Gran Colombia Gold Corp. (TSX: GCM, OTCQX: TPRFF) (the “Company” or
“Gran Colombia”) announced today, further to the press release of
the Company dated September 16, 2019, that it has entered into a
letter of intent (the
“LOI”) on October 4, 2019
with Bluenose Gold Corp. (TSX-V: BN.H)
(
“Bluenose”) in respect of the proposed
acquisition by Bluenose of certain mining assets (the
“Mining Assets”) at the Company’s Marmato Project
located in the Department of Caldas, Colombia (the
“Transaction”).
The Mining Assets principally comprise the
existing producing underground gold mine, including the right to
mine in the lower portion of the Echandia license area, the
existing 1,200 tonnes per day processing plant and the area
encompassing the Deeps mineralization, all located within the
mining license area referred to as Zona Baja. The existing
underground mine at Marmato produced 24,951 ounces of gold in 2018
and is on track to produce between 24,000 and 26,000 ounces of gold
in 2019. The Mining Assets have excellent infrastructure, being
located by the Pan American Highway with access to Medellin to the
north and Manizales to the south, and have access to the national
electricity grid which runs near the property. Gran Colombia is
currently working with SRK Consulting (US) Inc. to complete a
technical report for the Mining Assets pursuant to National
Instrument 43‐101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects
(the “Technical Report”). The Technical Report,
expected to be completed by the end of November and filed on SEDAR
and the Company’s website, will include an updated Mineral Resource
estimate for the Mining Assets. Gran Colombia will retain its
existing ownership of the mining licenses in the areas known as
Zona Alta and Echandia. Gran Colombia and Bluenose are not related
parties.
About Bluenose
Bluenose is primarily engaged in the acquisition
and exploration of resource properties and is a “reporting issuer”
in British Columbia and Alberta listed on the NEX Board of the TSX
Venture Exchange (the “TSX-V”). It is anticipated
that the proposed Transaction will constitute a Reverse Takeover
(as such term is defined under TSX-V Policy 5.2 – Changes of
Business and Reverse Takeovers) of Bluenose. The authorized share
capital of Bluenose consists of an unlimited number of common
shares (“Bluenose Common Shares”) and an unlimited
number of preferred shares, issuable in series. As at the date
hereof, an aggregate of 106,028,802 Bluenose Common Shares on a
pre-Consolidation (as hereinafter defined) basis and no preferred
shares are issued and outstanding. An aggregate of 5,800,000
Bluenose Common Shares, on a pre-Consolidation basis, are reserved
for issuance under incentive stock options granted to directors,
officers and consultants of Bluenose (“Bluenose
Options”).
Prior to the completion of the Transaction,
Bluenose will consolidate its outstanding common shares on a one
(1) for ten (10) basis (the “Consolidation”).
Terms of the Transaction
It is currently anticipated that Bluenose will
acquire the Mining Assets by way of purchase from Gran Colombia of
all of the issued and outstanding shares of Gran Colombia’s
wholly-owned subsidiary, Medoro Resources Colombia Inc.
(“Marmato Panama”). Marmato Panama holds all of
the issued and outstanding shares of Gran Colombia Gold Marmato
S.A.S. (“Marmato Colombia”), which, in turn, holds
all of the Mining Assets. The Mining Assets will be acquired by
Bluenose for C$57,500,000 which will be satisfied by the issuance
by Bluenose to Gran Colombia of an aggregate of 28,750,000 Bluenose
Common Shares (on a post-Consolidation basis) having a deemed price
of C$2.00 per post consolidation Bluenose Common Share.
Prior to, or concurrent with, the completion of
the Transaction: (i) Gran Colombia will purchase from Bluenose, on
a private placement basis, 2,500,000 units of Bluenose
(“Units”), at a price of C$2.00 per Unit, for
aggregate gross proceeds to Bluenose of C$5,000,000 (the
“Private Placement”); and Bluenose anticipates
that it will complete a brokered private placement of a minimum of
5,000,000 Units and a maximum of 7,500,000 Units, at a price of
C$2.00 per Unit, for aggregate gross proceeds to Bluenose of
between C$10,000,000 and C$15,000,000 (the “Brokered
Private Placement”). No agent has yet been engaged with
respect to the Brokered Private Placement.
The Units to be issued pursuant to the Private
Placement and Brokered Private Placement, respectively, will each
be comprised of one Bluenose post-Consolidation Common Share and
one share purchase warrant (a “Warrant”), with each Warrant being
exercisable to acquire one additional Bluenose post-Consolidation
Common Share at a price of C$3.00 for a period of five (5) years
from the closing of the Private Placement or Brokered Private
Placement, as applicable.
