ALBA Alba Mineral Resources Plc

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, SOUTH AFRICA OR JAPAN OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE, OR TO ANY OTHER PERSON TO WHOM, TO DO SO MIGHT CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OR BREACH OF ANY APPLICABLE LAW OR REGULATION. PLEASE SEE THE IMPORTANT NOTICE AT THE END OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND ANY OTHER DOCUMENTS OR MATERIALS RELATING TO THE RETAIL OFFER ARE ONLY BEING COMUNICATED TO, AND MAY ONLY BE ACTED UPON BY, THOSE PERSONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM FALLING WITHIN ARTICLE 43 OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000 (FINANCIAL PROMOTION) ORDER 2005, AS AMENDED (WHICH INCLUDES AN EXISTING MEMBER OF ALBA MINERAL RESOURCES PLC).  ANY INVESTMENT OR INVESTMENT ACTIVITY TO WHICH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT RELATES IS AVAILABLE ONLY TO SUCH PERSONS AND WILL BE ENGAGED IN ONLY WITH SUCH PERSONS. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE OR FORM PART OF ANY OFFER OR INVITATION TO SELL OR ISSUE, OR ANY SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO PURCHASE OR SUBSCRIBE FOR, ANY SECURITIES OF ALBA MINERAL RESOURCES PLC.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF REGULATION (EU) 596/2014 AS IT FORMS PART OF DOMESTIC LAW IN THE UNITED KINGDOM BY VIRTUE OF THE EU (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018.

Alba Mineral Resources Plc / EPIC: ALBA / Market: AIM / Sector: Mining

18 July 2024

Alba Mineral Resources Plc

("Alba" or the "Company") 

Retail Offer

Alba Mineral Resources Plc (AIM: ALBA) is pleased to announce an offer to its existing retail shareholders via CMC CapX (the "Retail Offer") of new ordinary shares of 0.01 pence each in the capital of the Company (the "Retail Offer Shares").

In addition to the Retail Offer, the Company has also announced today the completion of a placing of new ordinary shares (the "Placing Shares" and, together with the Retail Offer Shares, the "Fundraising Shares") (the "Placing"). The price of the Fundraising Shares is 0.035 pence per share (the "Issue Price").

A separate announcement has been made regarding the Placing and its terms. For the avoidance of doubt, the Retail Offer is separate from and does not form part of the Placing.

The Retail Offer is conditional on the Retail Offer Shares being admitted to trading on the AIM market operated by London Stock Exchange plc ("Admission"). Admission of the Retail Offer shares is expected to take place at 8.00 a.m. on or around 26 July 2024. Completion of the Retail Offer is conditional, inter alia, upon the completion of the Placing.

The Retail Offer

The Company values its retail shareholder base and believes that it is appropriate to provide its existing retail shareholders in the United Kingdom the opportunity to participate in the Retail Offer via participating financial intermediaries.  

Therefore, the Company is making the Retail Offer open to Eligible Shareholders (as defined below) in the United Kingdom via CMC CapX following the release of this announcement. 

To be eligible to participate in the Retail Offer, applicants must be: (i) a retail shareholder of the Company on or prior to the release of this announcement; and (ii) resident in the United Kingdom; and (iii) a customer of a participating intermediary (such persons being "Eligible Shareholders").

The Retail Offer is expected to close by 5 p.m. on Friday 19 July 2024, but the Company reserves the right to close it earlier. Eligible Shareholders should note that financial intermediaries may also have earlier closing times.

The dates and times specified above are subject to change. In particular, the Company may (with the prior approval of CMC Markets UK plc) bring forward, extend or postpone the closing time and date for the Retail Offer. In the event that a date or time is changed, the Company will notify financial intermediaries who have applied for Retail Offer Shares on behalf of retail investors by post, by electronic mail or by the publication of a notice through a Regulatory Information Service.

Retail brokers or wealth managers which, in each case, are investment professionals (within the meaning of article 19 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005), wishing to participate in the Retail Offer on behalf of Eligible Shareholder, should contact CMC CapX via email to capx@cmcmarkets.com or by telephone on +44 (0) 20 3003 8632.

Eligible Shareholders wishing to subscribe for Retail Offer Shares should contact their broker or wealth manager who will confirm if they are participating in the Retail Offer.

