Highwoods Agrees to Acquire Office Assets from Preferred Apartment Communities, Inc.

Total Investment of $769M (Including Assumed Debt) Closing Scheduled for Third Quarter 2021

Asset Strategy Market Submarket/BBD SF
150 Fayetteville Core Raleigh CBD 560,000
CAPTRUST Tower Core Raleigh North Hills 300,000
Capitol Towers Core Charlotte SouthPark 479,000
Morrocroft Centre Core Charlotte SouthPark 291,000
Galleria 75 Redevelopment Site Core Atlanta Cumberland/Galleria  
         
Office-Related Mezzanine Loan Non-Core Atlanta West Midtown  
Armour Yards Non-Core Atlanta Buckhead/Midtown  

_________________________________________

Acquisition to be Funded Primarily Through

Sales of Non-Core Assets

Expects to Return Balance Sheet Metrics to Current Levels by Mid-2022

_________________________________________

        

Plan Expected to Strengthen Long-Term Growth Trajectory

Immediately Accretive to Cash Flows

Neutral to Current FFO Run Rate; Accretive over Long-Term

_________________________________________

Conference Call: Monday, April 19

th

at 11:00 A.M. ET

(800)
756-3565
or


www.highwoods.com



_________________________________________

RALEIGH, N.C., April 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  Highwoods Properties, Inc. (NYSE:HIW) has agreed to acquire a portfolio of office assets from Preferred Apartment Communities, Inc. (NYSE:APTS) (“PAC”). The core portfolio to be acquired consists of four Class A office assets in Charlotte and Raleigh and one mixed-use redevelopment site in Atlanta. The Company has also agreed to acquire two non-core assets: a mezzanine loan related to a recently constructed office building in Atlanta; and Armour Yards, a multi-building creative office project in Atlanta.

The Company’s total investment, including the estimated value of the non-core assets, is expected to be $769 million, which includes $28 million of near-term building improvements and $5 million of transaction costs. The transaction is expected to include, among other things, the assumption of four secured loans collateralized by the core office buildings estimated to be recorded at fair value of $403 million in the aggregate, with a weighted average effective interest rate of 3.7% and a weighted average maturity of 10.8 years. The value of the non-core assets represents less than 12% of the anticipated total investment.

The acquisition, which is subject to customary closing conditions, is scheduled to close during the third quarter of 2021. The Company is posting $50 million of earnest money deposits that are non-refundable except in limited circumstances.

The core office buildings in Charlotte and Raleigh, which encompass 1,630,000 square feet in total, were 95% leased at December 31, 2020 with rent collections of over 99% during 2020. These properties are projected to generate cash net operating income of $38.0 million and GAAP net operating income of $42.7 million in the first four quarters following closing.

The Company’s plan is to ultimately fund the acquisition primarily by accelerating the sales of existing non-core assets. The Company expects to return its balance sheet metrics to current levels by mid-2022.

Ted Klinck, President and CEO, stated, “The portfolio of properties from PAC fits perfectly with our existing BBD strategy and footprint. This high-quality portfolio gives us entry into two new BBDs that have long been on our wish list, nearly doubles our presence in Charlotte to 1.6 million square feet and further strengthens our market share in Raleigh. Further, there is long-term upside from potential synergies with our existing portfolio and an attractive redevelopment parcel in Atlanta.

Our plan is to effectively match-fund our purchase of these trophy assets in the high-growth markets of Charlotte and Raleigh by selling a select portfolio of non-core assets. Importantly, once completed, our plan is expected to be roughly leverage-neutral, accretive to cash flows and neutral to our FFO run-rate, while improving the quality of our portfolio and providing higher growth over time.”

“We are very appreciative of the entire team at PAC who have worked so collaboratively alongside us on this transaction. They have been great to work with and we look forward to closing the transaction,” Mr. Klinck added.

The financial impacts of these planned investment activities were not included in the Company’s 2021 per share FFO outlook published on February 9, 2021. While the Company will provide an updated 2021 FFO outlook as part of its first quarter earnings release on April 27, 2021, it does not intend to update its FFO outlook to reflect the financial impacts of these planned investment activities until the closing of the acquisition.

150 Fayetteville – Raleigh (CBD)

150 Fayetteville is a 29-story, Class A officer tower encompassing 560,000 square feet in CBD Raleigh. The building was 91% leased at December 31, 2020 with a current weighted average lease term of 5.8 years. With this acquisition, the Company will own nearly 1.5 million square feet of Class A office buildings concentrated within four city blocks in CBD Raleigh, one of the city’s Best Business Districts (BBDs). The Company also owns two development sites in CBD Raleigh that can support more than 500,000 square feet of Class A office.

CAPTRUST Tower – Raleigh (North Hills)

CAPTRUST Tower is a 16-story, Class A office tower located in the heart of Raleigh’s vibrant mixed-use North Hills submarket, a new BBD for Highwoods. This 300,000 square foot building, which has a wide array of office and amenity retail customers, was 98% leased at December 31, 2020 with a current weighted average lease term of 8.3 years.

Capitol Towers – Charlotte (SouthPark)

Capitol Towers is a 479,000 square foot asset that includes two 10-story office buildings, the award-winning Legion Brewing and additional amenity retail in the vibrant and upscale SouthPark submarket of Charlotte, also a new BBD for Highwoods. Capitol Towers, which was completed between 2015 and 2017, was 98% leased on a combined basis at December 31, 2020 with a current weighted average lease term of 8.9 years.

Morrocroft Centre – Charlotte (SouthPark)

Morrocroft Centre is a 291,000 square foot, three-building office complex in the SouthPark submarket of Charlotte. Morrocroft Centre was 95% leased on a combined basis at December 31, 2020 with a current weighted average lease term of 6.1 years.

Galleria 75 – Atlanta (Cumberland/Galleria)

Galleria 75 is a mixed-use redevelopment site in the Cumberland/Galleria submarket of Atlanta, one of the city’s BBDs. The site is located less than one mile from Highwoods-owned Riverwood 100 and 200, which encompass 800,000 square feet and were 95% occupied on a combined basis at December 31, 2020. Galleria 75 can support up to 600,000 square feet of office development and 300 apartment units. The site’s two existing low-rise office buildings totaling 111,000 square feet are 90% leased to customers on short-term leases. Because Galleria 75 will be classified as a development parcel, net operating income generated from the two existing buildings, which is estimated to be approximately $1.2 million annually, will not be included in the Company’s calculation of FFO.

Non-Core Assets

The mezzanine loan is part of the financing structure used by a third party to construct 8West, a 195,000 square foot, 9-story office building on the western side of the Georgia Tech campus in Midtown Atlanta. Armour Yards is a multi-building creative office project located between Atlanta’s Buckhead and Midtown submarkets and along the future Beltline extension. Armour Yards consists of four adaptive reuse office buildings totaling 187,000 square feet that were 93% leased at December 31, 2020 as well as a 36,000 square foot, recently completed office building. As part of the transaction, PAC will separately market Armour Yards for sale to a third party. If PAC chooses not to sell Armour Yards to a third party, Highwoods will close on the acquisition of the creative office project no later than the first quarter of 2022.

Funding Plan

The Company plans to fund the initial $250 million cash portion of the purchase price with borrowings under its current $750 million unsecured revolving credit facility and an expected $200 million, six-month unsecured bridge facility from JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Both facilities bear interest at LIBOR plus 90 basis points. The bridge facility, which is subject to definitive documentation and customary conditions, can be extended at the Company’s option for an additional six-month period and will contain financial and other covenants that are similar to the covenants under the Company’s revolving credit facility.

The Company’s long-term plan is to fund the acquisition primarily by accelerating the sale of $500 to $600 million of non-core assets currently owned by the Company. The Company expects to return its balance sheet metrics to current levels by mid-2022. The Company can provide no assurances, however, that it will dispose of any assets on favorable terms, or at all, because the dispositions are subject to the negotiation and execution of sale agreements and would then be subject to the buyers’ completion of satisfactory due diligence and other customary closing conditions. Approximately $250 million, or an amount equal to the cash portion of the purchase price, of the planned dispositions are expected to qualify for tax-deferred treatment under Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Advisors

J.P. Morgan is acting as exclusive financial advisor to Highwoods. Allman Spry Davis Leggett & Crumpler, P.A. is serving as outside real estate counsel to Highwoods.

Presentation  
A presentation highlighting the planned acquisition and planned acceleration of non-core dispositions can be accessed through the link below and in the Investors section of the Company’s website at www.highwoods.com.

HIW April 2021 Strategic Acquisitions Presentation

Conference Call
Today, Monday, April 19, 2021, at 11:00 A.M. ET, Highwoods will host a conference call to discuss the matters highlighted in this press release. For US/Canada callers, dial (800) 756-3565. A live, listen-only webcast and a subsequent replay can be accessed through the Company’s website at www.highwoods.com under the “Investors” section.

About Highwoods Properties

Highwoods Properties, headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, is a publicly traded (NYSE:HIW) real estate investment trust (“REIT”) and a member of the S&P MidCap 400 Index.  The Company is a fully-integrated office REIT that owns, develops, acquires, leases and manages properties primarily in the BBDs of Atlanta, Charlotte, Nashville, Orlando, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, Richmond and Tampa.  For more information about Highwoods Properties, please visit our website at www.highwoods.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain matters discussed in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, such as: the planned acquisition of a portfolio of office assets from PAC on the terms described in this press release; the terms of the bridge facility; the planned sales of non-core assets and expected pricing and impact with respect to such sales, including the tax impact of such sales; the anticipated total investment, projected leasing activity, estimated replacement cost and expected net operating income of acquired properties and properties to be developed; and expected future leverage of the Company. These statements are distinguished by use of the words ”will,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “anticipate” and words of similar meaning. Although Highwoods believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be achieved.

Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Highwoods’ current expectations include, among others, the following: closing of the planned acquisition of a portfolio of office assets from PAC may not occur on the terms described in this press release or at all; buyers may not be available and pricing may not be adequate with respect to the planned dispositions of non-core assets; comparable sales data on which we based our expectations with respect to the sales price of the non-core assets may not reflect current market trends; anticipated G&A expense savings may not be realized; the financial condition of our customers could deteriorate; development activity by our competitors in our existing markets could result in excessive supply of properties relative to customer demand; development, acquisition, reinvestment, disposition or joint venture projects may not be completed as quickly or on as favorable terms as anticipated; we may not be able to lease or re-lease second generation space quickly or on as favorable terms as old leases; our markets may suffer declines in economic growth; we may not be able to lease our newly constructed buildings as quickly or on as favorable terms as originally anticipated; unanticipated increases in interest rates could increase our debt service costs; unanticipated increases in operating expenses could negatively impact our NOI; we may not be able to meet our liquidity requirements or obtain capital on favorable terms to fund our working capital needs and growth initiatives or to repay or refinance outstanding debt upon maturity; the Company could lose key executive officers; and others detailed in the Company’s 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent SEC reports.

Contact: Brendan Maiorana 
  Executive Vice President of Finance and Treasurer  
  [email protected]
  919-872-4924



Augumenta Helps JICA Deliver Remote Learning Collaboration to Developing Countries Using Smart Glasses

A remote support solution developed by Finnish software company Augumenta helps Japanese experts continue to train researchers in Ghana and Zambia despite the pandemic

OULU, Finland, April 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Augumenta, Ltd., today announced it was selected to supply software and systems integration services to support technical training programs for life sciences and agricultural researchers in Africa working with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The training solution is based on the Augumenta SmartEyes system, which uses camera-equipped smart glasses to connect field workers in Africa with Japanese experts who can view the local scene and provide instructions and support in real-time.

JICA is responsible for delivering Japan’s official development assistance as an implementing agency, providing ODA Loan and Grant Aid, and executing Technical Cooperation in developing countries. With approximately 100 offices and a network of people cooperating within its numerous programs running all over the world, the organization provides, for example, technical training for participants from developing countries in a wide range of fields, such as medical, industrial, and agricultural fields.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, JICA programs allowed Japanese counterparts to host experts and researchers from developing countries in Japan and thousands of Japanese experts to travel to the target countries to arrange hands-on training locally. The pandemic caused disruptions to the programs: experts have been forced to evacuate and the hosting of trainees has been suspended. Last autumn, JICA launched an open call for proposals to find solutions that enable the programs to continue operating despite travel restrictions.

The Augumenta system will initially be deployed in two African countries, Ghana and Zambia, as a tool to aid technical guidance in infectious disease control and agriculture. The SmartEyes remote collaboration solution, designed to solve remote working challenges in industrial settings, functions well in challenging environments and varying network conditions and is easy to use by workers with different skill levels.

Augumenta provides the total solution including the needed software, hardware, and support services, and is coordinating the field-testing phase. The company works in close cooperation with Iristick, which supplies the smart glasses used in the project. Iristick has extensive experience in remote assistance in general, and various types of NGO projects in developing countries in particular and brings valuable expertise to the project.

NOTE: Additional project details and statements from the involved parties can be found online: https://www.augumenta.com/library/



Media Contact:

Matt Schmidt
Small Planet Public Relations for Augumenta
Matt(at)smallplanet.pr.com

Pharmagreen Extends the Letter of Intent Timeline with Advanced Bio-Oil Technologies Ltd.

CARSON CITY, NV, April 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — via NewMediaWire — Pharmagreen Biotech, Inc., (OTC PINKS: PHBI), announces that the signed letter of intent with Advanced Bio-oil Technologies Ltd. (ABOT), based in Denver, Colorado, as announced on February 16, 2021 has been extended by mutual agreement between the parties to June 30, 2021.

Pharmagreen to date has identified a number of opportunities for acquisition and further development of the assets for tissue culture starter plantlet production, extraction and product formulation.  As stated in February 16, 2021 news release, Pharmagreen will provide the raw, crude Cannabiniod oils, grown by its network of local hemp farmers and the Cannabiniod product formulations will be developed as a joint venture with ABOT, Advanced Bio-Oil Technologies Ltd.  The LOI extension provides Pharmagreen with the opportunity to more thoroughly investigate the large number of site prospects and to secure the necessary funding to secure the selected real estate assets.

Commenting on Pharmagreen’s progress, Peter Wojcik, President and CEO, stated, “We are moving ahead as planned with our financing plans for acquisition and biotech complex development. We look forward to providing regular updates as we progress.” 

ABOUT Advanced Bio-Oil Technologies Ltd. (ABOT)

Advanced Bio-Oil Technologies Limited (ABOT) is providing the various industries a platform to produce Bio-Oil at-will. ABOT is using biodegradable carbon molecule and innovative oil extraction methods in its process. This extraction method would be used to produce products for the bioenergy industry, the cosmetic or the pharmaceutical. This process is producing better Bio-Oils. ABOT is pleased to have collaborations with various groups in Uzbekistan, Greece, Canada and USA. ABOT’s platform for producing high-grade CBD Medical Bio-Oil will range from skincare products to specific medical targets. Our products which will contain Hemp derived CBD which will be marketed in North & South America and Europe.

About Pharmagreen Biotech, Inc.

Pharmagreen Biotech, Inc., is a publicly traded (OTC PINKS: PHBI) company.  Pharmagreen is a company focused on the CBD hemp industry for the production and supply of starter plantlets through a proprietary tissue culture process with the opportunity to become one of the largest players globally. Pharmagreens’ mission is to advance the technology of tissue culture science and to provide the highest quality 100% germ free, disease free and all genetically the same plantlets to CBD hemp farmers and other flora while offering full spectrum DNA testing for plant identification, live genetics preservation using tissue cultures in low temperature storage for all plant species; extraction of botanical oils mainly CBD oil, and to deliver laboratory based services to the North American Cannabis and agriculture sectors.  For further information on the company please visit www.pharmagreen.ca

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, assumptions and uncertainties that could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements. In particular, factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include: our inability to obtain additional financing on acceptable terms; risk that our products and services will not gain widespread market acceptance; inability to compete with others who provide comparable products; the failure of our technology; the infringement of our technology with proprietary rights of third parties; inability to respond to consumer demands; inability to replace significant customers; seasonal nature of our business. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made and are not guarantees of future performance. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. When used in this document, the words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “project,” “plan,” “should,” “intend,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “potential,” and similar expressions may be used to identify forward-looking statements.

The OTC Markets or any other securities regulatory authority has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release that has been prepared by management

Contact Information: www.pharmagreen.ca
Tel: (702) 803 9404
Email: [email protected] 



NXT Energy Solutions Announces Acquisition of Geothermal Rights

CALGARY, Alberta, April 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NXT Energy Solutions Inc. (“NXT” or the “Company”) (TSX:SFD; OTC QB:NSFDF) is pleased to announce that it has acquired the SFD® technology rights for geothermal resources (“Geothermal Resources”) from Mr. George Liszicasz, President and CEO of NXT, and who is the inventor of the SFD® technology. This agreement was negotiated between Mr. Liszicasz and the independent members of NXT’s Board of Directors (“NXT Board”).

Geothermal applications include naturally occurring sub-surface fluid reservoirs or rock conditions from which heat can be extracted and utilized for generating electric power, or for direct utilization in industrial, agricultural or domestic applications. The main subsurface properties such as porosity, permeability and impermeable cap rock that are vital in the search for oil and gas resources and are equally critical for locating the most prospective geothermal resources. For these reasons, the SFD® technology has a natural extension to geothermal applications and given the currently occurring step change in the worldwide energy industry, the NXT Board believes that the acquisition of this right is well timed and applicable.

Since first commercialized in 2007 for hydrocarbon use, NXT’s non-intrusive SFD® airborne technology enables its customers to significantly improve drill success rates while reducing the overall negative environmental impact of traditional large-scale ground surveys by minimalizing disruptions to community life and surface use. In April 2020, NXT received confirmation of a patent granted from the European Patent Office bringing the total number of countries granting the patent internationally to 44.  NXT will apply for patent protection for the geothermal applications of SFD® once development of the SFD® sensors reach appropriate milestones.

The NXT Board noted, “As industries worldwide transition toward a low-carbon economy, geothermal energy has gained greater prominence for its environmental benefits as a non-intermittent renewable energy source. NXT takes great pleasure in announcing this agreement, and looks forward to leveraging its extensive research and marketing skillset acquired in hydrocarbon resources to develop and commercialize the Geothermal Resource application of the SFD® technology.”

The consideration for the acquisition of the Geothermal Resource will be settled in these significant milestones.

  1. A signature payment of US$40,000 and 300,000 common shares in the equity of the Company (“Common Shares”), subject to TSX approval, are due immediately;
  2. US$200,000 milestone payment will be made when the Company’s cash balance is over CAD$5,000,000, due to receipt of funds from operations; and
  3. US$250,000 SFD® project contract milestone. This milestone will be paid if within two (2) years the Company signs SFD® contracts valued at US$10,000,000 or greater, and is in receipt of at least US$5,000,000 cash from those same SFD® project contracts.

Following the issuance of the 300,000 Common Shares, Mr. Liszicasz will hold approximately a total of 15,337,234 (23.7%) of NXT Energy’s 64,814,921 outstanding Common Shares.

About NXT Energy Solutions Inc.

NXT Energy Solutions Inc. is a Calgary-based technology company whose proprietary SFD® survey system utilizes quantum-scale sensors to detect gravity field perturbations in an airborne survey method which can be used both onshore and offshore to remotely identify traps and reservoirs with exploration potential. The SFD® survey system enables our clients to focus their exploration decisions concerning land commitments, data acquisition expenditures and prospect prioritization on areas with the greatest potential. SFD® is environmentally friendly and unaffected by ground security issues or difficult terrain and is the registered trademark of NXT Energy Solutions Inc. NXT Energy Solutions Inc. provides its clients with an effective and reliable method to reduce time, costs, and risks related to exploration.

