Platreef Mine secures US$200 million gold stream financing and additional US$100 million palladium and platinum stream
December 8, 2021
Platreef Mine secures US$200 million gold stream financing
and additional US$100 million palladium and platinum stream
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Offtake arrangements announced for 100% of Platreef’s first
phase production
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Platreef scheduled to commence production in 2024
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Definitive feasibility study for Platreef’s phased development
plan expected to be issued in Q1 2022
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Emissions-free, battery-electric equipment purchased for
underground mine development
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Platreef signs three-year collective agreement with workforce
MOKOPANE, SOUTH AFRICA – Ivanhoe Mines (TSX: IVN; OTCQX: IVPAF)
Executive Co-Chair Robert Friedland and President Marna Cloete are pleased to
announce that the company’s South African subsidiary, Ivanplats, has concluded
stream-financing agreements with Orion Mine Finance and Nomad Royalty
Company for a US$200 million gold-streaming facility and a US$100 million
palladium- and platinum-streaming facility for its world-scale Platreef palladium-
rhodium-platinum-nickel-copper-gold project in Limpopo Province, South Africa.
The proceeds will be used to advance the first phase of Platreef’s mine
development, with commercial production expected in 2024. The definitive
feasibility study for Platreef’s phased development plan, which will provide
updated production forecasts for the initial mine and subsequent expansion, is
nearing completion with release expected in Q1 2022.
Ivanplats also has signed documents relating to offtake arrangements for 100% of
Platreef’s Phase 1 platinum-group-metals (PGMs) concentrate production, which
is expected to be more than 40,000 tonnes per year containing six payable
metals, including palladium, rhodium, platinum, nickel, copper and gold.
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Watch a new video showcasing Platreef:
https://vimeo.com/653933836/681b732b3e
The offtake arrangements are with Northam Platinum Limited and Heron Metals
Pty Ltd., a joint venture in which Trafigura Pte. Ltd. (“Trafigura”), a Singaporean
registered company, has a majority shareholding. Northam Platinum is an
independent, fully empowered, integrated PGM producer, with primary operations
in South Africa including the wholly owned Zondereinde Mine and metallurgical
complex, and Booysendal Mine. The Trafigura Group is one of the world's leading
independent commodity trading and logistics houses.
The terms of the proposed offtake with Heron Metals / Trafigura are based on a
non-binding indicative term sheet and are subject to negotiation and execution of
definitive documentation for a concentrate sales agreement.
“The stream financing agreements, which represent a small fraction of Platreef’s
incredible resource base, and accompanying offtake arrangements are critical
milestones in the progression to commercial production for Ivanplats. They
provide funding for a significant portion of the mine’s initial phase of
development, as well as a long-term home for our PGM, nickel and copper
concentrates,” said Marna Cloete, Ivanhoe Mines’ President.
“Advancing Platreef to production also marks another step in Ivanhoe Mines’
journey to become the world's next major, diversified mining company; one with
top ESG credentials and an industry-leading portfolio of tier-one assets.
“The Platreef Mine is very scalable, and we see the first-phase, 700,000-tonne-
per-annum operation as only our starter mine – one that will establish a strategic
production foothold on South Africa’s Bushveld PGM Complex, and support
potential future expansions of this unique orebody, which contains 59 million
ounces of platinum, palladium and rhodium plus gold (3PE+Au) in indicated
resources and a further 94 million ounces in inferred, in addition to significant
quantities of nickel and copper, at a cut-off grade of 1 gram per tonne 3PE+Au.
“Future expansions to 12 million tonnes per annum and beyond, as demonstrated
in previous studies, would position Platreef among the world’s largest and
lowest-cost nickel and PGM mines, producing more than 24,000 tonnes of nickel
and 1.1 million ounces of palladium, rhodium, platinum, and gold per year; and
help feed the demand for critical electric minerals that the world needs as it
transitions to a net-zero future.
“The phased development approach has worked extremely well at Kamoa-Kakula
and we consider it to be the optimal strategy to accelerate our growth and
diversification across commodities, and maintain a healthy balance sheet. The
mineral endowment at Platreef is enormous and we fully intend to continue
expanding the mine with the construction of Shaft 2, with the team working hard
on opportunities to accelerate its availability for hoisting. We are passionately
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focused on being part of the solution as the world transitions to clean, renewable
energy.
