17:30:00 EDT Thu 25 Apr 2024
Enter Symbol
or Name
USA
CA



Volta Resources Inc
Symbol VTR
Shares Issued 155,370,363
Close 2013-10-25 C$ 0.205
Market Cap C$ 31,850,924
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B2Gold to buy Volta in $63-million (U.S.) share deal

2013-10-28 06:21 ET - News Release

See News Release (C-BTO) B2Gold Corp

Mr. Clive Johnson of B2Gold reports

B2GOLD CORP. AGREES TO ACQUIRE VOLTA RESOURCES INC.

B2Gold Corp. and Volta Resources Inc. have signed a binding letter agreement pursuant to which B2Gold has agreed to acquire all of the outstanding common shares of Volta at the agreed exchange ratio of 0.15 B2Gold share for each Volta share held, which represents a purchase price of approximately 42 cents per Volta share and a total equity value for Volta of approximately $63-million (U.S.) based on the fully diluted in-the-money Volta shares outstanding, and a premium of 106 per cent based on each respective company's share price on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Oct. 25, 2013. The consideration represents an 81-per-cent premium based on B2Gold and Volta's respective volume weighted average share prices on the TSX for the 20-trading-day period ending Oct. 25, 2013.

The acquisition of Volta by B2Gold will add to B2Gold's development portfolio an 81-per-cent interest in the Kiaka gold project in Burkina Faso and a 100-per-cent interest in two additional exploration projects in Burkina Faso. The Kiaka gold project is an advanced-stage project with the potential to sustain an average annual production rate of approximately 340,000 ounces of gold over a 10-year mine life based on a prefeasibility study released in May, 2012, and contained in Volta's current independent technical report released in January, 2013. B2Gold is well positioned to progress development and ultimately realize value at Kiaka given its strong financing capacity and a management team with significant mine development and operating experience.

The board of directors of Volta, based on the recommendation of its special committee, unanimously determined that the transaction is in the best interests of the Volta shareholders and recommends that such shareholders vote in favour of the transaction. Volta's financial adviser, BMO Capital Markets, has provided an oral fairness opinion that based upon and subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications stated in such opinion, the consideration proposed to be paid to the holders of Volta common shares pursuant to the transaction is fair from a financial point of view to such shareholders. Each of the directors and officers of Volta, representing approximately 2 per cent of the outstanding Volta shares, have agreed to vote in favour of the transaction.

Clive Johnson, president and chief executive officer of B2Gold, stated: "This acquisition significantly enhances our gold leverage with the addition of the Kiaka gold project. Kiaka is a significant, high-quality and well-defined resource with low technical risk that adds to our portfolio an asset with the potential to contribute meaningfully to B2Gold's already impressive future production growth profile. Our team has looked at many projects over the last several years and Kiaka stood out as a technically strong asset with low technical risk that in the appropriate gold price environment could be one of B2Gold's largest sources of future gold production. We look forward to working with Volta's experienced management and technical team to further advance the Kiaka gold project."

Kevin Bullock, president and chief executive officer of Volta, stated: "In a difficult market where financing of development-stage gold companies has become increasingly challenging, we are very pleased to be partnering with an intermediate gold producer that has both the financial and technical capabilities to advance Kiaka for the benefit of Volta shareholders. B2Gold has evaluated Kiaka in depth and has validated our consistent view that Kiaka is truly a robust project with low technical risk. Our shareholders are receiving a significant premium to recent trading prices and have the ability to continue to participate, through B2Gold shares, in both the gold price and Kiaka's advancement."

Benefits to B2Gold's shareholders

The acquisition of Volta further establishes B2Gold as an intermediate gold producer with the following.

A large and expanding resource base

The Kiaka gold project hosts a large high-quality gold deposit containing a measured and indicated gold resource of 4.86 million ounces (153.3 million tonnes grading 0.99 gram per tonne) and an additional inferred gold resource estimate of 1.01 million ounces (33.7 million tonnes grading 0.93 gram per tonne) prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101, increasing B2Gold's attributable total resources by 37 per cent and enhancing B2Gold's per share leverage to gold. In addition, there remains significant exploration and resource expansion potential at Kiaka and Volta's other exploration properties that is expected to benefit both company's shareholders through their equity positions in B2Gold following the completion of the transaction.

Significant option value

The Kiaka gold project provides B2Gold with significant option value to future gold prices. B2Gold's technical team will continue the derisking process at the Kiaka gold project through the advancement of a feasibility study to establish the project's overall economics and will consider proceeding to development of the mine once appropriate returns are evident in a higher gold price environment.

