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Rainbow Rare Earths Limited

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FY2022 Annual Report · Rainbow Rare Earths Limited
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RAINBOW RARE EARTHS LIMITED 
ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2022

RAINBOW

RARE EARTHS

A STRATEGIC SOURCE  
OF RARE EARTH MINERALS  
FOR A GROWING MARKET

OVERVIEW

PAGE TITLE

A STRATEGIC SOURCE OF RARE  
EARTH MINERALS FOR A  
GROWING MARKET 

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited (“Rainbow” or “the Company”) is listed on the main market  
of the London Stock Exchange and is developing a responsible rare earths supply chain  
to drive the green energy transition.  

Rainbow’s projects include Phalaborwa in South Africa and Gakara in Burundi. Rainbow  
is also investigating other processing projects, such as the opportunity of extracting  
rare earth elements from a nitro phosphate process stream at a phosphoric acid  
production plant. 

Through our processing projects, which have fundamentally  
different risk profiles to traditional rare earth mining projects,  
we see enormous potential to facilitate near-term access  
to sources of critical permanent magnet rare earths,  
required to decarbonise energy systems in an  
environmentally responsible way.

CONTENTS 

Overview 
01     Strategy and Business Model 
02    Market Overview 

Strategic Report 
06     Chairman’s Statement 
08    Chief Executive’s Statement 
10     Operational Review 
15     ESG Report 
18     Financial Review 
19     Government Payments 

Corporate Governance 
22     Directors’ Report 
24     Board of Directors 
25    Senior Management 
26     Principal Risks and Uncertainties 
29     Corporate Governance Statement 

Financial Statements 
34     Independent Auditors’ Report 
40    Consolidated Statement  
         of Comprehensive Income 
41     Consolidated Statement  
         of Financial Position 
42    Consolidated Statement  
         of Changes in Equity 
43    Consolidated Cash Flow Statement 
44    Notes to the Consolidated 
         Financial Statements 
IBC  Shareholder Information 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
OVERVIEW
STRATEGY AND BUSINESS MODEL

GROWTH STRATEGY 

Rainbow’s strategy is to identify near-term, secondary rare earths production opportunities. 
Meeting escalating demand for critical minerals needed for global decarbonisation, we are 
focused on producing the magnet rare earth metals neodymium and praseodymium, 
dysprosium and terbium.  

With our strong project development and operating experience, unique intellectual property  
and diversified portfolio, Rainbow will develop a responsible, independent rare earths supply  
chain to drive the green energy transition.

PROJECT IDENTIFICATION  

Assessing potential to create  
a responsible rare earths  
supply chain

BUSINESS MODEL 

Achieving responsible,  
near-term and efficient  
rare earths production from 
secondary sources

ASSET APPRAISAL 

Technical work and  
definition of route  
to production 

DOWNSTREAM  
RARE EARTH OXIDE  
PRODUCTION 

Producing separated rare  
earths oxides using unique  
IP and technology

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT  

Investment to extract and 
upgrade in-situ resources

MINING, CRUSHING  
AND MILLING 

Employing material from  
secondary sources, Rainbow removes 
these costly, energy-intensive steps  
from the business model 

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

01

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
OVERVIEW
MARKET OVERVIEW

NdPr:  
DRIVING THE GREEN  
REVOLUTION

THE GREEN REVOLUTION IS INCREASING DEMAND FOR RARE 
EARTH PERMANENT MAGNETS 

A shift away from fossil fuel consumption to renewable energies and the 
widespread adoption of green technology are essential for the alleviation 
of rapid climate change and the wellbeing of the planet. Global wind 
power growth must triple by 2030 in order to avoid the worst impacts of 
climate change1. However, the low-carbon technologies required to drive 
the energy transition require an increased and intensive mineral demand. 

