Exhibit 10.1
EXECUTION COPY
APEX SILVER MINES
LIMITED
6,375,000 Ordinary Shares
($.01 par value)
Underwriting Agreement
New York, New York
April 6, 2006
Harris Nesbitt Corp.
As Representative of the several
Underwriters
c/o Harris Nesbitt Corp.
3 Times Square
New York, NY 10036
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Apex Silver Mines Limited, a Cayman
Islands company (the “Company”), proposes to sell to
the several underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the
“Underwriters”), for whom you (the
“Representative”) are acting as representative,
6,375,000 Ordinary Shares, $.01 per share par value
(“Ordinary Shares”) of the Company (said shares to be
issued and sold by the Company being hereinafter called the
“Securities”). To the extent there are no additional
Underwriters listed on Schedule I other than you, the term
Representative as used herein shall mean you, as Underwriter, and
the terms Representative and Underwriters shall mean either the
singular or plural as the context requires. The use of the neuter
in this Agreement shall include the feminine and masculine wherever
appropriate. Any reference herein to the Registration Statement,
the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Final
Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents
incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3
which were filed under the Exchange Act on or before the Effective
Date of the Registration Statement or the issue date of the Base
Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus, as
the case may be; and any reference herein to the terms
“amend,” “amendment” or
“supplement” with respect to the Registration
Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the
Final Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing
of any document under the Exchange Act after the Effective Date of
the Registration Statement or the issue date of the Base
Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus, as
the case may be, deemed to be incorporated therein by reference.
Certain terms used herein are defined in Section 19
hereof.
1.
Representations and
Warranties. The Company
represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter as
set forth below in this Section 1.
(a)
The Company meets the requirements
for use of Form S-3 under the Act and has prepared and filed with
the Commission a shelf registration statement (file number
333-117205), including a related Base Prospectus, for registration
under the Act of the offering and sale of the Securities. Such
Registration Statement, including any amendments thereto filed
prior to the Execution Time, has become effective. The Company may
have filed with the Commission, as part of an amendment to the
Registration Statement or pursuant to Rule 424(b), one or more
preliminary prospectus supplements relating to the Securities, each
of which has previously been furnished to you. The Company will
file with the Commission a final prospectus supplement relating to
the Securities in accordance with Rule 424(b). As filed, such final
prospectus supplement shall contain all information required by the
Act and the rules thereunder, and, except to the extent the
Representative shall agree in writing to a modification, shall be
in all substantive respects in the form furnished to you prior to
the Execution Time or, to the extent not completed at the Execution
Time, shall contain only such specific additional information and
other changes (beyond that contained in the Base Prospectus and any
Preliminary Prospectus) as the Company has advised you, prior to
the Execution Time, will be included or made therein. The
Registration Statement, at the Execution Time, meets the
requirements set forth in Rule 415(a)(1)(x).
(b)
On each Effective Date, the
Registration Statement did, and when the Final Prospectus is first
filed in accordance with Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date
(as defined herein), the Final Prospectus (and any supplement
thereto) will, comply in all material respects with the applicable
requirements of the Act, the Exchange Act and the respective rules
thereunder; on each Effective Date and at the Execution Time, the
Registration Statement did not and will not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the
statements therein not misleading; and on the date of any filing
pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date, the Final
Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) will not include
any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading; provided , however , that the Company
makes no representations or warranties as to the information
contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or the
Final Prospectus (or any supplement thereto) in reliance upon and
in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company
by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representative
specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement or the
Final Prospectus (or any supplement thereto), it being understood
and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf
of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in
Section 8 hereof.
(c)
The Disclosure Package when taken
together with the price to the public to be included on the cover
page of the Final Prospectus does not contain any untrue statement
of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The
preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions
from the Disclosure Package based upon and in conformity with
written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter
through the Representative specifically for use therein, it being
understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by
or on
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behalf of any Underwriter consists
of the information described as such in Section 8
hereof.
(d)
(i) At the earliest time after the
filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or another
offering participant made a bona fide offer (within
the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2)) of the Act and (ii) as of the
Execution Time (with such date being used as the determination date
for purposes of this clause (ii)), the Company was not and is not
an Ineligible Issuer (as defined in Rule 405), without taking
account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405
that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an
Ineligible Issuer.
(e)
Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus,
if any, does not include any information that conflicts with the
information contained in the Registration Statement, including any
document incorporated therein and any prospectus supplement deemed
to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified. The
foregoing sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions
from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any
Underwriter through the Representative specifically for use
therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such
information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists
of the information described as such in Section 8
hereof.
