Amsterdam, 12 December 2017 (Regulated Information) — AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. (« AMG », EURONEXT AMSTERDAM: « AMG ») is pleased to announce that the Supervisory Board of AMG has approved the construction of a second lithium concentrate plant at the Mibra mine in Brazil, with an annual production capacity of 90,000 tons.
AMG expects to complete the planned expansion by the end of 2019, and the total capital investment is approximately $110 million. Once completed, total annual production capacity from AMG’s Mibra mine will increase to 180,000 tons of lithium concentrate and 600,000 lbs of tantalum concentrate. As part of the investment, AMG will also expand and develop the existing mining infrastructure to support the expanded lithium and tantalum operations. Construction permits for the new lithium concentrate and tantalum concentrate plants have already been secured.
In conjunction with this investment, AMG has mandated HSBC and Citi to raise $500 million in new credit facilities, comprised of a $300 million seven-year Term Loan B and a $200 million undrawn Revolving Credit facility. The new facilities are intended to refinance AMG’s existing term loan as well as fund incremental capital expenditures. AMG expects to finalize the new facility in the first quarter of 2018.
The construction of AMG’s first lithium concentrate plant is proceeding on time and on budget, with production start-up scheduled for June 2018.
The previously published Technical Report on Mineral Resources states that AMG’s Mibra mine has 20.3 million tons of measured and indicated resources, including tantalum, niobium, tin and lithium. Based upon the expanded production level of 180,000 tons of lithium concentrate from 2020 onwards, AMG estimates that the current life of the mineral resource is approximately 20 years.
Further details of AMG’s lithium project can be found on AMG’s website under www.amg-nv.com/Investors/Presentations.
This press release contains inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation.
This press release contains regulated information as defined in the Dutch Financial Markets Supervision Act (Wet op het financieel toezicht).
About AMG
AMG is a global critical materials company at the forefront of CO2 reduction trends. AMG produces highly engineered specialty metals and mineral products and provides related vacuum furnace systems and services to the transportation, infrastructure, energy, and specialty metals & chemicals end markets.
AMG produces aluminum master alloys and powders, titanium alloys and coatings, ferrovanadium, natural graphite, chromium metal, antimony, tantalum, niobium and silicon metal. AMG Engineering designs and produces vacuum furnace equipment and systems used to produce and upgrade specialty metals and alloys for the transportation, automotive, infrastructure, and energy markets.
With approximately 3,000 employees, AMG operates globally with production facilities in Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Czech Republic, United States, China, Mexico, Brazil and Sri Lanka, and has sales and customer service offices in Russia and Japan (www.amg-nv.com).
For further information, please contact:
AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. +1 610 293 5804
Steve Daniels
Senior Vice President
sdaniels@amg-nv.com
Disclaimer
Certain statements in this press release are not historical facts and are « forward looking ». Forward looking statements include statements concerning AMG’s plans, expectations, projections, objectives, targets, goals, strategies, future events, future revenues or performance, capital expenditures, financing needs, plans and intentions relating to acquisitions, AMG’s competitive strengths and weaknesses, plans or goals relating to forecasted production, reserves, financial position and future operations and development, AMG’s business strategy and the trends AMG anticipates in the industries and the political and legal environment in which it operates and other information that is not historical information. When used in this press release, the words « expects, » « believes, » « anticipates, » « plans, » « may, » « will, » « should, » and similar expressions, and the negatives thereof, are intended to identify forward looking statements. By their very nature, forward looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward looking statements will not be achieved. These forward looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. AMG expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in AMG’s expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any forward looking statement is based.