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Investment in Low Carbon Royalties
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2024
Investment in Low Carbon Royalties  
Investment in Low Carbon Royalties

9.Investment in Low Carbon Royalties

On February 21, 2023 (the “Closing Date”), the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiary, NORI, entered into an investment agreement (the “Royalty Agreement”) with Low Carbon Royalties Inc. (“Low Carbon Royalties”). In connection with the Royalty Agreement, NORI contributed a 2% gross overriding royalty (the “NORI Royalty”) on the Company’s NORI project area in the CCZ to Low Carbon Royalties. In consideration of the NORI Royalty, TMC received 35.0% of the common shares issued by Low Carbon Royalties and $5 million in cash, as of the Closing Date. On March 21, 2023, Low Carbon Royalties acquired additional gross overriding royalties on natural gas fields in Latin America. The royalty acquisitions were financed through the issuance of Low Carbon Royalties common shares to the third-party vendor of such royalties, thereby reducing the Company’s ownership in the Partnership to 32% from 35%. In connection with the Royalty Agreement the Company entered into an Investor Rights Agreement with Low Carbon Royalties and a shareholder of Low Carbon Royalties, pursuant to which the Company and this shareholder each have a right, subject to certain percentage maintenance, to nominate a director to Low Carbon Royalties’ board of directors, along with registration and information rights.

As a condition of closing the Royalty Agreement, the parties entered into an agreement with Low Carbon Royalties to mitigate risks associated with the potential termination of the exploitation license granted for one of the royalty-producing natural gas fields in Latin America (the “Exploitation License”). As per the agreement, 5 million contingent value rights (“CVR”) were issued to NORI. The CVR would convert into 5 million additional shares of Low Carbon Royalties all of which would be issued to NORI, in the event the Exploitation License is found, in a final decision, to be invalid by the Colombian National Agency of Hydrocarbons prior to the earlier of (1) five years from the issuance of the CVR and (2) the date Low Carbon Royalties becomes a publicly listed entity.

Based on the fair value of the NORI Royalty granted and the cash received, the Company recorded $9 million as investment in Low Carbon Royalties on the Closing Date. For the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company’s share of the net loss generated by the Low Carbon Royalties was $ 0.2 million (2023: 0.6 million).

    

Investment

Fair value of NORI Royalty

$

14,000

Cash received

(5,000)

Cost of Investment on Closing Date

9,000

Equity-accounted investment loss for the year ended 2023

 

(571)

Investment as at December 31, 2023

$

8,429

Equity-accounted investment loss for the year ended 2024

(226)

Investment as at December 31, 2024

$

8,203

The NORI Royalty was recorded as a royalty liability in the consolidated Balance Sheet in accordance with ASC 470, Debt (“ASC 470”). The Company elected to account for the royalty liability at fair value through profit and loss. The fair value was determined using a market approach which entails examining recent royalty transactions prior to the reporting date, focusing on those transactions that involve similar metals as contained in NORI’s polymetallic nodules. The Company compares the specific characteristics of these transactions to estimate the fair value. The fair value of the royalty liability as at December 31, 2024 remained unchanged at $14 million.

Financial results of Low Carbon Royalties as at and for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 are summarized below:

    

As at

    

As at

December 31,

December 31,

2024

2023

Current Assets

$

1,660

1,091

Non-Current Assets

25,277

26,315

Current Liabilities

131

Year ended

December 31,

December 31,

2024

2023

Royalty Income

$

1,459

399

Total Revenue

 

1,515

480

Comprehensive Loss for the Year

$

(689)

(1,747)