Contact Information

For investor and media inquiries please contact:

Mr. Eugene Woychyshyn Mr. George Liszicasz        
VP Finance & CFO President & CEO
302-3320 17th Avenue SW
Calgary, AB, T3E 0B4
302-3320 17th Avenue SW
Calgary, AB, T3E 0B4
+1-403-206-0805 +1-403-206-0800
[email protected] [email protected]
www.nxtenergy.com www.nxtenergy.com

Forward-Looking Statements   

Certain information provided in this press release may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information typically contains statements with words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “will”, “expect”, “plan”, “schedule”, “intend”, “propose” or similar words suggesting future outcomes or an outlook. Forward-looking information in this press release includes, but is not limited to, information regarding: acceptance of the issuance of 300,000 shares to Mr. Liszicasz by the TSX, business negotiations and opportunities; business strategies and objectives; continued research and development on the Geothermal Resource; the patent application process for Geothermal Resources; and completion of the agreement payment milestones. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks, including those related to the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV/COVID-19), and the potentially negative effects thereof on the Company’s workforce, its supply chain or demand for its products. Additional risk factors facing the Company are described in its most recent Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2020 and the MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2020, which have been filed electronically by means of the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) located at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof, and except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company assumes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements made herein or otherwise, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. 



Clean Energy Signs Agreement with Amazon for Low and Negative Carbon RNG

Clean Energy Signs Agreement with Amazon for Low and Negative Carbon RNG

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (Nasdaq: CLNE) today announced that it has signed an agreement with Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN) to provide low and negative carbon renewable natural gas (RNG). The fuel will be provided at 27 existing Clean Energy fueling stations and another 19 non-exclusive new or upgraded Clean Energy-owned stations that Clean Energy expects to be constructed by the end of the year. The new and existing stations will provide RNG in 15 different states.

“If the world is really going to tackle the issue of climate change, all of us need to find solutions that work both environmentally and economically, and that is exactly what this agreement supports,” said Andrew J. Littlefair, CEO and president of Clean Energy. “Clean Energy was the first to commercially make RNG available as a vehicle fuel in 2013 and now fuels tens of thousands of vehicles across the country every day.”

In addition, the company has issued a warrant to Amazon. For more information, refer to Clean Energy’s Form 8-K.

About Clean Energy

Clean Energy Fuels Corp. is the country’s leading provider of the cleanest fuel for the transportation market. Through its sales of renewable natural gas (RNG), which is derived from biogenic methane produced by the breakdown of organic waste, Clean Energy allows thousands of vehicles, from airport shuttles to city buses to waste and heavy-duty trucks, to reduce their amount of climate-harming greenhouse gas from 60% to over 400% depending on the source of the RNG, according to the California Air Resources Board. Clean Energy can deliver RNG through compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) to its network of fueling stations across the U.S. Clean Energy builds CNG and LNG fueling stations for the transportation market, operates a network of 565 stations across the U.S. and Canada, owns natural gas liquefaction facilities in California and Texas, and transports bulk CNG and LNG to non-transportation customers around the U.S. For more information, visit www.cleanenergyfuels.com and follow @CE_NatGas on Twitter.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that involve risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, including without limitation statements about the benefits of RNG, the number of new and existing stations, and the warrant issued to Amazon. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements made herein speak only as of the date of this press release and, unless otherwise required by law, Clean Energy undertakes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. Additionally, the reports and other documents Clean Energy files with the SEC (available at www.sec.gov) contain risk factors, which may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this news release.

Clean Energy Contact:

Raleigh Gerber

949-437-1397

[email protected]

Investors Contact:

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: United States North America California

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Public Transport Environment Other Transport Trucking Other Energy Transport Oil/Gas Alternative Energy Energy Logistics/Supply Chain Management

MEDIA:

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Commerce Bancshares Deepens Support of FinTech Startups through Investment in SixThirty

Commerce Bancshares Deepens Support of FinTech Startups through Investment in SixThirty

Company demonstrates commitment to innovation with global FinTech relationship

ST. LOUIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Commerce Bancshares, Inc. announced today that it is deepening its multi-year relationship with SixThirty, a global venture firm that invests in enterprise technology startups. SixThirty targets investments in seed to early growth stage startups. SixThirty’s portfolio and pipeline represent some of the most innovative and promising fintech, insurtech, digital health and cybersecurity ideas from around the world.

The collaboration with SixThirty will allow Commerce to build strategic relationships, further drive innovation in the industry and make direct investments in ideas that present long-term opportunity to the business and the needs of our customers. Commerce will also provide hands-on training and mentoring to the companies selected to take part in SixThirty’s go-to-market program. Company leaders will participate in networking opportunities with leading technology and financial services institutions and some of the brightest and most innovative minds in the country.

Innovation, a cornerstone of Commerce’s culture and core values, has been about building on past successes while looking forward. Commerce has consistently invested in new markets and products to meet customers’ changing needs and keep pace with the dynamic and constantly changing financial services market.

“With a culture designed to embrace and inspire innovation, Commerce’s strategic investment in SixThirty’s venture fund is an important component to our long-term success,” said Charles Kim, Chief Financial Officer. “Throughout our history, Commerce has maintained an innovative mindset that is focused on serving our customers and solving emerging business challenges.” Commerce Bank’s corporate strategy and innovation office leads companywide initiatives in identifying strategic growth opportunities for the company and its lines of business. Jennifer Upton, manager of corporate strategy and innovation, said, “Partnering with an organization like SixThirty is a natural fit for Commerce. Their focus on the convergence of wealth, health and data aligns with many of our strategic priorities. We look forward to the continued collaboration with SixThirty and its global reach into fintechs and innovation.”

St. Louis, where SixThirty is headquartered, offers a robust financial services community, serving as one of the largest financial services hubs outside of New York. SixThirty has been investing in FinTech since 2013. Their integrated model nurtures growth and collaboration between its portfolio investments and corporate LPs, which include leading financial institutions across the United States.

Commerce Bank executives Charles Kim, Chief Financial Officer, and Dave Roller, Chief Information Officer, will serve as members of SixThirty’s Investment Committee.

About Commerce Bancshares, Inc.

With $33.3 billion in assets1, Commerce Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBSH) is a registered bank holding company offering a full line of banking services, including payment solutions, investment management and securities brokerage. Commerce Bank, a subsidiary of Commerce Bancshares, Inc., leverages more than 150 years of proven strength and experience to help individuals and businesses solve financial challenges. In addition to offering payment solutions across the U.S., Commerce Bank currently operates full-service banking facilities across the Midwest including the St. Louis and Kansas City metropolitan areas, Springfield, Central Missouri, Central Illinois, Wichita, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, and Denver. It also maintains commercial offices in Dallas, Houston, Cincinnati, Nashville, Des Moines, Indianapolis, and Grand Rapids. Commerce delivers high-touch service and sophisticated financial solutions at regional branches, commercial offices, ATMs, online, mobile and through a 24/7 customer service line. Learn more at www.commercebank.com.

1. As of March 31, 2021

About SixThirty

SixThirty Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in enterprise technology companies from around the world building FinTech, InsurTech, Cyber Security, and Digital Health solutions. Portfolio companies of SixThirty Ventures gain access to the Fund’s Go-to-Market Program, which entails curated meetings with corporate partners, mentorship on b2b sales and go-to-market strategy, and networking opportunities with industry incumbents.

For more information, visit https://sixthirty.co/.

Matt Burkemper

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: United States North America Mississippi

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Finance Public Relations/Investor Relations Banking Communications Professional Services

MEDIA:

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Sequire Cannabis Conference Goes Live on 4/20 With Industry Experts

Sequire Cannabis Conference Goes Live on 4/20 With Industry Experts

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
SRAX, Inc. (NASDAQ: SRAX), a financial technology company that unlocks data and insights for publicly traded companies through Sequire, its SaaS platform, announced today that Steve DeAngelo, Dr. Sue Sisley, Emily Paxhia, Steven Hawkins, and Dr. Jeffrey Chen will all be participating as keynote speakers at the first ever Sequire Cannabis Conference.

This 1-day virtual investor event will be held via SRAX’s Sequire Virtual Events platform on April 20th, 2021. Nearly a million active small-cap investors have been invited to the event, which will feature over 40 Cannabis companies hosting 25 minute presentations, alongside prominent names in the Cannabis space.

The Cannabis Conference is one of many industry specific events that Sequire will host this year to ignite their growing Investor Community.

Register Here:https://cannabis-conference.mysequire.com/

Speaker Details:

Steve DeAngelo Interview with Emily Paxhia

Tuesday, April 20th at 4:30pm ET

Steve DeAngelo, a globally recognized cannabis leader known as “the father of the legal industry,” will be interviewed by Emily Paxhia, co-founder and Managing Partner of Poseidon. Steve is a lifelong activist and entrepreneur; his most notable business achievements include co-founding Harborside, The Arcview Group, The Last Prisoner Project non-profit (2019), and Radio Free Cannabis podcast (2020).

Dr. Sue Sisley and Steven Hawkins Interview with Dr. Jeffrey Chen

Tuesday, April 20th at 5:00pm ET

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Roxgold Announces Robust Séguéla Feasibility Study with After-Tax NPV of US$380 Million and 49% IRR

Roxgold Announces Robust Séguéla Feasibility Study with After-Tax NPV of US$380 Million and 49% IRR

TORONTO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Roxgold Inc. (“Roxgold” or the “Company”) (TSX: ROXG) (OTCQX: ROGFF) is pleased to announce the results of the Feasibility Study (the “Feasibility Study”) and Mineral Reserve estimate for the high-grade Séguéla Gold Project (“Séguéla” or the “Séguéla Gold Project”) in Côte d’Ivoire. The Feasibility Study was prepared in accordance with Canadian Securities Administrators’ National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”).

