Ascendant Resources Enters Tender Phase For Mandated Lead Arranger For Its Export Credit Agency Supported Project Financing At Its Lagoa Salgada Project In Portugal
TSX: ASND
www.ascendantresources.com
- Lead Project Financing Bank(s) Expected To be Appointed by late September
TORONTO, Sept. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Ascendant Resources Inc. (TSX: ASND) (OTCQB: ASDRF) (FRA: 2D9) ("Ascendant" or the "Company") ") is pleased to announce that it has commenced the tender phase for the Mandated Lead Arranger ("MLA") of its Export Credit Agency project financing program. As of September 4, 2023 the Company and its Advisors have issued detailed banking information memorandums to a number of Project Finance Banks who have indicated an interest in being the Mandated Lead Arranger as part of the UK Export Finance ("UKEF") supported export credit facilities for the Company's 80% owned Lagoa Salgada project in Portugal. (See press release dated July 5, 2023).
The selection of the MLA is expected to be completed by the end of September. Once an MLA has been appointed, detailed due diligence will commence with the aim of receiving final terms for the ECA backed Project Financing at Lagoa towards the end of the year.
As outlined previously, UKEF has expressed an interest to provide support for up to US$190 million for the Lagoa project; representing 70% of total capital expenditure, interest payable during construction, the political risk insurance premium as well as other approved expenditures for each project.
As previously announced on April 17, 2023 the Company appointed SD Capital Advisory Ltd and GKB Ventures Ltd ("S&G") to solicit interest for Export Credit Agency backed Project Financing. As a result of this process the Company appointed UK Export Finance to support potential export credit facility.
UKEF is a department of the UK Government and is the UK's official Export Credit Agency ("ECA"). UKEF operates under an Act of Parliament to support UK exports, predominately through the provision of 100% unconditional guarantees backed by the UK Government.
Mark Brennan, Executive Chairman, commented "We are very pleased to be moving forward to the next stage of determining project financing support to bring the Lagoa Salgada project into development. We look forward to working with UKEF and the future appointed MLA to complete project financing in the coming months."
About Ascendant Resources Inc.
Ascendant Resources is a Toronto-based mining company focused on the exploration and development of the highly prospective Lagoa Salgada VMS project located on the prolific Iberian Pyrite Belt in Portugal. The Lagoa Salgada project is a high-grade polymetallic project, demonstrating a typical mineralization endowment of zinc, copper, lead, tin, silver, and gold. Extensive exploration upside potential lies both near deposit and at prospective step-out targets across the large 7,209-hectare property concession.
Located just 80km from Lisbon and surrounded by exceptional infrastructure, Lagoa Salgada offers a low-cost entry to a significant exploration and development opportunity, already showing its mineable scale and cashflow generation potential.
Ascendant currently holds a 80% interest in the Lagoa Salgada project through its position in Redcorp - Empreendimentos Mineiros, Lda, ("Redcorp"). The Company's common shares are principally listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "ASND". For more information on Ascendant, please visit our website at http://www.ascendantresources.com/.
This press release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking information" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that discusses predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, without limitation, statements regarding the business, the Lagoa Salgada project and timing of completion of studies. In making the forward- looking statements contained in this press release, Ascendant has made certain assumptions, including, but not limited to the indicative nature of the support from UKEF and the Company's ability to secure an MLA and ultimately recieve terms for a Project Financing. Although Ascendant believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that the expectations of any forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this press release. Except as required by law, Ascendant disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking statements or otherwise. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking information, including, without limitation, the risks described under the heading "Risks Factors" in the Company's Annual Information Form dated March 31, 2023 and under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties" in the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 and other risks identified in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available on SEDAR at www.sedarplus.ca. The risk factors referred to above are not an exhaustive list of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking information. The Company's statements containing forward-looking information are based on the beliefs, expectations and opinions of management on the date the statements are made, and the Company does not assume any obligation to update such forward-looking information if circumstances or management's beliefs, expectations or opinions should change, other than as required by applicable law. For the reasons set forth above, one should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.
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SOURCE Ascendant Resources Inc.
