Takeover Offer for World Titanium Resources Lim...

ASX, AIM and Media Release 23 December 2014 BASE RESOURCES LIMITED TAKEOVER OFFER FOR WORLD TITANIUM RESOURCES LIMITED KEY DETAILS * Offer of 1 Base Share for every 5 World Titanium Shares; * Offer represents a significant premium to the traded prices of World Titanium Shares during the period leading up to this announcement; * Subject to limited conditions including a 40% minimum acceptance condition; * Offer already supported (in the absence of a superior proposal) by World Titanium's largest institutional shareholder, JP Morgan Asset Management (UK) Limited, through a pre-bid acceptance agreement; and * On the basis the Offer is successful, Base will secure the Toliara Sands Project to complement its successful Kwale Project and position itself for future growth within the mineral sands industry. Base Resources Limited (ASX & AIM: BSE) ("Base" or the "Company"), the mid-tier East African mineral sands producer, is pleased to announce an off-market takeover offer ("Offer") for World Titanium Resources Limited (ASX:WTR) ("World Titanium"). The Offer is 1 Base ordinary share ("Base Share") for every 5 World Titanium ordinary shares ("World Titanium Shares"). Based on the ASX closing price of Base Shares on 22 December 2014 of 20.0 cents, the Offer values each World Titanium share at 4.0 cents. This represents a 60% premium to the closing price of World Titanium shares on the ASX on the same date of 2.5 cents. On the basis of the 1, 3 and 6 month volume weighted average prices of the shares traded in both companies on the ASX, the Offer represents premiums of 118%, 98% and 56% respectively. The Offer is subject to limited conditions, including (but not limited to): * 40% minimum acceptance; * World Titanium conducting its business in the ordinary course; and * no "prescribed occurrences" happening. Full details of these conditions are set out in Base's Bidder's Statement which has been sent to World Titanium and lodged with ASIC today. A copy of the Bidder's Statement is available on the Company's website:www.baseresources.com.au and the ASX website. The Offer is supported by World Titanium's largest institutional shareholder, JP Morgan Asset Management (UK) Limited. JP Morgan Asset Management (UK) Limited holds 7.7% of World Titanium and has entered into a pre-bid acceptance agreement with Base confirming that, in the absence of a superior proposal, it will accept the Offer within 5 business days of Base declaring it unconditional. Base believes that the support of JP Morgan Asset Management (UK) Limited should be seen as an endorsement of the merits in accepting the Offer for all World Titanium shareholders. Base notes that all four of the directors of World Titanium are representatives of World Titanium's existing largest shareholders, Boulle Titanium Limited (20.4% interest in World Titanium Shares) and Mineral Deposits Limited (19.1% interest in World Titanium Shares). In these circumstances, it has not been practical for Base to engage with the World Titanium board regarding the Offer in advance of this announcement. INDICATIVE TIMETABLE Base expects to send its Bidder's Statement, which will provide more information about the Offer, to World Titanium Shareholders on or around 6 January 2015. It is expected that the Offer will become open to acceptances on 6 January 2015 and that it will close on 7 February 2015 (unless extended). BENEFITS OF THE OFFER TO WORLD TITANIUM SHAREHOLDERS The directors of Base believe there are very compelling reasons for World Titanium shareholders to accept the Offer. In summary: * The Offer represents a significant premium to the market price for World Titanium Shares in the period prior to the announcement of the Offer; * World Titanium shareholders will become shareholders in a mid-tier East African focused mineral sands company which combines the successful Kwale Project in Kenya with the Toliara Sands Project in Madagascar; * World Titanium shareholders will gain exposure to the Base board and management team who have demonstrated their ability to deliver the successful Kwale Project; * World Titanium shareholders will become shareholders in a company which is capable of driving the development of the Toliara Sands Project, including arranging the required financing; * The Offer is already supported by World Titanium's largest institutional shareholder, JP Morgan Asset Management (UK) Limited; and * World