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210419005239/en/

Figure 1. Séguéla Gold Project (Graphic: Business Wire)

Figure 1. Séguéla Gold Project (Graphic: Business Wire)

The Feasibility Study confirms robust economics for the development of an open-pit mining operation at Séguéla, targeting a series of open-pit mines at Antenna, Koula, Ancien, Agouti and Boulder deposits that will feed a central gold processing facility. Roxgold intends to make a formal construction decision upon completion of a debt financing package and signed mining convention with the Government of Côte d’Ivoire.

A webcast and conference call to discuss the Feasibility Study results will be held on Monday, April 19th, 2021 at 4:30PM Eastern time – details with respect to participation on the call are outlined in the “Séguéla Gold Project Feasibility Study Conference Call” section below.

Key Highlights (all financial results are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted):

1. Feasibility Study

Robust Economics

  • The Feasibility Study considers an operation with an initial nameplate of 1.25 million tonnes per annum (“Mtpa”) and mine life of 9 years.
  • LOM after-tax net cash flow of $536 million at a gold price of $1,600 per ounce.
  • Robust economics with after-tax net present value (“NPV”) and internal rate of return (“IRR”) of:

Metric

Base Case @

$1,600/oz Au

Spot Price @

$1,750/oz Au

NPV5% after-tax – attr. to Roxgold’s 90% interest

$380 million

$451 million

After tax IRR

49%

56%

High-Grade Mineral Resource and Initial Mineral Reserve Estimate

  • Initial Proven and Probable Mineral Reserve estimate of 12.1 million tonnes grading 2.8 g/t Au totalling 1.1 Moz Au – positioning Séguéla among the highest-grade open pit gold projects globally.

Enhanced and Extended Production Profile

  • Average annual gold production of 133,000 ouncesover thefirst six years of production, with an estimated production peak of 151,000 ounces in year four.
  • Life of Mine (“LOM”) gold production of 1.03 million ounces of gold with average annual production of 120,000 ounces.
  • Processing plant throughput rate will be expanded by approximately 25% to 1.57Mtpa in year three, through a series of optimisation and debottlenecking measures with minimal capital requirements.

Low Quartile Costs

  • Average cash costs1 per ounce produced of $567 per ounce over the LOM, including a cash cost of $528 per ounce over the first six years of production.
  • Average All-In Sustaining Costs (“AISC”)1 of $832 per ounce over the LOM, including an AISC of $797 per ounce over the first six years of production.

Development Capital

  • Estimated pre-production capital cost of $142 million.
  • Early stage construction activities have commenced with site access road and camp construction underway. Full construction will commence following a formal construction decision and completion of debt financing.
  • Front-end engineering and design work is well advanced and procurement activities of long lead items are underway.
  • All permits required to begin construction are in hand.

2. Further Optimisation Opportunities

  • Ongoing expansion and optimisation of the project. Drilling at depth at Koula and Ancien have continued to intersect high grade mineralization which suggests the potential for an underground expansion opportunity.
  • An optimization study has commenced to explore the opportunity to mine more of the current Mineral Resource base from underground, which would reduce the need for larger respective pits and therefore substantially lower accompanying strip ratios.

3. Future Growth

  • Roxgold is positioned well to expand the Séguéla Project with:

    • Potential for underground expansion at Koula and Ancien
    • Significant exploration prospectivity with the recent discovery of the Sunbird prospect and over 20 prospective targets yet to be tested

John Dorward, President and Chief Executive Officer commented: “We are pleased to share with the market the results of our Feasibility Study on Séguéla which underscores the substantial value accretion that this project will bring to Roxgold and its shareholders. Séguéla has rapidly become a cornerstone asset for Roxgold, with the potential to more than double the company’s production profile within a short time frame. We expect to be able to deliver this without the need for equity dilution.

“The value creation at Séguéla has been remarkable and we still believe there is significant upside through further optimisation opportunities and the exploration potential at the project. We acquired Séguéla in 2019 for $20 million in cash, and through the hard work of our exploration and project teams, we have been able to generate exceptional prospective project economics with an after-tax NPV attributable to Roxgold of $380 million and an IRR of 49% at a gold price of $1,600/oz.

“In the first six years of operation, the project will produce an average of 133,000 ounces of gold per year at an AISC of $797 per ounce generating an average annual EBITDA1 of $130 million per year.

“Importantly, the Séguéla project as outlined today is just a snapshot in time of the potential value of the project. Our drill programs continue to have success delineating mineralization down plunge at Ancien and Koula, building confidence in the potential of high-grade underground scenarios from these deposits. Further, we continue to see the significant exploration prospectivity of Séguéla with the recent announcement of the discovery of Sunbird, which has the potential to be another high grade prospect within close proximity to our planned operations and infrastructure. As we continue to drill and define additional targets on our property package, our understanding of the drivers of the mineralization throughout the property continues to improve, increasing the likelihood of additional successes to come from the twenty plus targets on the property yet to be tested. It is our belief that, with continued drilling success, there is the potential to continue to add significant production ounces and value to Séguéla.”

Séguéla Gold Project Overview

The Séguéla Gold Project is located approximately 240 kilometres north-west of Yamoussoukro, the political capital of Côte d’Ivoire, and approximately 480 kilometres north-west of Abidjan, the commercial capital of the country. The Séguéla property covers an area of 35,360 hectares, defined by two exploration permits. The property is generally accessible year-round by road. Bituminised national highways facilitate transport between Abidjan, Yamoussoukro, and the town of Séguéla (population 65,000) which is the nearest major town to the property. The project is accessible from the town of Séguéla via approximately 40 km of unsealed road. The Séguéla Gold Project and the township of Séguéla occur in a region of low forested hills, with elevations averaging 347m above sea level.

Figure 1: Séguéla Gold Project

Table 1 – Feasibility Summary

 

Metrics

Units

Results

Gold Price

$/oz

1,600

Life of Mine

years

8.6

Total Mineralized Material Mined

tonnes

12,064,000

Contained Gold In Mined Resource

oz

1,088,000

Strip Ratio

w:o

13.9:1

Throughput @ Start-up

Mtpa

1.25

Throughput @ Peak

Mtpa

1.57

Head Grade

g/t Au

2.8

Recoveries

%

94.5%

Gold production

Total Production over LOM

oz

1,028,000

Annual Production, LOM

oz

120,000

Annual Production, first 6 years

oz

133,000

Per Unit Costs over LOM

Total Mining Costs

$/t, mined

$2.79

Mining Costs, Sustaining Capital

$/t, mined

$0.78

Mining Costs, Operating Costs

$/t, mined

$2.01

Processing

$/t, processed

$12.57

G&A

$/t, processed

$5.30

Total Operating Costs (excl. Sustaining Capital)

$/t, processed

$47.83

Cash costs

Average Operating Cash Costs, LOM

$/oz

$567

Average Operating Cash Costs, first 6 years

$/oz

$528

AISC

Average AISC, LOM

$/oz

$832

Average AISC, first 6 years

$/oz

$797

Capital costs

Initial Capital Expenditure

$M

$142

Sustaining Capital, Operations + Infrastructure (ex-closure costs)

$M

$32

Sustaining Capital, Mining

$M

$141

NPV5%, pre-tax (100%)

$M

$455

Pre-tax IRR

%

53%

NPV5%, after-tax (attr. to ROXG 90% interest)

$M

$380

After-tax IRR

%

49%

Payback Period

years

1.7

Annual EBITDA

Average EBITDA over LOM

$M

$107

Average EBITDA over first 6 years

$M

$130

Environmental Data

GHG Emissions Intensity (Scope 1 + 2)

tCO2e/oz

0.58

Energy Intensity

GJ/oz

4.39

Mineral Resource and Reserves Estimate

The Séguéla Mineral Resource Estimate provided in Table 2 includes the Antenna, Koula, Ancien, Agouti and Boulder deposits and was prepared by Hans Andersen from Roxgold. Roxgold completed an updated Mineral Resource estimate for the Koula deposit, based on the drillhole data cut-off of March 31st, 2021. The Antenna, Ancien, Agouti and Boulder Mineral Resource estimates are unchanged since the previous reported Mineral Resource in the technical report entitled “NI 43-101 Technical Report, Séguéla Project, Worodougou Region, Cote d’Ivoire” with an effective report date of November 30th, 2020 which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

The Séguéla Mineral Resource estimate incorporates data from all Reverse Circulation (“RC”) and Diamond Drilling (“DD”) drilling prior to the cut-off, comprising 125,510 metres in 910 drillholes targeting Antenna, Koula, Ancien, Agouti, and Boulder since the acquisition of the Séguéla Project in April 2019.

Table 2 – Mineral Resource Estimate

Measured

Indicated

Measured & Indicated

Inferred

Tonnes

Grade

Metal

Tonnes

Grade

Metal

Tonnes

Grade

Metal

Tonnes

Grade

Metal

(Mt)

(g/t Au)

(000 oz)

(Mt)

(g/t Au)

(000 oz)

(Mt)

(g/t Au)

(000 oz)

(Mt)

(g/t Au)

(000 oz)

Antenna

8.2

2.2

586

8.2

2.2

586

1.1

1.9

69

Koula

1.2

7.4

285

1.2

7.4

285

0.2

3.0

14

Ancien

1.4

5.4

250

1.4

5.4

250

0.0

10.6

11

Agouti

1.4

2.4

111

1.4

2.4

111

0.1

1.8

6

Boulder

1.7

1.7

97

1.7

1.7

97

0.1

1.2

3

Total

14.0

3.0

1,328

14.0

3.0

1,328

1.5

2.2

104

Notes:

(1)

Mineral Resources are reported in accordance with NI 43-101 with an effective date of March 31st, 2021, for Séguéla.