There is a minimum subscription of £250 per investor. The terms and conditions on which investors subscribe will be provided by the relevant financial intermediaries including relevant commission or fee charges.

The Company reserves the right to scale back any order under the Retail Offer at its discretion. The Company reserves the right to reject any application for subscription under the Retail Offer without giving any reason for such rejection.

It is vital to note that once an application for Retail Offer Shares has been made and accepted via an intermediary, it is irrevocable and cannot be withdrawn.

The Retail Offer Shares will, when issued, be credited as fully paid and will rank pari passu in all respects with existing ordinary shares in the capital of the Company ("Ordinary Shares") including the right to receive all dividends and other distributions declared, made or paid after their date of issue.

The Retail Offer is an offer to subscribe for transferable securities, the terms of which ensure that the Company is exempt from the requirement to issue a prospectus under Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as it forms part of UK law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 as amended ("EUWA"). It is a term of the Retail Offer that the aggregate total consideration payable for the Retail Offer Shares will not exceed £100,000 (or the equivalent in Euros). The exemption from the requirement to publish a prospectus in section 86(1)(e) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended), will apply to the Retail Offer. As such, there is no need for publication of a prospectus pursuant to the Prospectus Regulation Rules of the FCA, or for approval of the same by the FCA. 

The Retail Offer is not being made into any jurisdiction other than the United Kingdom.

No offering document, prospectus or admission document has been or will be prepared or submitted to be approved by the FCA (or any other authority) in relation to the Retail Offer and investors' commitments will be made solely on the basis of the information contained in this announcement and information that has been published by or on behalf of the Company prior to this announcement by notification to a Regulatory Information Service in accordance with the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules, the AIM Rules for Companies and the Market Abuse Regulation (EU Regulation No. 596/2014) as it forms part of United Kingdom law by virtue of EUWA.

Investors should make their own investigations into the merits of an investment in the Company. Nothing in this announcement amounts to a recommendation to invest in the Company or amounts to investment, taxation or legal advice.

It should be noted that a subscription for Retail Offer Shares and investment in the Company carries a number of risks. Investors should take independent advice from a person experienced in advising on investment in securities such as the Retail Offer Shares if they are in any doubt.

An investment in the Company will place capital at risk. The value of investments, and any income, can go down as well as up, so investors could get back less than the amount invested.

Neither past performance nor any forecasts should be considered a reliable indicator of future results.

For Further Information

Further information on the Company can be found on its website at www.albamineralresources.com.

The Company's LEI is 213800Z1BU53AWR9J329.

This announcement should be read in its entirety. In particular, the information in the "Important Notices" section of the announcement should be read and understood.

Important Notices

The Retail Offer is only open to persons in the United Kingdom who fall within Article 43 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (which includes an existing member of the Company).

The contents of this announcement have been prepared by and issued by the Company and is the sole responsibility of the Company. The Board of Directors of the Company are responsible for arranging the release of this announcement on behalf of the Company.

This announcement is not for publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States of America. This announcement is not an offer of securities for sale into the United States.  The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States, except pursuant to an applicable exemption from registration. No public offering of securities is being made in the United States.

This announcement and the information contained herein is not for release, publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, in or into or from Australia, Canada, Japan, the Republic of South Africa, or any other jurisdiction where to do so might constitute a violation of the relevant laws or regulations of such jurisdiction.

The distribution of this announcement may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions and persons into whose possession any document or other information referred to herein comes should inform themselves about and observe any such restriction. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

CMC CapX is a software and technology platform owned and operated by CMC Markets UK plc (trading as CMC CapX) (registered address at 133 Houndsditch, London, EC3A 7BX). CMC Markets UK plc ("CMC") is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the FCA, is acting exclusively for the Company and for no-one else and will not regard any other person (whether or not a recipient of this announcement) as its client in relation to the Retail Offer and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to its clients, nor for providing advice in connection with the Retail Offer, Admission and the other arrangements referred to in this announcement.

The value of Ordinary Shares and the income from them is not guaranteed and can fall as well as rise due to stock market movements. When you sell your investment, you may get back less than you originally invested. Figures refer to past performance and past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Returns may increase or decrease as a result of currency fluctuations.

Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements which are based on the Company's expectations, intentions and projections regarding its future performance, anticipated events or trends and other matters that are not historical facts. These forward-looking statements, which may use words such as "aim", "anticipate", "believe", "intend", "estimate", "expect" and words of similar meaning, include all matters that are not historical facts. These forward-looking statements involve risks, assumptions and uncertainties that could cause the actual results of operations, financial condition, liquidity and dividend policy and the development of the industries in which the Company's businesses operate to differ materially from the impression created by the forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Given those risks and uncertainties, prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

These forward-looking statements speak only as at the date of this announcement and cannot be relied upon as a guide to future performance. The Company and CMC expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect actual results or any change in the assumptions, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based unless required to do so by the FCA, the London Stock Exchange or applicable law.

The information in this announcement is for background purposes only and does not purport to be full or complete. None of CMC or any of its affiliates, accepts any responsibility or liability whatsoever for, or makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to this announcement, including the truth, accuracy or completeness of the information in this announcement (or whether any information has been omitted from the announcement) or any other information relating to the Company or associated companies, whether written, oral or in a visual or electronic form, and howsoever transmitted or made available or for any loss howsoever arising from any use of the announcement or its contents or otherwise arising in connection therewith. CMC and its affiliates accordingly disclaim all and any liability whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise which they might otherwise be found to have in respect of this announcement or its contents or otherwise arising in connection therewith.

Any indication in this announcement of the price at which the Ordinary Share have been bought or sold in the past cannot be relied upon as a guide to future performance. Persons needing advice should consult an independent financial adviser. No statement in this announcement is intended to be a profit forecast and no statement in this announcement should be interpreted to mean that earnings or target dividend per share of the Company for the current or future financial years would necessarily match or exceed the historical published earnings or dividends per share of the Company.

Neither the content of the Company's website (or any other website) nor the content of any website accessible from hyperlinks on the Company's website (or any other website) is incorporated into or forms part of this announcement. The Retail Offer Shares to be issued or sold pursuant to the Retail Offer will not be admitted to trading on any stock exchange other than the London Stock Exchange.

UK Product Governance Requirements

Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements of Chapter 3 of the FCA Handbook Product Intervention and Product Governance Sourcebook (the "UK MiFIR Product Governance Requirements"), and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any "manufacturer" (for the purposes of the UK MiFIR Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the Retail Offer Shares have been subject to a product approval process, which has determined that the Retail Offer Shares are: (i) compatible with an end target market of retail investors and investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties, each as defined in paragraphs 3.5 and 3.6 of COBS; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all permitted distribution channels (the "Target Market Assessment"). Notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment, distributors should note that: the price of the Retail Offer Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment; the Retail Offer Shares offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; and an investment in the Retail Offer Shares is compatible only with investors who do not need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom. The Target Market Assessment is without prejudice to any contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Retail Offer.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Target Market Assessment does not constitute: (a) an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of Chapters 9A or 10A respectively of COBS; or (b) a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or take any other action whatsoever with respect to the Retail Offer Shares. Each distributor is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the Retail Offer Shares and determining appropriate distribution channels.

EU Product Governance Requirements

Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements contained within: (a) EU Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments, as amended ("MiFID II"); (b) Articles 9 and 10 of Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2017/593 supplementing MiFID II; and (c) local implementing measures (together, the "MiFID II Product Governance Requirements"), and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any "manufacturer" (for the purposes of the MiFID II Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the Retail Offer Shares have been subject to a product approval process, which has determined that the Retail Offer Shares are: (i) compatible with an end target market of retail investors and investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties, each as defined in MiFID II; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all distribution channels as are permitted by MiFID II (the "EU Target Market Assessment"). Notwithstanding the EU Target Market Assessment, distributors should note that: the price of the Retail Offer Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment; the Retail Offer Shares offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; and an investment in the Retail Offer Shares is compatible only with investors who do not need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom. The EU Target Market Assessment is without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Retail Offer.

For the avoidance of doubt, the EU Target Market Assessment does not constitute: (a) an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of MiFID II; or (b) a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase or take any other action whatsoever with respect to the Retail Offer Shares. Each distributor is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the Retail Offer Shares and determining appropriate distribution channels.