Greatland Resources Ltd (AIM, ASX: GGP) has secured a $500 million debt package and formally approved development of its flagship Havieron gold-copper project, leaving the company fully funded to build what is expected to become one of Australia’s premier new gold-copper mines.
The financing package, provided by a syndicate comprising ANZ, ING, HSBC, NAB and Westpac, follows the recent receipt of key state and federal environmental approvals and marks a major milestone in Greatland’s transition from explorer to mine developer.
The debt facility consists of two revolving credit facilities totalling $475 million and a further $25 million contingent instrument facility for bank and performance guarantees. Facility A provides $250 million over five years, while Facility B provides an additional $225 million over seven years. The contingent instrument facility has already been partially utilised, with $17.87 million drawn as of 31 May.
Financial close has been achieved on Facility A and the contingent instrument facility, with Facility B expected to complete later this month following publication of an updated Telfer ore reserve estimate.
Combined with its existing cash resources, Greatland now has access to more than $1.7 billion of liquidity, including a net cash position exceeding $1.2 billion. Importantly, the facilities contain no mandatory hedging requirements, allowing the company to retain full exposure to future gold and copper prices.
Alongside the financing announcement, the board has approved the Final Investment Decision for Havieron, clearing the way for development to proceed once remaining secondary environmental approvals are secured.
According to the project’s feasibility study, Havieron will require approximately $1.065 billion of pre-production capital expenditure to first gold, followed by a further $673 million of expansion capital, much of which is expected to be funded through future operating cash flows.
Managing director Shaun Day described the financing and investment decision as transformational milestones for the company.
“The development of Havieron, alongside the successful delivery of Telfer life extensions, has the potential to underpin a multi-decade, world-class gold-copper mining hub in the Paterson Province,” he said.
Located adjacent to Greatland’s wholly owned Telfer operation in Western Australia’s Paterson Province, Havieron is expected to become the cornerstone of a long-life mining complex and one of the most significant new gold-copper developments in Australia.
