Coro Strengthens Focus on Marimaca Project as SCM Berta Operation Placed on Care and Maintenance
Coro Strengthens Focus on Marimaca Project as SCM Berta Operation Placed
on Care and Maintenance
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 16, 2018 -- Coro Mining Corp. (“Coro” or the “Company”) (TSX: COP) is pleased
to update shareholders that its strategy to focus on its large Marimaca exploration project has taken another step forward
following a decision by its owners to place the smaller SCM Berta operation on care and maintenance.
The April 2018 strategic review recognised that the Marimaca project presents the greatest opportunity to create value, and
therefore the Company committed to reducing its interest in SCM Berta. In line with this strategy, the Company and
Greenstone Resources have decided to place SCM Berta on care and maintenance. This decision will preserve ore resources
and minimise costs while a new long-term strategic alternative for the operation can be determined. Options under
consideration include selling the operation as a whole or part to a third-party, consolidation with other local copper producers
and developers, or restarting a reconfigured operation at higher copper prices.
Commenting on the news, Luis Tondo, President and CEO of Coro said: “ Our confidence in Marimaca continues to grow and
we believe that it has the potential to become one of the most significant recently discovered open pittable copper oxide
resources in Chile. As this view strengthens, Marimaca clearly must be the focus of the business as we aim to generate
wealth for our shareholders. As a smaller, high-cost and somewhat complex operation, we determined that SCM Berta was not
economical at current copper prices. Consequently, we have decided to ramp-down operations and place it on care and
maintenance. This pause will allow us the time needed to find a longer term solution for the SCM Berta and focus our time
and efforts on Marimaca.”
SCM Berta Care and Maintenance Program and Financing
The costs associated with placing SCM Berta on care and maintenance, in addition to funds for re-engineering and new
resource drilling are estimated at approximately US$10 million. To fund SCM Berta until a longer term economic solution is
determined, Greenstone Resources II, L.P. (“Greenstone”) has agreed to provide an eleven-month US$10 million secured loan
facility to SCM Berta (the “Loan Facility”). US$6 million has been advanced to take it SCM Berta through to care and
maintenance and the intention is that the balancing US$4million will be made available for further drilling and engineering. The
Loan Facility is secured by properties associated with SCM Berta. The Marimaca Project is not encumbered by the Loan
Facility. Interest on the loan will accrue monthly at 12% for the first 3 months, and 15% thereafter. In connection with the
Loan Facility, certain mining claims related to the SCM Berta project that are still registered in the name of Coro subsidiary
Minera Cielo Azul Limitada (“MCAL”) will be transferred into the name of SCM Berta.
As previously disclosed, in April 2018 Greenstone advanced a convertible $12 million loan (the “Convertible Loan ”) to finance
SCM Berta. Following shareholder approval of the conversion feature of the Convertible Loan in June 2018, the Convertible
Loan was convertible into up to a 75% equity interest in MCC Rising Star Limited, owner of SCM Berta. The conversion of the
Convertible Loan by Greenstone into an equity interest was scheduled to occur at the end of September 2018 but the parties
have agreed to extend this period until December 2018 pending the transfer of the MCAL properties into SCM Berta, as
referenced above. Provided the MCAL properties are transferred, no additional interest will be charged on the Convertible Loan
during this extension period. Provided certain conditions are met, the Company understands Greenstone intends to convert
the Convertible Loan into a 75% equity interest in December 2018, thereby reducing Coro’s equity interest (and ownership of
SCM Berta) to 25%.
Contact Information
For further information please visit www.coromining.com or contact:
Nicholas Bias, VP Corporate Development & Investor Relations
+56 2 2431 7601 | [email protected]
Forward Looking Statements
This news release includes certain “forward-looking statements” under applicable Canadian securities legislation. These
statements relate to future events or the Company’s future performance, business prospects or opportunities. Forward-looking
statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the future development and exploration potential of the
Marimaca Project; the potential long term alternatives for SCM Berta and the conversion of the Convertible Loan by
Greenstone. Actual future results may differ materially. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be
accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-
looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made and are based upon a
number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by Coro, are inherently subject to significant
business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and
unknown, could cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or
achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and the parties have made
assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation: the inherent
risks involved in the mining, exploration and development of mineral properties, the uncertainties involved in interpreting drilling
results and other geological data, fluctuating metal prices, the possibility of project delays or cost overruns or unanticipated
excessive operating costs and expenses, uncertainties related to the necessity of financing, the availability of and costs of
financing needed in the future as well as those factors disclosed in the Company’s documents filed from time to time with the
securities regulators in the Provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova
Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on
forward-looking statements. Coro undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking
statements contained herein whether as a result of new information or future events or otherwise, except as may be required
by law.