Wheaton Precious Metals Announces the Acquisition of a New Silver Stream on the Mineral Park Mine
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October 24, 2023
Vancouver, British Columbia
Wheaton Precious Metals Announces the Acquisition of a
New Silver Stream on the Mineral Park Mine
Vancouver, British Columbia – Wheaton Precious Metals™ Corp. (“Wheaton” or the “Company”)
is pleased to announce that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Wheaton Precious Metals International
Ltd. (" WPMI") has entered into a definitive Precious Metal s Purchase Agreement (the “ Silver
Stream”) with Waterton Copper Corp., a subsidiary of Waterton Copper LP (“Waterton Copper”)
in respect to its 100% owned Mineral Park Mine located in Arizona, USA (the “Project” or “Mineral
Park”).
“Wheaton is excited to bring Mineral Park back into our portfolio given our long history with the
mine, particularly given the work Waterton Copper has done to optimize the operation ,” said
Randy Smallwood, Wheaton’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Our unique understanding
of Mineral Park, and its potential, positions us well to assist Waterton Copper in bringing the mine
back into production in a sustainable manner. As global efforts to transition to a low -carbon
economy accelerate, critical metals, such as copper, that are produced responsibly within
politically stable jurisdictions, have never been more important.
“Waterton Copper is delighted to have Wheaton Precious Metals' support,” said Isser Elishis,
Executive Chairman of Waterton Copper . “Waterton is investing approximately $600 million to
optimize Mineral Park including significant capital investments in new primary crushers, secondary
and pebble crushing circuits, and new higher -power SAG mills , which are expected to result in
decades of operational excellence.”
Transaction Details
(All values in US$ unless otherwise noted)
▪ Upfront Consideration: WPMI will pay Waterton Copper total upfront cash consideration
of $115 million (the “Deposit”) in four payments during construction (three installments of
$25 million and a final installment of $40 million).
▪ Streamed Metal: Under the Silver Stream, WPMI will purchase 100% of the payable silver
from the Project for the life of the mine. Payable silver is calculated using a fixed payable
factor of 90%.
▪ Production Profile 1: Attributable production is forecast to average over 0.69 million
ounces (“Moz”) of silver per year for the first five years of production and over 0.74 Moz
of silver per year for the life of mine, with construction to be completed by the end of Q1
2025. Mineral Park is forecast to have a 12-year mine life, with the potential to expand the
mine life to over 20 years.
▪ Production Payments: WPMI will make ongoing payments for the silver ounces delivered
equal to 18% of the spot price of silver (“Production Payment”) until the uncredited deposit
is reduced to nil and 22% of the spot price of silver thereafter.
▪ Incremental Reserves and Resources 1: The addition of Mineral Park will increase
Wheaton’s total estimated Proven and Probable Mineral silver reserves by 14.6 Moz,
Measured and Indicated Mineral silver resources by 18.4 Moz and Inferred silver
resources by 16.2 Moz.
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▪ Other Considerations:
o The Silver Stream will include a customary completion test.
o WPMI will provide a secured debt facility of up to $25 million once the full upfront
consideration has been paid.
o WPMI has also obtained a right of first refusal on any future precious metals
streams, royalty, prepay or similar transactions.
o Waterton Copper and Origin Mining Company, LLC (the direct owner of Mineral
Park, “Origin”) will provide WPMI with corporate guarantees and c ertain other
security over their assets.
o Waterton Copper is expected to comply in all material respects with WPMI’s
Partner/Supplier Code of Conduct, which outlines Wheaton’s expectations in
regard to environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) matters.
Financing the Transactions
As at June 30, 2023, the Company had approximately $829 million of cash on hand, which we
believe when combined with the liquidity provided by the available credit under the $2 billion
revolving term loan and ongoing operating cash flows, positions the Company well to fund the
acquisition of the Silver Stream as well as all outstanding commitments and known contingencies
and provides flexibility to acquire additional accretive mineral stream interests.
About Wheaton Precious Metals
Wheaton is the world's premier precious metals streaming company with the highest -quality
portfolio of long-life, low-cost assets. Its business model offers investors commodity price leverage
and exploration upside but with a much lower risk profile than a traditional mining company.
Wheaton delivers amongst the highest cash operating margins in the mining industry, allowing it
to pay a competitive dividend and continue to grow through accretive acquisitions. As a result,
Wheaton has consistently outperform ed gold and silver, as well as other mining investments.
Wheaton is committed to strong ESG practices and giving back to the communities where
Wheaton and its mining partners operate. Wheaton creates sustainable value through streaming
for all of its stakeholders.
