{"text":[[{"start":7.36,"text":"Glencore has joined a bid for control of sanctions-hit Sherritt International, challenging a Donald Trump-linked family office for a Canadian miner that operates North America’s only significant cobalt refinery."}],[{"start":19.9,"text":"The push to secure refining capacity of strategic metals outside China has put the company at the centre of a scrap between the plant’s potential new owners."}],[{"start":28.58,"text":"Sherritt holds a 50 per cent stake in Moa, a 50:50 joint venture with Cuba’s state-owned General Nickel Company. The joint venture’s assets include the Canadian refinery and the Moa nickel-cobalt mine in Cuba."}],[{"start":41.8,"text":"The winning party in the battle to control Sherritt, which will take effect through a refinancing, will need to get around sanctions on Cuba, which have led Sherritt to freeze the joint venture."}],[{"start":51.08,"text":"The Glencore-backed consortium also includes London-based investment manager Kyma Capital, Brevan Howard co-founder Trifon Natsis and an unnamed US “anchor” investor."}],[{"start":61.66,"text":"It has proposed injecting fresh equity through a US-domiciled vehicle that would hold at least 55 per cent of Sherritt on a fully diluted basis."}],[{"start":70.28,"text":"The unnamed investor is a well-known US family office with no government connection, according to a person familiar with the proposal."}],[{"start":78.04,"text":"The other party pushing to recapitalise Sherritt is Gillon Capital, the family office of Ray Washburne, a Republican fundraiser and former Trump official."}],[{"start":87.44,"text":"Sherritt is trying to raise the funds needed to restart its Fort Saskatchewan refinery in Alberta, where operations stopped in June after its remaining feed was exhausted. “The shutdown will continue until mining and processing activities at Moa resume and the refinery feed pipeline is rebuilt,” Sherritt said in June."}],[{"start":105.4,"text":"The plant is the only significant cobalt refinery and one of three nickel refineries in North America."}],[{"start":111.76,"text":"Sherritt’s crisis began in May after Trump expanded US sanctions against Cuba to include the Moa joint venture. Sherritt suspended its direct participation in its Cuban ventures and repatriated staff, and since May 7 has lost access to cash held in the Moa joint venture."}],[{"start":128.16,"text":"Sherritt’s chief financial officer, Yasmin Gabriel, auditor Deloitte and three directors subsequently resigned."}],[{"start":135.32,"text":"The sanctions also put it at risk of defaulting on a loan of $57mn as the lender has the right to demand repayment."}],[{"start":142.9,"text":"The consortium said it would “preserve and enhance” Fort Saskatchewan and establish a sanctions-compliant route for the business to supply North American critical minerals markets."}],[{"start":152.92,"text":"Glencore is expected to seek marketing and offtake rights, although its capital contribution and commercial rights have not been disclosed, the person said. In the first quarter, the plant produced just over 200 tonnes of cobalt and almost 1,900 tonnes of nickel."}],[{"start":168.48,"text":"Glencore declined to comment."}],[{"start":171.12,"text":"Under Gillon’s nonbinding term sheet, the family office would receive a warrant allowing it to acquire enough shares to own 55 per cent of Sherritt."}],[{"start":180.08,"text":"Sherritt announced the Gillon agreement on May 20, one day after reversing a plan to dissolve or disclaim its Cuban interests."}],[{"start":187.921,"text":"The US state department has told both the rival consortium and Gillon that it and the Treasury do not object to negotiations with Sherritt. Neither communication amounts to approval of a completed transaction."}],[{"start":199.46,"text":"A spokesperson for Sherritt said it “welcomes all expressions of interest and will continue to actively explore all possibilities for the benefit of stakeholders, consistent with its contractual commitments”."}],[{"start":210.08,"text":"Gillon did not immediately respond to a request for comment."}],[{"start":217.56,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1786418001_2218.mp3"}