Central to this mineral demand are rare earth elements – in particular, 
neodymium, praseodymium (“NdPr”) dysprosium (“Dy”) and terbium 
(“Tb”) – which are used to make compact, high-strength permanent 
magnets employed in a variety of modern-day industry, with uses in 
hybrid and electric vehicles (“EVs”) and wind turbines, as well as satellite 
technology for the aerospace and defence sectors. Permanent 
magnets, which accounted for 71% of value and 23% of market volume  
in 2021, are one of the most important and growing drivers of medium - 
to long-term rare earths demand.  

The global expansion of wind power and renewable energy raises the 
prospects of growing imbalances in supply and demand for NdPr, Dy 
and Tb. Argus forecasts that the offshore wind turbine market will grow 
at close to 25% per annum between 2020 and 2030, based on data 
from the Global Wind Energy Council (“GWEC”). 

The substantial increase in demand driven by 2050 global wind power 
targets will only be met if rare earth elements production rises 11 to 26 
times over present levels. Some analysts foresee demand for rare earth 
elements in China rising 18 times over 2020 levels by 20502.  

Rising EV sales forecasts3 

          Battery electric vehicles (“BEV”) 

          Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (“PHEV”)

          BEV (% share)

Capacity acceleration in offshore wind market 

          Europe 

          North America 

          China 

          Other 

          Asia (ex-China)

          Cumulative total capacity 
          (right-hand axis)

1 Argus Media Ltd (“Argus”) 

2 IRENA - Critical Metals for the Rare Energy Transition: Rare Earth Elements 

3 Argus Rare Earths Analytics April 2022

02

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%0510152025302018202020222024202620282030Mn Units050100150200250300010203040502018202020222024202620282030 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
OVERVIEW
MARKET OVERVIEW CONTINUED

DEMAND IS UNDERPINNED BY GLOBAL MEGATRENDS AND 
LEGISLATION  

RARE EARTHS SUPPLY CONSTRAINTS 

Key global megatrends are driving strong and diversified 
demand for NdPr: 
•
•

Automation: Accelerating technological progress. 
Low carbon transition: Environmental protection and  
climate change. 
Sustainable resource security: Increasing scarcity and  
global competition for resources. 
Supply chain security: Against a backdrop of heightened  
national protectionism. 

•

•

Demand accelerated by evolving global emissions legislation 
and international sustainability policy and targets: 
•

Rare earths have been designated as critical and strategic metals  
by the US Federal Department of the Interior, the Government  
of China, the UK Government and the EU Parliament.  
A policy paper was outlined in July 2022 for the UK’s first critical 
minerals strategy including the broad group of rare earth elements 
specifically for permanent magnets. 
The EU has announced the Raw Materials Act, a legislative proposal 
aimed at building a more resilient supply chain, supporting projects 
and attracting more private investment from mining to refining, 
processing and recycling. 
The UK’s offshore wind capacity target has been increased from 
40GW to 50GW by 2030. 
The EU is targeting at least 30 million EVs by 2030 and is proposing 
legislation to completely cut emissions from cars and vans by 2035. 
France aims to produce one million EVs annually by 2025. 
The Biden administration has set a 50% EV sale share target  
in the U.S. by 2030. 

•

•

•

•

•
•

Passenger vehicle fleet forecast4 

With production still concentrated in China (accounting for a 90% market 
share of the rare earths refining market in 20195) and the long lead time 
and high costs associated with bringing traditional hard rock deposits 
into production, rare earth supply constraints could derail the success  
of global decarbonisation. It is regularly noted that the Chinese 
dominance of the rare earths market has resulted in supply chain 
uncertainties, and that an ethical and sustainable independent supply 
chain for strategic materials is required. 

Whilst they are found in abundance throughout the world, rare earths are 
typically co-located in small concentrations, with a significant number of 
projects being low quality or having high levels of radioactive elements, 
making them uneconomical or adding to processing complexity. 

Whilst some rare earth supply increase is expected over the next 
decade, it is not forecast to meet the growing demand for permanent 
magnet materials6. According to Argus, new projects will be required  
to supply c. 25% of the rare earths market by 2030. 

