Patagonia Gold PLC Scheme of arrangement becomes Effective (2756G)

TIDMPGD

RNS Number : 2756G

Patagonia Gold PLC

22 July 2019

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION (INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES) WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE MARKET ABUSE REGULATION (EU) NO. 596/2014. UPON THE PUBLICATION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, THIS INSIDE INFORMATION IS NOW CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.

22 July 2019

RECOMMED ALL-SHARE OFFER

for

PATAGONIA GOLD PLC

by

HUNT MINING CORP.

implemented by means of a scheme of arrangement

under Part 26 of the Companies Act 2006

Scheme of arrangement becomes Effective

The boards of directors of Hunt and Patagonia Gold are pleased to announce that, further to the announcement dated 19 July 2019 that the Court has sanctioned the Scheme, the Court Order has now been delivered to the Registrar of Companies and, accordingly, the Scheme in connection with the recommended share for share exchange offer by Hunt for the entire issued and to be issued ordinary share capital of Patagonia Gold, has now become Effective in accordance with its terms as set out in the Scheme Document.

Scheme Shareholders on Patagonia Gold's register of members at the Scheme Record Time, being 6.00 p.m. (London time) on 19 July 2019, will receive approximately 10.76 New Hunt Shares for each Scheme Share held, subject to adjustments for fractional entitlements. The latest date for the settlement and listing of the New Hunt Shares is 6 August 2019.

Cancellation of admission to trading on AIM of the Patagonia Gold Shares

Trading in the Patagonia Gold Shares on AIM was suspended with effect from 7.30 a.m. (London time) today. An application has been made to the London Stock Exchange for the cancellation of the admission to trading on AIM of the Patagonia Gold Shares, with such cancellation expected to take effect at 7.00 a.m. (London time) on 23 July 2019.

As a result of the Scheme having become Effective, share certificates in respect of the Patagonia Gold Shares have ceased to be valid documents of title and entitlements to Patagonia Gold Shares held in uncertificated form in CREST are being cancelled.

Capitalised terms in this announcement, unless otherwise defined herein, have the same meanings as set out in the Scheme Document.

Enquiries:

 
Patagonia Gold Plc 
 Carlos Miguens, Non-Executive Chairman       Tel: [phone] 
 Christopher van Tienhoven, Chief Executive 
 Officer 
Strand Hanson Limited                         Tel: [phone] 
 (Financial Adviser to Patagonia Gold) 
 Stuart Faulkner 
 Matthew Chandler 
 James Dance 
 Jack Botros 
Hunt Mining Corp. 
 Tim Hunt, Chairman and Chief Executive       Tel: [phone] 
 Officer 
 

Further information

Strand Hanson Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom, is acting exclusively as financial adviser to Patagonia Gold in connection with the Offer and other matters set out in this announcement and for no-one else and will not be responsible to anyone other than Patagonia Gold for providing the protections afforded to its clients or for providing advice in relation to the Offer and other matters set out in this announcement. Neither Strand Hanson Limited nor any of its subsidiaries, branches or affiliates owes or accepts any duty, liability or responsibility whatsoever (whether direct or indirect, whether in contract, in tort, under statute or otherwise) to any person who is not a client of Strand Hanson Limited in connection with this announcement, any statement contained herein or otherwise.

Patagonia Gold Shareholders may request a hard copy of this announcement by contacting Computershare on [phone] between 8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., Monday to Friday (except public holidays in England and Wales) or by submitting a request in writing to Computershare at Computershare Investor Services PLC, The Pavilions, Bridgwater Road, Bristol, BS13 8AE. Patagonia Gold Shareholders may also request that all future documents, announcements and information to be sent to them in relation to the Offer should be in hard copy form.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT INTED TO, AND DOES NOT, CONSTITUTE OR FORM PART OF ANY OFFER OR INVITATION, OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER, TO PURCHASE, OTHERWISE ACQUIRE, SUBSCRIBE FOR, SELL OR OTHERWISE DISPOSE OF, ANY SECURITIES OR THE SOLICITATION OF ANY VOTE OR APPROVAL IN ANY JURISDICTION PURSUANT TO THE OFFER OR OTHERWISE NOR WILL THERE BE ANY SALE, ISSUANCE OR TRANSFER OF SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION IN CONTRAVENTION OF APPLICABLE LAW.

Overseas jurisdictions

The release, publication or distribution of this announcement in jurisdictions other than the United Kingdom may be restricted by law and therefore any persons who are subject to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the United Kingdom should inform themselves about, and observe, any applicable requirements. Any failure to comply with the applicable requirements may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. In particular, the ability of persons who are not resident in the United Kingdom to participate in the Offer may be affected by the laws of the relevant jurisdictions in which they are located. This announcement has been prepared for the purposes of complying with English law and with the Code and the information disclosed may not be the same as that which would have been disclosed if this announcement had been prepared in accordance with the laws and regulations of jurisdictions outside the United Kingdom.

