ARIS MINING TO ACQUIRE REMAINING 49% OF SOTO NORTE, SECURING 100% OWNERSHIP AND ADVANCING A CLEAR PATH TO 1 Moz/year
Rhea-AI Summary
Aris Mining (NYSE-A: ARMN) entered a binding term sheet to acquire the remaining 49% of the Soto Norte joint venture from Mubadala for US$80 million (US$60M cash + 1,739,130 shares at US$11.50). The deal terminates the associated precious metals stream and is expected to close by early December 2025, subject to documentation and closing conditions.
The acquisition increases Aris Mining's proven & probable reserves from 6.9 Moz to 9.1 Moz (+32.8%) and measured & indicated resources from 18.3 Moz to 21.7 Moz (+18.8%). Soto Norte PFS shows after-tax NPV5% US$2.7B (base $2,600/oz), IRR 35.4%, initial capex US$625M and average annual gold production ~263 koz (years 2–10).
Positive
- Transaction value US$80M (US$60M cash + 1,739,130 shares)
- Proven & probable reserves +32.8% (6.9 Moz to 9.1 Moz)
- Measured & indicated resources +18.8% (18.3 Moz to 21.7 Moz)
- Soto Norte NPV5% increases by US$1.3B to US$2.7B at $2,600/oz
Negative
- Initial capital for Soto Norte US$625M
- Projected production includes inferred resources and PEA-based Toroparu, which are uncertain
- Deal closing is subject to final documentation and customary conditions
News Market Reaction
On the day this news was published, ARMN declined 3.89%, reflecting a moderate negative market reaction. Our momentum scanner triggered 2 alerts that day, indicating moderate trading interest and price volatility. This price movement removed approximately $97M from the company's valuation, bringing the market cap to $2.40B at that time.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Neil Woodyer, CEO of Aris Mining, commented: "With
Strategic Rationale
-
Strengthened project pipeline: With Segovia, Marmato and Toroparu advancing, full ownership of Soto Norte positions Aris Mining to become a 1,000,000-ounce-per-year gold producer2. Soto Norte is a key long-term growth asset that complements the ongoing expansions at
Segovia and Marmato inColombia and the near-term advancement of Toroparu inGuyana , which is expected to be construction-ready following completion of the PFS next year. -
Full alignment and strategic control:
100% ownership enhances Aris Mining's ability to advance Soto Norte as a core long-term growth asset. - Highly accretive transaction on a per-share basis: The transaction structure results in a material increase in the Company's total attributable gold mineral reserves and resources on a per share basis as well as NAV accretion.
|
|
Pre-transaction
( |
Post-transaction
( |
INCREASE |
|
Total Mineral Reserves (Moz) - proven & probable |
6.9 |
9.1 |
32.8 % |
|
Total Mineral Resources (Moz) - measured & indicated |
18.3 |
21.7 |
18.8 % |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Soto Norte Project NPV (US$) at |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aris Mining - issued shares (millions) |
202.8 |
204.5 |
0.8 % |
|
___________________________________________ |
Soto Norte Overview
Aris Mining first acquired a
Soto Norte Project Highlights (
Balanced Development Strategy for a High-Grade Underground Mine
- Designed mill capacity of 3,500 tpd, including the 750 tpd dedicated to local community miners – a scale that supports attractive investment returns and extends mine life to 22+ years.
- Measured and indicated mineral resources of 39.0 million tonnes at 5.55 g/t Au containing 7.0 million ounces (Moz) gold, including
- Proven and probable mineral reserves of 20.3 million tonnes at 7.00 g/t Au containing 4.6 Moz gold, supporting a 22-year initial mine life at an owner-mining rate of 2,750 tpd.
- Production of concentrates for export containing 4.3 Moz gold, 18.8 Moz silver, and 84.0 million pounds (Mlb) of copper over the life of mine.
- Average annual gold production (years 2 to 10) of 263 thousand ounces (koz).
- Average annual gold production (years 1 to 21) of 203 koz.
Profitability and Cash Flow Generation
- Base case gold price:
/oz, supporting life-of-mine payable gold sales of$2,600 .$10.4 billion - Initial capital of
, including pre-production costs, value added tax (VAT) and contingency.$625 million - After-tax NPV
5% of , IRR of$2.7 billion 35.4% , and payback in 2.3 years from the start of operations. - Low life-of-mine cash costs4 of
/oz Au and all-in-sustaining costs (AISC) of$345 /oz Au.$534 - Significant by-product credits from copper and silver.
- Annual EBITDA averaging
over years 2 to 10 and$547 million over years 1 to 21.$410 million - Life-of-mine income tax and royalty contributions of
and$2.6 billion , respectively.$393 million - Strong leverage to higher gold prices, at
/oz the NPV$3,200 5% increases to with IRR of$3.6 billion 42.1% .