RARE EARTHS PRICING OUTSTRIPPING FORECASTS  

Phalaborwa’s rare earths basket price has risen 82% in FY 2022  
to US$173.91/kg magnet rare earth oxides7 at 30 June 2022,  
significantly outstripping forecast price rises. Nd prices increased  
94% from US$74.50/kg to US$144.75/kg and Pr rose 74%  
from US$82.50/kg to US$143.75/kg. 

Driven by a ban on importing rare earths from Myanmar to China (lifted 
in November 2021) and global logistics pressures, rare earths prices hit 
10-year highs in the first quarter of calendar year 2022, with permanent 
magnet prices having more than doubled since mid-2021. Post financial 
year end, prices have dropped back in line with Argus forecasts. 

For the Gakara project this has driven the estimated realisable price per 
ton of rare earth concentrate to grow from US$2,767 at 30 June 2021  
to US$4,966 at 30 June 2022. 

The chart below shows the expected average price per kg of separated 
rare earth oxides produced at Phalaborwa through to 2030 based on  
the Argus price forecasts: 

Forecast Phalaborwa basket price US$/kg rare earth oxide 

          Gasoline 

          Electric vehicles 

          Diesel 

          Other 

          Gasoline/diesel hybrid

4 Argus 

5 International Energy Association, The Role of Critical Minerals in Clean Energy Transitions 

6 Argus 
7 Magnet rare earth oxides comprise Nd, Pr, Dy and Tb 

250

200

150

100

50

0

2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

03

0.000.250.500.751.001.251.5020202025203020352040Bn Units 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
STRATEGIC REPORT

PAGE TITLE

DEVELOPING A 
RESPONSIBLE RARE 
EARTHS SUPPLY  
CHAIN

04

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

STRATEGIC REPORT

STRATEGIC REPORT

06    Chairman’s Statement 
08    Chief Executive’s Statement 
10     Operational Review 
15     ESG Report 
18     Financial Review 
19     Government Payments

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

05

STRATEGIC REPORT
CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT

“WITH OUR NEAR-TERM  
DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY  
AT PHALABORWA, RAINBOW IS  
WELL POSITIONED TO CONTRIBUTE  
TO A RESPONSIBLE, INDEPENDENT  
SUPPLY CHAIN”

06

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

STRATEGIC REPORT
CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT CONTINUED

“Our unique and  
innovative technologies will  
be instrumental in unlocking  
sources of critical permanent 
magnet rare earths which are 
required to drive global 
decarbonisation”

supply chain, unlocking sources of critical 
permanent magnet rare earths which are 
required to drive global decarbonisation. 

According to Adamus Intelligence, a major 
shortage of NdPr is predicted by 2035 due to  
a lack of rare earths sources in the market and 
the inability of existing producers to increase 
their output. This underscores the compelling 
opportunity presented to Rainbow, both at 
Phalaborwa and from the wider application  
of our proprietary technology, to achieve near-
term, responsible and efficient rare earths 
production from secondary sources. 

Rare earth prices rose substantially in FY 2022, 
with Phalaborwa’s basket price up 82% to 
US$173.91 per kg of magnet rare earth oxides. 
Whilst prices fell back after the end of the 
financial year, they have since moved upwards 
again and the long-term supply demand 
fundamentals support significant increases 
towards the second half of this decade.  

We have made significant strides forward  
in 2022 with a number of interesting 
collaborations and opportunities which  
we believe will be central to harnessing value 
from rare earths contained within secondary 
sources. Rainbow continues to work closely 
with K-Technologies Inc. (“K-Tech”) and is 
planning on jointly patenting the rare earths 
extraction technology we have together 
developed. We are also collaborating with  
OCP S.A. (“OCP”), the Moroccan world leading 
producer of phosphate products, and 
Mohammed VI Polytechnic University 
(“UM6P”), a Moroccan university, by signing  
a Master Agreement in August 2022 on rare 
earths extraction from phosphogypsum.  
In addition to this, we signed a Memorandum 
of Understanding with a major chemicals 
company in South Africa in June, as part of  

From wind turbines to EVs, clean energy is 
dependent on unlocking increased supplies of 
critical minerals, including rare earths such as 
neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium and 
terbium which are fundamental components 
in permanent magnets. 

