Teranga Gold Concludes $165 Million Development Finance Facility with Taurus
(All amounts in U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated)
TORONTO, April 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Teranga Gold Corporation ("Teranga" or the "Company") (TSX:TGZ) (OTCQX:TGCDF) is pleased to announce that it has concluded an agreement with various funds managed by Taurus Funds Management Pty Ltd. (“Taurus”) in respect of its previously announced secured development finance facility (the “Facility” and the “Facility Agreement”). The Facility includes the following:
- $165 million to be used towards funding the development of the Wahgnion Gold Project and to repay all of the Company’s current outstanding bank debt, totaling $15 million drawn on its revolving credit facility;
- $25 million to be used toward future advancement of a feasibility study for the Golden Hill Project (“Golden Hill”); and
- $10 million equipment lease facility carve out for which the Company has received a number of term sheets and is currently evaluating.
In connection with the execution of the Facility Agreement, the Company today also issued to Taurus an aggregate of 2,000,000 unlisted 4-year warrants to acquire Teranga common shares at an exercise price equal to C$5.22. Other material terms of the Facility were previously disclosed by Teranga in its press release of March 12, 2018 announcing the Commitment Letter for the Facility.
All drawdowns by the Company of funds under the Facility are subject to customary conditions precedent. While the Company is targeting early May 2018 as the initial drawdown date, there is no guarantee that all of the conditions precedent will be satisfied or that drawdown will occur.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain statements that constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws ("forward-looking statements"), which reflects management's expectations regarding Teranga's future growth and business prospects (including the timing and development of new deposits and the success of exploration activities) and opportunities. Wherever possible, words such as “objective to”, “likely”, “intend to”, “potential”, “belief”, “believe”, “expects”, “estimates”, “plans”, “anticipated”, “ability” and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results “should”, or "will" have been used to identify such forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, all disclosure regarding possible events, conditions or results of operations, future economic conditions and anticipated courses of action. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this press release reflect management's current beliefs based upon information currently available to management and based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, Teranga cannot be certain that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions, opinions and analysis made by management in light of its experience, current conditions and its expectations of future developments that management believe to be reasonable and relevant but that may prove to be incorrect. These assumptions include, among other things, the ability to obtain any requisite governmental approvals, including renewals of the Golden Hill exploration permits in 2018, the accuracy of sampling, analytical and test data underlying the exploration results included herein, gold price, exchange rates, fuel and energy costs, future economic conditions, and anticipated future estimates of free cash flow. Teranga cautions you not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements.
The risks and uncertainties that may affect forward-looking statements include, among others: the inherent risks involved in exploration and development of mineral properties, including government approvals and permitting, changes in economic conditions, changes in the worldwide price of gold and other key inputs, changes in mine plans and other factors, such as project execution delays, many of which are beyond the control of Teranga, as well as other risks and uncertainties which are more fully described in Teranga's Annual Information Form dated March 29, 2018, and in other filings of Teranga with securities and regulatory authorities which are available at www.sedar.com. Teranga does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements should assumptions related to these plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions change. Nothing in this document should be construed as either an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy or sell Teranga securities. All references to Teranga include its subsidiaries unless the context requires otherwise.
About Teranga
Teranga is a multi-jurisdictional West African gold company focused on production and development as well as the exploration of more than 5,000 km2 of land located on prospective gold belts. Since its initial public offering in 2010, Teranga has produced more than 1.4 million ounces of gold from its operations in Senegal, which as of June 30, 2017 had a reserve base of 2.7 million ounces of gold. Focused on diversification and growth, the Company is advancing its Wahgnion Gold Project, with a recently released positive feasibility study, and conducting extensive exploration programs in three countries: Burkina Faso, Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire. Teranga has a strong balance sheet and the financial flexibility to execute on its growth strategy. The Company has nearly 4.0 million ounces of gold reserves from its combined Sabodala Gold operations and Wahgnion Gold Project.
Steadfast in its commitment to set the benchmark for responsible mining, Teranga operates in accordance with the highest international standards and aims to act as a catalyst for sustainable economic, environmental, and community development as it strives to create value for all of its stakeholders. Teranga is a member of the United Nations Global Compact and a leading member of the multi-stakeholder group responsible for the submission of the first Senegalese Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative revenue report. The Company's responsibility report is available at www.terangagold.com/responsibilityreport and is prepared in accordance with its commitments under the United Nations Global Compact and in alignment with the Global Reporting Initiative guidelines.
Contact Information
Richard Young
President & CEO
T: +1 416-594-0000 | E: ryoung@terangagold.com
Trish Moran
Head of Investor Relations
T: +1 416-607-4507 | E: tmoran@terangagold.com