Pursuant to an agreement between Fiore
Management & Advisory Corp. (“Fiore”) and
Bluenose, Fiore shall be entitled to 100,000 Bluenose
post-Consolidation Common Shares upon the completion of the
Transaction.
The following table outlines the anticipated
share capital of Bluenose on a post-Consolidation basis following
the completion of the Private Placement, Brokered Private Placement
and Transaction.
|
Number of Bluenose Common Shares(minimum
Brokered Private Placement) |
Number of Bluenose Common Shares(maximum
Brokered Private Placement) |
Outstanding Bluenose Common Shares (pre-Transaction) |
10,602,880 |
10,602,880 |
Bluenose Common Shares issuable to Gran Colombia pursuant to
Transaction |
28,750,000 |
28,750,000 |
Bluenose Common Shares issuable to Gran Colombia pursuant to
Private Placement |
2,500,000 |
2,500,000 |
Bluenose Common Shares issuable pursuant to Brokered Private
Placement |
5,000,000 |
7,500,000 |
Bluenose Common Shares issuable to Fiore |
100,000 |
100,000 |
Total Issued and Outstanding |
46,952,880 |
49,452,880 |
Bluenose Common Shares reserved for issuance under Bluenose
Options |
580,000 |
580,000 |
Bluenose Common Shares underlying Warrants issuable to Gran
Colombia pursuant to Private Placement |
2,500,000 |
2,500,000 |
Bluenose Common Shares underlying Warrants issuable pursuant to
Brokered Private Placement |
5,000,000 |
7,500,000 |
Total Issued and
OutstandingFully-Diluted |
55,032,880 |
60,032,880 |
The Company and Bluenose intend to negotiate and
enter into a definitive agreement (the “Definitive
Agreement”) setting forth the detailed terms and
conditions of the Transaction. The closing of the Transaction is
subject to the receipt of all necessary regulatory and third-party
consents, authorizations and approvals, including, without
limitation, the approval of the listing of the Bluenose Common
Shares issued in connection with the Transaction on the TSX-V which
will be subject to Bluenose satisfying the TSX-V’s minimum listing
conditions for a mining issuer.
The closing of the Transaction will also be
subject to the following conditions, amongst others:
- Gran Colombia and Bluenose being
satisfied with the results of their respective due diligence
investigations;
- all liens and encumbrances in
respect of Marmato Panama, Marmato Colombia and the Mining Assets
granted in favour of the holders of the 8.25% senior secured notes
due in 2024 shall have been released and discharged, on terms and
conditions satisfactory to Bluenose, acting reasonably;
- to the extent required, the receipt
of shareholder approval from the shareholders of
Bluenose;
- the Consolidation shall have been
completed;
- the Private Placement and the
Brokered Private Placement shall have been completed;
- the name of Bluenose shall have
been changed to “Caldas Gold Corporation” or such other name as may
be specified by Gran Colombia in writing;
- no adverse change shall have
occurred in the business, results of operations, assets,
liabilities, financial condition or affairs of Bluenose, Marmato
Panama or Marmato Colombia, taken as a whole, or the Mining Assets;
and
- the final structure and steps for
the Transaction shall be satisfactory to both Bluenose and the
Company, acting reasonably, from a tax, corporate and securities
law and due diligence perspective.
About the Resulting Issuer
Pursuant to the LOI, the initial members of the
board of directors of Bluenose following the completion of the
Transaction (the “Resulting Issuer Board”) shall
be selected by Gran Colombia and set forth in the Definitive
Agreement. If a meeting of the shareholders of Bluenose (the
“Bluenose Shareholder Meeting”) is required for
the purposes of obtaining Bluenose Shareholder Approval, the
members of the Resulting Issuer Board will be nominated and elected
by the shareholders of Bluenose at the Bluenose Shareholder Meeting
(subject to, and contingent upon, the completion of the
Transaction). The current directors and officers of Bluenose shall
resign at or prior to the completion of the Transaction.
The Resulting Issuer Board will be fixed at five
(5) directors as at the completion of the Transaction, or as soon
as practicable thereafter. Pursuant to the LOI, Gran Colombia shall
be provided a continuing right to nominate a minimum of: (i) two
(2) directors to the Resulting Issuer Board, so long as it holds
greater than 20% of the outstanding Bluenose Common Shares, or (ii)
one (1) director to the Resulting Issuer Board, so long as it holds
greater than 10% of the outstanding Bluenose Common Shares.
