Champion Iron Limited (TSX: CIA)
(ASX: CIA) ("Champion" or the "Company") announced that its subsidiary
Québec Iron Ore Inc. ("QIO"), the operator of the Bloom Lake mining
complex ("Bloom Lake"), has received commitments from its current credit
facility syndicate members to amend and increase its existing credit
facilities (the "Credit Facility") from US$200 million to US$400 million
(the "Refinancing"). Concurrently with this commitment, the Company's
Board of Directors (the "Board") has provided final approval to complete
the Bloom Lake Phase II expansion project (the "Phase II"), which aims
to double the nameplate capacity of Bloom Lake to 15 Mtpa of high-grade
iron ore concentrate. The Company expects to fully fund the Phase II
project with the additional proceeds from the amended Credit Facility,
its $425.8 million cash on hand1 and ongoing cash flows from operations.
"Today's announcement is a major
milestone for our Company, our employees and the local communities",
commented David Cataford, Champion's CEO. "With our high-grade iron ore
in rising demand globally, a proven operational team and a conservative
financial solution to fund the remaining construction of the Phase II
project, our Company is well positioned to double Bloom Lake's nameplate
capacity. We are also proud and excited to build on our positive impact
to the region with the expected creation of approximately 375 permanent
new jobs upon the completion of the Phase II project."
With the Phase II project
already benefitting from substantial capital investments, and pursuant
to the strong economics outlined in the Phase II Feasibility Study filed
on August 2, 2019 (the "Feasibility Study"), the Company's Board, to
date, has approved a cumulative budget of $120 million in order to
advance and de-risk the project. To further advance the Phase II
construction ahead of the anticipated closing of the amended Credit
Facility, the Board approved an additional US$75 million budget. Based
on the amounts detailed in the Feasibility Study, as of September 30,
2020, the remaining capital expenditures required to complete the Phase
II project is estimated at $512.6 million, including contingencies. The
Phase II project has a current estimated completion timeline of 18
months.
The amended Credit Facility is
committed by Societe Generale (Coordinating Bank, Joint Lead Arranger
and Joint Bookrunner), with Toronto-Dominion Bank, Royal Bank of Canada,
and The Bank of Nova Scotia (all acting as Joint Lead Arrangers and
Joint Bookrunners), with the inclusion of the Bank of China, Fédération
des caisse Desjardins du Québec and Investissement Québec ("The
Syndicated Group"). Upon completion and execution of the final loan
documentation, the Credit Facility will be available by way of a US$350
million term loan (the "Term Facility") and a US$50 million revolving
facility (the "Revolving Facility"). The Term Facility will mature five
years from the closing date and shall be repaid in equal quarterly
installments of principal and accrued interest starting on the first
quarter following the completion of the Phase II construction. The
Revolving Facility will mature three years from closing. The Credit
Facility will bear interest at LIBOR plus 4.00% pre-completion, after
which the Credit Facility will revert to the original interest rate
based on leverage ratios ranging between LIBOR plus 2.85% if the net
debt to EBITDA ratio is lower or equal to 1.00x to LIBOR plus 3.75% if
the net debt to EBITDA ratio is greater than 2.50x. The Credit Facility
will include standard and customary finance terms and conditions,
including with respect to fees, representations, warranties, covenants
and conditions precedent to closing. Closing of the transaction is
subject to remaining customary due diligence and definitive loan
documentation, and is expected before the end of December 2020.
All amounts stated in this news
release are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise indicated
Qualified Person and data
verification
The Company is not aware of any
new information or data that materially affects the information included
in the Feasibility Study and confirms that all material assumptions and
technical parameters underpinning the estimates in the Feasibility Study
continue to apply and have not materially changed.
Mr. François Lavoie (P. Eng.),
Technical Marketing Manager at the Company is a "qualified person" as
defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and verified the
scientific and technical information contained in this press release.
Mr. Lavoie's review and approval does not include statements as to the
Company's knowledge or awareness of new information or data or any
material changes to the material assumptions and technical parameters
underpinning the Feasibility Study.
About Champion Iron Limited
The Company, through its
subsidiary Quebec Iron Ore Inc., owns and operates the Bloom Lake Mining
Complex, located on the south end of the Labrador Trough, approximately
13 km North of Fermont, Québec, adjacent to established iron ore
producers. Bloom Lake is an open-pit truck and shovel operation with a
concentrator, and it ships iron concentrate from the site by rail,
initially on the Bloom Lake Railway, to a ship loading port in
Sept-Îles, Québec. The Bloom Lake Phase I plant has a nameplate capacity
of 7.4M tpa and produces a high-grade 66.2% Fe iron ore concentrate with
low contaminant levels, which has proven to attract a premium to the
Platts IODEX 62% Fe iron ore benchmark. In addition to the partially
completed Bloom Lake Phase II expansion project, Champion also controls
a portfolio of exploration and development projects in the Labrador
Trough, including the Fire Lake North iron ore project, located
approximately 40 km south of Bloom Lake. The Company also owns 100% of
the Gullbridge-Powderhorn property located in Northern Central
Newfoundland. The Company sells its iron ore concentrate globally,
including to customers in China, Japan, the Middle East, Europe, South
Korea and India.
Source: Champion Iron Limited |