Stornoway Diamond Corporation (TSX-SWY; the “Corporation” or “Stornoway”) is pleased to announce the results of voting at its special meeting of shareholders held earlier today on June 26, 2014 in Montréal, Québec (the “Special Meeting”) on resolutions relating to the comprehensive financing plan for the Renard Diamond Project which was first announced on April 9th, 2014.
Resolution Approving Transactions with Investissement Québec
At the Special Meeting, approximately 96.6% of the votes cast by holders of Common Shares (the “Common Shareholders”) present (or represented by proxy) and eligible to vote on such resolution (which excluded votes cast by Investissement Québec (“IQ”) and its directors and officers), approved the resolution authorizing a series of transactions involving various wholly-owned subsidiaries of IQ, including a senior secured loan and various private placements of securities of the Corporation and, consequently, such resolution was duly adopted.
Resolution Approving Various Private Placements
At the Special Meeting, approximately 98.0% of the votes cast by Common Shareholders present (or represented by proxy) approved the resolution authorizing the issuance by private placement, of Common Shares and securities convertible into, or exercisable for, Common Shares to various parties to the financing transactions and, consequently, such resolution was duly adopted.
Special Resolution Approving the Amendment to the Articles of Continuance
At the Special Meeting, approximately 98.3% of the votes cast by Common Shareholders present (or represented by proxy), 100% of the votes cast by the holder of the Corporation’s Non-Voting Convertible Shares that were issued and outstanding on the record date, and approximately 98.7% of the votes cast by Common Shareholders and the holder of Non-Voting Convertible Shares, voting together, present (or represented by proxy), approved the special resolution authorizing an amendment to the articles of continuance of the Corporation in order to cancel and repeal the Corporation’s Non-Voting Convertible Shares and the rights, privileges, restrictions and conditions attaching thereto and, consequently, such resolution was duly adopted.
Final voting results on all matters voted on at the Special Meeting will be published shortly on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval ("SEDAR") website at www.sedar.com.
Next Steps
The approval by Stornoway’s shareholders of these resolutions is a necessary condition for the completion of the series of transactions contemplated in the financing commitment agreement entered into by Stornoway with Orion Co-Investments I Limited, Ressources Québec (a wholly-owned subsidiary of IQ) and the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec on April 9, 2014, as amended on May 7, 2014 and May 12, 2014. Final closing of these transactions will follow upon the completion of definitive documentation between the parties and the receipt of all remaining regulatory approvals.
In addition, in contemplation of the anticipated closing of these financing transactions in the coming days, Stornoway and Diaquem Inc. have agreed to further extend the maturity date of Stornoway’s existing $20 million unsecured non-revolving bridge credit facility with Diaquem Inc. to the earliest to occur of (a) the day on which the conditions precedent to the closing of the first tranche of the senior secured loan as part of the financing transactions are satisfied or waived, (b) June 30, 2017 and (c) the date on which the amount outstanding under the bridge facility is accelerated in accordance with its terms, and, in the event the closing of the financing transactions has not occurred by July 31, 2014, the extended maturity date of the bridge facility would be August 1, 2014. Accrued and unpaid interest will be added to the principal amount under the bridge facility and will be payable at maturity in cash. Under the terms of the amendment, Stornoway will no longer have the right to satisfy up to 50% of the interest payable under the bridge facility in common shares of Stornoway.
About the Renard Diamond Project
The Renard Diamond Project is located approximately 250 km north of the Cree community of Mistissini and 350 km north of Chibougamau in the James Bay region of north-central Québec. In November 2011, Stornoway released the results of a Feasibility Study at Renard, followed by an Optimization Study in January 2013, which highlighted the potential of the project to become a significant producer of high value rough diamonds over a long mine life. Probable Mineral Reserves, as defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”), stand at 17.9 million carats. Total Indicated Mineral Resources, inclusive of the Mineral Reserve, stand at 27.1 million carats, with a further 16.85 million carats classified as Inferred Mineral Resources, and 25.7 to 47.8 million carats classified as non-resource exploration upside. Readers are cautioned that the potential quality and grade of any target for further exploration is conceptual in nature, there has been insufficient exploration to define a Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the target being delineated as a Mineral Resource. All kimberlites remain open at depth. Readers are referred to the technical report dated December 29th, 2011 in respect of the November 2011 Feasibility Study for the Renard Diamond Project, and the technical report dated February 28th, 2013 in respect of the January 2013 Optimization Study, for further details and assumptions relating to the project. Disclosure of a scientific or technical nature in this press release was prepared under the supervision of Robin Hopkins, P.Geol. (NT/NU), Vice President, Exploration, a “qualified person” under NI 43-101.
About Stornoway Diamond Corporation
Stornoway is a leading Canadian diamond exploration and development company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol SWY and headquartered in Montreal. Our flagship asset is the 100% owned Renard Diamond Project, on track to becoming Québec ’s first diamond mine. Stornoway is a growth oriented company with a world class asset, in one of the world’s best mining jurisdictions, in one of the world’s great mining businesses.
On behalf of the Board
STORNOWAY DIAMOND CORPORATION
/s/ “Matt Manson”
Matt Manson
President and Chief Executive
For more information, please contact Matt Manson (President and CEO) at 416-304-1026 x101
or Orin Baranowsky (Director, Investor Relations) at 416-304-1026 x103
or toll free at 1-877-331-2232
Pour plus d’information, veuillez contacter M. Patrick Godin Vice-président et Chef des opérations de Stornoway au 450-616-5555, pgodin@stornowaydiamonds.com
** Website: www.stornowaydiamonds.com Email: info@stornowaydiamonds.com **
This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. This information and these statements, referred to herein as “forward-looking statements”, are made as of the date of this press release and the Corporation does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.
Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect current expectations or beliefs regarding future events and include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the anticipated timing of the closing of the financing transactions. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “plans”, “projects”, “estimates”, “assumes”, “intends”, “strategy”, “goals”, “objectives”, “schedule” or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are made based upon certain assumptions by Stornoway or its consultants and other important factors that, if untrue, could cause the actual results, performances or achievements of Stornoway to be materially different from future results, performances or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business prospects and strategies and the environment in which Stornoway will operate in the future, including the price of diamonds, anticipated costs and Stornoway’s ability to achieve its goals, anticipated financial performance, regulatory developments, development plans, exploration, development and mining activities and commitments. Although management considers its assumptions on such matters to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect. Certain important assumptions by Stornoway in making forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to the receipt of regulatory approvals on acceptable terms within commonly experienced time frames. Additional risks are described in Stornoway's most recently filed Annual Information Form, annual and interim MD&A, the final short form prospectus dated May 12, 2014 and other disclosure documents available under the Corporation’s profile at: www.sedar.com.