(2)

The Séguéla Mineral Resources are reported on a 100% basis at a gold grade cut-off of 0.3 g/t Au for Antenna and 0.5 g/t Au for the satellite deposits, based on a gold price of US$1,700/ounce and constrained to MII preliminary pit shells.

(3)

The identified Mineral Resources in the block model are classified according to the “CIM” definitions for the Measured, Indicated, and Inferred categories. The Mineral Resources are reported in situ without modifying factors applied.

(4)

The Séguéla Mineral Resource Statement was prepared under the supervision of Mr. Hans Andersen, Senior Resource Geologist at Roxgold Inc. Mr. Andersen is a Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101.

(5)

All figures have been rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimates and totals may not add due to rounding.

(6)

Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not necessarily demonstrate economic viability.

(7)

Mineral Resources are reported inclusive of Mineral Reserves

(8)

The Séguéla Gold Project is subject to a 10% carried interest held by the government of Cote d’Ivoire

The initial Séguéla Mineral Reserve estimate was prepared by Entech Pty Ltd, dated of March 31, 2021. Only Mineral Reserves have been incorporated into the mine plan and economic analysis.

Table 3 – Open Pit Mineral Reserve Estimate

Proven

Probable

Proven + Probable

Tonnes

Grade

Metal

Tonnes

Grade

Metal

Tonnes

Grade

Metal

(Mt)

(g/t Au)

(000 oz)

(Mt)

(g/t Au)

(000 oz)

(Mt)

(g/t Au)

(000 oz)

Antenna

7.2

2.1

482

7.2

2.1

482

Koula

1.2

6.5

243

1.2

6.5

243

Ancien

1.3

4.9

211

1.3

4.9

211

Agouti

1.2

2.2

88

1.2

2.2

88

Boulder

1.1

1.8

64

1.1

1.8

64

Total

12.1

2.8

1,088

12.1

2.8

1,088

Notes:

(1)

Mineral Reserves are reported in accordance with NI 43-101 with an effective date of March 31st, 2021, for Séguéla.

(2)

The Séguéla Mineral Reserves are reported on a 100% basis at a gold grade cut-off of 0.5 g/t Au for Antenna, Agouti and Boulder deposits and 0.6 g/t Au for Koula and Ancien deposits based on a gold price of US$1,500/ounce, constrained to optimization pit shells and only Proven and Probable categories reported within the final pit designs.

(3)

The Mineral Reserves pit design were completed based on overall slope angle recommendations of between 37º and 57º for Antenna, Koula and Agouti deposits from oxide to fresh weathering profiles, between 34º and 56º for Ancien deposit from oxide to fresh weathering profiles and 37º and 60º for Boulder deposit from oxide to fresh weathering profiles.

(4)

The Mineral Reserves are reported with modifying factors of 15% Mining Dilution and 90% Mining recovery applied.

(5)

Mineral Reserves reported based on each open pit deposit demonstrating economic viability

(6)

The identified Mineral Reserves in the block model are classified according to the “CIM” definitions for the Proven and Probable categories.

(7)

The Séguéla Mineral Reserves Statement was prepared under the supervision of Mr. Shane McLeay, Principal Mining Engineer at Entech Pty Ltd. Mr. McLeay is a Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101.

(8)

All figures have been rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimates and totals may not add due to rounding.

(9)

The Séguéla Gold Project is subject to a 10% carried interest held by the government of Cote d’Ivoire

Feasibility Study Overview

The Feasibility Study is based on an updated mine plan and initial Mineral Reserve estimate outlining the design of an open-pit gold mining project targeting a series of open-pit mines at Antenna, Koula, Ancien, Agouti and Boulder deposits feeding a central gold processing facility. The operation will produce an average of approximately 120,000 ounces of gold per year with an initial nine year mine life and significant exploration upside as demonstrated by recent drill results down plunge at Ancien and Koula, as well as at the new Sunbird discovery located 1 km to the southeast of Antenna. Initial capital to fund construction and commissioning is estimated at $142 million with total non-mining sustaining capital estimated at $43 million over the LOM including closure costs. All-in sustaining costs are estimated at $832 per ounce over the life of the Project, positioning the project among the lowest quartile of the industry.

The financial analysis performed from the results of this Feasibility Study demonstrates the robust economic viability of the Séguéla Gold Project using the base case gold price assumption of $1,600 per ounce. This results in an after-tax net present value cashflow at a 5% discount rate (NPV5%) of $380 million (attributable to Roxgold) and an after-tax IRR of 49%. There are additional opportunities to further strengthen and enhance the project’s economic foundation through the continued drilling and extension testing of the existing resource base and definition of new targets as well as optimisation of the existing deposits.

The Feasibility Study was prepared by Roxgold in collaboration with various globally recognized engineering firms: Entech Pty Ltd, Lycopodium Minerals Canada, Knight Piésold and ECG Engineering. An NI 43-101 technical report prepared by Roxgold will be filed on SEDAR within 45 days of this news release providing further detail including exploration, geological modelling, Mineral Resource estimation, mine design, process design, infrastructure design, environmental management, capital and operating costs and economic analysis. Readers are encouraged to read the technical report in its entirety, including all qualifications, assumptions and exclusions that relate to the details summarized in this news release. The technical report is intended to be read as a whole, and sections should not be read or relied upon out of context.

Figure 2: Séguéla Site Layout

Mining and Recovery Methods

Mining

The Séguéla Gold Project will consist of the simultaneous exploitation of the Antenna deposit and the satellite deposits: Koula, Ancien, Agouti, and Boulder. The overall strategy is to have production from these satellite deposits complement the production from Antenna to achieve a baseline production rate sufficient to feed the processing plant at 1.25 Mtpa initially and increasing to 1.57 Mtpa in year 3. The project mine life contemplated in the Feasibility Study is nine years.

Mining activities at Séguéla will utilize conventional open-pit mining methods. Drill and blasting are planned for oxide and fresh mineralized material, followed by conventional truck and shovel operations within the pits for the movement of mineralized material and waste.

Two 200 tonne (“t”) excavators, complimented with one 120 tonne and one 80 tonne excavators in the latter stages of the satellite pits, with an estimated total material productive capacity of approximately 25.0 Mtpa, will have sufficient capacity to allow for maintenance, transport between the pits, and make-up capacity to account for low productivity periods such as high rainfall events. A fleet of up to twenty Caterpillar 777 trucks (payload of 100t) will be used in conjunction with several smaller articulated trucks for the latter stages of the satellite pits to truck and haul all mineralized and waste material. Roxgold will engage a mining contractor for initial operations, before switching to an owner mining arrangement after 3.5 years. A common pool of equipment will be used and scheduled across all active pits so that movement between the pits is minimised.

Figure 3: Séguéla Feasibility Study production profile

Run of Mine (“ROM”) mineralized material will be trucked from the pit to the ROM pad and dumped either onto the ROM pad to be reclaimed and loaded to the ROM bin or by direct tipping. The Feasibility Study contemplates a single stage primary crush/SAG milling comminution circuit where the mineralized material will be drawn from the ROM bin via an apron feeder, scalped via a vibrating grizzly with the undersize reporting directly to the discharge conveyor and the oversize reporting to a primary jaw crusher for further size reduction. All crushed and scalped material will be conveyed to a surge bin. Crushed mineralized material and water will be fed to the mill.

Metallurgy

Metallurgical testing was performed at the ALS Metallurgy laboratory in Perth, Western Australia, Australia under the supervision of Roxgold. The feasibility study testwork program expanded upon earlier work completed as part of the PEA to include additional comminution, cyanidation, rheology and cyanide detoxification testing on samples from all five deposits, weighted in accordance with the anticipated portion of mill feed each deposit contributes over the LOM. A testwork program was also conducted to further investigate the effect of oxygen injection on leaching.

The key results are summarized in Table 4.

Table 4 – Key results from the Séguéla metallurgical testwork program

Criterion

Units

Average

Range

Plant Design

Criteria

Head Grade

g/t Au

2.72

1.06 – 58.8

4.50

Bond Ball Mill Work Index

kWh/t

19.7

16.3 – 21.1

20.7

Bond Rod Mill Work Index

kWh/t

21.8

19.5 – 22.7

22.7

Gravity Gold Recovery

%

29.0

11.0 – 66.8

40

Overall Gold Recovery

%

94.5

86.6 – 99.2

94.5

The testwork showed that leaching is substantially complete within 24 hours and there is no apparent preg-robbing or refractory characteristics in the ores tested. Furthermore, it showed a fast-initial leaching rate with more than 80% of the stage extraction completed within the first 2 hours of cyanidation. The highest gold recovery was achieved for tests incorporating gravity recovery and elevated dissolved oxygen levels for the duration of the leach.

The mineralized material tested across all deposits exhibited a degree of grind sensitivity with an optimal grind size of 75 micron being confirmed for all extraction test work. The results of that program, were very encouraging, indicating free milling of the mineralized material with good leach kinetics and overall recoveries averaging 94.5%.

Comminution testwork including Bond Impact Crushability tests, Abrasion tests, Bond Ball and Rod Mill Work Index tests and unconfined compressive strength (UCS) tests were conducted and confirmed the PEA findings of Antenna being a hard/strong ore. The tests also confirmed that Boulder, Agouti, Ancien and Koula returned results indicating that these ores are all less competent than those at Antenna.

Processing

The Séguéla process plant design is based on a metallurgical flowsheet envisioned for the production of gold doré at optimum recovery while minimizing initial capital expenditure and operating costs. The flowsheet comprises of conventional crushing, milling, gravity recovery, a carbon-in-leach (“CIL”) circuit, carbon elution and a gold recovery circuit.

