(h) | Acquisition of Additional Royalty on Castle Mountain – California, U.S. |
On May 2, 2022, the Company, through a wholly-owned subsidiary, acquired an existing 2% NSR on gold and silver produced from the Pacific Clay claims, which comprise a portion of the JSLA pit of Equinox Gold Corp.’s Castle Mountain project in San Bernardino County, California, for $6.0 million. When combined with the Company’s 2.65% NSR on the broader Castle Mountain land position, the Company now has an effective 4.65% NSR on the Pacific Clay claims.
The transaction has been accounted for as an acquisition of a mineral royalty interest.
(i) | Acquisition of Royalty on Caserones (Chile) and Private Placement with EMX Royalty Corporation |
On April 14, 2022, the Company agreed to acquire, through a wholly-owned subsidiary, an effective 0.4582% NSR on JX Nippon Mining & Metals Group’s producing Caserones copper-molybdenum mine located in the Atacama Region of northern Chile for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $37.4 million. To purchase its interest in the Caserones royalty, Franco-Nevada acquired shares in Socieded Legal Minera California Una de la Sierra Peña Negra (“SLM California”). SLM California is a privately held entity whose purpose is to pay Chilean taxes in respect of and distribute proceeds from the Caserones royalty to its shareholders. Franco-Nevada was entitled to royalty payments in respect of the period commencing January 1, 2022.
Franco-Nevada has accounted for the transaction as an acquisition of a mineral royalty interest.
The Company also completed a private placement with EMX Royalty Corporation (“EMX”), acquiring 3,812,121 units of EMX at C$3.30 per unit for a total cost of $10.0 million (C$12.6 million). Each unit consists of one common share of EMX and one warrant to purchase one common share of EMX over five years at an exercise price of C$4.45. EMX used the proceeds from the private placement to acquire an NSR on the Caserones mine on similar terms as Franco-Nevada.
The EMX common shares are accounted for as equity investments designated at FVTOCI.
(j) | Acquisition of Mineral Rights with Continental Resources, Inc. – U.S. |
The Company, through a wholly-owned subsidiary, has a strategic relationship with Continental to acquire, through a jointly-owned entity (the “Royalty Acquisition Venture”), royalty rights within Continental’s areas of operation.
Franco-Nevada recorded contributions to the Royalty Acquisition Venture of $12.2 million in 2022 (2021 – $22.4 million). In the first half of the year, following weak commodity prices, Franco-Nevada and Continental agreed to reduce the pace of their capital funding commitments to the Royalty Acquisition Venture. As at December 31, 2022, the total cumulative investment in the Royalty Acquisition Venture totaled $440.6 million and Franco-Nevada has remaining commitments of up to $79.4 million. Accounts payable at December 31, 2022 include $3.1 million (2021 - $1.7 million) of contributions disbursed after year-end.
The Royalty Acquisition Venture is accounted for as a joint operation in accordance with IFRS 11.
(k) | Investment in Skeena Resources Limited (Eskay Creek) – Canada |
On December 23, 2021, for the aggregate purchase price of $17.2 million (C$22.1 million): (i) the Company acquired 1,471,739 common shares of Skeena, (ii) Skeena and Franco-Nevada entered into an amendment to the terms of their existing 1% NSR royalty agreement such that Franco-Nevada’s amended royalty will cover substantially all of the Eskay Creek land package, including all currently known mineralized zones, and (iii) Skeena granted Franco-Nevada a right of first refusal (the “ROFR”) over the sale of a 0.5% NSR royalty (the “0.5% NSR Royalty”) on Eskay Creek. The ROFR was terminated when Franco-Nevada acquired the additional 0.5% NSR on December 30, 2022, as detailed in Note 4 (c) above.
The transaction has been accounted for as an acquisition of a mineral royalty interest. The Skeena common shares are accounted for as equity investments designated at FVTOCI.
(l) | Acquisition of Additional Royalty on Rosemont/Copper World – U.S. |
On November 26, 2021, the Company, through a wholly-owned subsidiary, acquired from certain private sellers an existing 0.585% NSR royalty interest on Hudbay Minerals Inc.’s (“Hudbay”) Rosemont copper project. With the acquisition of this royalty, which has identical terms as the Company’s existing 1.5% NSR royalty and covers the same land package, including most of the Copper World deposits, Franco-Nevada now has a 2.085% NSR over the project.
The total consideration for the 0.585% NSR royalty interest was $19.5 million payable as follows: (i) $7.0 million paid on closing of the transaction and (ii) up to $12.5 million in contingent payments upon achievement of certain milestones at Rosemont and/or the Copper World deposits.
The transaction has been accounted for as an acquisition of a mineral royalty interest. The contingent payments will be capitalized as part of the cost of the royalty interest if and when the underlying obligating events have occurred.