Finnish Minerals Group increase its holding in the Keliber lithium project
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Johannesburg, 25 April 2023: Sibanye-Stillwater (Tickers JSE: SSW and NYSE: SBSW - https://www.commodity-tv.com/ondemand/companies/profil/sibanye-stillwater-ltd/) is pleased to advise that as part of a previously announced rights issue to secure the outstanding equity funding for its Keliber Lithium project in Finland, the Finnish Minerals Group (which manages the Finnish State’s mining industry shareholdings), today announced that it will increase its holding in the Keliber project from 14% to 20%, by subscribing for €53.9 million of the €104 million rights issue total. After the rights issue, Sibanye-Stillwater will retain circa 79% in the Keliber project. while minority shareholders will hold the balance of the shares in Keliber Oy.
The laying of the earthworks for the Keliber lithium refinery (first phase of the project) in Kokkola, Finland began on 7 March 2023 with the foundation stone planned to be laid during a ceremony on 11 May 2023.
Mika Seitovirta, Head of the European region for Sibanye-Stillwater said: “The progress made on the project since it was approved last year, is very encouraging, while the support shown by the Finnish Minerals Group for the project, through this additional subscription, is a substantial vote of confidence in the project.”
The total Keliber project capital is estimated at ~€588 million (excluding sustaining capital) as per the Definitive feasibility study, with the initial equity funding of the project capital already secured through the increase of Sibanye-Stillwater shareholding to over 50%, and the remaining equity funding secured through the planned rights issue of about €104 million. The remaining project capital will be raised through debt funding.
Neal Froneman, CEO of Sibanye-Stillwater said “We are delighted with the progress of the Keliber project and the commitment of the Finnish Minerals Group as we advance and continue to grow our unique portfolio of green metals and enhance our presence supplying European battery metals industry.”
About Sibanye-Stillwater
Sibanye-Stillwater is a multinational mining and metals processing group with a diverse portfolio of operations, projects and investments across five continents. The Group is also one of the foremost global recyclers of PGM autocatalysts and has interests in leading mine tailings retreatment operations.
Sibanye-Stillwater has established itself as one of the world’s largest primary producers of platinum, palladium, and rhodium and is a top tier gold producer. It also produces and refines iridium and ruthenium, nickel, chrome, copper and cobalt. The Group has recently begun to build and diversify its asset portfolio into battery metals mining and processing and is increasing its presence in the circular economy by growing and diversifying its recycling and tailings reprocessing operations globally. For more information refer to www.sibanyestillwater.com.
Keliber is an advanced lithium project, located in Kaustinen and Kokkola, Finland. Keliber aims to be the first European producer of battery-grade lithium hydroxide from its own mined ore reserves. Keliber is a subsidiary of Sibanye-Stillwater, a multinational mining and metals processing Group, with Finnish Minerals Group as the second largest shareholder, a state-owned company developing the value chain of lithium-ion batteries.
Investor relations contact:
Email: [email protected]
James Wellsted, Executive Vice President: Investor Relations and Corporate Affairs
Tel: +27 (0) 83 453 4014
Website: www.sibanyestillwater.com
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@sibanyestillwater/videos
Sponsor: J.P. Morgan Equities South Africa Proprietary Limited
In Europe:
Swiss Resource Capital AG
Jochen Staiger & Marc Ollinger
[email protected]
www.resource-capital.ch
DISCLAIMER
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
The information in this document may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbour” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements, including, among others, those relating to Sibanye Stillwater Limited’s (Sibanye-Stillwater or the Group) financial positions, business strategies, plans and objectives of management for future operations, are necessarily estimates reflecting the best judgment of the senior management and directors of Sibanye-Stillwater and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking statements. As a consequence, these forward-looking statements should be considered in light of various important factors, including those set forth in this announcement.
All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this document may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements also often use words such as “will”, “would”, “expect”, “forecast”, “potential”, “may”, “could”, “believe”, “aim”, “anticipate”, “target”, “estimate” and words of similar meaning. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to future events and circumstances and should be considered in light of various important factors, including those set forth in this disclaimer. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements.