A strengthened development pipeline

The transaction adds to B2Gold's pipeline of development assets following the development and construction of the Otjikoto gold project, with the potential to add annual production from the Kiaka gold project of approximately 340,000 gold ounces when completed to become one of B2Gold's largest producing assets. Volta's portfolio of early stage and advanced-stage assets in the greenstone belts of Burkina Faso provide extensive exploration potential and a platform for growth in a stable jurisdiction of West Africa.

An experienced management team

The management of B2Gold has a strong record of identifying, acquiring and executing to generate value for their shareholders using their extensive mine exploration, development, financing and operating experience, and is well positioned to continue consolidation in the gold industry. The addition of Volta's management and technical team, with extensive experience in West Africa, will further strengthen the B2Gold team.

Benefits to Volta's shareholders

Volta shareholders stand to realize potential benefits in both the near and longer term through this transaction.

Significant premium paid

The consideration to be paid for the Volta shares represents a significant premium equal to 106 per cent to Volta's closing price on the TSX on Oct. 25, 2013, and based on B2Gold's closing price on such date, and an 81-per-cent premium based on each company's respective 20-day volume weighted average share price.

Leverage to B2Gold's immediate production and growth

Volta's shareholders, through the B2Gold shares that will be issued as consideration in the transaction, will gain leverage to B2Gold's established portfolio of producing assets with production guidance in 2013 of 360,000 to 380,000 gold ounces at operating cash costs of $770 (U.S.) to $790 (U.S.) per ounce and an expectation for production growth to 550,000 gold ounces per year by 2015 with the development of the Otjikoto gold project.

Retained exposure to the substantially derisked Kiaka project and exploration success

Volta shareholders will retain upside potential to the advancement of the Kiaka gold project that will be significantly derisked as part of a larger company through its better access to capital and a broader technical team with mine building experience in Africa.

Substantially higher liquidity and better capital markets exposure

Over the trailing 52-week period, an average of approximately 7.8 million B2Gold shares have traded per day, representing an average value of $22.6-million (U.S.), and B2Gold is currently covered by 14 publishing research analysts.

Transaction details

Under the terms of the transaction, each Volta shareholder will receive 0.15 common share of B2Gold for each Volta common share held. The transaction will be carried out by way of court-approved plan of arrangement and will require the approval of at least 66-2/3 per cent of the votes cast in person or by proxy of the shareholders of Volta at a special meeting of Volta shareholders to be held no later than Jan. 15, 2014. The transaction is also subject to, among other things, the negotiation and execution of a definitive agreement to give effect to the transaction following completion of the confirmatory legal and financial due diligence on Volta on or before Nov. 14, 2013, the receipt of all necessary regulatory, governmental and court approvals, and the satisfaction of certain other closing conditions customary for a transaction of this nature.

The binding agreement includes customary deal protections provisions. Volta has agreed not to solicit any alternative transactions and to pay B2Gold a break fee equal to $2.0-million in certain circumstances. In addition, Volta has granted B2Gold a right to match any competing offer. Closing of the transaction is set to occur by no later than Jan. 31, 2014.

Upon completion of the transaction, B2Gold will appoint one nominee of Volta to the B2Gold board of directors, with the existing eight directors of B2Gold continuing as directors.

Upon completion of the transaction, B2Gold will have approximately 675 million common shares issued and outstanding, with former Volta shareholders holding approximately 3.4 per cent of the fully diluted in-the-money shares outstanding of the combined company.

B2Gold's financial adviser is GMP Securities L.P. and its legal counsel is Lawson Lundell LLP. Volta's financial adviser is BMO Capital Markets and its legal counsel is Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP.

Ben Parsons, MSc, MAusIMM (CP), of SRK Consulting (U.K.) Ltd., is a qualified person as defined under National Instrument 43-101. All of the scientific and technical disclosure contained in this press release regarding the Kiaka gold project was prepared by or under the supervision of and verified by Mr. Parsons. For further information regarding the Kiaka gold project see Volta's annual information form dated March 27, 2013, and Volta's independent technical report entitled, "An Updated Mineral Resource Estimate on the Kiaka Gold Project, Burkina Faso," dated Jan. 14, 2013.

Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.

Conference call

A conference call will be held on Monday, Oct. 28, 2013, 11:30 a.m. (Toronto)/8:30 a.m. (Vancouver), to discuss the transaction. Please use the following information to access the call:

Vancouver and toll-free:  1-866-223-7781

In Toronto:  416-340-2218

There will be a question-and-answer session following management presentations during the call.

A playback version of the call will be available for one week after the call by dialling 905-694-9451 or within North America call toll-free 1-800-408-3053 (pass code: 7879694).

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