Gensource Provides an Update on the Tugaske Project
2020年6月18日 - 8:00PM
ビジネスワイヤ(英語)
Gensource Potash Corporation (“Gensource” or the
“Company”) (TSX-V: GSP) is excited to provide a
comprehensive update on work to-date within the Company and
specifically with respect to the Tugaske Project. As shareholders
will know, the Tugaske Project (“Project”) is the Company’s first
project in its wholly owned Vanguard Area (comprising mineral
leases KL244 and KL245).
Gensource has positioned itself as a leader in the future of the
potash industry through the implementation of advanced
technological and business solutions in the industry. It counts
itself amoung the first of the next generation of participants in
potash production and distribution.
The Tugaske project (“Project”) has made significant
advances in the last few months, and Gensource considers it
valuable to provide a clear and complete indication of the current
project development status.
The Company divides its efforts to realize its business plan
into 3 distinct categories: Debt for Tugaske financing; Equity for
Tugaske financing; and, Gensource Corporate activities.
The Tugaske Project - General: The
Tugaske Project is the first of the Company’s small scale,
environmentally friendly potash production facilities. In
operation, it will create no salt tailings (the major
decommissioning impediment for a potash facility) and will require
no brine ponds (the major environmental impact of a potash
facility). The Project will nominally produce 250,000 tonnes per
year of final product and, even though it is so small (1/10th size
of a typical potash project), it will do so at very competitive
capital cost (capex) per tonne and operating cost (opex) per tonne.
The Project is the first step in realizing the two pillars of
Gensource’s business plan:
- “Small and Efficient” – evidenced by the small and efficient
scale of the Project, and
- “Vertically Integrated” – evidenced by the partnership created
with Helm AG as the Project’s offtaker, marketer and future equity
partner (announced January 30, 2020).
Tugaske Project Financing – Debt:
On October 18, 2019 Gensource announced that KfW-IPEX Bank had been
engaged as the mandated lead arranger for the debt component of the
project finance package. On May 19, 2020, Gensource announced that
Société Générale had been engaged as joint lead arranger for the
project debt. Together, KfW-IPEX and Société Générale (together,
the “Senior Lenders”) represent world-class financial institutions
in the project finance world and Gensource is proud to be working
with such well respected institutions. Each of these institutions
will support the project with a significant take and hold
commitment (see News Release dated May 19, 2020).
A major part of debt financing is the due diligence
(“DD”) process. The DD is broken down into the following
subject areas:
- Independent Engineer (IE) report: The IE work kicked off in
March 2020. The initial IE report has now been completed and
submitted to the Senior Lenders. While the process is not yet 100%
complete, the draft report has not identified any fatal flaw in any
technical, costing or project implementation matter. Gensource is
now working with the IE to complete the final stage of this DD
report.
- Environmental and Social (“E&S”) independent review:
The E&S independent review is complete, and the final report
has been submitted to the Senior Lenders. The E&S report
reviews the project against not only local Saskatchewan and
Canadian environmental assessment and project development
regulations, but also against the global-scope Equator Principles
for project development. The report identifies no fatal flaws or
concerns that would impact continued development of the
Project.
- Market Study: An independent market analysis has been completed
by an internationally recognized market intelligence firm for the
project. Based on Helm’s sound and experienced marketing plan for
all of the product produced at the Tugaske Project, an independent
analysis of supply and demand as well as pricing forecasts was
produced. This report has now been submitted to the Senior Lenders
and will be finalized once their final comments have been
received.
- Legal Due Diligence: An international law firm, incorporating
Canadian and Saskatchewan counsel, was engaged by the Senior
Lenders and has completed the Legal DD that can be completed
to-date. The remaining Legal DD is the review of a few key
contracts that are not yet complete and completion of the drafting
of the long-form term sheet for the debt facility and the
definitive loan documentation. This is an on-going exercise that
will not be complete until financial close. To-date, no issues have
been raised in the legal DD review.
- Insurance review: The Senior Lenders engaged a tier-one
insurance consultant to review the project in depth and recommend
insurance coverages for both the construction phase of the project
as well as the longer-term operational phase. This work is nearing
completion and Gensource is now ready to start sourcing the
required insurance packages leading into construction start.
- Financial Modelling: Gensource has completed an exhaustive
project finance financial model for the project that incorporates
loan sizing metrics for various debt tranches, a full discounted
cash flow model, which includes impacts from consumption taxes,
corporate taxes, Saskatchewan’s Potash Production Tax regime, as
well as royalties and Saskatchewan Resource Surcharges. This model
is currently being audited by an international
accounting/consulting firm on behalf of the Senior Lenders.