Current geopolitical tensions and energy 
security risks serve to further highlight the 
urgency of the clean energy transition, which 
will not be possible without a reliable supply  
of minerals. According to the IEA, demand for 
rare earth elements by 2040 may rise between 
three and seven times from today’s levels. 

China currently dominates the global 
production of rare earth magnets; however, 
many major governments have now 
implemented critical and strategic materials 
policies, with a focus on creating independent 
rare earth supply. 

Rainbow has recently become a member  
of the European Raw Material Alliance 
(“ERMA”) - an essential alliance which is 
working to accelerate the green and digital 
transition through securing and reinforcing 
rare earths supply chains. Aiming to make 
Europe economically more resilient, ERMA’s 
goal is to diversify supply chains, promote 
innovation, create jobs, and attract investment. 

With our near-term development opportunity 
at Phalaborwa, alongside our unique and 
innovative technologies and processes,  
we believe Rainbow is well positioned to 
contribute to a responsible, independent  

which we are investigating the opportunity  
to extract rare earth elements from a nitro 
phosphate process stream and identifying 
further global opportunities for our unique  
rare earth extraction technology. 

At our Gakara project in Burundi, which has 
been on care and maintenance since June 
2021, we continue to engage constructively 
with all stakeholders and remain confident  
in our ability to resolve the issue and allow 
operations to recommence. 

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would  
like to extend our gratitude to our shareholders 
for their steadfast support, and to Rainbow’s 
management team, employees and 
contractors for their unwavering commitment 
to the business’ success. We also thank our 
host governments for their continued 
productive engagement. Having contributed  
a considerable amount of value to the Board 
since we founded the Company in 2011, 
Robert Sinclair resigned as a Non-Executive 
Director due to health reasons in January 
2022. The Board joins me in thanking Robert 
for the considerable contribution he has made 
to Rainbow. 

Our purpose is to produce the critical rare earth 
products required to progress the global green 
technology revolution in an efficient and 
responsible manner and thanks to the good 
progress at Phalaborwa, I believe we are 
working well towards achieving this goal. 

I am encouraged by additional opportunities  
to leverage our intellectual property and 
technology to extract rare earths from 
phosphogypsum. Through our processing 
projects, which have fundamentally different 
risk profiles to traditional rare earth mining 
projects, we see enormous potential to 
facilitate near-term access to sources of 
critical permanent magnet rare earths, which 
are required to decarbonise energy systems  
in an environmentally responsible way. 

Adonis Pouroulis 
Chairman

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

07

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
STRATEGIC REPORT
CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S STATEMENT

“WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY  
AND CONFIRM A NOVEL BUT PROVEN  
PROCESS WHICH WILL ALLOW US TO  
RECOVER VALUABLE RARE EARTH  
OXIDES FROM PHOSPHOGYPSUM IN  
A LOW CAPEX AND OPEX MANNER ”

08

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

STRATEGIC REPORT
CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S STATEMENT CONTINUED

This has been a year of notable progress for 
Rainbow, enabling us to unlock a valuable, 
near-term source of the rare earth permanent 
magnet metals required so urgently to drive 
the global green energy revolution. This has 
involved carrying out a programme of detailed 
test work at Phalaborwa to better understand 
the exciting opportunity presented by this 
asset, leading to the development of an 
economic flowsheet and the recent 
publication of the preliminary economic 
assessment (“PEA”). 

By concentrating on phosphogypsum 
opportunities, the usual, extensive resource 
definition period is removed, significantly 
reducing the long lead time and risks 
associated with bringing a traditional mine  
into production. In addition, we benefit from 
considerable reductions in capital (“capex”) 
and operating costs (“opex”) compared to a 
traditional mine, due to the absence of hard 
rock mining, mine waste disposal, ore crushing 
and milling within the overall project cost base. 
Because the rare earth elements are present 
in a “cracked” chemical form in the 
phosphogypsum, Rainbow’s process will 
deliver separated rare earth oxides in a single 
process flowsheet at site. This replaces the 
multiple stages of reagent intensive 
processing usually required to crack a rare 
earth mineral concentrate and separate out 
the rare earth oxides from a mixed rare earth 
carbonate. Rainbow’s process is also expected 
to have a number of environmental benefits 
covered on page 17. 

