Champion Announces Entering into Definitive Agreements FOR Previously Announced Financing Arrangements
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CHAMPION ANNOUNCES ENTERING INTO DEFINITIVE AGREEMENTS FOR PREVIOUSLY
ANNOUNCED FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS
Montréal (Québec), Canada, October 11, 2017 : Champion Iron Limited (ASX: CIA) (TSX: CIA)
(the “Corporation” or “Champion”) is pleased to announce that it has entered, through its subsidiary
Québec Iron Ore Inc. (“QIO”), into definitive agreements in connection with its previously announced
debt financing by way of secured loans by each of Sprott Private Resource Lending (Collector), LP
(“Sprott”) and CDP Investissements Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Caisse de dépôt et placement
du Québec (“Caisse”), for an aggregate amount of US$180 million (collectively, the “Debt
Financings”).
The closing of the transactions under each of the definitive Debt Financing agreements, and the
funding of the proceeds thereunder, are conditional upon the satisfaction of certain closing conditions,
including, with respect to the funding of the initial advance under the Caisse Debt Financing
transaction, the contribution by Fonds Capital Mines Hydrocarbures (CMH), managed by Ressources
Québec Inc., of its CA$26.2 million equity contribution to QIO, the non-brokered sale to Glencore
International AG for the previously announced US$25 million subordinated unsecured mandatory
convertible debenture as well as the release to the Corporation, and further contribution to QIO, of the
net proceeds of the subscription receipts public offering (the “Offering”) which was completed on
September 29, 2017, as previously announced by the Corporation.
The Corporation is now working to expeditiously satisfy such conditions in order to use the proceeds
of these financing arrangements as previously disclosed by the Corporation, including, principally, for
the restart of the operations of the Bloom Lake iron ore mine located near Fermont, Québec (“Bloom
Lake”).
Debt Financings
As previously disclosed by the Corporation, the Debt Financings are comprised of (i) a 5-year senior
secured loan in the aggregate amount of US$80 million provided by Sprott and carrying interest at a
rate of 7.5% plus the greater of US dollars 3 month LIBOR and 1% per annum; and (ii) a 7-year
subordinated loan in the aggregate amount of US$100 million provided by Caisse and carrying interest
at a rate of 12% for the first year and thereafter at an interest rate linked to the price of iron ore for
subsequent years.
Under the terms of the definitive Debt Financing agreements, Sprott will be issued a total of 3,000,000
ordinary share purchase warrants of Champion and Caisse will be issued a total of
21,000,000 ordinary share purchase warrants of Champion, each of which will entitle its holder to
purchase one ordinary share of Champion at a price of CA$1.125, as approved by the shareholders of
Champion on August 18, 2017.
About Champion
Champion is an iron development and exploration company, focused on developing its significant iron
resources in the south end of the Labrador Trough in the province of Québec. Following the
acquisition of its flagship asset, the Bloom Lake iron ore property, the Corporation’s main focus is to
implement upgrades to the mine and processing infrastructure it now owns while also advancing
projects associated with improving access to global iron markets, including rail and port infrastructure
initiatives with government and other key industry and community stakeholders.
Champion’s management team includes professionals with mine development and operations
expertise who also have vast experience from geotechnical work to green field development, brown
field management including logistics development and financing of all stages in the mining industry.
For further information please contact:
Michael O’Keeffe, Executive Chairman and CEO at Tel. +1 514-316-4858
David Cataford, COO at Tel. +1 514-316-4858
For additional information on Champion Iron Limited, please visit our website at
www.championiron.com
Forward-Looking information
This news release includes certain information that may constitute “forward-looking information” under
applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical facts,
included in this news release that address the closing of the Debt Financing transactions, the sale of
the Debenture, the contribution by Fonds Capital Mines Hydrocarbures, the release of the net
proceeds of the Offering to the Corporation, the expected restart date of Bloom Lake as well as future
activities, events, developments or financial performance constitute forward-looking information. The
use of any of the words “will”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “believe”, “plan”, “potential”, “outlook”,
“forecast”, “estimate” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking information.
Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that,
while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors
which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or
implied by such forward-looking information, including the risks identified in Champion’s final short
form prospectus relating to the Offering, annual information form, management’s discussion and
analysis and other securities regulatory filings made by Champion on SEDAR (including under the
heading “Risk Factors” therein). 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
forward-looking information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking
information. All of Champion’s forward-looking information contained in this press release is given as
of the date hereof and is based upon the opinions and estimates of Champion’s management and
information available to management as at the date hereof. Champion disclaims any intention or
obligation to update or revise any of its forward-looking information, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.