The Neal Project in Idaho, USA. Source: Pure Nickel Inc.
Pure Nickel Inc. [NIC-TSXV; PNCKF-OTC] said Tuesday April 30 that it has signed a deal with a numbered company controlled by Eric Sprott that outlines the arm’s length terms for the acquisition by Pure Nickel of a 51% interest in the Neal Development Ltd. Partnership from Sprott Mining, and the option to acquire an additional 27% of the Neal LP and seven unpatented mining claims.
The Neal LP holds a lease to operate the Neal Project, a gold project consisting of five patented and seven unpatented lode mining claims located 27 km southeast of Boise, Idaho.
The Neal Project site was the most productive gold producer in the Neal Mining District, with underground production from 1889 through 1941, sourced mainly from the Hidden Treasure, Homestake and Daisy mines.
According to the US Bureau of Mines records, the Neal Mining District is estimated to have reported production of at least 30,000 ounces of gold, mostly from the Neal property.
Pure Nickel shares jumped 200% or $0.02 to $0.03 on volume of 4.5 million on Tuesday, making the junior the most actively traded stock on the TSX Ventures Exchange. The shares trade in a 52-week range of $0.01 and $0.03.
There are currently 200 outstanding limited partnership units in Neal LP, of which Sprott Mining owns 142. It has the option to acquire another 54 units (total 196 units or 98% of the units.). Four units are held by a separate party.
Under the agreement, Pure Nickel will acquire 102 units of Neal [51%] by issuing 10.2 million shares to Sprott Mining, an amount that represents 15% of the issued and outstanding shares of Pure Nickel. Once the deal is complete, Pure Nickel becomes the operator of the Neal Project.
Pure Nickel will have an earn-in option to acquire an additional 54 units [27%] of Neal LP and seven unpatented mining claims by raising up to $1.5 million for exploration drilling. On completion of this future financing, Pure Nickel has the option to pay Sprott Mining $84,706 ($1,568.63 per unit) causing Sprott Mining to exercise its option to acquire the remaining 54 units and assign them to Pure Nickel.
Sprott will also transfer its interest in the seven unpatented mining claims to Pure Nickel. Once the earn-in option is fully exercised, Pure Nickel will own 156 units or 78% of Neal LP, leaving Sprott with 40 units or 20%. A separate party will continue to hold the remaining four units or 2%
The Neal LP currently leases the core patented private property at the Neal Project from Daisy Mining & Land, LLP, and the underlying claim holders. Under the lease agreement, Neal LP may remove, extract, ship and sell ores, minerals and materials from the property.
In exchange, Daisy Mining will be entitled to receive lease payments equal to $3 per ton for all material removed from the property.
If the annual lease payment is less than $10,000, Neal LP will pay Daisy Mining as cash top-up to meet the $10,000 annual payment minimum. Daisy Mining will also receive production payments on any production in the form of a 3% net smelter royalty.
“We are very pleased that Eric Sprott has agreed to allow Pure Nickel to become the operating partner at the Neal Project, while at the same time becoming a significant shareholder of the company,” said Pure Nickel’s President and CEO David Russell.