Titanium shareholders will have access to a more liquid market for their holding. ABOUT WORLD TITANIUM World Titanium is an Australian incorporated ASX listed mineral sands company and as at 22 December 2014 had a market capitalisation of $9.0 million. World Titanium's core focus is the exploration and evaluation of its 100% owned Toliara Sands Project in Madagascar. Based on publically available information, the substantial shareholders of World Titanium are: SHAREHOLDER SHARES INTEREST Boulle Titanium Limited 73,725,060 20.4% Mineral Deposits Limited 69,138,124 19.1% JP Morgan Asset Management (UK) Limited 28,032,234 7.7% Blakeney LLP 25,586,488 7.1% BASE'S INTENTIONS Base is seeking to acquire World Titanium to secure ownership of the Toliara Sands Project. Through obtaining outright ownership or effective control of World Titanium, Base will extend its mineral sands project interests and diversify its project and geographical risk profiles. On securing control, Base would intend to initially explore the development options for the Toliara Sands Project and progress development on a timeline that is responsive to market conditions. IMPACT OF THE OFFER ON BASE The successful acquisition, or the securing of effective control, of World Titanium will result in Base becoming a larger East African-focused mineral sands player with: * a producing operation in Kenya with one of the highest revenue to cash cost ratios in the sector (Kwale Project); * a well-recognised development project in Madagascar (Toliara Sands Project); * an experienced board and management team with recent success in the financing and progression through to production of a significant mineral sands project in Africa; * a strong institutional shareholder base including a number of specialist global resource sector investment funds; and * Increased scale, market relevance and trading liquidity, with listings on both the ASX and the AIM market in London, positioning the Base Group to access ongoing institutional shareholder support to drive future growth. On successful completion of the Offer, World Titanium Shareholders will together hold approximately 11.4% of Base and will therefore retain exposure to World Titanium's Toliara Sands Project, while also enjoying the benefits of being a shareholder in an emerging mineral sands producer with a solid track record of achievement. Commenting on today's announcement, Managing Director, Tim Carstens said; `The Toliara Sands Project in Madagascar is a well-recognised large scale, high grade development opportunity. The success of the Kwale Mineral Sands operation provides a model and platform to bring an additional asset into our portfolio that presents us with a clear growth path in line with our strategy for building a sustainable and globally significant resources company." ADVISERS Base's corporate adviser on the Offer is RFC Ambrian Limited and its legal adviser is King & Wood Mallesons. A full PDF version of this announcement and the Bidders Statement is available from www.asx.com.au and on the Company's website at www.baseresources.com.au. For further enquiries contact: Base Resources Limited RFC Ambrian Limited Tim Carstens Stephen Allen Managing Director Executive Director Phone: +61 (0)8 9413 7400 Phone: +61 (0)8 9480 2500 RFC Ambrian Limited (Nominated Adviser and Broker) As Nominated Adviser As Broker Andrew Thomson or Trinity McIntyre Jonathan Williams Phone: +61 (0)8 9480 2500 Phone: +44 20 3440 6800 Africapractice (East Africa) (Kenyan Media Relations) David Maingi/ James Njuguna/Joan Kimani Phone: +254 (0)20 239 6899 Email: jkimani@africapractice.com Tavistock Communications (UK Media Relations) Jos Simson / Emily Fenton / Nuala Gallagher Phone: +44 (0) 207 920 3150 Cannings Purple (Australian Media Relations) Annette Ellis / Warrick Hazeldine Email: aellis@canningspurple.com.au whazeldine@canningspurple.com.au Phone: +61 (0)8 6314 6300 Corporate Details: Board of Directors: Andrew King Non-Executive Chairman Tim Carstens Managing Director Colin Bwye Executive Director Sam Willis Non-Executive Director Michael Anderson Non-Executive Director Mike Stirzaker Non-Executive Director Malcolm Macpherson Non-Executive Director Winton Willesee Company Secretary Principal & Registered Office: Contacts: Level 1 Email: info@baseresources.com.au 50 Kings Park Road Phone: +61 (0)8 9413 7400 West Perth Fax: +61 (0)8 9322 8912 WA 6005
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