About Waterton Copper and Mineral Park
Owned and operated by Origin, a subsidiary of Waterton Copper LP, Mineral Park is a polymetallic
mine located in north -west Arizona, 18 miles north of Kingsman. A copper -molybdenum-silver
porphyry deposit with a long mining history, Mineral Park is currently under Phase 2 construction
which is expected to be completed by the end of Q1 2025. Waterton Copper is fully funded and is
investing approximately $600 million to execute Phase 2 of its operating plan, which will bring the
site to over one hundred million pounds of copper equivale nt annually and fully modernize the
operation.
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Attributable Silver Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources – Mineral Park Mine
Category Tonnage
Mt
Grade
Ag g/t
Contained
Ag Moz
Proven 42.4 2.6 3.5
Probable 141.3 2.4 11.1
P&P 183.7 2.5 14.6
Measured 22.6 2.1 1.5
Indicated 261.5 2.0 16.9
M&I 284.1 2.0 18.4
Inferred 341.2 1.5 16.2
Notes on Mineral Reserves & Mineral Resources:
1. All Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources have been estimated in accordance with the 2014 Canadian
Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves
and National Instrument 43-101 – Standards for Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”).
2. Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources are reported above in millions of metric tonnes (“Mt”), grams per
metric tonne (“g/t”) and millions of ounces (“Moz”).
3. Qualified persons (“QPs”), as defined by the NI 43 -101, for the technical information contained in this
document (including the Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resource estimates) are:
a. Neil Burns, M.Sc., P.Geo. (Vice President, Technical Services); and
b. Ryan Ulansky, M.A.Sc., P.Eng. (Vice President, Engineering),
both employees of the Company (the “Company’s QPs”).
4. The Mineral Resources reported in the above tables are exclusive of Mineral Reserves.
5. Mineral Resources, which are not Mineral Reserves, do not have demonstrated economic viability.
6. Mineral Park Project Mineral Reserves are reported as of September 29, 2023 and Mineral Resources as
of October 30, 2021.
7. Mineral Park Mineral Reserves are reported above an NSR cut-off of $10.50 per tonne assuming $2.81 per
pound copper, $14.25 per pound molybdenum and $16.13 per ounce silver.
8. Mineral Park Mineral Resources are reported above a 0.15 percent copper equivalent cut -off assuming
$3.45 per pound copper, $10.00 per pound molybdenum and $23.00 per ounce silver.
9. The Silver Stream provides that Waterton Copper will deliver silver equal to 100% of the payable silver
production for the life of the mine.
Neil Burns, P.Geo., Vice President, Technical Services for Wheaton Precious Metals and Ryan
Ulansky, P.Eng., Vice President, Engineering, are a “qualified person” as such term is defined
under National Instrume nt 43-101, and have reviewed and approved the technical information
disclosed in this news release (specifically Mr. Burns has reviewed mineral resource estimates
and Mr. Ulansky has reviewed the mineral reserve estimates).
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For further information, please contact:
Wheaton Precious Metals:
Investor Contact:
Emma Murray
Vice President, Investor Relations
Tel: 1-844-288-9878
Email: [email protected]
Media Contact:
Simona Antolak
Vice President, Communications & Corporate Affairs
Tel: 604-639-9870
Email: [email protected]
Waterton Copper:
Paul Nielson, P. Eng
Head of Development Portfolio, Principal
Tel: 1-647-289-8246
Email: [email protected]
1) Please refer to the Attributable Mineral Reserves & Mineral Resources table in this news release for full disclosure
of reserves and resources associated with Mineral Park including accompanying footnotes.