The Offer is being implemented in accordance with applicable English law and is subject to the applicable requirements of the Code, the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules of the Financial Conduct Authority, the Panel and the rules of the London Stock Exchange (including the AIM Rules) and also, as a result of Hunt being a Canadian company listed on the TSX-V, with the applicable requirements of Canadian laws and the policies of the TSX-V.

Unless otherwise determined by Hunt or required by the Code, and permitted by applicable law and regulation, the Offer may not be made directly or indirectly, in or into, or by the use of (electronic) mail or any means or instrumentality (including, but not limited to, facsimile, e-mail or other electronic transmission, telex or telephone) of interstate or foreign commerce of, or of any facility of a national, state or other securities exchange of any Restricted Jurisdiction. Accordingly, copies of this announcement, the Scheme Document, the notices of Court Meeting and General Meeting, the Forms of Proxy and all other documents relating to the Offer are not being, and must not be, directly or indirectly, mailed or otherwise forwarded, distributed or sent in or into or from any Restricted Jurisdiction and persons receiving such documents (including custodians, nominees and trustees) must not mail or otherwise forward, distribute or send them in or into or from any Restricted Jurisdiction. All persons receiving this announcement (including, without limitation, custodians, nominees and trustees) should observe these restrictions and any applicable legal or regulatory requirements of their jurisdiction and must not mail or otherwise forward, send or distribute this announcement in, into or from any Restricted Jurisdiction. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the companies and persons involved in the Offer disclaim any responsibility or liability for the violation of such restrictions by any person.

The receipt of securities pursuant to the Offer by Overseas Shareholders may be a taxable transaction under applicable national, state and local, as well as foreign and other tax laws. Each Overseas Shareholder is urged to consult their independent professional adviser regarding the tax consequences of the Offer.

Further details in relation to Overseas Shareholders are contained in the Scheme Document.

Additional information for US investors

These materials are not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States (including its territories and possessions, any State of the United States and the District of Columbia). These materials do not constitute or form a part of any offer or solicitation to purchase or subscribe for securities in the United States.

The New Hunt Shares have not been and will not be registered under the US Securities Act of 1933 (the "US Securities Act") or under the securities laws of any State or other jurisdiction of the United States. Accordingly, the New Hunt Shares may not be offered, sold, resold, delivered, distributed or otherwise transferred, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States absent registration under the US Securities Act or an exemption therefrom. The New Hunt Shares to be issued pursuant to the Offer are expected to be issued in reliance upon the exemption from the registration requirements of the US Securities Act provided by Section 3(a)(10) thereof. There will be no public offer of New Hunt Shares in the United States.

Patagonia Gold is incorporated under the laws of England and Wales and Hunt is incorporated under the laws of British Columbia. All of the officers and directors of Patagonia Gold are residents of countries other than the United States. Whilst a majority of the officers and directors of Hunt are residents of the United States, it may not be possible to sue Patagonia Gold and Hunt in a non-US court for violations of US securities laws. It may also be difficult to compel Patagonia Gold, Hunt and their respective affiliates to subject themselves to the jurisdiction and judgment of a US court.

The Offer, implemented by way of the Scheme, is being made to acquire the entire issued and to be issued share capital of a company incorporated in England and Wales by way of a scheme of arrangement provided for under Part 26 of the Companies Act. A transaction effected by way of a scheme of arrangement is not subject to the proxy solicitation or tender offer rules under the US Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "US Exchange Act"). Accordingly, the Scheme is subject to the disclosure requirements, rules and practices applicable in the UK to schemes of arrangement and takeover offers, which differ from the disclosure requirements, style and format of US tender offer and proxy solicitation rules. If Hunt determines to extend the offer into the US, the Offer will be made in compliance with applicable US laws and regulations. Financial information included in the Scheme Document has been or will have been prepared in accordance with non-US accounting standards that may not be comparable to financial information of US companies or companies whose financial statements are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the US. However, if Hunt were to elect to implement the Offer by means of a contractual offer, rather than the Scheme, such offer will be made in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, including Section 14(e) of the US Exchange Act and Regulation 14E thereunder. Such offer would be made in the US by Hunt and no one else.

Neither the US Securities and Exchange Commission nor any securities commission of any state of the United States has approved or disapproved the Offer, nor have such authorities passed upon or determined the fairness of the Offer or the adequacy or accuracy of the information contained in this announcement. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offence in the United States.

If the Offer is required to be made in the US, it will be done in compliance with the applicable tender offer rules under the US Exchange Act.

Publication on websites and availability of hard copies

This announcement and the documents required to be published pursuant to Rule 26.1 of the Code will be available free of charge, subject to certain restrictions relating to persons resident in Restricted Jurisdictions, on Hunt's website at www.huntmining.com and on Patagonia Gold's website at www.patagoniagold.com by no later than 12.00 p.m. (London time) on the Business Day in London following this announcement.

Neither the content of any website referred to in this announcement nor the content of any website accessible from hyperlinks is incorporated into, or forms part of, this announcement.

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact [e-mail] or visit www.rns.com.

END

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July 22, 2019 05:30 ET (09:30 GMT)