(f)
The Company is not, and after giving
effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the
application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Disclosure
Package and the Final Prospectus will not be, required to register
as an “investment company” as defined in the Investment
Company Act, without taking account of any exemption arising out of
the number of holders of the Company’s securities.
(g)
The Company is subject to and in
compliance with the reporting requirements of Section 13 or Section
15(d) of the Exchange Act.
(h)
Unless as otherwise disclosed in the
Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the Company has not
paid or agreed to pay to any person any compensation for soliciting
another to purchase any securities of the Company (except as
contemplated in this Agreement).
(i)
The Company has not taken, directly
or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or
that might reasonably be expected to cause or result, under the
Exchange Act or otherwise, in stabilization or manipulation of the
price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or
resale of the Securities.
(j)
Each of the Company and its
subsidiaries has been duly incorporated and is validly existing in
good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is
chartered or organized with full power and authority to own or
lease, as the case may be, and to operate its properties and
conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Package and the
Final Prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign
corporation and is in good standing under the laws of each
jurisdiction that requires such qualification, except where the
failure to qualify or to be in good standing would not
have
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a material adverse effect on the
condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business
or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a
whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary
course of business (a “Material Adverse
Effect”).
(k)
All the outstanding shares of
capital stock of each material subsidiary have been duly authorized
and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable, and,
except as otherwise set forth in the Disclosure Package and the
Final Prospectus, all outstanding shares of capital stock of the
material subsidiaries are owned by the Company either directly or
through wholly owned subsidiaries free and clear of any security
interest, claim, lien or encumbrance.
(l)
The Company’s authorized
equity capitalization is as set forth in the Disclosure Package and
the Final Prospectus; the capital stock of the Company conforms in
all material respects to the description thereof contained in the
Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus; the outstanding
Ordinary Shares have been duly authorized and validly issued and
are fully paid and nonassessable; the holders of outstanding shares
of capital stock of the Company are not entitled to preemptive or
other rights to subscribe for the Securities or the Ordinary
Shares; and, except as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the
Final Prospectus and except for up to 25,000 Ordinary Shares to be
issued to Mariana Resources Limited, no options, warrants or other
rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue, or
rights to convert any obligations into or exchange any securities
for, shares of capital stock of or ownership interests in the
Company are outstanding.
(m)
The statements in the Disclosure
Package and the Final Prospectus under the headings “Certain
U.S. Federal Tax Considerations,” and the summaries of legal
and regulatory matters and proceedings under the headings
“Republic of Bolivia,” and “Description of the
Ordinary Shares” fairly summarize the matters therein
described.
(n)
This Agreement has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(o)
The Securities have been duly
authorized by the Company and, when issued and delivered and paid
for as provided herein, will be validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable and will conform to the descriptions thereof in the
Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus.
(p)
No consent, approval, authorization,
filing with or order of any court or governmental agency or body is
required in connection with the transactions contemplated herein,
except such (i) as may be required under the blue sky laws of
any jurisdiction in which the Securities are offered and sold and
(ii) such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders,
registrations, filings and/or qualifications which, if not
obtained, would not have a Material Adverse Effect or affect the
validity of the Securities or the legal authority of the Company to
comply with this Agreement.
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(q)
None of the execution and delivery
of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Securities, or the
performance of any other of the obligations herein contemplated, or
the fulfillment of the terms hereof will conflict with, result in a
breach or violation or imposition of any lien, charge or
encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of
its subsidiaries pursuant to, (i) the charter or bylaws of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries; (ii) the terms of any
indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note
agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation,
condition, covenant or instrument to which the Company or any of
its subsidiaries is a party or bound or to which its or their
property is subject; or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation,
judgment, order or decree of any court, regulatory body,
administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other
authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its
subsidiaries or any of its or their properties, except, with
respect to clause (ii) and (iii) above, such violations or defaults
which would not have a Material Adverse Effect or affect the
validity of the Securities or the legal authority of the Company to
comply with this Agreement.
(r)
The consolidated financial
statements and schedules of the Company and its consolidated
subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the
Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus present fairly in all
material respects the financial condition, results of operations
and cash flows of the Company as of the dates and for the periods
indicated, comply as to form with the applicable accounting
requirements of Regulation S-X and have been prepared in conformity
with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a
consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except as
otherwise noted therein); the selected financial data set forth
under the caption “Summary of Financial Information” in
the Final Prospectus fairly present, on the basis stated in the
Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the information
included therein.