The important factors that could cause Sibanye-Stillwater’s actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from estimates or projections contained in the forward-looking statements include, without limitation, Sibanye-Stillwater’s future financial position, plans, strategies, objectives, capital expenditures, projected costs and anticipated cost savings, financing plans, debt position and ability to reduce debt leverage; economic, business, political and social conditions in South Africa, Zimbabwe, the United States and elsewhere; plans and objectives of management for future operations; Sibanye-Stillwater’s ability to obtain the benefits of any streaming arrangements or pipeline financing; the ability of Sibanye-Stillwater to comply with loan and other covenants and restrictions and difficulties in obtaining additional financing or refinancing; Sibanye-Stillwater’s ability to service its bond instruments; changes in assumptions underlying Sibanye-Stillwater’s estimation of its Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves; any failure of a tailings storage facility; the ability to achieve anticipated efficiencies and other cost savings in connection with, and the ability to successfully integrate, past, ongoing and future acquisitions, as well as at existing operations; the ability of Sibanye-Stillwater to complete any ongoing or future acquisitions; the success of Sibanye-Stillwater’s business strategy and exploration and development activities, including any proposed, anticipated or planned expansions into the battery metals or adjacent sectors and estimations or expectations of enterprise value (including the Rhyolite Ridge project); the ability of Sibanye-Stillwater to comply with requirements that it operate in ways that provide progressive benefits to affected communities; changes in the market price of gold, PGMs, battery metals (e.g., nickel, lithium, copper and zinc) and the cost of power, petroleum fuels, and oil, among other commodities and supply requirements; the occurrence of hazards associated with underground and surface mining; any further downgrade of South Africa’s credit rating; the impact of South Africa's greylisting; a challenge regarding the title to any of Sibanye-Stillwater’s properties by claimants to land under restitution and other legislation; Sibanye-Stillwater’s ability to implement its strategy and any changes thereto; the outcome of legal challenges to the Group’s mining or other land use rights; the occurrence of labour disputes, disruptions and industrial actions; the availability, terms and deployment of capital or credit; changes in the imposition of industry standards, regulatory costs and relevant government regulations, particularly environmental, sustainability, tax, health and safety regulations and new legislation affecting water, mining, mineral rights and business ownership, including any interpretation thereof which may be subject to dispute; the outcome and consequence of any potential or pending litigation or regulatory proceedings, including in relation to any environmental, health or safety issues; failure to meet ethical standards, including actual or alleged instances of fraud, bribery or corruption; the effect of climate change or other extreme weather events on Sibanye-Stillwater’s business; the concentration of all final refining activity and a large portion of Sibanye-Stillwater’s PGM sales from mine production in the United States with one entity; the identification of a material weakness in disclosure and internal controls over financial reporting; the effect of US tax reform legislation on Sibanye-Stillwater and its subsidiaries; the effect of South African Exchange Control Regulations on Sibanye-Stillwater’s financial flexibility; operating in new geographies and regulatory environments where Sibanye-Stillwater has no previous experience; power disruptions, constraints and cost increases; supply chain disruptions and shortages and increases in the price of production inputs; the regional concentration of Sibanye-Stillwater’s operations; fluctuations in exchange rates, currency devaluations, inflation and other macro-economic monetary policies; the occurrence of temporary stoppages or precautionary suspension of operations at its mines for safety or environmental incidents (including natural disasters) and unplanned maintenance; Sibanye-Stillwater’s ability to hire and retain senior management and employees with sufficient technical and/or production skills across its global operations necessary to meet its labour recruitment and retention goals, as well as its ability to achieve sufficient representation of historically disadvantaged South Africans in its management positions; failure of Sibanye-Stillwater’s information technology, communications and systems; the adequacy of Sibanye-Stillwater’s insurance coverage; social unrest, sickness or natural or man-made disaster at informal settlements in the vicinity of some of Sibanye-Stillwater’s South African-based operations; and the impact of HIV, tuberculosis and the spread of other contagious diseases, such as the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Further details of potential risks and uncertainties affecting Sibanye-Stillwater are described in Sibanye-Stillwater’s filings with the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including the 2022 Integrated Report and the annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2022.
These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of the content. Sibanye-Stillwater expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statement (except to the extent legally required). These forward-looking statements have not been reviewed or reported on by the Group’s external auditors.
