Gold Fields to Combine Bolivar Gold With its International Asset Portfolio
November 21 2005 - 8:43AM
PR Newswire (US)
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa and TORONTO, Canada, November 21
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Gold Fields Limited (Gold Fields)
(NYSE:GFINYSE:JSE: GFI) and Bolivar Gold Corp. (Bolivar) (TSX: BGC)
today entered into an agreement by which Gold Fields will combine,
through a court approved plan of arrangement, all of the
outstanding securities of Bolivar with its international asset
portfolio for a total cash consideration of approximately US$330
million (approximately ZAR 2.2 billion). Bolivar shareholders will
receive C$3.00 per common share. This consideration equates to a
premium of 40.9% over the volume weighted average trading price of
Bolivar over the prior 30 trading days and a premium of 18.6% on
the closing price on Friday, November 18, 2005. The holders of
common share purchase warrants of Bolivar shall be offered the
following cash consideration: Share Purchase Warrant Offer Price
Per Warrant (C$ per warrant) BGC.WT, expiry 17 March 2008 (C$1.10
strike price) 1.90 BGC.WT.A, expiry 25 August 2008 (C$1.75 strike
price) 1.25 BGC.WT.B, expiry 23 December 2009 (C$3.25 strike price)
0.40 The consideration offered to holders of the BGC.WT and
BGC.WT.A warrants represents C$3.00 per common share less the
strike price of the warrants. The consideration offered to the
BGC.WT.B warrants represents a premium equal to the premium payable
to common shareholders, based on the most recent closing price. In
accordance with the trust indenture, the transaction will trigger
the redemption of the convertible debentures at C$1,095.25 in cash
per C$1,000 principal amount, for a total amount of US$24.1
million, included in the total purchase consideration referred to
above. The transaction requires approval by 662/3% of Bolivar
shareholders and warrant holders of which Gold Fields currently
owns approximately 11% of the common shares and approximately 32%
of the BGC.WT.A warrants. Completion of the transaction is also
subject to the execution of a definitive agreement by November 30,
2005, approval of the South African Reserve Bank and certain other
regulatory approvals. The Board of Directors of each company has
resolved to approve the transaction. The Board of Directors of
Bolivar has appointed an independent committee to oversee the
process, including inter alia, an application for exemption from
the requirement to seek an independent valuation of Bolivar,
failing which, an independent valuation will be obtained. The
recommendation of Bolivar's Board of Directors is supported by a
fairness opinion from its financial advisor, GMP Securities Ltd. It
is anticipated that the transaction will be concluded in January
2006. Bolivar, which is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange,
operates the Choco 10 open pit gold mine in the El Callao gold
district in Bolivar State, Venezuela, which achieved commercial
production on August 1, 2005. Total production for the final five
months of 2005 is expected to be approximately 48,000 ounces,
increasing to approximately 190,000 ounces during 2006. As at
December 31, 2004, the Choco 10 property had 1.3 million ounces of
proven and probable reserves from 21.4 million tonnes of ore at an
average grade of 1.9 grams per tonne, contained within a measured
and indicated resource of 1.8 million ounces and a further 1.7
million ounces of inferred resource. Ian Cockerill, Chief Executive
Officer of Gold Fields said; "This transaction is consistent with
our growth strategy aimed achieving an additional 1.5 million
ounces of international production by 2009. We believe that El
Callao is a highly prospective gold district and that the Choco 10
mine will give us a strong operational foothold from which to grow
in this part of the world." Serafino Iacono, Chief Executive
Officer of Bolivar stated: "This transaction validates Venezuela as
a favorable place to do business and we are confident that Gold
Fields' involvement will contribute positively to the development
of its mining industry." Gold Fields and Bolivar have an existing
exploration joint venture agreement covering approximately 25,000
hectares in the El Callao district surrounding the Choco 10 mine.
The region is highly prospective and significant potential exists
to increase reserves and production. El Callao is part of a
well-established gold mining region with historic production dating
back more than 200 years. There are several other gold mines in the
region including the Colombia mine owned by CVG-Minerven; the Tomi
and La Victoria mines owned by Crystallex; the La Camorra mine and
Mina Isidora development project owned by Hecla; and the privately
owned San Raphael mine. "We believe that through responsible mining
practices Gold Fields can make a meaningful contribution to
sustainable development in Venezuela. Gold Fields has been actively
involved in exploration in Venezuela since 1992 and we have come to
realize that there is excellent geological potential in the
country. Bolivar has done a commendable job in advancing Choco 10
to production and initiating social programmes in the local
community. We feel that Gold Fields can build on this foundation of
sustainable development as it continues to explore and develop
Choco 10 and our adjacent joint venture concessions," said
Cockerill. Orion Securities Inc. acted as exclusive financial
advisor to Gold Fields. Bolivar has retained GMP Securities Ltd.
and Endeavour Financial as its financial advisors. Gold Fields will
host a special web cast and teleconference call at 17:30
Johannesburg time (10.30 am EST), to discuss the transaction. The
web cast can be accessed through the Gold Fields website at
http://www.goldfields.co.za/. Gold Fields is one of the world's
largest unhedged gold producers, with annual gold production of
approximately 4.2 million ounces from mines in South Africa, Ghana
and Australia as well as a developing mine at Cerro Corona in Peru.
The Company has reserves of 64.8 million ounces and mineral
resources of 174.5 million ounces. Gold Fields has its primary
listing on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange and secondary
listings on the NYSE, LSE, Euronext in Paris and Brussels, and on
the Swiss Exchange. All of Gold Fields' operations are ISO 14001
certified. Bolivar Gold Corp. is a gold exploration, development
and production company. At its 95%-owned Choco 10 property in
Venezuela, drilling has confirmed near-surface proven and probable
ore reserves of 1.3 million ounces. The 5,400 tonne per day Choco
10 operation commenced commercial production in August 2005.
Bolivar Gold intends to exploit this reserve while continuing to
pursue the exploration potential of the Choco 10 property, as well
as throughout the El Callao district in conjunction with its joint
venture partner, Gold Fields Limited. DATASOURCE: Gold Fields Ltd.
and Bolivar Gold Corp. CONTACT: Enquiries: Gold Fields, Willie
Jacobsz, +27-11-644-2505, , Nerina Bodasing, +27-11-644-2630, ,
Cheryl Martin, +1-303-796-8683, ; Bolivar Gold, Robert Doyle,
+1-416-360-4653,
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