(s)
No action, suit or proceeding by or
before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any
arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries or its
or their property is pending or, to the best knowledge of the
Company, threatened that (i) could reasonably be expected to have a
material adverse effect on the performance by the Company of this
Agreement or the consummation of any of the transactions
contemplated hereby or (ii) could reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in
the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any
amendment or supplement thereto).
(t)
Each of the Company and its
subsidiaries owns or leases all such properties as are necessary to
the conduct of its operations as presently conducted, and each of
the Company and each of its subsidiaries owns, leases or possesses
the rights to all properties as are necessary to explore, develop
and exploit the San Cristobal Project (as defined in the Disclosure
Package and the Final Prospectus) in Bolivia, except, in each case,
where the failure to own or lease such properties would not result
in a Material Adverse Effect.
(u)
Neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries is in violation of any law, rule or regulation of any
foreign national, federal, state or local governmental
or
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regulatory authority applicable to
it or is not in non-compliance with any term or condition of, or
has failed to obtain and maintain in effect, any license,
certificate, permit, registration, concession, franchise or other
governmental authorization required for the ownership or lease of
its property or the conduct of its business, other than those which
are not currently required and which the Company expects to acquire
in the ordinary course, which violation, non-compliance or failure
would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse
Effect, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary
course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the
Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus; and the Company has
not received notice of any governmental proceedings relating to the
revocation or material modification of any such license,
certificate, permit or other authorization, except as set forth in
or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final
Prospectus.
(v)
Neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries is in violation or default of (i) any provision of its
charter or bylaws; (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract,
lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or
other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to
which it is a party or bound or to which its property is subject;
or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or
decree applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any
court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body,
arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company
or such subsidiary or any of its properties, as applicable, except,
with respect to clause (ii) and (iii) above, such violations
or defaults which would not have a Material Adverse Effect or
affect the validity of the Securities or the legal authority of the
Company to comply with this Agreement.
(w)
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who have
certified certain financial statements of the Company and its
consolidated subsidiaries and delivered their report with respect
to the audited consolidated financial statements and schedules
included or incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package and
the Final Prospectus, are independent public accountants with
respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act.
(x)
There are no stamp or other issuance
or transfer taxes or duties or other similar fees or charges
required to be paid in connection with the execution and delivery
of this Agreement or the issuance or sale by the Company of the
Securities.
(y)
The Company has filed all non-U.S.,
U.S. federal, state and local tax returns that are required to be
filed or has requested extensions thereof (except in any case in
which the failure so to file would not have a Material Adverse
Effect and except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure
Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or
supplement thereto)) and has paid all taxes required to be paid by
it and any other assessment, fine or penalty levied against it, to
the extent that any of the foregoing is due and payable, except for
any such assessment, fine or penalty that is currently being
contested in good faith or as would not have a Material Adverse
Effect and except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure
Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or
supplement thereto).
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(z)
No labor problem or dispute with the
employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or is
threatened or imminent, and the Company is not aware of any
existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of
its or its subsidiaries’ principal suppliers, contractors or
customers, except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect, and
except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package
and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement
thereto).
(aa)
The Company and each of its
subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial
responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as
are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are
engaged; all policies of insurance and fidelity or surety bonds
insuring the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective
businesses, assets, employees, officers and directors are in full
force and effect; the Company and its subsidiaries are in
compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments; there
are no claims by the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any
such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is
denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights
clause; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been
refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and neither
the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any reason to believe
that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage
as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage
from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business
at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect except as
set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the
Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement
thereto).
(bb)
No subsidiary of the Company is
currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any
dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on
such subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company
any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from
transferring any of such subsidiary’s property or assets to
the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company, except as
described in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the
Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement
thereto).
(cc)
The Company and each of its
subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls
sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions
are executed in accordance with management’s general or
specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as
necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in
conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to
maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted
only in accordance with management’s general or specific
authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is
compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and
appropriate action is taken with respect to any
differences.
(dd)
The Company and its subsidiaries are
(i) in compliance with any and all applicable non-U.S., U.S.
federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the
protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous
or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants
(“Environmental Laws”); (ii) have received and are in
compliance with all permits, licenses or other approvals required
of them under
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applicable Environmental Laws to
conduct their respective businesses as presently conducted; and
(iii) have not received notice of any actual or potential liability
under any Environmental Law, except where such non-compliance with
Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses
or other approvals, or liability would not, individually or in the
aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in
or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus
(exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto). Except as set
forth in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, neither
the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been named as a
“potentially responsible party” under the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as
amended.