The key project design criteria for the plant are:

  • Initial nominal throughput of 1.25 Mtpa mineralized material, increasing to 1.57 Mtpa in year 3
  • Crushing plant availability of 75%
  • Plant availability of 91.3% for grinding, gravity concentration, leach plant and gold recovery operations

The proposed process design is comprised of the following circuits. An overall process flow diagram depicting the unit operations incorporated in the selected process flowsheet is presented in Figure 3:

  • Primary crushing of ROM material.
  • A surge bin with overflow stockpile to provide buffer capacity ahead of the grinding circuit.
  • Grinding circuit: Single-stage semi-autogenous grinding (“SAG”) mill with cyclones.
  • Gravity recovery of cyclone underflow by a semi-batch centrifugal gravity concentrator, followed by intensive cyanidation of the gravity concentrate and electrowinning of the pregnant leach solution in a dedicated cell located in the gold room.
  • Trash screening and thickening of cyclone overflow prior to leaching.
  • Gold leaching in a CIL circuit.
  • Acid washing of loaded carbon and split AARL type elution followed by electrowinning and smelting to produce doré. Carbon regeneration by rotary kiln.
  • Disposal of tailings to the TSF.

The processing plant is planned to be expanded in year 3 to meet the realised productivity of the mine schedule. It is planned to increase the plants capacity from the initial 1.25 Mtpa to 1.57 Mtpa. This is expected to be achieved through an optimisation and debottlenecking process, whereby the installed capacity of the key plant bottlenecks is fully utilised. Another aspect of the design that contributes to this gain, is the plant comminution design criteria is based on Antenna ores, which are the most competent of the project. Therefore, as the other less competent ores make up more of the mill feed it is expected that the realised unit throughput rate will increase.

Figure 4: Séguéla Project Process Flow Sheet

Selected operating and production statistics from the Feasibility Study are presented in Table 5.

Table 5 – Séguéla Project Life-of-Mine Mining and Processing Plan Metrics

 

 

Year

Year

Year

Year

Year

Year

Year

Year

Year

Year

Year

Year

 

Unit

-1

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

LOM

Antenna

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ore mined

K t

315

1,259

681

962

744

603

816

1,234

558

7,173

 

Au grade

g/t

2.69

2.77

2.04

1.86

2.12

2.12

1.52

1.86

1.92

2.09

Koula

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ore mined

K t

42

155

264

260

9

431

7

1,168

 

Au grade

g/t

4.58

6.52

6.14

6.43

3.58

6.86

9.34

6.46

Ancien

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ore mined

K t

386

102

258

547

56

1,348

 

Au grade

g/t

6.34

2.73

3.35

4.58

8.64

4.88

Agouti

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ore mined

K t

214

75

454

500

1,243

 

Au grade

g/t

2.10

2.00

1.98

2.47

2.20

Boulder

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ore mined

K t

236

897

1,133

 

Au grade

g/t

1.19

1.92

1.77

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ore mined

K t

315

1,515

1,297

1,329

1,262

1,159

1,302

1,695

1,294

897

12,064

 

Au grade

g/t

2.69

2.73

3.85

2.77

3.26

3.30

3.59

1.93

2.00

1.92

2.80

 

Contained gold

K oz

27.2

132.8

160.6

118.5

132.2

122.7

150.3

104.9

83.1

55.4

1,088

 

Waste mined

K t

625

12,964

21,485

23,000

23,597

24,943

25,507

13,764

13,056

9,110

168,050

 

Total mined

K t

940

14,479

22,782

24,329

24,859

26,101

26,809

15,459

14,350

10,007

180,115

Stockpile

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Start of period

K t

315

580

627

385

77

125

n/a

 

Grade

g/t

2.69

2.71

2.79

2.77

2.77

1.93

n/a

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Processing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ore milled

K t

1,250

1,250

1,570

1,570

1,236

1,302

1,570

1,419

897

12,064

 

Head grade

g/t

2.73

3.85

2.78

3.16

3.26

3.59

1.93

1.99

1.92

2.80

 

Contained gold

K oz

109.6

154.8

140.4

159.7

129.6

150.3

97.2

90.9

55.4

1,088

 

Recovery

%

94.5

94.5

94.5

94.5

94.5

94.5

94.5

94.5

94.5

94.5

 

Gold production

K oz

103.6

146.3

132.7

150.9

122.5

142.1

91.8

85.9

52.3

1,028

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Capital Expenditures

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Development

$M

60.7

73.5

134.2

Tailings & Power

The tailings system will comprise of a tailings line and associated tailings pumps. The tailings storage facility (“TSF”) will comprise a side-valley storage formed by two multi-zoned earth-fill embankments, designed to accommodate 13.0 Mt of tailings and built utilising the downstream construction methodology – in accordance with industry best practices and standards on tailings management.

A water storage dam will be the main collection and storage pond for clean raw and process water.

The envisioned power supply is through a connection to the Côte d’Ivoire electricity grid by a 4 km tee into the 90kV powerline from the Laboa to Séguéla substation. The Séguéla substation is fed via an existing 90kV transmission line from the 225/90kV Laboa substation. The Laboa substation is part of a 225kV ring main system around the country where various sources of generation are connected and, being a large ring main, offers a great deal of redundancy at 225kV. The grid supply from Côte d’Ivoire is, by world standards, economically priced and reliable benefitting from a large portion of hydro-sourced power.

Environmental and Permitting

Roxgold has all permits required to conduct mining for current operations and is permitted to operate within the approved Mine Permit Boundary. The exploitation permit was approved by the Council of Ministers and signed as a mining decree by the President of Côte d’Ivoire, and other governmental authorities, in December 2020. The decree grants Roxgold an industrial mining permit for development and operation of the Séguéla Gold Project and is valid for 10 years with opportunities to renew as further growth and expansion is proven. The Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (“ESIA”) was approved in September 2020 by the Côte d’Ivoire Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development. The ESIA represented the culmination of extensive consultations and stakeholder engagement in the communities surrounding the Séguéla Gold Project.

The conceptual closure plan considered in the Feasibility Study assumes the mine areas will be reclaimed to a safe and environmentally sound condition consistent with closure commitments developed during the life of the project in compliance with the national regulations, IFC standards and other industry best practices.

Capital Costs Summary

The capital required to develop Séguéla is estimated to be $142 million (including $8 million contingency) with sustaining capital representing an additional $141 million directly related to mining operations, $32 million of processing and infrastructure sustaining capital, and $11 million of closure costs over the nine year mine life. The mining pre-production capital relates to mining activities prior to commissioning of the processing facility, where 315,000 tonnes of ore and 625,000 tonnes of waste are mined in order to establish a reasonable stockpile ahead of processing operations commencing. All contractor mobilization and setup costs are included in the pre-production capital allowance.

The processing plant capital relates to a facility with a nameplate throughout of 1.25 Mtpa. The capital cost estimate is based on an engineering, procurement and construction management (“EPC”) implementation approach and horizontal (discipline based) construction contract packaging. The capital cost for the processing plant considered in this study, was based on actual submissions for a competitive tender process between several experienced EPCM contractors, with project experience in West Africa. Within that process, equipment and materials pricing was based on actual costs from other recent similar scale Lycopodium projects and considered representative for Séguéla.

The surface infrastructure includes site electrical distribution, tailings management facility, water dams and accommodation camp. A summary of estimated capital costs is presented in Table 6 and annual estimated sustaining capital costs are shown in Table 7. Capital cost estimates in the Feasibility Study reflect the joint efforts of Knight Piésold Consulting, Lycopodium Limited, Entech Pty Ltd, ECG and Roxgold. Roxgold compiled the capital cost data into the overall cost estimate.

Table 6 – Summary of initial development capital costs

Capital Costs

Value ($M)

Mining Pre-stripping

$4.6

Process Plant

$81.3

Infrastructure and Environment

$16.6

Tailings and Water Storage

$12.8

Grid Connection

$9.9

G&A

$9.0

Contingency

$8.0

Total

$142.2

Table 7 – Estimated annual sustaining capital costs

Year

Units

Year

Year

Year

Year

Year

Year

Year

Year

Year

Year

Total

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Mining

$M

17.1

23.5

19.3

22.4

28.1

12.0

4.3

9.0

2.4

137.9

Mining, Other

$M

0.3

0.3

0.3

0.3

0.3

0.3

0.3

0.3

0.3

3.1

Processing

$M

0.2

0.2

0.6

0.2

0.2

0.2

0.2

0.2

0.2

2.0

Infrastructure & Env.

$M

4.7

4.0

2.8

2.8

2.9

2.9

3.5

5.4

0.6

29.7

Closure

$M

3.2

8.0

11.2

Total

$M

$22.3

$28.0

$23.0

$25.7

$31.6

$15.4

$8.3

$14.9

$6.6

$8.0

$184.0

Operating Costs Summary

Cash costs and AISC per payable ounce of gold sold are non-GAAP financial measures. Please see “Cautionary Note Regarding Non-GAAP Measures”.

Total estimated cash costs in the Feasibility Study are presented in Table 8. The mining operating costs were developed based on firm quotes from reputable mining contractors, all with experience in West Africa, including current operating experience in Côte d’Ivoire, and based on the Feasibility Study mine plan for the Séguéla project. The study contemplates the project commencing with a contractor performing the mining activities at Séguéla with a switch to owner mining and equipment lease arrangement after 3.5 years. The processing operating costs were developed from testwork, first principles and Lycopodium’s database according to typical industry standards applicable to gold processing plants in West Africa. General and administration costs were factored from historical operating cost data from the development and operation of Roxgold’s Yaramoko Gold Mine in Burkina Faso as well as quoted services in Côte d’Ívoire.