Phalaborwa’s PEA, which establishes an 
1 of US$627 million, an IRR2 of 40%,  
NPV10
an average operating margin of 75% and a 
payback period of only 2 years, corroborates 
our long-held view of the operation’s 
enormous potential as a low capital intensity, 
high margin, near-term rare earths 
development project. The base case financial 
model presented, using near-term rare earth 
price forecasts well below 2022 averages, 
demonstrates a robust project with low 
sensitivity to changes in both rare earth  
prices and costs. 

“The PEA represents a  
breakthrough step in the 
development of Phalaborwa”

I believe Phalaborwa’s PEA accurately reflects 
the rigour and expertise we apply to project 
assessment. As a team, we have led 
numerous projects through development and 
have significant experience throughout the 
asset lifecycle from optimisation and feasibility 
to plant construction and commissioning.  
I am exceptionally proud of the progress we 
have made over the past few years and am 
confident that we have the right people in 
place to take Phalaborwa’s development 
forward. With our proven operating experience, 
unique phosphogypsum processing 
intellectual property and portfolio of 
opportunities, I believe that Rainbow  
is well positioned to develop a responsible  
rare earths supply chain to drive the green 
energy transition. 

George Bennett 
Chief Executive Officer 

1 Net present value using a 10% forward discount rate 

2 Internal rate of return  

The work carried out to date at this asset 
demonstrates Rainbow’s ability to overcome 
the historical technical, environmental, and 
economic challenges related to extracting rare 
earths from phosphogypsum. Importantly, 
whilst the configuration of the process 
flowsheet is innovative, each individual stage 
is well tested on a commercial basis, with the 
required equipment and reagents being readily 
available. 

The successful completion of this PEA 
represents not only a breakthrough step in the 
development of Phalaborwa, demonstrating 
the viability of this opportunity, but also 
underscores the broader potential to use  
our unique IP and technology to extract rare 
earths from other phosphogypsum sources  
on a global scale. We now intend to advance  
to feasibility study, identify all permits required 
for Phalaborwa’s development, engage with 
the relevant authorities to expedite permitting 
and undertake further process optimisation 
tests culminating in an extensive process  
pilot plant operation.  

We are committed to responsible business 
practices from an environmental, social and 
governance perspective. As a brownfield site, 
the development of Phalaborwa provides us 
with a significant opportunity to make positive 
environmental, social and economic impacts. 
Effective stakeholder engagement will be a 
fundamental part of project development, 
concentrating on understanding key risks and 
integrating stakeholder considerations into 
project development decisions to create  
long-term value. 

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

09

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
STRATEGIC REPORT
OPERATIONS REVIEW

PHALABORWA 
SOUTH AFRICA 

EXCITING NEAR-TERM  
GROWTH OPPORTUNITY 

Contribution of TREO by oxide

8%

16%

15%

Nd  

Pr

Tb

Dy

61%

Key PEA economic outputs 

Pos t-tax NPV10 

627.4 

US$million

Operating margin 

75%

Post-tax IRR 

40%

Average operating  
costs 

33.86 

US$/kg

10

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

 
STRATEGIC REPORT
OPERATIONS REVIEW CONTINUED

Rainbow’s Phalaborwa rare earths project  
in South Africa presents the Company with  
an exciting near-term opportunity to extract 
rare earths from a secondary source. 
Contained in phosphogypsum in two 
unconsolidated stacks derived from historic 
phosphate hard rock mining, the rare earths 
are in a “cracked” chemical form allowing 
separated rare earth oxides to be produced  
at site. With no significant costs associated 
with mining, crushing and grinding ore,  
or with chemical cracking of the underlying 
rare earth minerals, the project economics  
are exceptionally strong. 

