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Cadence Minerals Plc – Sonora lithium investment update – Request for treaty negotiations with Mexico

Cadence Minerals Plc – Sonora lithium investment update – Request for treaty negotiations with Mexico

by Cadence Minerals Plc ("Cadence Minerals", "Cadence", or "the Company")

Cadence Minerals (AIM/Aquis: KDNC) advises that the Company and its subsidiary REM Mexico Limited ("REMML") have issued a Request for Consultations and Negotiations ("Request") to the Government of Mexico under the United Kingdom-Mexico Bilateral Investment Treaty ("BIT").

The Request concerns the purported revocation of the mining concessions for the Sonora Lithium Project (the "Project") by the Mexican General Directorate of Mines as announced by Cadence on 31 August 2023, and related acts and omissions by Mexico. The affected concessions include those granted to Mexilit S.A. de CV ("Mexilit") and Minera Megalit S.A. de CV ("Megalit"), these being joint venture companies in which Cadence holds a 30% stake through REMML.

In their Request, Cadence and REMML have identified various BIT obligations that have been breached by Mexico, including Mexico’s obligation not to unlawfully expropriate the investments of UK investors such as Cadence and REMML and its obligation to treat such investments fairly and equitably.

In accordance with Article 10 of the BIT, Cadence and REMML have requested consultations and negotiations with Mexico with a view to resolving the dispute amicably. The BIT provides for disputes to be resolved by international arbitration if they cannot be resolved by consultation and negotiation.

Cadence and REMML have engaged leading international law firm Clifford Chance as counsel for the BIT process. The Clifford Chance team representing Cadence and REMML specialise in mining-related investment treaty arbitration cases.

Cadence CEO Kiran Morzaria commented: "The team at Clifford Chance have many years of experience in mining-related investment treaty arbitration, and have successfully resolved similar cases in the past. With their guidance, we are hopeful that a constructive solution can be reached through consultations and negotiations with Mexico under the BIT. "

Background to Cadence Sonora Investments

Cadence holds an interest in the Sonora Lithium Project ("Project") via its 30% stake in each of Mexilit and Megalit.

Mexilit and Megalit form part of the Project. The Project consists of nine granted concessions. Two of the concessions (La Ventana and La Ventana 1) are owned 100% by subsidiaries of Ganfeng Lithium Group Co., Ltd ("Ganfeng"). El Sauz, El Sauz 1, El Sauz 2, Fleur and Fleur 1 concessions are owned by Mexilit, which is owned 70% by Ganfeng and 30% by Cadence. The Buenavista and San Gabriel concessions are owned by Megalit, which is owned 70% by Ganfeng and 30% by Cadence.

For further background to Cadence’s investments in the Sonora Lithium Project, see the Company’s RNS of 31 August 2023 ("Sonora Lithium Investment Update") here.