Table 8 – Operating Cash Costs

Cash Costs

Value ($/t milled)

Mining

$29.96

Processing

$12.57

General and Administrative

$5.30

Total

$47.83

As summarized in Table 9, operating costs, which includes mining, processing and general and administrative costs totals $567 per payable ounce of gold sold over the nine-year operating plan in the Feasibility Study. AISC, which includes sustaining capital, reclamation, royalties, and refining costs totals $832 per payable ounce of gold sold over the nine-year operating plan in the Feasibility Study.

Table 9 – Life of Mine All-In Sustaining Cost and All-In Cost

 

$M

$/t milled

$/payable

oz

Operating Cost

Mining

$361

$29.96

$355

Processing

152

12.57

149

G&A

64

5.30

63

Subtotal, Direct Operating Costs

$577

$47.83

$567

Refining

$3

$0.22

$3

Royalties

75

6.24

74

Social Fund

8

0.67

8

Total Operating Costs1

$663

$54.97

$652

Sustaining Capital, and Reclamation

 

Mining, Sustaining

$141

$11.69

$139

Processing + Infrastructure

32

2.63

31

Closure

11

0.93

11

All-in Sustaining Cost1

$847

$70.22

$832

Development Capital Cost

Mining

$5

$0.38

$5

Processing

81

6.74

80

Infrastructure and Environment

39

3.26

39

G&A

9

0.75

9

Contingency

8

0.66

8

Capital Expenditures (non-sustaining)

$142

$11.79

$140

All-in Cost1

$989

$82.00

$972

Financial Analysis

The Séguéla Gold Project has been evaluated on a discounted cash flow basis. The results of the analysis show the project to be economically very robust. The pre-tax net present value with a 5% discount rate (NPV5%) is $455 million and with an IRR of 53% using a base gold price of $1,600/oz. The economic analysis assumes that Roxgold will provide all development funding via inter-company loans to the mine operating entity, which will be repaid with interest from future gold sales. On this basis, over the nine-year operating mine plan outlined in the Feasibility Study, Roxgold’s 90% interest in the project is expected to provide an after-tax NPV5% of $380 million and an IRR of 49% at a gold price of $1,600/oz.

Payback period is expected to be 1.7-years at a gold price of $1,600/oz. Payback period is defined as the time after process plant start-up that is required to recover the initial expenditures incurred developing the Séguéla Gold Project.

Figure 5: Séguéla Cash Flow Profile

Table 10 – Key Feasibility Financial Estimates

 

Units

LOM Total

Gold Revenue

 

 

Gold Price

$/oz

1,600

Gold Sales

000 oz

1,018

Gold Sales Revenue

$M

1,629

Operating Costs

 

 

Mining

$M

(361)

Processing

$M

(152)

G&A

$M

(64)

Total Opex excluding Royalties and Social Fund

$M

(577)

Gold Refining

$M

(3)

Royalties, Other

$M

(75)

Social Fund

$M

(8)

Total Opex including Royalties and Social Fund

$M

(663)

Capital and Closure Costs

 

 

Development Capital

$M

(142)

Sustaining Capital, Mining

$M

(141)

Sustaining Capital, Infrastructure

$M

(32)

Closure

$M

(11)

Total capital and closure costs

$M

(326)

Project Valuation

 

 

Project Net Cash Flow, pre-tax

$M

639

NPV5%, pre-tax

$M

455

IRR

%

53%

Payback Period

years

1.6

 

Attributable Net Cash Flow, after-tax

$M

536

NPV 5% – attributable to ROXG’s 90% interest

$M

380

IRR

%

49%

Payback Period

years

1.7

Note: Figures may not total exactly due to rounding

Table 11 – Key Economic Assumptions

Unit

Value

Currency

USD

Gold Price

$/oz

1,600

Gold Payable

%

99.0

Mill Recovery

%

94.5

Base Case Discount Rate

%

5.0

Exchange Rate

EUR to USD

1.1761

XOF to USD

0.0018

Royalty

<= 1,100 $/oz

%

3.0

1,300 $/oz

%

3.5

1,600 $/oz

%

4.0

2,000 $/oz

%

5.0

>2,000 $/oz

%

6.0

Vendor Royalties*

%

1.2

Social Fund

%

0.5

* Roxgold holds a buy-back right for up to 0.6% at a pro rata price of AUD$10M of the outstanding 1.2% NSR held by Franco-Nevada Corporation for a period of three years following the effective date of March 30, 2021

Sensitivity Analysis

The Séguéla Gold Project contemplated in the Feasibility Study demonstrates strong economic performance across a range of variables. Estimated NPV sensitivities for key operating and economic metrics are presented in Table 12, Table 13, Table 14 and Figure 3.

Table 12 – After-tax NPV (for Roxgold’s 90% interest) sensitivity to discount rate and gold price

Gold Price

$1,400/oz

$1,500/oz

$1,600/oz

$1,700/oz

$1,800/oz

Discount

Rate

5.0%

$271

$325

$380

$425

$478

7.5%

$224

$273

$321

$360

$407

10.0%

$186

$229

$271

$307

$348

* Base case highlighted

Table 13 – After-tax IRR sensitivity to gold price

Gold Price

$1,400/oz

$1,500/oz

$1,600/oz

$1,700/oz

$1,800/oz

IRR

38%

44%

49%

53%

58%

* Base case highlighted

Table 14 – After-tax NPV5% sensitivity to capital costs and operating costs

Operating Costs

-25%

-10%

0%

10%

25%

Capital

Costs

-25%

$481

$435

$404

$373

$326

-10%

$467

$421

$389

$358

$311

0%

$457

$411

$380

$348

$301

10%

$448

$401

$370

$339

$291

25%

$433

$387

$355

$324

$277

Figure 6: After-tax NPV5% sensitivities

Opportunities and Next Steps

Several potential opportunities to improve the economics of the Séguéla Gold Project contemplated under the Feasibility Study have been identified. Examples include, but may not be limited to:

  • Drilling at depth at Koula and Ancien have continued to intersect high grade mineralization which suggests the potential for an underground mine following open pit activities. An optimization study is recommended to explore the opportunity to mine more of the current resource base from underground, which would reduce the need for larger respective pits and therefore substantially lower accompanying strip ratios.
  • Séguéla presents a significant opportunity to further assess multiple priority exploration targets within 15 kilometres of the envisioned central processing facility. These targets, including the recently discovered Sunbird prospect, have the potential to increase the mineral resource base and enhance the potential economics of the Séguéla project by adding additional ounces;
  • Exploration potential to increase the mineral resources of the Antenna, Koula, Ancien, Agouti, and Boulder deposits along strike and at depth;
  • Further geotechnical testing and modelling will be completed to further optimise the pit slopes realised.
  • Further optimize mine design and sequencing resulting in operating cost savings and a fully utilised fleet

Analysis of the results and findings from each major area of investigation suggests several recommendations for further investigations to mitigate risks and improve the base case project definition to be incorporated during the development and operation of the project, including:

  • Manage and mitigate COVID-19 through continuation of protocols and procedures in place; acknowledging that an outbreak at site remains a risk that could disrupt construction;
  • Complete Mining Convention agreement negotiation;
  • Finalize debt financing agreement in support of initial construction capital requirements;
  • Execute Séguéla mining services contract with selected contractor;
  • Continue ongoing environmental (e.g. climate, noise, water quality, etc.) testing and monitoring;
  • Develop a detailed project implementation plan to precisely define the strategy that will be executed to develop the project successfully; and
  • Continue to engage effectively with all the stakeholders as the project develops.

Séguéla Gold Project Feasibility Study Conference Call

A webcast and conference call to discuss the Séguéla Feasibility Study results will be held on Monday, April 19th, 2021, at 4:30PM Eastern time.

Listeners may access a live webcast of the conference call from the events section of the Company’s website at www.roxgold.com or by dialing toll free 1 (844) 607-4367 within North America or +1 (825) 312-2266 from international locations. Registration is open through the live call, but to ensure you are connected for the full call, we suggest registering a minimum of 10 minutes before the start of the call.

An online archive of the webcast will be available by accessing the Company’s website at www.roxgold.com. A telephone replay will be available for two weeks after the call by dialing toll free 1 (800) 585-8367 within North American or +1 (416) 621-4642 from international locations and entering passcode: 897 5423.

Notes:

1

EBITDA, cash costs and AISC per payable ounce of gold sold are non-GAAP financial measures. Please see “Cautionary Note Regarding Non-GAAP Measures”. All-in Sustaining Costs are presented as defined by the World Gold Council less Corporate G&A.

Qualified Persons

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by the following qualified persons under NI 43-101:

Paul Criddle, FAusIMM, Chief Operating Officer for Roxgold, a Qualified Person within the meaning of NI 43-101, has reviewed, verified and approved the scientific and technical disclosure contained in this news release.

The scientific and technical information contained in this document relating to Séguéla’s Mineral Resource is based on, and fairly represents, information compiled by Hans Andersen. Mr. Andersen, MAIG, is a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists. Mr. Andersen has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a “Qualified Person” under NI 43-101. Mr. Andersen has consented to and approved the inclusion in this document of the matters based on his compiled information in the form and context in which it appears in this document.

Both Mr. Criddle and Mr. Andersen are full-time employees of Roxgold and are not “independent” within the meaning of NI 43-101.

The scientific and technical information contained in this document relating to Séguéla’s Mineral Reserve is based on, and fairly represents, information compiled by Shane McLeay of Entech Pty Ltd. Mr. McLeay, is a Fellow of the AusIMM. Mr. McLeay has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a “Qualified Person” under NI 43-101. Mr. McLeay has consented to and approved the inclusion in this document of the matters based on his compiled information in the form and context in which it appears in this document.

Roxgold’s disclosure of Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resource information is governed by NI 43-101 under the guidelines set out in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (the “CIM”) Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, adopted by the CIM Council, as may be amended from time to time by the CIM. There can be no assurance that those portions of Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves will ultimately be converted into Mineral Reserves.

