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PolyMet Mining Corp. (TSX:POM,NYSEMKT:PLM) filed a preliminary prospectus with the securities regulatory authorities in the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario in Canada and a registration statement on Form F-10 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for an offering of rights to holders of common shares of the Company to raise up to US$60 million in gross proceeds. Glencore is showing great confidence in the project by participating with the purchase agreement.
As quoted in the press release:
Separately, Glencore AG (“Glencore”, an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Glencore International plc) has agreed to provide a US$20 million bridge loan (the “Bridge Loan”) to PolyMet’s wholly-owned Minnesota subsidiary, Poly Met Mining, Inc. (“PMI”), to fund operations and enable PolyMet to meet liquidity requirements until the Rights Offering is completed. The Bridge Loan will be repaid with proceeds from the Rights Offering when completed.
Under the Rights Offering, all shareholders of PolyMet (subject to applicable law) will receive one Right for every common share of PolyMet owned on the record date (the “Record Date”), which will be set seven trading days after the final prospectus for the Rights Offering is filed with the applicable securities regulatory authorities. In accordance with the rules of the Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSX”), the subscription price (“Rights Price”) for the common shares of PolyMet to be purchased upon exercise of the Rights will be a discount of not less than 20% to the US dollar equivalent of the 5-day volume weighted average price (“VWAP”) of PolyMet common shares on the TSX on the day the final prospectus is filed.
PolyMet will apply to have the Rights listed for trading on both the TSX and NYSE MKT. The approval of such listings is subject to the Company fulfilling all of the listing requirements of the TSX and NYSE MKT. The number of Rights needed to subscribe for one new common share of PolyMet will be determined by the Rights Price and the number of common shares in issue at the time (currently approximately 183 million) in order to receive gross proceeds of US$60 million.
Standby Purchase Agreement
Glencore has entered into a Standby Purchase Agreement with PolyMet whereby Glencore will purchase any PolyMet common shares offered under the Rights Offering that are not subscribed for by holders of the Rights, subject to certain conditions and limitations described below.
PolyMet President and CEO Jon Cherry said:
The combination of Bridge Loan and Rights Offering ensures that we are well financed for completing the environmental review and permitting phase of the NorthMet project. The financing will also provide for the completion of preconstruction engineering design and allow for procurement of long lead-time equipment in order to minimize the time-line from receipt of permits to start of commercial production.
It is also important to note that Glencore is demonstrating its confidence in the project and the PolyMet team by providing us a bridge loan and entering into the standby agreement.
Click here to read the PolyMet Mining Corp. (TSX:POM,NYSEMKT:PLM) press release
Click here to see the PolyMet Mining Corp. (TSX:POM,NYSEMKT:PLM) profile.