“We also are very pleased to conclude a three-year collective agreement with our
employees that values and respects their expertise, their contributions during the
pandemic, and their role in building the world’s next great mine.”
Electrician, Mefika Khumalo (left); and Fitter, Agnes Maupye, about to
commence with shaft equipping activities.
Fitter Rudolf van Wyk inspecting the Shaft 1 headframe.
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Ivanplats secures US$200 million gold stream financing and US$100
million palladium and platinum stream financing
Ivanplats has entered into a gold, palladium and platinum stream financing with
Orion Mine Finance, a leading international provider of customized financing to
mining companies, and Nomad Royalty Company, a precious metals royalty
company, in which Orion Mine Finance is a significant shareholder (Orion Mine
Finance and Nomad Royalty Company, together, the “Stream Purchasers”). This
transaction will fund a large portion of the Phase 1 capital costs, with initial
production scheduled in 2024.
Under the stream agreements, Orion Mine Finance will provide a total of US$225
million in funding, and Nomad Royalty Company will provide US$75 million in
funding. The stream facilities are a prepaid forward sale of refined metals, with
prepayments totaling US$300 million, available in two tranches with the first
prepayment of US$75 million to be paid following the closing of the transaction
and US$225 million to be paid upon satisfaction of certain conditions precedent.
Under the terms of the US$200 million gold stream agreement, the Stream
Purchasers will receive an aggregate total of 80% of contained gold in
concentrate until 350,000 ounces have been delivered, after which the stream will
be reduced to 64% of contained gold in concentrate for the remaining life of the
facility. The expected life of this facility will extend from the effective date of the
stream agreement until the date when 685,280 ounces of gold have been
delivered to the Stream Purchasers. The Stream Purchasers will purchase each
ounce of gold at a price equal to the lower of the market price of gold or US$100
per ounce.
Under the terms of the US$100 million palladium and platinum stream agreement,
Orion Mine Finance will receive an aggregate total of 4.2% of contained palladium
and platinum in concentrate until 350,000 ounces have been delivered, after
which the stream will be reduced to 2.4% for the remaining life of the facility. The
expected life of this facility will extend from the effective date of the stream
agreement until the date when 485,115 ounces of palladium and platinum have
been delivered to the purchaser, which will pay for each ounce at a price equal to
30% of the market price of palladium and platinum.
The conclusion of the stream agreements allows Ivanplats to focus efforts on
finalizing the senior debt facility for up to US$120 million. Societe Generale and
Nedbank were appointed as mandated lead arrangers for the project debt facility
in early 2021. Both the gold stream facility, and palladium and platinum stream
facility, will be subordinated to any senior secured financing.
The senior debt facility is anticipated to be used only after the stream facilities
are fully drawn. Ivanplats remains flexible to raise additional debt or equity at a
later date, and has pre-agreed with the Stream Purchasers the intercreditor
arrangements for any future senior debt. While the stream facilities are
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guaranteed by Ivanplats and secured over the assets and Ivanhoe’s shares of
Platreef, there is no recourse to Ivanhoe Mines.
Members of the Orion and Nomad teams with members of Platreef’s mine
development team at the foundation for the Shaft 2 headframe that is under
construction.
Ivanplats arranges offtake for Platreef’s Phase 1 production
Ivanplats has signed documents relating to offtake for 100% of Phase 1’s PGM
concentrate production of at least 40,000 tonnes per year, based on standard
commercial terms for PGM mines in South Africa. This reinforces the high quality
of Platreef’s PGM concentrate, which contains six payable metals including
palladium, rhodium, platinum, nickel, copper and gold.
Ivanplats has finalized a PGM concentrate sales agreement with Northam
Platinum for 50% of concentrate production from Phase 1 at Platreef, which totals
approximately 20,000 tonnes per year. The agreement is in place for a period of
ten years, and Ivanplats retains the option to reduce the volume by 5,000 tonnes
to an annual total of 15,000 tonnes.