The qualified persons have verified the information disclosed herein, including the sampling, preparation, security and analytical procedures underlying such information, and are not aware of any significant risks and uncertainties that could be expected to affect the reliability or confidence in the information discussed herein.

National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report

A technical report for the Séguéla Gold Project will be prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 and will be filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Company’s website at www.roxgold.com within 45 days of this news release. Readers are encouraged to read the technical report in its entirety, including all qualifications, assumptions and exclusions that relate to the details summarized in this news release. The technical report is intended to be read as a whole, and sections should not be read or relied upon out of context.

About Roxgold

Roxgold is a Canadian-based gold mining company with assets located in West Africa. The Company owns and operates the high-grade Yaramoko Gold Mine located on the Houndé greenstone belt in Burkina Faso and is advancing the development and exploration of the Séguéla Gold Project located in Côte d’Ivoire. Roxgold trades on the TSX under the symbol ROXG and as ROGFF on OTCQX.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws (“forward-looking statements”). Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation: economic statements related to the Feasibility Study, such as future projected production, capital costs and operating costs, statements with respect to Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resource estimates, recovery rates, timing of future studies including the feasibility study, permitting approvals, environmental assessments and development plans. These statements are based on information currently available to the Company and the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet management’s expectations. In certain cases, forward-looking information may be identified by such terms as “anticipates”, “believes”, “could”, “estimates”, “expects”, “may”, “shall”, “will”, or “would”. Forward-looking information contained in this news release is based on certain factors and assumptions regarding, among other things, the Feasibility Study, the estimation of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, the realization of resource estimates and reserve estimates, any potential upgrades of existing resource estimates, gold metal prices, the timing and amount of future exploration and development expenditures, the estimation of initial and sustaining capital requirements, the estimation of labour and operating costs, the availability of necessary financing and materials to continue to explore and develop the Company’s properties in the short and long-term, the progress of exploration and development activities, the receipt of necessary regulatory approvals, and assumptions with respect to currency fluctuations, environmental risks, title disputes or claims, and other similar matters. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect.

Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include: delays resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, changes in market conditions, unsuccessful exploration results, possibility of project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses, changes in the costs and timing of the development of new deposits, inaccurate reserve and resource estimates, changes in the price of gold, unanticipated changes in key management personnel and general economic conditions. Mining exploration and development is an inherently risky business. Accordingly, actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company’s forward-looking statements, including the factors included in the Company’s annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2020. These and other factors should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on the Company’s forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by the Company or on its behalf, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Cautionary Note Regarding Non-GAAP Measures

This news release includes certain terms or performance measures commonly used in the mining industry that are not defined under International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”), including EBITDA, cash costs and AISC per payable ounce of gold sold. Non-GAAP measures do not have any standardized meaning prescribed under IFRS and, therefore, they may not be comparable to similar measures employed by other companies. We believe that, in addition to conventional measures prepared in accordance with IFRS, certain investors use this information to evaluate our performance. The data presented is intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. Readers should also refer to our management’s discussion and analysis, available under our corporate profile at www.sedar.com for a more detailed discussion of how we calculate such measures.

Roxgold Inc.

Graeme Jennings, CFA

Vice President, Investor Relations

416-203-6401

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: Africa Australia/Oceania Cote d’Ivoire United States Canada North America Australia

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Mining/Minerals Natural Resources

MEDIA:

Logo
Logo
Photo
Photo
Figure 1. Séguéla Gold Project (Graphic: Business Wire)
Photo
Photo
Figure 2. Séguéla Site Layout (Graphic: Business Wire)
Photo
Photo
Figure 3. Séguéla Feasibility Study production profile (Graphic: Business Wire)
Photo
Photo
Figure 4. Séguéla Project Process Flow Sheet (Graphic: Business Wire)
Photo
Photo
Figure 5. Séguéla Cash Flow Profile (Graphic: Business Wire)
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Figure 6. After-tax NPV(5%) sensitivities (Graphic: Business Wire)

Earth Week Signals Start of Agricultural Jug Recycling Again

-Last Year Farmers Recycled More Than 5.5M Containers-

MOOSE JAW, Saskatchewan., April 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — This week, April 18 to 25, is Earth Week and with it comes a reminder to Canadian farmers that the annual agricultural plastic jug recycling program is about to start again, says Cleanfarms, the national stewardship organization that recovers agricultural waste like plastic jugs for recycling.

Cleanfarms’ program for empty containers runs from May to October coast to coast, and during that time more than 1,100 collection locations work with Cleanfarms accepting millions of empty plastic containers 23L and under for recycling. The program keeps these resource materials out of the environment and reinvested in the circular economy.

Last year alone, Canadian farmers brought back more than 5.5 million empty containers bringing the total since the jug collection program began more than 30 years ago to 137.4 million containers returned for recycling.

Cleanfarms estimates that, as of 2019, the three-year average collection rate has increased to over 70% of the containers returned for recycling, up from the previous rate of 65%. The recycling rate for 2020 will be released in June.

“We’re challenging Canadian farmers to make a commitment this Earth Week to bring back all of the ag plastic jugs they use in their farm operations. We want 100% of them this year,” said Cleanfarms Executive Director Barry Friesen.

“Our research shows that farmers want ag waste management programs that help them fulfil environmental responsibility goals and to operate their farms more sustainably for themselves and for future generations. They are eager to participate in programs that help them keep their farms and farm communities clean,” he added.

In addition to empty small plastic ag containers for pesticides and fertilizers, Cleanfarms also operates:

  • a nation-wide recycling program for large non-deposit plastic totes and drums for pesticides and fertilizers
  • a nation-wide collection and proper disposal program for unwanted pesticides and old, obsolete livestock and equine medications
  • recycling programs for grain bags and twine on the prairies, and
  • a disposal program for seed and pesticide bags in eastern Canada and fertilizer bags in Quebec

“Cleanfarms works with farmers and farming organizations to set up recycling and responsible disposal programs that give farmers peace of mind that these waste resource materials are managed responsibly when they are no longer needed or wanted,” Friesen said.

Recycled agricultural plastics are manufactured into new products such as farm drainage tile, flexible irrigation pipe and plastic bags.


Cleanfarms

is an agricultural industry stewardship organization that contributes to a healthier environment and a sustainable future by recovering and recycling agricultural and related industry plastics, packaging and products. It is funded by its members in the
crop protection, seed, fertilizer, animal health medication and grain bag industries
.
It has staff located in Lethbridge, Alberta; Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan; Ottawa and Etobicoke, Ontario; and St-Bruno, Quebec.

Cleanfarms.ca

Contact: Barbara McConnell | 416-452-2373 | [email protected]

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/007374a2-bbd4-41c9-aa5f-3794f0a7dd4f



Diffblue Survey Finds 86 Percent of Java Developers Rely on Spring Framework

Spring makes developers more productive and simplifies creating unit tests for higher code quality

OXFORD, United Kingdom, April 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Diffblue, creators of the world’s first AI-for-code solution that automates writing unit tests for Java, today released the findings of its third annual developer survey showing that more than 86 percent of Java software engineers rely on the Spring Framework.

“Spring and Spring Boot are even more popular than we expected,” said Mathew Lodge, CEO of Diffblue. “Developers using Spring are more satisfied with their code, they program faster, they feel that their code is of higher quality and they find it easier to write unit tests, a common best practice that can be time-consuming for software engineers.”

A comprehensive survey of Java developers (JVM Ecosystem Report 2020) conducted last year by noted developer security vendor Synk found that only half of their respondents relied on the Spring framework to code.

The survey questions were collected anonymously and independent of Diffblue by UK research firm Vanson Bourne (150 in the UK and 300 in the US). The 15-question survey included a mixture of Likert scales, multiple choice and open-ended questions.

A remarkable 96 percent of Spring users say the tooling helps them be better Java developers. Developers cited many benefits of using the Spring Framework, according to the survey, including saved time and better supported unit testing.

Spring Framework users also place an emphasis on code quality and testing practices in general. Compared to developers who don’t use Spring or Spring Boot, Spring Framework users:

  • Most highly value quality in their organization’s code, with stability and speed almost tied for second;
  • Report higher code coverage (all of the respondents who reported 100% Java unit test coverage were Spring/Spring Boot users);
  • Report better code quality in their organizations;
  • Are the most likely to agree that unit tests make it easier to modernize legacy code and migrate to the cloud;
  • Are the most open to trying out new testing tools.

While Spring made it easier to write unit tests for Java, only 25 percent of respondents reported code test coverage of 75 percent or more. But more than half say up to 50 percent of their code base is covered by unit tests.

Half of the respondents complain that they invest up to 50 percent of their time writing tests. Fortunately, Spring provides excellent support for testing, which is a key part of DevOps—the highest priority initiative among respondents.

New AI automation solutions like Diffblue Cover automatically generate Java unit tests at speeds up to 100X faster than humans, and are particularly effective in combination with the testing support features built into Spring. The survey shows that code quality is directly related to testing practices, with more than half of the respondents saying their organization’s code is of the highest quality. More than 90 percent reported that unit tests make it easier to modernize legacy code and also to migrate applications to the cloud.

Diffblue Cover today supports Java, the most popular enterprise programming language in the Global 2000. The technology behind Diffblue Cover is also planned to be extended to support other popular programming languages such as Python, Javascript and C#.

About Diffblue


Diffblue
is leading the automation of software creation through the power of AI. Founded by researchers from the University of Oxford, Diffblue Cover uses AI for code to write unit tests that help software teams and organizations efficiently improve their code coverage and quality and to ship software faster, more frequently and with fewer defects. With customers including AWS and Goldman Sachs, Diffblue is venture-backed by Goldman Sachs and Oxford Sciences Innovation. Follow us on Twitter: @diffblueHQ

Editorial Contact

Lonn Johnston for Diffblue
[email protected]
+1.650.219.7764