MINING FINANCE / INVESTMENT

Gold ETF backed Gold Participating Bond scheme for resource finance

Canaccord Adams' London office has developed a financing option for gold producers offering low risk and a decent rate of return for investors with repayment by gold ETF.

LONDON -

In the opening presentation on Mining Journal's Gold Day, sponsor Steve Sharpe of investment banker Canaccord Adams' London office unveiled an innovative financing scheme which can be used to help raise finance for a gold related resource project . The idea behind what it calls a Gold Participating Bond, is a proprietary mechanism developed by Canaccord Adams that affords the investor full gold price exposure, whilst achieving a running yield, by circumventing conventional financial markets and pre-purchasing gold direct from the mining company, with settlement by way of a gold ETF (currently the Zurich Kantonal Bank's gold ETF).

The idea is that in effect the mining company issues the bond which is based on a maximum of 20% of the mine's annual gold production giving a strong degree of commercial safety. The bond is set on a fixed term and carries a set coupon - in the case of the example put forward by Sharpe at 8% per annum - and is repayable by the issuer (the mining company) in equal quarterly payments in the form of the gold ETF. Thus, in effect, the bond becomes a securitised gold loan repayable out of future production.

Sharpe told Mineweb that this is the kind of deal he used to structure when he worked for Rothschilds in London, although in those days the ETF element was not available.

He reckons the Gold Participating Bond will be of particular interest to funds looking for pure gold exposure, those already holding gold ETFs or those wishing to undertake a phased purchase of gold ETFs at a predetermined price, while carrying a good interest rate and with very limited risk.

http://www.mineweb.net/mineweb/view/mineweb/en/page67?oid=88872&sn=Detail

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