(ee)
In the ordinary course of its
business, the Company periodically reviews the effect of
Environmental Laws on the business, operations and properties of
the Company and its subsidiaries, in the course of which it
identifies and evaluates associated costs and liabilities
(including, without limitation, any capital or operating
expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or
compliance with Environmental Laws, or any permit, license or
approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any
potential liabilities to third parties); on the basis of such
review, the Company has reasonably concluded that such associated
costs and liabilities would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a
Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in
the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any
amendment or supplement thereto).
(ff)
The minimum funding standard under
Section 302 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974,
as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations
thereunder (“ERISA”), has been satisfied by each
“pension plan” (as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA)
which has been established or maintained by the Company and/or one
or more of its subsidiaries, and the trust forming part of each
such plan which is intended to be qualified under Section 401 of
the Code is so qualified; each of the Company and its subsidiaries
has fulfilled its obligations, if any, under Section 515 of ERISA;
neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries maintains or is
required to contribute to a “welfare plan” (as defined
in Section 3(1) of ERISA) which provides retiree or other
post-employment welfare benefits or insurance coverage (other than
“continuation coverage” (as defined in Section 602 of
ERISA)); each pension plan and welfare plan established or
maintained by the Company and/or one or more of its subsidiaries is
in compliance in all material respects with the currently
applicable provisions of ERISA; and neither the Company nor any of
its subsidiaries has incurred or could reasonably be expected to
incur any withdrawal liability under Section 4201 of ERISA, any
liability under Section 4062, 4063, or 4064 of ERISA, or any other
liability under Title IV of ERISA.
(gg)
The subsidiaries listed on Annex A
attached hereto are the only “significant subsidiaries”
of the Company (as defined in Rule l-02 of Regulation S-X under the
Act).
(hh)
The Company has not taken any action
or omitted to take any action (such as issuing any press release
relating to any Securities without an appropriate
legend)
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which may result in the loss by any
of the Underwriters of the ability to rely on any stabilization
safe harbor provided by the Financial Services Authority under the
Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (the “FSMA”).
The Company has been informed of the guidance relating to
stabilization provided by the Financial Services Authority, in
particular in Section MAR 2 Annex 2G of the Financial Services
Handbook.
(ii)
Except as set forth in the
Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, none of the Company,
its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director,
officer, agent, employee or Affiliate of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, is aware of or, in connection with their services to
the Company, has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that
would result in a violation by such persons of Foreign Corrupt
Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations
thereunder (the “FCPA”), including, without limitation,
making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of
interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment,
promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or
other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the
giving of anything of value to any “foreign official”
(as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political
party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political
office, in contravention of the FCPA; and the Company, its
subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, its Affiliates
have conducted their businesses in compliance in all material
respects with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies
and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably
expected to continue to ensure, continued material compliance
therewith.
(jj)
The operations of the Company and
its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in
compliance in all material respects with applicable financial
recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and
Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money
laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations
thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or
guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental
agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”), and
no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or
governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving
the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money
Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the
Company, threatened.
(kk)
None of the Company, any of its
subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director,
officer, agent, employee or Affiliate of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions
administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S.
Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”); and the Company
will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of
the Securities hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make
available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or
other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities
of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered
by OFAC.
(ll)
There is and has been no failure on
the part of the Company and any of the Company’s directors or
officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any provision
of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations
promulgated in
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connection therewith (the
“Sarbanes Oxley Act”), including Section 402 related to
loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to
certifications.
(mm)
Prior to the date hereof, the
Company has furnished to the Representative letters, each
substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, duly executed by
each officer of the Company identified on Annex B hereto and
director of the Company and addressed to the
Representative.
(nn)
No stamp or other issuance or
transfer taxes or duties and no capital gains, income, withholding
or other taxes are payable by or on behalf of the Underwiters to
the Cayman Islands or any political subdivision or taxing authority
thereof or therein purely as a direct consequence of the issue of
Securities by the Company to or for the respective accounts of the
Underwriters, in each case for resale and delivery in the manner
contemplated herein.
(oo)
The information set forth in the
Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus relating to the proven
and probable ore reserves located at the San Cristobal Project as
of December 31, 2005 has been prepared by Mine Reserves Associates
Inc. materially in accordance with methods generally applied in the
mining industry and conforms in all material respects to the rules
and regulations of the Commission.
Any certificate signed by any
officer of the Company and delivered to the Representative or
counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the
Securities shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the
Company, as to matters covered thereby, to each
Underwriter.
2.
