Cadence Minerals plc (LON:KDNC) has provided a series of project updates, and details of a new presentation and Q&A session.
Amapa Project
On 29 December 2021, Cadence announced the execution of the binding settlement agreement with the secured bank creditors, which allows us to vest our 20% interest in the large-scale Amapa iron ore mine, beneficiation plant, railway and private port.
We are pleased to announce that the completion and filing of the required contractual and regulatory documentation is proceeding as planned and we currently expect to finalise this in the first two weeks of next month.
Cadence has already begun work on the next investment phase to earn an additional 7% of Amapa for US$3.5 million. These funds will be primarily used to progress the pre-feasibility studies on the asset.
The pre-feasibility study is progressing as expected, with the consulting engineers for the mine operations, ore reserve estimation, metallurgy, processing and shipping identified and in the process of being appointed. The rail logistic study has been completed in draft form, and is being reviewed.
In addition, to supplement the technical team at the Amapa, Tony Cau has been appointed as the pre-feasibility project director. Tony is a Civil Engineer with 40 years of global experience in the metals processing and engineering industry. Tony has worked for internationally recognised consulting and operational firms, including SNC-Lavalin, Bateman Engineering, BHP Billiton and Ausenco.
Litchfield and Picasso Projects
On 29 September 2021, Cadence announced that Castillo Copper (LON:CCZ) had entered into a 90-day option agreement with Lithium Technologies Pty Ltd and Lithium Supplies Pty Ltd in which Cadence owns a 31% shareholding, to acquire the Litchfield and Picasso Lithium Projects in the Northern Territory (NT) and Western Australia (WA) respectively.
LT and LS have informed us that the board of CCZ and LT & LS have mutually agreed to unwind the Option Agreement. As part of the break agreement terms, the A$50,000 deposit has been returned to CCZ.
Cadence CEO, Kiran Morzaria, commented: “On behalf of the board, I am pleased to advise shareholders that the filing of the contractual and regulatory documentation pertaining to the Amapa bank settlement agreement is proceeding as planned. Work has already started on the next investment phase to take Cadence up to 27% ownership of Amapa.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome Tony Cau to the Amapa Project. Tony’s experience will be invaluable to us as Amapa undergoes recommissioning, and he joins the asset at an exciting phase of its development.”
“In regard to the Litchfield and Picasso option with Castillo, given the recent increases in lithium compound pricing to over US$40,000 per tonne of battery grade lithium carbonate, and the pending analysis of the assay results, we see the unwinding of this option agreement as an opportunity for Cadence to extract a higher valuation for these prospective assets”
Presentation
An updated PowerPoint presentation is available on the Company’ website, https://www.cadenceminerals.com/
Share Incentive Vesting
On the 2 November 2020, the Company announced that, under the share incentive plan established in September 2014, it had conditionally granted up to 240,000 Ordinary Shares to each of the directors. These share awards were conditional on meeting performance conditions during the award period. 2021 SIP Awards would be transferred from the Employee Benefit Trust, with no New Ordinary Shares being issued to satisfy the 2021 SIP Awards.
The award period ran from November 2020 to December 2021. The 2021 SIP Awards were subject to the board achieving performance conditions which were in line with market practice. One of the conditions was met by the end of 2021 entitling each director to be awarded 80,000 shares from EBT. With this award two of the three performance conditions were met during the period and no further awards will be made in relation 2021 SIP Awards. Once the shares have been transferred from the EBT to the board the Company will make a Director / PDMR disclosure.
