Franco-Nevada Acquires 1% Royalty On AngloGold's Arthur Gold Project In Nevada For $250M

Author: Benzinga Newsdesk | July 23, 2025 08:37pm

TORONTO, July 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Franco-Nevada Corporation ("Franco-Nevada" or the "Company") (TSX:FNV) & (NYSE:FNV) is pleased to announce that its wholly-owned subsidiary has acquired an existing 1.0% net smelter return royalty (the "Royalty") on AngloGold Ashanti plc's ("AngloGold") Arthur Gold Project (previously the Expanded Silicon Project) from Altius Minerals Corporation ("Altius") for $250 million in cash, plus a contingent cash payment of $25 million payable subject to the achievement of certain conditions as described below. The Arthur Gold Project is one of the largest and fastest growing new gold discoveries in the United States. The ongoing drill program expanded the resource by 20% year over year, taking the most recently stated gold Mineral Resource base to 3.4 million ounces of Indicated Mineral Resources and 12.9 million ounces of Inferred Mineral Resources.

"We are pleased to acquire this existing Royalty on the Arthur Gold Project, which is one of the most exciting new gold discoveries in Nevada," said Paul Brink, President & CEO of Franco-Nevada. "AngloGold, a tier-1 operator, has been rapidly growing the resource base at Arthur since its initial discovery in 2018. This acquisition will further add to our portfolio of Nevada royalties, and we look forward to the long-term growth potential of the asset and the overall district as AngloGold continues to advance the project."

Transaction Highlights

• Royalty on a Tier-1 gold asset in Nevada: The Royalty applies to a substantial land package in the Beatty District of Nevada covering the vast majority of the existing Mineral Resource of the Arthur Gold Project (including both Merlin and Silicon deposits) within a base area of interest with no step-downs or buydown provisions, providing the potential for decades of stable gold cash flow once in production. The ongoing arbitration will determine the extent of the expanded royalty footprint, which is expected to expand by several multiples upon the area encompassed by the base area of interest to include substantially all of the existing Mineral Resource of the Arthur Gold Project and providing further exposure to the large and highly prospective land package1.
• Extensive Mineral Endowment with Exploration Potential: The Arthur Gold Project has a large and rapidly growing Mineral Resource base across the Merlin and Silicon deposits for a total of 3.4 Moz of gold Indicated Mineral Resources (122 Mt at 0.87 g/t Au) and 12.9 Moz of gold Inferred Mineral Resources (391 Mt at 1.03 g/t Au). The project is one of Nevada's most exciting new discoveries with Mineral Resources having grown rapidly since first discovery in 2018 and the maiden Resource estimate in 2021. AngloGold has completed 430 km of drilling as of year-end 2024, inclusive of 132 km of drilling completed in 2024 with two reverse circulation and seven diamond core rigs.
• Project Advancing Under Strong Operator: AngloGold is currently focused on advancing a PFS for the project with expected completion by the end of 2025 or early 2026. The Arthur Gold Project is envisioned as a large oxide project with both heap leach and milling operations. The project is a Tier-1 opportunity for AngloGold. In addition to completing a PFS, key priorities for AngloGold in 2025 include advancing further infill drilling, a potential upgrade in resources to reserves, and executing strategic land and water rights acquisitions.

Key Transaction Terms

• Franco-Nevada has acquired the 1.0% NSR royalty from Altius for $250 million, with a further $25 million in cash payable dependent upon the final award outcome of an ongoing arbitration process between Altius and AngloGold that confirms that the full extent of the royalty beyond the base area of interest is substantially consistent with that of Altius' interpretation of a partial award of the arbitration tribunal that it reported on earlier this year.
• The transaction was structured as an asset sale and Franco-Nevada will deplete the full purchase price on a units of production basis for tax depletion purposes.
• Funding of the transaction was completed with cash on hand, and a $175 million draw from the Company's $1 billion corporate credit facility.
• Altius holds the remaining 0.5% NSR royalty, with respect to which Franco-Nevada has been granted certain pre-emptive rights on a sale by Altius.

Posted In: FNV TSX:FNV