Silver Wheaton Corp. ("Silver Wheaton" or the "Company") (SLW.TO) (SLW) is pleased to announce that it has agreed to acquire from HudBay Minerals Inc. ("Hudbay") (HBM.TO) (HBM) 100% of the life of mine silver production from its currently producing 777 Mine ("777"), located in Canada, and 100% of the life of mine silver production from its Constancia Project ("Constancia"), located in southern Peru. In addition, Silver Wheaton has agreed to acquire 100% of the life of mine gold production from Hudbay's 777 Mine until Constancia satisfies a completion test, or the end of 2016, whichever is later. At that point, Silver Wheaton's share of gold production from 777 will be reduced to 50% for the remainder of the mine life.
Silver Wheaton will pay Hudbay total cash consideration of US$750 million, of which US$500 million is payable upon closing, with two further payments of US$125 million each to be made upon the satisfaction of minimum capital expenditures having been incurred at Constancia. In addition, Silver Wheaton will make ongoing payments of the lesser of US$5.90 per ounce of silver and US$400 per ounce of gold (both subject to an inflationary adjustment) or the prevailing market price per ounce of silver and gold delivered.
TRANSACTION HIGHLIGHTS
Provides Immediate Cash Flow
Silver Wheaton will receive 100% of the silver production from Hudbay's currently producing flagship mine, 777, and will also receive 100% of the gold production until the later of the completion of Constancia or the end of 2016, at which point Silver Wheaton will receive 50% of the gold production from 777 for the remainder of the mine life;
Average annual attributable production from 777 is anticipated to be approximately 4.2 million silver equivalent ounces, including 0.82 million ounces of silver and 68,000 ounces of gold1, until the end of 2016;Silver Wheaton's total forecast 2012 silver equivalent production increases from 27 million ounces to approximately 28 million ounces, including 42,000 ounces of gold1.
Significantly Increases Long Term Growth Profile
Combined, 777 and Constancia will increase Silver Wheaton's average annual silver equivalent production by approximately 4.9 million ounces1;
Silver Wheaton's total forecast 2016 silver equivalent production increases from 43 million ounces to approximately 48 million ounces (including 100,000 ounces of gold2), an increase of 90% from 2011.
Further diversifies Silver Wheaton's portfolio of low-cost and long-life mines with exciting exploration upside
Staged upfront payments relating to the construction of Constancia aligns Silver Wheaton with Hudbay's capital spending schedule
Initial payment of US$500 million to come from Silver Wheaton's existing cash balance of US$997 million at the end of the first quarter of 2012.
"We are extremely pleased to add two new precious metals streams, on high-quality base metal mines, to our diversified portfolio which now includes 17 operating mines and four development stage assets," said Randy Smallwood, Silver Wheaton's President and Chief Executive Officer. "This transaction provides immediate cash flow, is accretive on all short- and long-term metrics, and maintains our policy of investing in low-cost, high quality assets. It also solidifies one of the strongest growth profiles in the precious metals industry. Hudbay has a history of mining success spanning decades, and as flagships in their asset portfolio, we are confident that 777 and Constancia will deliver significant long-term value to both groups of shareholders."
"We have reviewed numerous streaming opportunities since our last transaction, and have been steady in our focus on quality. First and foremost, the mines underlying our precious metals streams must be lower-cost operations, ensuring they continue to produce through all phases of the commodity price cycle. Secondly, they must possess exciting exploration upside potential, with the possibility of delivering organic reserve growth and, as a result, long mine lives. With the 777 and Constancia streams, we continue to adhere to these principals, while at the same time executing the type of high-quality and accretive acquisition on which we've built our reputation."
"Silver Wheaton's balance sheet remains very strong. After the initial upfront payment of US$500 million, we still have over US$500 million in cash on hand, a fully undrawn US$400 million revolving credit facility and strong forecast operating cash flows, including immediate cash flows from 777. As a result, we remain exceptionally well-positioned to continue our growth via new precious metal streams, and are pursuing numerous additional growth opportunities."
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ABOUT 777 MINE
Hudbay's flagship 777 mine is located in the prolific Flin Flon Greenstone Belt, Manitoba, Canada, where Hudbay has been mining for nearly 85 years. A low-cost producer of zinc, copper, gold and silver, 777 is an underground mining operation, with an ore concentrator and zinc production facility located immediately adjacent to the mine. 777 commenced commercial production in 2004 and has a reserve mine life until 2020. The mine has very good exploration upside with drilling in recent years shifting from reserve definition to exploration. Over 21,000 metres of exploration drilling in 2011 will be followed up with a similar sized program in 2012, with a focus on targeting additional resources. In addition, completion of the 777 North expansion, which is well underway, will provide access to mineral resources in the north and east zones, and will also provide an underground exploration platform to enable the evaluation of additional exploration opportunities near the 777 mine.
ABOUT CONSTANCIA PROJECT
Constancia is located in an established mining district in the province of Chumbivilcas in southern Peru. It is forecast to be a large, lower-cost and long-life open pit mine, producing copper, molybdenum, silver and gold. With key environmental permits in place, strong community support, and engineering and design work essentially complete, first production is anticipated in 2014 with full production in 2015. Capital expenditures are estimated at US$1.5 billion and the mine plan currently contemplates an annual production rate of 90,000 tonnes of contained copper in concentrate with molybdenum, silver and gold by-products. Constancia has more than a 16 year mine life and will become Hudbay's largest mine, once in production. Considerable exploration potential exists, as was evidenced by an initial resource at the higher-grade Pampacancha satellite deposit, which was announced by Hudbay in April of 2012. Significant exploration drilling at Constancia is ongoing, and Hudbay believes that there is the potential to yield additional higher grade mineralization in satellite deposits.