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___________________________________________ |
Aris Mining's Consolidated Mineral Reserves and Resources
Table 1: Consolidated Mineral Reserves and Resources – Post Transaction
|
Property |
Proven |
Probable |
Proven & Probable |
||||||
|
|
Tonnes |
Gold grade |
Contained |
Tonnes |
Gold |
Contained |
Tonnes |
Gold |
Contained |
|
Marmato |
2,196 |
4.31 |
304 |
29,082 |
3.08 |
2,874 |
31,277 |
3.16 |
3,178 |
|
Soto Norte ( |
2,600 |
8.78 |
734 |
17,700 |
6.72 |
3,824 |
20,300 |
7.00 |
4,569 |
|
|
1,886 |
11.25 |
682 |
1,989 |
10.33 |
660 |
3,875 |
10.78 |
1,343 |
|
Total |
|
|
1,720 |
|
|
7,358 |
|
|
9,090 |
Notes: Totals may not add due to rounding. Mineral reserve estimates for Soto Norte represent the portion of mineral reserves attributable to Aris Mining based on its
|
Property |
Measured |
Indicated |
Measured & Indicated |
Inferred |
|||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Tonnes |
Gold |
Contained |
Tonnes |
Gold |
Contained |
Tonnes |
Gold |
Contained |
Tonnes |
Gold |
Contained |
|||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
Marmato |
2.8 |
6.04 |
545 |
58.7 |
2.89 |
5,452 |
61.5 |
3.03 |
5,997 |
35.6 |
2.43 |
2,787 |
|||||||||||
|
Soto Norte ( |
3.8 |
7.99 |
976 |
35.2 |
5.29 |
5,987 |
39.0 |
5.55 |
6,959 |
25.1 |
4.81 |
3,882 |
|||||||||||
|
|
3.6 |
16.03 |
1,875 |
2.9 |
16.07 |
1,521 |
6.6 |
16.05 |
3,396 |
5.1 |
15.38 |
2,541 |
|||||||||||
|
Toroparu |
48.5 |
1.31 |
2,038 |
78.4 |
1.30 |
3,272 |
126.9 |
1.30 |
5,310 |
22.9 |
1.60 |
1,177 |
|||||||||||
|
Total |
|
|
5,434 |
|
|
16,232 |
|
|
21,662 |
|
|
10,387 |
|||||||||||
Notes: Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral resource estimates are reported inclusive of mineral reserves. Totals may not add due to rounding. Mineral resource estimates for Soto Norte represent the portion of mineral resources attributable to Aris Mining based on its
Unless otherwise indicated, the mineral resource and reserve estimates, scientific disclosure, and technical information included in this news release are based upon information included in the following documents and NI 43-101 compliant technical reports:
- Technical report entitled "Technical Report for the Marmato Gold Mine, Caldas Department,
Colombia , PFS of the Lower Mine Expansion Project" dated November 23, 2022 with an effective date of June 30, 2022. - Technical report entitled "NI 43-101 Technical Report Prefeasibility Study for the Soto Norte Project, Santander,
Colombia ", dated September 3, 2025 with an effective date of August 18, 2025. - Technical report entitled "NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Segovia Operations, Antioquia,
Colombia " dated December 5, 2023 with an effective date of September 30, 2023. - Technical report entitled "NI 43-101 Technical Report Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Toroparu Project, Cuyuni-Mazaruni Region,
Guyana " dated October 28, 2025 with an effective date of October 21, 2025. - News release of the Company dated October 7, 2024 and entitled "ARIS MINING REPORTS Q3 2024 GOLD PRODUCTION, UPDATES
SEGOVIA RESERVE AND RESOURCE ESTIMATES AND EXPANSION MILESTONES".
All of the technical reports referenced in this news release are available for review on the Company's website at www.aris-mining.com, on the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca, and in the Company's filings with the SEC at www.sec.gov.
About Aris Mining
Founded in September 2022, Aris Mining was established with a vision to build a leading
Aris Mining operates two underground gold mines in
In
Aris Mining also holds a
Additional information on Aris Mining can be found at www.aris-mining.com, www.sedarplus.ca, and on www.sec.gov.
Cautionary Language
Qualified Person
Pamela De Mark, P.Geo., Senior Vice President Geology and Exploration of Aris Mining, is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, and has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
Cash costs ($ per oz sold), AISC ($ per oz sold) and EBITDA are non-GAAP financial measures and ratios. These financial measures and ratios do not have any standardized meaning prescribed under IFRS or by Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) in
Forward-Looking Information
This news release contains "forward-looking information" or forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding Soto Norte as one of the most compelling and attractive projects in
Forward looking information and forward looking statements, while based on management's best estimates and assumptions, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Aris Mining to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or forward looking statements, including but not limited to those factors discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in Aris Mining's annual information form dated March 12, 2025 which is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and included as part of the Company's Annual report on Form 40-F, filed with the SEC at www.sec.gov.
Although Aris Mining has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information and forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information or statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information or statements. The Company has and continues to disclose in its Management's Discussion and Analysis and other publicly filed documents, changes to material factors or assumptions underlying the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements and to the validity of the information, in the period the changes occur. The forward-looking statements and forward-looking information are made as of the date hereof and Aris Mining disclaims any obligation to update any such factors or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements or forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information.
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SOURCE Aris Mining Corporation