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release contains "forward -looking statements" within the meaning of the United States
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning
of applicable Canadian securities legislation concerning the business, operations and financial
performance of Wheaton and, in some instances, the business, mining operations and performance
of Wheaton’s Precious Metals Purchase Agreement ("PMPA”) counterparties. Forward -looking
statements, which are all statements other than statements of historical fact, include, but are not limited
to, statements with respect to payment by WPMI of $115 million to Waterton Copper and the
satisfaction of each party's obligations in accordance with the Silver Stream, the receipt by Wheaton
of silver production in respect of the Project, the future price of commodities, the estimation of future
production from Mining Operations (including in the estimation of production, mill throughput, grades,
recoveries and exploration potential ), the estimation of mineral reserves and mineral resources
(including the estimation of reserve conversion rates) and the realization of such estimations, the
commencement, timing and achievement of construction, expansion or improvement projects by
Wheaton’s PMPA counterparties at mineral stream interests owned by Wheaton (the “Mining
Operations”), the payment of upfront cash consideration to counterparties under PMPAs, the
satisfaction of each party's obligations in accordance with PMPAs and royalty arrangements and the
receipt by the Company of precious metals and cobalt production in respect of the applicable Mining
Operations under PMPAs or other payments under royalty arrangements, the ability of Wheaton’s
PMPA counterparties to comply with the terms of a PMPA (including as a result of the business, mining
operations and performance of Wheaton’s PMPA counterparties) and the potential impacts of such on
Wheaton, future payments by the Company in accordance with PMPAs, the costs of future production,
the estimation of produced but not yet delivered ounces, the impact of epidemics (including the
COVID-19 virus pandemic), including the potential heightening of other risks, future sales of common
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shares under the ATM program, continued listing of the Company’s common shares, any statements
as to future dividends, the ability to fund outstanding commitments and the ability to continue to acquire
accretive PMPAs, including any acceleration of payments, projected increases to Wheaton's
production and cash flow p rofile, projected changes to Wheaton's production mix, the ability of
Wheaton’s PMPA counterparties to comply with the terms of any other obligations under agreements
with the Company, the ability to sell precious metals and cobalt production, confidence i n the
Company's business structure, the Company's assessment of taxes payable and the impact of the
CRA Settlement, possible domestic audits for taxation years subsequent to 2016 and international
audits, the Company’s assessment of the impact of any tax reassessments, the Company's intention
to file future tax returns in a manner consistent with the CRA Settlement, the Company’s climate
change and environmental commitments, and assessments of the impact and resolution of various
legal and tax matters, including but not limited to audits. Generally, these forward-looking statements
can be identified by the use of forward -looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not
expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "proje cts", "intends",
"anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", "potential", or variations of such words and phrases
or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken",
"occur" or "be achieved" . Forward -looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or
achievements of Wheaton to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-
looking statements, including but not limited to risks relating to the satisfaction of each party's
obligations in accordance with the terms of the Silver Stream, risks associated with fluctuations in the
price of commodities (including Wheato n’s ability to sell its precious metals or cobalt production at
acceptable prices or at all), risks related to the Mining Operations (including fluctuations in the price
of the primary or other commodities mined at such operations, regulatory, political an d other risks of
the jurisdictions in which the Mining Operations are located, actual results of mining, risks associated
with the exploration, development, operating, expansion and improvement of the Mining Operations,
environmental and economic risks of the Mining Operations, and changes in project parameters as
plans continue to be refined), the absence of control over the Mining Operations and having to rely on
the accuracy of the public disclosure and other information Wheaton receives from the Mining
Operations, uncertainty in the estimation of production from Mining Operations, uncertainty in the
accuracy of mineral reserve and mineral resource estimation, risks of significant impacts on Wheaton
or the Mining Operations as a result of an epidemic (inc luding the COVID -19 virus pandemic), the
ability of each party to satisfy their obligations in accordance with the terms of the PMPAs, the
estimation of future production from Mining Operations, Wheaton's interpretation of, compliance with
or application of, tax laws and regulations or accounting policies and rules being found to be incorrect,
any challenge or reassessment by the CRA of the Company's tax filings being successful and the
potential negative impact to the Company's previous and future tax filings, assessing the impact of the
CRA Settlement (including whether there will be any material change in the Company's facts or change
in law or jurisprudence), potential implementation of a 15% global minimum tax, counterparty credit
and liquidity, mine operator concentration, indebtedness and guarantees, hedging, competition, claims
and legal proceedings against Wheaton or the Mining Operations, security over underlying assets,
governmental regulations, international operations of Wheaton and the Mining Op erations,
exploration, development, operations, expansions and improvements at the Mining Operations,
environmental regulations, climate change, Wheaton and the Mining Operations ability to obtain and
maintain necessary licenses, permits, approvals and rul ings, Wheaton and the Mining Operations
ability to comply with applicable laws, regulations and permitting requirements, lack of suitable
supplies, infrastructure and employees to support the Mining Operations, inability to replace and
expand mineral reserves, including anticipated timing of the commencement of production by certain
Mining Operations (including increases in production, estimated grades and recoveries), uncertainties
