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Banro Announces Financing Package for up to US$90 Million

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Banro will have the right, following payment of an annual fee of US$200,000 and subject to certain conditions being satisfied, at any time on or before the fifth anniversary of the closing date of the issuance of the Initial Preferred Shares, which right may be exercised only once, to issue to BlackRock up to US$20,000,000 of additional preferred shares (the "Additional Preferred Shares") at an issue price per Additional Preferred Share equal to the dollar-equivalent value of approximately 0.015625 ounces of gold (subject to certain adjustments) on the date the Additional Preferred Shares are issued. If this additional issuance right is exercised, the annual dividend yield on the preferred shares will automatically increase by one percentage point (to a range of between 9% and 14%) and the early redemption premium on the preferred shares will also automatically increase to 3%. The Company may cancel its obligation to pay for, and its right to exercise, and BlackRock may cancel the Company's obligation to pay for, and its right to exercise, this additional issuance right once total cumulative gold production from the Company's existing properties (measured from the closing date of the Private Placement) reaches 400,000 ounces.

The net proceeds of the Private Placement are expected to be used for development capital expenditures and general corporate purposes.

Banro has engaged GMP Securities L.P. as its exclusive agent in connection with the Private Placement.

Assuming the satisfaction of the conditions precedent to closing, the issuance of the Initial Preferred Shares is expected to close on or about 28 February 2013. The Private Placement is subject to the approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Credit Facilities

Banro has also arranged credit facilities for US$30 million with two commercial banks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rawbank and Ecobank, each for US$15 million, and at rates of 9% and 8.5% interest respectively.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the preferred shares in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The preferred shares have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or the securities laws of any state of the United States and may not be offered or sold within the United States (as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to an exemption from such registration requirements.

Banro Corporation is a Canadian gold mining company focused on production from the Twangiza oxide mine and development of three additional major, wholly-owned gold projects, each with mining licenses, along the 210 kilometre long Twangiza-Namoya gold belt in the South Kivu and Maniema provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Led by a proven management team with extensive gold and African experience, Banro's plans include the construction of its second gold mine at Namoya, at the south end of this gold belt, as well as the development of two other projects, Lugushwa and Kamituga, in the central portion of the belt. The initial focus of the Company is on oxides, which have a low capital intensity to develop but also attract a lower technical and financial risk to the Company and as such maximize the return on capital and limits the dilution to shareholders as the Company develops this prospective gold belt. All business activities are followed in a socially and environmentally responsible manner.

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