Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 31, 2017) - Amerigo Resources Ltd. (TSX: ARG) ("Amerigo" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that its wholly-owned subsidiary Minera Valle Central S.A. ("MVC"), has received approval from Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria ("BBVA") and Export Development Canada ("EDC") for a loan facility of up to $35.3 million(the "Phase Two Bank Facility") to fund the second phase of the planned expansion of MVC's operations for the processing of tailings from the historic Cauquenes deposit (the "Cauquenes Phase Two Expansion"). MVC has provided security for the Phase Two Bank Facility in the form of a charge on all of MVC's assets, and MVC is subject to certain bank covenants to be measured semi-annually starting on December 31, 2017.
The Cauquenes Phase Two Expansion will consist of the installation of additional flotation cells and associated plant required to increase recovery rates and enable MVC to reach an estimated annual production of 85 to 90 million pounds of copper, at an estimated cash cost of $1.40 to $1.60 per pound. The cost of the Cauquenes Phase Two Expansion including all recommended contingencies is estimated at $35.3 million. Construction of Phase Two is expected to be completed in Q3-2018.
Rob Henderson, Amerigo's President and CEO, stated "We are very pleased to announce funding for the second phase of the Cauquenes expansion, once again without dilution to existing shareholders and I would like to thank BBVA and EDC for their continued support of MVC. Completion of the second phase of Cauquenes will enable MVC to achieve substantially higher production at lower costs and the Company will be in a more robust position to benefit from the next wave in the copper price cycle. We look forward to completing this second expansion on time and within budget."
Edmundo Luj??n, Executive Director - Project Finance for BBVA, added "We are very pleased to continue supporting MVC in their growth."
The Company anticipates formal closing of the Phase Two Bank Facility and initial drawdown of funds will take place in August 2017.
BBVA is a global financial services group with a presence in 35 countries and serving 70 million customers. BBVA is the largest financial institution in Spain and Mexico, and has leading franchises in South America and the Sunbelt Region of the United States. Currently, BBVA employs over 133,000 people and has ?,?719 billion in total assets. For more information about BBVA please visit www.bbva.com.
EDC is Canada's export credit agency, providing financing and insurance solutions locally and around the world to help Canadian companies of any size respond to international business opportunities. As a profitable Crown corporation that operates on commercial principles, EDC works together with private and public sector financial institutions to create greater capacity for Canadian companies to engage in trade and investment. For more information about EDC please visit www.edc.ca.
All amounts in this press release are in US dollars.
About the Company:
Amerigo Resources Ltd. is an innovative copper producer with a long-term relationship with Codelco, the world's largest copper producer. Amerigo produces copper concentrate at the MVC operation in Chile by processing fresh and historic tailings from Codelco's El Teniente mine, the world's largest underground copper mine. Tel: (604) 681-2802; Fax: (604) 682-2802; Web: www.amerigoresources.com; Listing: (TSX: ARG).
For further information, please contact:
Rob Henderson, President and CEO Aurora Davidson, Executive Vice-President and CFO | (604) 697-6203 (604) 697-6207 |
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This news release contains certain forward-looking information and statements as defined in applicable securities laws (collectively referred to as "forward-looking statements"). These statements relate to future events or the Company's future performance. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. The use of any of the words "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "predict", "potential", "should", "believe" and similar expressions is intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond the Company's control, the Company cannot assure that it will achieve or accomplish the expectations, beliefs or projections described in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. These forward-looking statements include but are not limited to, statements concerning:
Inherent in forward-looking statements are risks and uncertainties beyond our ability to predict or control, including risks that may affect our operating or capital plans; risks generally encountered in the permitting and development of mineral projects such as unusual or unexpected geological formations, negotiations with government and other third parties, unanticipated metallurgical difficulties, delays associated with permits, approvals and permit appeals, ground control problems, adverse weather conditions, process upsets and equipment malfunctions; risks associated with labour disturbances and availability of skilled labour and management; fluctuations in the market prices of our principal commodities, which are cyclical and subject to substantial price fluctuations; risks created through competition for mining projects and properties; risks associated with lack of access to markets; risks associated with availability of and our ability to obtain both tailings from DET's current production and historic tailings from tailings deposit; risks with respect to completion of all phases of the Cauquenes expansion, the ability of the Company to draw down funds from the Bank Facility and the Standby LOC, the availability of and ability of the Company to obtain adequate funding on reasonable terms for expansions and acquisitions, including all phases of the Cauquenes expansion; mine plan estimates; risks posed by fluctuations in exchange rates and interest rates, as well as general economic conditions; risks associated with environmental compliance and changes in environmental legislation and regulation; risks associated with our dependence on third parties for the provision of critical services; risks associated with non-performance by contractual counterparties; title risks; social and political risks associated with operations in foreign countries; risks of changes in laws affecting our operations or their interpretation, including foreign exchange controls; and risks associated with tax reassessments and legal proceedings.Many of these risks and uncertainties apply not only to the Company and its operations, but also to Codelco and its operations.Codelco's ongoing mining operations provide a significant portion of the materials the Company processes and its resulting metals production, therefore these risks and uncertainties may also affect their operations and in turn have a material effect on the Company.
Actual results and developments are likely to differ, and may differ materially, from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this news release. Such statements are based on a number of assumptions which may prove to be incorrect, including, but not limited to, assumptions about:
Future production levels and cost estimates assume there are no adverse mining or other events which significantly affect budgeted production levels.
We caution you that the foregoing list of important factors and assumptions is not exhaustive. Other events or circumstances could cause our actual results to differ materially from those estimated or projected and expressed in, or implied by, our forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements or the foregoing list of factors, whether as a result of new information or future events or otherwise.