of title and indigenous rights with respect to the Mining Operations, envir onmental, social and
governance matters, Wheaton and the Mining Operations ability to obtain adequate financing, the
Mining Operations ability to complete permitting, construction, development and expansion, global
financial conditions, Wheaton’s acquisition strategy and other risks discussed in the section entitled
"Description of the Business – Risk Factors" in Wheaton's Annual Information Form available on
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SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and Wheaton's Form 40-F for the year ended December 31, 2022 on
file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on EDGAR (the "Disclosure”). Forward-looking
statements are based on assumptions management currently believes to be reasonable, including
(without limitation): the payment of $115 million to Waterton Copper and the satisfaction of each party's
obligations in accordance with the ter ms of the Silver Stream, that there will be no material adverse
change in the market price of commodities, that the Mining Operations will continue to operate and
the mining projects will be completed in accordance with public statements and achieve their stated
production estimates, that the mineral reserves and mineral resource estimates from Mining
Operations (including reserve conversion rates) are accurate, that each party will satisfy their
obligations in accordance with the PMPAs, that Wheaton will c ontinue to be able to fund or obtain
funding for outstanding commitments, that Wheaton will be able to source and obtain accretive
PMPAs, that neither Wheaton nor the Mining Operations will suffer significant impacts as a result of
an epidemic (including the COVID-19 virus pandemic), that any outbreak or threat of an outbreak of a
virus or other contagions or epidemic disease will be adequately responded to locally, nationally,
regionally and internationally, without such response requiring any prolonged cl osure of the Mining
Operations or having other material adverse effects on the Company and counterparties to its PMPAs,
that the trading of the Company’s common shares will not be adversely affected by the differences in
liquidity, settlement and clearing systems as a result of multiple listings of the Common Shares on the
LSE, the TSX and the NYSE, that the trading of the Company’s common shares will not be suspended,
and that the net proceeds of sales of common shares, if any, will be used as anticipated, that
expectations regarding the resolution of legal and tax matters will be achieved (including ongoing CRA
audits involving the Company), that Wheaton has properly considered the interpretation and
application of Canadian tax law to its structure and ope rations, that Wheaton has filed its tax returns
and paid applicable taxes in compliance with Canadian tax law, that Wheaton's application of the CRA
Settlement is accurate (including the Company's assessment that there will be no material change in
the Company's facts or change in law or jurisprudence), and such other assumptions and factors as
set out in the Disclosure. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be
accurate and even if events or results described in the forward -looking statements are realized or
substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to,
or effects on, Wheaton. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and
are cautioned that actual outcomes may vary. The forward-looking statements included herein are for
the purpose of providing readers with information to assist them in understanding Wheaton's expected
financial and operational performance and may not be appropriate for other pu rposes. Any forward-
looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, reflects Wheaton’s management’s
current beliefs based on current information and will not be updated except in accordance with
applicable securities laws. Although Wheato n has attempted to identify important factors that could
cause actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from those
contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results, level of activity,
performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended.
Cautionary Language Regarding Reserves And Resources
For further information on Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources and on Wheaton more generally,
readers should refer to Wheaton’s Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2022,
which was filed on March 31, 2023 and other continuous disclosure documents filed by Wheaton since
January 1, 2023, available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Wheaton’s Mineral Reserv es and Mineral
Resources are subject to the qualifications and notes set forth therein. Mineral Resources which are
not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Numbers have been rounded as
required by reporting guidelines and may result in apparent summation differences.
Cautionary Note to United States Investors Concerning Estimates of Measured, Indicated and
Inferred Resources: The information contained herein has been prepared in accordance with the
requirements of the securities laws in effect in Canada, which differ from the requirements of United
States securities laws. The Company reports information regarding mineral properties, mineralization and
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estimates of mineral reserves and mineral resources in accordance with Canadian reporting requirements
which are governed by, and utilize definitions required by, Canadian National Instrument 43 -101 –
Standards of Disclosure for M ineral Projects ("NI 43 -101") and the Canadian Institute of Mining,
Metallurgy and Petroleum (the "CIM") – CIM Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral
Reserves, adopted by the CIM Council, as amended (the "CIM Standards"). These definitions d iffer
from the definitions adopted by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) under
the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) which are applicable to
U.S. companies. Accordingly, there is no assurance any mineral reserves or mineral resources that
the Company may report as “proven mineral reserves”, “probable mineral reserves”, “measured
mineral resources”, “indicated mineral resources” and “inferred mineral resources” under NI 43 -101
would be the same had the Company prepared the reserve or resource estimates under the standards
adopted by the SEC. Information contained herein that describes Wheaton’s mineral deposits may not
be comparable to similar information made public by U.S. companies subject to reporting and
disclosure requirements under the United States federal securities laws and the rules and regulations
thereunder. United States investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in Wheaton’s Form
40-F, a copy of which may be obtained from Wheaton or from https://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml.