification. END
10.05.2021 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP – a service of EQS Group AG. |
Language: | English |
Company: | Black Iron |
Canada | |
EQS News ID: | 1194227 |
End of News | DGAP News Service |