Gold Resource Corporation (NYSEAM:GORO) entered into a binding letter agreement to acquire Aquila Resources Inc. (TSX:AQA) from Orion Mine Finance, Osisko Bermuda Limited, Hudbay Minerals Inc. (TSX:HBM) and others on September 7, 2021. Gold Resource Corporation (NYSEAM: GORO) entered definitive arrangement agreement to acquire Aquila Resources Inc. from Orion Mine Finance, Osisko Bermuda Limited, Hudbay Minerals Inc. and others on October 5, 2021. Pursuant to the transaction, GORO will acquire all the issued and outstanding Aquila shares for 0.0399 of a GORO share per Aquila share by way of a plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario). The Exchange Ratio represents consideration of CAD 0.09 per Aquila share, which represents an aggregate acquisition price for 100% of the outstanding Aquila shares of approximately CAD 30.9 million. Each of Aquila's options which are outstanding on the effective date of the transaction whether vested or unvested, will be cancelled and surrendered without any payment in respect thereof. Each of Aquila's RSUs and DSUs which are outstanding on the effective date, whether vested or unvested, will be cancelled and surrendered in exchange for a cash payment from Aquila equal to the 5-day VWAP of the Aquila Shares on the TSX as of the close of trading on the second trading day preceding the effective date (less applicable withholdings). The transaction has been funded using debt for 50% to 60% of the total, and the balance would be funded from cash flow. Following the completion of the Transaction, GORO is expected to continue to be included in the GDXJ and to benefit from an enhanced capital markets profile in the United States and Canada, as well as increased trading liquidity and broadened appeal to global index, resource, and generalist investors. Upon closing of the transaction, the existing GORO and Aquila shareholders will own approximately 85.1% and 14.9%, respectively, of the combined company on a fully diluted basis. Through the ownership in the combined company, Aquila shareholders will maintain exposure to the value that is expected to be unlocked as the Back Forty Project is advanced towards construction and production. Following completion, Aquila will apply to have its shares delisted from the Toronto Stock Exchange and to cease being a reporting issuer. The agreement will also contain a provision for break fee payable by Aquila to GORO equal to 4.0% of the total transaction value in the event of termination of agreement under certain circumstances. The termination fee of CAD 1.25 million ($1 million) will be paid by Aquila to GORO in the event of termination.

The transaction is subject to the entering into of a definitive arrangement agreement; the satisfaction of each of GORO and Aquila with its respective ongoing due diligence investigations; the receipt by Aquila's Boards of Directors of an opinion that the consideration proposed to be received by the Aquila shareholders pursuant to the transaction is fair, from a financial point of view, to the Aquila shareholders; the approval of the arrangement agreement by the Boards of Directors of each of GORO and Aquila; and the entering into of the Support Agreements and certain other arrangements with third parties under certain of Aquila's material contracts on a basis acceptable to GORO. The transaction will require the approval of at least 66 2/3% of the votes cast in person or by proxy at a special meeting of Aquila shareholders, a simple majority of the votes cast by the minority shareholders (excluding shareholders whose votes are required to be excluded pursuant to Multilateral Instrument 61 – 101) at a special meeting of shareholders (the “Aquila Shareholder Meeting”). The transaction is also subject to Ontario court approval, the receipt of applicable regulatory approvals and applicable stock exchange approvals. In addition to shareholder, court, receipt of required third party consents, the necessary approval of the NYSE American will have been obtained in respect of the listing of the Consideration Shares and regulatory approvals, the Transaction is also subject to the satisfaction of certain other closing conditions that are customary for a transaction of this nature, and each of GORO and Aquila has provided appropriate interim period covenants regarding the operation of its business in the ordinary course. The transaction will not require the approval of GORO's shareholders. The letter agreement has been unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of both GORO and Aquila. The Aquila board's approval of the letter agreement was based in part on the unanimous recommendation of a special committee of independent directors of Aquila which was appointed to consider the transaction. As of October 5, 2021, The Special Committee has unanimously upon consultation with legal and financial advisors determined that the Arrangement is fair to the Shareholders and is in the best interests of the Company and unanimously determined to recommend approval of this Agreement and the Arrangement to the Board and that the Board recommend that the Shareholders vote in favour of the Arrangement Resolution. Aquila has unanimously approved the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and has unanimously resolved to recommend that the Shareholders vote in favour of the Arrangement Resolution. Aquila's largest shareholder, Orion Mine Finance, holding 28.6% of the issued and outstanding Aquila shares has indicated its intention to enter into a voting support agreement in favor of the transaction, on terms to be agreed between GORO and Orion, contemporaneously with the execution of the arrangement agreement. As of November 17, 2021, the transaction has been approved by Aquila shareholders. The parties anticipate that the Aquila special Shareholder Meeting is scheduled to be held on November 17, 2021. As per the article of November 19, 2021, Ontario Superior Court of Justice has granted a final order approving arrangement. Closing of transaction will take place in fourth quarter of 2021. Transaction is expected to close in late November 2021. As of October 12, 2021, the transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter 2021. As of October 27, 2021, arrangement is anticipated to close on or about November 23, 2021. As of November 17, 2021, transaction is expected to close in the coming weeks. Transaction is expected to be immediately accretive to Gold Resource shareholders on a net asset value basis and to be similarly accretive to Gold Resource shareholders upon the commencement of production at the Back Forty Project, which is anticipated to occur in late 2024 in total the transaction is Accretive in short and medium term. The Outlined transaction, in the Arrangement Agreement provides significant benefits to Aquila shareholders i.e., this transaction materially de-risks the financing and development of the Back Forty Project for the benefit of our stakeholders.

Michael Partridge of Goodmans LLP acted as legal advisor and Scotia Capital Inc. acted as financial advisor to Aquila. Brian Graves of Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP and Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP are GORO's Canadian and U.S. legal advisors, respectively, and Beacon Securities Limited is GORO's financial advisor. PI Financial Corp acted as financial advisor and fairness opinion provider to Aquila in the transaction. TSX Trust Company acted as depositary to Gold Resource Corporation. Institutional Shareholder Services acted as proxy advisory to Aquila Resources.

Gold Resource Corporation (NYSEAM:GORO) completed the acquisition of Aquila Resources Inc. (TSX:AQA) from Orion Mine Finance, Osisko Bermuda Limited, Hudbay Minerals Inc. (TSX:HBM) and others on December 10, 2021.