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Saturday, March 28, 1998

St. Geneviève, KWG blame Bre-X

Mining juniors struggle to survive market conditions and 'unauthorized borrowings'

By PAUL BAGNELL
Mining Reporter The Financial Post

High noon for Bre-X

Barrick knew Busang claims false, lawsuit says

Junior mining affiliates St. Geneviève Resources Ltd. and KWG Resources Ltd., which collapsed in financial chaos when millions of dollars of unauthorized bank withdrawals came to light in November, are now blaming their woes on the Bre-X scandal.
The companies, both vehicles of Montreal-based mining promoter Pierre Gauthier, reported 1997 losses of $196 million on Friday. Gauthier, meanwhile, got a raise of $105,743, taking home $255,743.
The companies have been under creditor protection since late November, when they revealed $21 million in "unauthorized borrowings" from two affiliates, with the proceeds diverted to a Russian gold mine.
KWG

Montreal-based Emerging Africa Gold Corp. had $15.3 million taken without the knowledge of its directors. Genoil Inc., a Calgary oil and gas exploration junior, had $5.2 million withdrawn.
On Friday, St. Geneviève said it had a loss of $92.1 million ($1.10 a share) on revenue of $3.4 million in 1997. KWG lost $103.9 million ($2.97) on revenue of $400,000. Both companies blamed $150 million in writedowns on their mining properties and other investments.
St. Geneviève said the writedowns were forced by "market conditions, namely the price of common and precious metals and the aftermaths of Bre-X." Bre-X Minerals Ltd.'s Busang gold project was proven to be a hoax on May 4.
St. Genevieve

Together, KWG and St. Geneviève raised $57 million in equity financings in 1996. A further $21 million was raised by Far East Gold Inc., which owned the Russian gold mine now at the centre of Gauthier's group. KWG acquired 100% of Far East in a reverse takeover in late 1996. Today, the firms are scrambling to stay alive.
They are offering to give creditors shares of St. Geneviève in exchange for cancelling $28.1 million in debts. They are also seeking support for a proposed $30-million rights offering to shareholders.
Genoil, meanwhile, has sold 50% and control of itself to Beau Canada Exploration Ltd.
St. Geneviève has pledged to repay the $5.6 million it owes Genoil by April 1, 1999, at an interest rate set at 1% above prime. It also owes another $6.5 million to "various third parties."
On Dec. 8, when KWG and St. Geneviève announced a restructuring they said part of the plan would be "a reduction of the salaries of remaining senior management." Gauthier, however, has escaped that fate.
St. Geneviève's management circular shows that, while his salary was cut to $75,743 from $150,000 in 1996, his wholly owned company Gencap Inc. was paid $180,000 for "management services." No such fee was paid in 1996 or 1995.
The Toronto Stock Exchange halted trading of both companies on Nov. 27. They were suspended on Dec. 5. Both now trade without daily quotations on the over-the-counter Canadian Dealing Network.