The proposed Resulting Issuer Board is expected
to include the following members and Gran Colombia intends to
appoint the following individuals as officers of the resulting
entity upon completion of the Transaction (the “Resulting
Issuer”); the two additional nominees to the Resulting
Issuer Board are being recruited and will be disclosed when
nominated:
Name and Municipality of Residence |
Proposed Position with the Resulting Issuer |
Present Principal Occupation or Employment, Principal
Occupation or Employment for the Past Five Years or More, and Other
Current Public Directorships |
Serafino Iacono Panama City, Panama |
Interim Chief Executive Officer and Director |
Executive Co-Chairman of the Board to the Company since August 20,
2010; Co-Chairman of the Board of Pacific Exploration &
Production Corporation from January 23, 2008 to November 2, 2016;
Interim Chief Executive Officer and President of Medoro Resources
Ltd. from September 2010 to June 10, 2011. |
Michael Davies Ontario, Canada |
Chief Financial Officer |
Chief Financial Officer of the Company since August 20, 2010. Mr.
Davies is a Chartered Accountant (Ontario) and has a Bachelor of
Commerce degree from the University of Toronto. Over the last more
than twenty years he has gained extensive international and public
company experience in financial management, strategic planning and
external reporting. Mr. Davies was the Chief Financial Officer of
PetroMagdalena Energy Corp. from July 13, 2009 to July 27, 2012.
His diverse background also includes senior finance roles with
several public companies, including LAC Minerals, IMAX Corporation,
Century II Holdings, Energentia Resources, Pamour Inc. and Giant
Yellowknife Mines. |
Lombardo Paredes Arenas Medellin, Colombia |
Director |
Mr. Paredes has been the Chief Executive Officer of the Company
since February 1, 2014. Prior to joining the Company, he worked as
an Independent Consultant from 2005 until January 2014. Mr. Paredes
also held a number of positions at Petróleos de Venezuela and its
affiliates from 1975 to 1998. |
Hernan Juan Jose Martinez TorresBarranquilla,
Colombia |
Director |
Mr. Martinez has been the Executive Chairman and a director of
Caribbean Resources Corporation since September 4, 2012. Mr.
Martinez served as Minister of Mines (Colombia) from July 2006 to
August 2010, President of Atunec S.A. from August 2002 to July 2006
and held a number of positions at Exxon Mobil Colombia S.A. from
1964 to 2002. |
Upon completion of the Transaction, the
Resulting Issuer will continue to operate within mining and natural
resources industry.
About Gran Colombia Gold
Corp.
Gran Colombia is a Canadian-based mid-tier gold
producer with its primary focus in Colombia where it is currently
the largest underground gold and silver producer with several mines
in operation at its Segovia and Marmato Operations. Gran Colombia
is continuing to focus on exploration, expansion and modernization
activities at its high-grade Segovia Operations and, through the
Transaction described in this press release, progressing toward a
major expansion and modernization of its underground mining
operations at the Marmato Project.
Additional information on Gran Colombia can be
found on its website at www.grancolombiagold.com and by reviewing
its profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
Cautionary Statement on Forward-looking
Information
This news release contains “forward-looking
information”, which may include, but is not limited to, statements
with respect to anticipated business plans or strategies and the
future financial or operating performance of the Company and its
projects. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be
identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is
expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts",
"intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including
negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that
certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might"
or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking
statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other
factors which may cause the actual results, performance or
achievements of Gran Colombia to be materially different from any
future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by
the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially from those anticipated in these
forward-looking statements are described under the caption "Risk
Factors" in the Company's Annual Information Form dated as of March
27, 2019 which is available for view on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
Forward-looking statements contained herein are
made as of the date of this press release and Gran Colombia
disclaims, other than as required by law, any obligation to update
any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new
information, results, future events, circumstances, or if
management's estimates or opinions should change, or otherwise.
There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will
prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could
differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.
Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on
forward-looking statements.
Further Information
As noted above, completion of the Transaction is
subject to a number of conditions, including, but not limited to,
acceptance from the TSX-V and if applicable, disinterested
shareholder approval. Where applicable, the Transaction cannot
close until the required shareholder approval is obtained. There
can be no assurance that the Transaction will be completed as
proposed or at all. Investors are cautioned that, except as
disclosed in the management information circular or filing
statement to be prepared in connection with the Transaction, any
information released or received with respect to the Transaction
may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon.
Trading in the securities of the Resulting Issuer should be
considered highly speculative. The TSX-V has in no way passed upon
the merits of the proposed Transaction and has neither approved nor
disapproved the contents of this news release.
This news release does not constitute an offer
to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities under
the Private Placement and Brokered Private Placement in the United
States. The securities have not been and will not be registered
under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
“U.S. Securities Act”) or any state securities laws and may not be
offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons (as
defined under the U.S. Securities Act) unless registered under the
U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an
exemption from such registration is available.
For Further Information,
Contact:Mike DaviesChief Financial Officer(416)
360-4653investorrelations@grancolombiagold.com
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