Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 8, 2021) - TNR Gold Corp. (TSXV: TNR) ("TNR", "TNR Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that McEwen Mining Inc. ("McEwen") has created McEwen Copper Inc. and is organizing a private placement (the "Offering") of up to US$80 million as announced its news release dated July 6, 2021.
McEwen Copper intends to pursue an initial public listing within 12 months from the closing of the Offering. Proceeds from the Offering will be used exclusively by McEwen Copper to advance the Los Azules Copper Project to a pre-feasibility study, to construct a new year-round access road to the project, carry out exploration drilling at Los Azules, and to complete environmental permitting and community relations.
Rob McEwen, McEwen's Chairman and Chief Owner, stated, "This is a significant and exciting moment for McEwen Mining because of the value it should release. Currently, the market appears to be giving us little value for our Los Azules copper deposit, despite its impressive size and robust economics at present copper prices. Unfortunately, the scale of the required project development expenditures would require McEwen Mining to issue a massive number of additional shares. This share dilution would not be acceptable. However, we believe that by putting our copper assets, Los Azules and Elder Creek, into a separately listed company exclusively focused on copper, we can create an attractive copper investment vehicle. It will allow us to raise the money necessary to fund progress towards the rapid development of one of the world's largest copper resources. We expect that McEwen Copper will compare very favorably to other single-asset copper developers. Within 12 months of closing this Offering we plan to take the company public. In the interim, we will be investigating ways to make a share distribution to you, MUX shareowners, of a portion of McEwen Mining's holdings of McEwen Copper in a tax-efficient way."
The Los Azules Copper Project is an advanced large-scale porphyry copper exploration project located in the prolific Andean Cordillera copper belt, 56 miles (90 km) north of Glencore's El Pachón project and near the border with Chile. In 2017, McEwen Mining completed a positive Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) on the project, as announced by TNR Gold on November 2, 2017.
"I am very pleased to see this very exciting and significant development for the Los Azules Copper Project and personal support by Rob McEwen of the newly created McEwen Copper," stated Kirill Klip, TNR's Executive Chair. "It's very encouraging to see the personal commitment from Rob McEwen to advance the rapid development of this giant copper, gold and silver deposit in an appropriate corporate structure which will allow financing and further development of the Los Azules Copper Project.
TNR Gold holds a 0.36% NSR royalty on the entire Los Azules project containing copper, gold and silver metals. TNR Gold does not have to contribute any capital for the development of the Los Azules Copper Project. The essence of our business model is to have industry leaders like McEwen Mining as operators on the projects that will potentially generate royalty cashflows to contribute significant value for our shareholders."
ABOUT TNR GOLD CORP.
TNR Gold Corp. is working to become the green energy metals royalty and gold company.
Over the past twenty-five years, TNR, through its lead generator business model, has been successful in generating high-quality exploration projects around the globe. With the Company's expertise, resources and industry network, it identified the potential of the Los Azules Copper Project in Argentina and now holds a 0.36% NSR Royalty on the entire project, which is being developed by McEwen Mining Inc.
In 2009, TNR founded International Lithium Corp. ("ILC"), a green energy metals company that was made public through the spin-out of TNR's energy metals portfolio in 2011. ILC holds interests in lithium projects in Argentina, Ireland and Canada.
TNR retains a 1.8% NSR Royalty on the Mariana Lithium Project in Argentina. ILC has a right to repurchase 1.0% of the NSR Royalty on the Mariana Lithium Project, of which 0.9% relates to the Company's NSR Royalty interest. The Company would receive $900,000 on the completion of the repurchase. The project is currently being advanced in a joint venture between ILC and Ganfeng Lithium International Co. Ltd.
TNR provides significant exposure to gold through its 90% holding in the Shotgun Gold porphyry project in Alaska. The project is located in Southwestern Alaska near the Donlin Gold project, which is being developed by Barrick Gold and Novagold Resources Inc.
The Company's strategy with Shotgun Gold Project is to attract a joint venture partnership with one of the gold major mining companies. The Company is actively introducing the project to interested parties.
At its core, TNR provides significant exposure to gold, copper, silver and lithium through its holdings in Alaska (the Shotgun Gold porphyry project) and Argentina (the Los Azules Copper and the Mariana Lithium projects) and is committed to the continued generation of in-demand projects, while diversifying its markets and building shareholder value.
On behalf of the Board of Directors,
Kirill Klip
Executive Chairman
For further information concerning this news release please contact +1 604-229-8129.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information
Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "will", "could" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "could" occur, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Specifically, forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements made in relation to: TNR's corporate objectives, changes in share capital, market conditions for energy commodities, the results of McEwen Mining's and ILC's PEAs, and improvements in the financial performance of the Company. Such forward-looking information is based on a number of assumptions and subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those discussed in the sections entitled "Risks" and "Forward-Looking Statements" in the Company's interim and annual Management's Discussion and Analysis which are available under the Company's profile on www.sedar.com. While management believes that the assumptions made and reflected in this news release are reasonable, should one or more of the risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking information. In particular, there can be no assurance that: TNR will be able to repay its loans or complete any further royalty acquisitions or sales; debt or other financing will be available to TNR; or that TNR will be able to achieve any of its corporate objectives. TNR relies on the confirmation of its ownership for mining claims from the appropriate government agencies when paying rental payments for such mining claims requested by these agencies. There could be a risk in the future of the changing internal policies of such government agencies or risk related to the third parties challenging in the future the ownership of such mining claims. Given these uncertainties, readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements included herein are not guarantees of future performance, and such forward-looking statements should not be unduly relied on.
In formulating the forward-looking statements contained herein, management has assumed that business and economic conditions affecting TNR and its royalty partners, McEwen Mining Inc. and International Lithium Corp. will continue substantially in the ordinary course, including without limitation with respect to general industry conditions, general levels of economic activity and regulations. These assumptions, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect.
Forward-looking information herein and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking information are based on estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking information should circumstances or management's estimates or opinions change.
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