To-date, no impediments have been identified.
The above activities represent the focus for the Gensource team
and its partners over the past 6 months. It is clearly a lot of
work, but the project and the development work done by the Company
has been more than appropriate, withstanding detailed scrutiny in
all areas. Since Gensource’s goal is to become a new and
independent potash producer, its focus is on doing things right –
there are no shortcuts through this process.
For a real project that is being financed by real project
finance industry players, it is absolutely key to complete a
detailed review of every aspect of the project. Success in this DD
to-date augers well for the Project advancing to a successful
financial close.
In addition to the above, current work in the debt process is
the drafting and negotiation of a proposed long-form term sheet and
the preparation of the approval package for the German Export
Credit Agency, Euler Hermes. Euler Hermes export insurance is
expected to support and help de-risk the overall debt financing
package.
Tugaske Project Financing – Equity:
As the Project proceeds through the debt financing process,
assembling the required equity structure to finance the project is
just as important. As announced in numerous separate news releases
over the past 6 months, Gensource has garnered significant interest
in equity partnership on the Project from its off take partner,
Helm AG (~25%) and another financial investor (~33%). The remaining
cash equity contribution (~42%) is currently being sourced.
Gensource is in direct and detailed discussions with several of the
world’s top private equity and mine finance groups to commit the
required equity. The Company’s goal is to complete the equity
process in parallel with the completion of the debt process, which
would allow for Project kick off late summer or early fall of
2020.
Gensource Corporate: Gensource
carries on with the development of the Company from a junior
developer towards being part of an operational enterprise. The
Company has made changes at the board level - on March 23, 2020,
the Company was excited to announce the addition of Amy O’Shea to
the board of directors. Amy brings with her strong experience in
the operational environment of companies engaged in the agriculture
industry. New committee structures within the board and a renewed
focus on the effectiveness of the committees underlines the effort
to begin to grow the Company into one that is well-established and
ready to take on operational leadership in potash production.
About Gensource Gensource Potash is a fertilizer
development company based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and is on
track to become the next fertilizer production company in that
province. With a small scale and environmentally leading approach
to potash production, Gensource believes its technical and business
model will be the future of the industry. Gensource operates under
a business plan that has two key components: (1) vertical
integration with the market to ensure that all production capacity
built is directed, and pre-sold, to a specific market, eliminating
market-side risk; and (2) technical innovation which will allow for
a small and economic potash production facility, that demonstrates
environmental leadership within the industry, producing no salt
tailings, therefore eliminating decommissioning risk, and requiring
no surface brine ponds, thereby removing the single largest and
negative environmental aspect of potash mining.
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.
Caution Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements This news release may contain forward looking
information and Gensource cautions readers that forward- looking
information is based on certain assumptions and risk factors that
could cause actual results to differ materially from the
expectations of Gensource included in this news release. This news
release includes certain "forward-looking statements”, which often,
but not always, can be identified by the use of words such as
"believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could",
"would", "will", or "plan". These statements are based on
information currently available to Gensource and Gensource provides
no assurance that actual results will meet management's
expectations. Forward-looking statements include estimates and
statements with respect to Gensource’s future plans, objectives or
goals, to the effect that Gensource or management expects a stated
condition or result to occur, including the ability to finance the
Tugaske Project or other projects, the establishment of vertical
integration partnerships and the sourcing of end use potash
purchasers. Since forward-looking statements are based on
assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very
nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual
results relating to Gensource’s financial condition and prospects,
the ability to finance the Tugaske Project or other projects on
terms which are economic or at all, the ability to establish viable
vertical integration partnerships and the sourcing of end use
potash purchasers could differ materially from those currently
anticipated in such statements for many reasons such as: failure to
finance the Tugaske Project or other projects on terms which are
economic or at all; failure to settle a definitive joint venture
agreement with a party and advance and finance the project; changes
in general economic conditions and conditions in the financial
markets; the ability to find and source off-take agreements;
changes in demand and prices for potash; litigation, legislative,
environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and
competitive developments; technological and operational
difficulties encountered in connection with Gensource’s activities;
and other matters discussed in this news release and in filings
made with securities regulators. This list is not exhaustive of the
factors that may affect any of Gensource’s forward-looking
statements. These and other factors should be considered carefully,
and readers should not place undue reliance on Gensource’s
forward-looking statements. Gensource does not undertake to update
any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by
Gensource or on its behalf, except in accordance with applicable
securities laws.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200618005287/en/
Gensource Potash Corporation: Mike Ferguson, President and CEO
Telephone: (306) 974-6414 Email: mike@gensource.ca
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