Sonora Lithium Investment Update

Cadence Minerals PLC

16 November 2023

 

Cadence Minerals Plc

("Cadence Minerals", "Cadence", or "the Company")

Sonora Lithium Investment Update

Request for treaty negotiations with Mexico

Cadence Minerals (AIM/Aquis: KDNC) advises that the Company and its subsidiary REM Mexico Limited ("REMML") have issued a Request for Consultations and Negotiations ("Request") to the Government of Mexico under the United Kingdom-Mexico Bilateral Investment Treaty ("BIT").

The Request concerns the purported revocation of the mining concessions for the Sonora Lithium Project (the "Project") by the Mexican General Directorate of Mines as announced by Cadence on 31 August 2023, and related acts and omissions by Mexico. The affected concessions include those granted to Mexilit S.A. de CV ("Mexilit") and Minera Megalit S.A. de CV ("Megalit"), these being joint venture companies in which Cadence holds a 30% stake through REMML.

In their Request, Cadence and REMML have identified various BIT obligations that have been breached by Mexico, including Mexico's obligation not to unlawfully expropriate the investments of UK investors such as Cadence and REMML and its obligation to treat such investments fairly and equitably.

In accordance with Article 10 of the BIT, Cadence and REMML have requested consultations and negotiations with Mexico with a view to resolving the dispute amicably. The BIT provides for disputes to be resolved by international arbitration if they cannot be resolved by consultation and negotiation.

Cadence and REMML have engaged leading international law firm Clifford Chance as counsel for the BIT process. The Clifford Chance team representing Cadence and REMML specialise in mining-related investment treaty arbitration cases.

Cadence CEO Kiran Morzaria commented: "The team at Clifford Chance have many years of experience in mining-related investment treaty arbitration, and have successfully resolved similar cases in the past. With their guidance, we are hopeful that a constructive solution can be reached through consultations and negotiations with Mexico under the BIT. "

Background to Cadence Sonora Investments

Cadence holds an interest in the Sonora Lithium Project ("Project") via its 30% stake in each of  Mexilit  and Megalit.

Mexilit and Megalit form part of the Project. The Project consists of nine granted concessions. Two of the concessions (La Ventana and La Ventana 1) are owned 100% by subsidiaries of Ganfeng Lithium Group Co., Ltd ("Ganfeng"). El Sauz, El Sauz 1, El Sauz 2, Fleur and Fleur 1 concessions are owned by Mexilit, which is owned 70% by Ganfeng and 30% by Cadence. The Buenavista and San Gabriel concessions are owned by Megalit, which is owned 70% by Ganfeng and 30% by Cadence.

For further background to Cadence's investments in the Sonora Lithium Project, see the Company's RNS of 31 August 2023 ("Sonora Lithium Investment Update") here.

For further information contact:
Cadence Minerals plc	[phone]
Andrew Suckling
Kiran Morzaria
WH Ireland Limited (NOMAD & Broker)	[phone]
James Joyce
Darshan Patel
Fortified Securities - Joint Broker	[phone]
Guy Wheatley
Brand Communications	[phone]
Public & Investor Relations
Alan Green

Cautionary and Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this announcement are or may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as "believe", "could", "should", "envisage", "estimate", "intend", "may", "plan", "will", or the negative of those variations or comparable expressions including references to assumptions. These forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts but rather on the Directors' current expectations and assumptions regarding the company's future growth results of operations performance, future capital, and other expenditures (including the amount, nature, and sources of funding thereof) competitive advantages business prospects and opportunities. Such forward-looking statements reflect the Directors' current beliefs and assumptions and are based on information currently available to the Directors.  Many factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements, including risks associated with vulnerability to general economic and business conditions, competition, environmental and other regulatory changes actions by governmental authorities, the availability of capital markets reliance on key personnel uninsured and underinsured losses and other factors many of which are beyond the control of the company. Although any forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are based upon what the Directors believe to be reasonable assumptions. The company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements.

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the company to constitute Inside Information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulation (E.U.) No. 596/2014, as it forms part of U.K. domestic law under the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, as amended. Upon the publication of this announcement via a regulatory information service, this information is considered to be in the public domain.

 

END