REG - Horizonte Minerals - Araguaia Project Update

Horizonte MineralsAnnouncement

14/03/2024 16:45

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RNS Number : 9379G  Horizonte Minerals PLC  14 March 2024

NEWS
RELEASE

14 March 2024

 

ARAGUAIA PROJECT UPDATE

Horizonte Minerals Plc (AIM/TSX: HZM) ("Horizonte" or the "Company") announces
that Araguaia Níquel Metais Ltda ("ANML"), the Company's Brazilian subsidiary
developing the Araguaia Nickel Project, has been granted an injunction
(Brazilian Precautionary Measure) giving it a 60-day stay period in order to
negotiate indebtedness and work on a restructuring plan to be approved by its
creditors.

 

This Precautionary Measure allows ANML a longer period to negotiate either
directly with creditors or via mediation, in a balanced and transparent
manner, aiming to protect its cash in the short term during the relevant
period in which protective measures are in force. Consequently, this will
allow the continuity of current negotiations, while potentially avoiding a
Judicial Reorganization proceeding by ANML in Brazil.

 

The Company considers that the injunction granted to ANML does not directly
impact Horizonte Minerals plc's current financial condition.

 

The Company will continue to work closely with its major shareholders and
senior lenders on a full funding solution, targeted for the end of Q2 2024
though at this time, there can be no guarantee that a re-financing and
re-structuring solution will lead to a positive outcome for existing
shareholders, noteholders and creditors of the Company.

 

As announced on 1 March 2024, existing senior lenders have agreed to waivers
including the deferral of interest payments until the 29 March 2024. There is
no guarantee that an agreement will be reached with senior lenders with
respect to further extensions of such waivers. The Company is a guarantor of
ANML's debt under the senior loan facilities. If no agreement is reached and
if claims are made in relation to the guarantee, the Company may also need to
consider applying for protective measures that may be available to it, or in
the event that a re-financing and re-structuring solution for the group is
not achieved.

 

Further updates will be provided in due course.

 

 

For further information, visit www.horizonteminerals.com
(http://www.horizonteminerals.com) or contact:

 

 Horizonte Minerals plc                                info@horizonteminerals.com (mailto:info@horizonteminerals.com)

 Patrick Chambers (Head of IR)                         +44 (0) 203 356 2901

 Peel Hunt LLP (Nominated Adviser & Joint Broker)      +44 (0)20 7418 8900

 Ross Allister

 David McKeown

 Bhavesh Patel

 BMO (Joint Broker)                                    +44 (0) 20 7236 1010

 Thomas Rider

 Pascal Lussier Duquette

 Andrew Cameron

 Barclays (Joint Broker)                               +44 (0)20 7623 2323

 Philip Lindop

 Richard Bassingthwaighte

 

 

ABOUT HORIZONTE MINERALS

Horizonte Minerals Plc (AIM/TSX: HZM) is developing two 100%-owned, Tier 1
projects in Pará state, Brazil - the Araguaia Nickel Project and the Vermelho
Nickel-Cobalt Project. Both projects are high-grade, low-cost, with low carbon
emission intensities and are scalable. Araguaia is under construction and when
fully ramped up with both Line 1 and Line 2, is forecast to produce 29,000
tonnes of nickel per year. Vermelho is at feasibility study stage and is
expected to supply nickel to the critical metals market. Horizonte's combined
production profile of over 60,000 tonnes of nickel per year positions the
Company as a globally significant nickel producer. Horizonte's top three
shareholders are La Mancha Investments S.à r.l., Glencore Plc and Orion
Resource Partners LLP.

 

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

Except for statements of historical fact relating to the Company, certain
information contained in this press release constitutes "forward-looking
information" under Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking
information includes, but is not limited to, the ability of the Company to
complete any planned acquisition of equipment, statements with respect to the
potential of the Company's current or future property mineral projects; the
ability of the Company to complete a positive feasibility study regarding the
second RKEF line at Araguaia on time, or at all, the ability of the Company to
complete a positive feasibility study regarding the Vermelho Project on time,
or at all, the success of exploration and mining activities; cost and timing
of future exploration, production and development; the costs and timing for
delivery of the equipment to be purchased, the estimation of mineral resources
and reserves and the ability of the Company to achieve its goals in respect of
growing its mineral resources; the realization of mineral resource and reserve
estimates and achieving production in accordance with the Company's potential
production profile or at all. Generally, forward-looking information can be
identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans",
"expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled",
"estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate",
or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that
certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will
be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information is based on
the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of management
made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current
conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management
believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that
such statements are made, and are inherently subject to known and unknown
risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results,
level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially
different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information,
including but not limited to risks related to: the inability of the Company to
complete any planned acquisition of equipment on time or at all, the ability
of the Company to complete a positive feasibility study regarding the
implementation of a second RKEF line at Araguaia on the timeline contemplated
or at all, the ability of the Company to complete a positive feasibility study
regarding the Vermelho Project on the timeline contemplated or at all,
exploration and mining risks, competition from competitors with greater
capital; the Company's lack of experience with respect to development-stage
mining operations; fluctuations in metal prices; uninsured risks;
environmental and other regulatory requirements; exploration, mining and other
licences; the Company's future payment obligations; potential disputes with
respect to the Company's title to, and the area of, its mining concessions;
the Company's dependence on its ability to obtain sufficient financing in the
future; the Company's dependence on its relationships with third parties; the
Company's joint ventures; the potential of currency fluctuations and political
or economic instability in countries in which the Company operates; currency
exchange fluctuations; the Company's ability to manage its growth effectively;
the trading market for the ordinary shares of the Company; uncertainty with
respect to the Company's plans to continue to develop its operations and new
projects; the Company's dependence on key personnel; possible conflicts of
interest of directors and officers of the Company, and various risks
associated with the legal and regulatory framework within which the Company
operates, together with the risks identified and disclosed in the Company's
disclosure record available on the Company's profile on SEDAR at
www.sedar.com, including without limitation, the annual information form of
the Company for the year ended December 31, 2022, and the Araguaia and
Vermelho Technical Reports available on the Company's website
https://horizonteminerals.com/. Although management of the Company has
attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there
may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or
intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be
accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from
those anticipated in such statements.

 

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