Ivanplats also has signed a non-binding indicative term sheet with Heron Metals,
a Trafigura joint venture, relating to the sale and purchase of 50% of the PGM
concentrate production from Phase 1 at Platreef, which equals approximately
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20,000 tonnes per year, and would also be in place for a period of ten years.
Under the proposed terms, Ivanplats retains the option to reduce the volume by
5,000 tonnes to an annual total of 15,000 tonnes. Ivanplats may also elect to
receive a provisional payment of 90%, five days after the month of delivery. The
final terms of the offtake with Heron Metals remain subject to negotiation and
execution of definitive documentation.
Shaft 1 changeover to a production shaft advancing rapidly
As part of the phased development plan, Platreef’s 996-metre-deep Shaft 1 will be
used to initially access the high-grade Flatreef orebody that has an average
thickness of 26 metres – massive when compared to the typical, approximately
one-metre-thick reefs being mined elsewhere on South Africa’s Bushveld
Complex. The remarkably thick Flatreef orebody also is flat-lying, which is ideal
for safe, bulk-scale, mechanized mining and processes optimized for maximum
ore extraction.
Shaft 1 has three development stations that will provide underground access to
Flatreef, on the 750-, 850-, and 950-metre levels. The current focus is on
equipping the 950-metre level station with rock-handling and mining
infrastructure. The 950-metre level is the lowest mining level, where skip loading
will take place – initial lateral development will start from this station.
Shaft 1 will be used to initially access the high-grade Flatreef orebody, with
lateral development to commence from the 950-metre-level station.
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Changeover construction of the 996-metre-deep Shaft 1 is progressing to
plan and is on schedule for commencement of rock hoisting early in 2022.
The 850-metre-level station with all shaft steelwork in place. Following the
establishment of a rock-pass system from the 750-metre level to the 950-
metre level, development will commence towards the high-grade Flatreef
orebody on the 850-metre level.
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After the 950-metre level is completed, the higher stations will be provided with
rock-tipping and ore-pass infrastructure, with the equipping expected to be
completed in early 2022.
The changeover construction at Shaft 1 is progressing to plan and on schedule
for commencement of rock hoisting, also early in 2022. All materials,
consumables and equipment for the shaft changeover have been procured and all
designs completed. The changeover work is being done by Platreef’s experienced
owners’ team with a focus on safety, and a full quality assurance and control
system is in place.
The winder that was used to sink and equip Shaft 1 will be the permanent rock,
personnel and material winder following the shaft-equipping phase. The shaft will
be equipped with two 12.5-tonne skips with a fixed man and material cage
installed above the skips in both compartments, an optimization that will allow for
an increase in hoisting capacity, which will be discussed in the forthcoming
definitive feasibility study expected in Q1 2022.
Lateral mine development on the 950-metre level toward the Flatreef ore body is
expected to begin in Q2 2022. The initial development will use battery electric
M2C drill rigs and 14-tonne load haul dumpers being manufactured by Epiroc, a
leading mining equipment manufacturer, at its facilities in Örebro, Sweden. The
partnership with Epiroc for emissions-free mining equipment is an important first
step towards reducing the carbon footprint of the mine, with learnings to be
employed across Ivanhoe Mines’ operations.
The battery electric mining fleet is expected to arrive on site in early 2022.
Ivanplats plans to install solar-photovoltaic cells to recharge the electric fleet’s
batteries.
The contract for the initial mine development has been adjudicated and is in the
final stages of negotiation. Newly designed rock chutes on surface will connect
the conveyors feeding the concentrator plant and the waste rock area; from there
the waste rock will be crushed and used as cemented backfill underground for
maximum ore extraction, as well as for protection berms to contain storm water
and reduce noise emissions.
The waste-rock conveyor from Shaft 1 is progressing to plan with all mechanical
and electrical orders well advanced. Delivery of the stacker is planned for
February 2022 and the complete waste conveyor load-out system is expected to
be fully operational shortly thereafter.
Pilot drilling of the first main ventilation shaft will commence in 2022, after which
it will be reamed to its final diameter of 5.1-metres, providing the main return
airway for the Phase 1 development. On completion, this ventilation shaft also
will serve as a second egress from the mine.