Purchase and Sale.
Subject to the terms and conditions
and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set
forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each
Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the
Company, at a purchase price of $23.70 per share, the amount of the
Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in
Schedule I hereto.
3.
Delivery and Payment.
Delivery of and payment for the
Securities shall be made at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on
April 12, 2006, or at such time on such later date not more than
three Business Days after the foregoing date as the Representative
shall designate, which date and time may be postponed by agreement
between the Representative and the Company or as provided in
Section 9 hereof (such date and time of delivery and payment
for the Securities being herein called the “Closing
Date”). Delivery of the Securities shall be made to the
Representative for the respective accounts of the several
Underwriters against payment by the several Underwriters through
the Representative of the purchase price thereof to or upon the
order of the Company by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to
the account specified by the Company. Delivery of the Securities
shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust
Company unless the Representative shall otherwise
instruct.
4.
Offering by
Underwriters. It is
understood that the several Underwriters propose to offer the
Securities for sale to the public as set forth in the Final
Prospectus.
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5.
Agreements.
The Company agrees with the several
Underwriters that:
(a)
Prior to the termination of the
offering of the Securities, the Company will not file any amendment
of the Registration Statement or supplement (including the Final
Prospectus or any Preliminary Prospectus) to the Base Prospectus or
any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement unless the Company has
furnished you a copy for your review prior to filing and will not
file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you
reasonably object. The Company will cause the Final Prospectus,
properly completed, and any supplement thereto to be filed in a
form approved by the Representative with the Commission pursuant to
the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) within the time period
prescribed and will provide evidence satisfactory to the
Representative of such timely filing. The Company will promptly
advise the Representative (i) when the Final Prospectus, and any
supplement thereto, shall have been filed (if required) with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) or when any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement shall have been filed with the Commission,
(ii) when, prior to termination of the offering of the
Securities, any amendment to the Registration Statement shall have
been filed or become effective, (iii) of any request by the
Commission or its staff for any amendment of the Registration
Statement, or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or for
any supplement to the Final Prospectus or for any additional
information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any
stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or of any notice objecting to its use or the institution
or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose and (v) of
the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the
suspension of the qualification of the Securities for sale in any
jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceeding
for such purpose. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent
the issuance of any such stop order or the occurrence of any such
suspension or objection to the use of the Registration Statement
and, upon such issuance, occurrence or notice of objection, to
obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal of such stop order or
relief from such occurrence or objection, including, if necessary,
by filing an amendment to the Registration Statement or a new
registration statement and using its best efforts to have such
amendment or new registration statement declared effective as soon
as practicable.
(b)
If, at any time prior to the filing
of a final prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b), any event occurs as
a result of which the Disclosure Package would include any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact
necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made at such time not
misleading, the Company will (i) notify promptly the Representative
so that any use of the Disclosure Package may cease until it is
amended or supplemented; (ii) amend or supplement the Disclosure
Package to correct such statement or omission; and (iii) supply any
amendment or supplement to you in such quantities as you may
reasonably request.
(c)
If, at any time when the Final
Prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered
under the Act (including in circumstances where such requirement
may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172), any event occurs as a
result of which the Final Prospectus as then supplemented would
include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made at such time
not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend the
Registration Statement, file a new registration statement or
supplement the Final Prospectus to comply with the Act or the
Exchange Act or the respective rules thereunder, including in
connection with use
11
or delivery of the Final Prospectus, the Company
promptly will (i) notify the Representative of any such event;
(ii) prepare and file with the Commission, subject to the
second sentence of paragraph (a) of this Section 5, an
amendment or supplement or new registration statement which will
correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; (iii)
use its best efforts to have any amendment to the Registration
Statement or new registration statement declared effective as soon
as practicable in order to avoid any disruption in use of the Final
Prospectus; and (iv) supply any supplemented Final Prospectus
to you in such quantities as you may reasonably request.
(d)
As soon as practicable, the Company
will make generally available to its security holders and to the
Representative an earnings statement or statements of the Company
and its subsidiaries which will satisfy the provisions of
Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158.
(e)
The Company will furnish to the
Representative and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge,
signed copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits
thereto) and to each other Underwriter a copy of the Registration
Statement (without exhibits thereto) and, so long as delivery of a
prospectus by an Underwriter or dealer may be required by the Act
(including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied
pursuant to Rule 172), as many copies of each Preliminary
Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus and any supplement thereto as the Representative may
reasonably request. The Company will pay the expenses of printing
or other production of all documents relating to the
offering.
(f)
The Company will arrang