•

Phalaborwa has an inferred mineral resource 
estimate of 30.7Mt at 0.43% TREO, with a rare 
earth basket that is weighted towards high 
value NdPr oxide, a critical building block for 
the global energy transition, which represents 
29.1% of the total contained rare earth oxides. 
Economic Dy and Tb oxide credits further 
enhance its overall value. Phalaborwa’s NdPr 
grade is substantially higher than a typical low-
cost ionic clay rare earth project; much closer 
to traditional hard rock style deposits. 

Fundamental to unlocking the rare earths 
contained within the phosphogypsum at 
Phalaborwa (and more widely) is the innovative 
processing flowsheet developed by Rainbow 
in parallel with K-Tech. It represents a 
breakthrough in allowing for the economic 
extraction of rare earth elements from 
phosphogypsum, which has historically 
proven to be challenging. The flowsheet will 
comprise the following steps (see further detail 
on page 15):  
•

Phosphogypsum will be reclaimed 
hydraulically from the existing stacks and 
pumped to the processing facility 
removing soluble impurities prior to the 
leach process. 
A pre-leach regime will be employed to 
remove fluoride from the gypsum stream, 
allowing rare earth grades in the pregnant 
leach solution to be maximised. The 
extracted fluoride will produce reagents 
for use elsewhere in the processing circuit, 
reducing operating costs. 

•

•

•

The fluoride leached phosphogypsum 
progresses to a rare earth counter current 
sulphuric acid leach system for the 
extraction of the target rare earth 
elements. This allows for successful 
recycling of the various acid streams  
to optimise the overall processing costs. 
A rapid consolidation process for the rare 
earths in the pregnant leach solution 
allows the rare earths to be concentrated 
with primary impurity rejection. This 
process replaces the originally anticipated 
nano filtration system, which significantly 
improves the overall acid recycling, 
thereby reducing operating costs. 
The rapid consolidation process feeds the 
downstream continuous ion exchange 
and continuous ion chromatography 
processes to deliver separated rare earth 
oxides. The flow rates to these processes 
are considerably lower than originally 
anticipated using nano filtration 
techniques resulting in significant capital 
and operating cost savings.

Inferred mineral  
resource 

30.7Mt 

at 0.43% total rare earth oxides

High value NdPr 

29.1% 

of total rare earth oxides

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

11

 
 
STRATEGIC REPORT
OPERATIONS REVIEW CONTINUED

PHALABORWA 
CONTINUED

12

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

STRATEGIC REPORT
OPERATIONS REVIEW CONTINUED

PHALABORWA PEA

Rainbow is earning a 70% interest in the 
Phalaborwa project by delivering a pre-
feasibility study, which is now in planning 
having published the strong economic 
outcome from the PEA. 

Robust base case economics 
The PEA was based on processing 2.2 million 
tonnes per annum of phosphogypsum over  
a 15-year project life to deliver 26,208 tonnes 
of separated rare earth magnet oxides at an 
average cost of US$33.86/kg. This delivers  
an exceptional 75% operating margin at the 
base case basket price of US$137.92 per kg  
for the rare earth oxides, based on near term 
forecasts well below both 2022 year to date 
average prices and long-term market 
forecasts. 

The base case financial model set out in the 
PEA delivered exceptionally robust economic 
returns including: 
•

Post-tax NPV10 of US$627.4 million, 
representing 212% of the US$295.5 million 
total capital cost1; 
Post-tax IRR of 40%; and 
Post-tax payback of upfront capital  
costs after 2.0 years of operations. 

•
•

Cumulative cash flow2 

Next steps 
Following the publication of the PEA, Rainbow 
intends to advance the project to feasibility 
study, identify all permits required for the 
Project to be developed, engage with the 
relevant authorities to expedite permitting and 
undertake further process optimisation tests 
culminating in an extensive process pilot plant 
operation. A resource update is also expected 
for Phalaborwa following drilling work 
undertaken in June 2022.

NPV upside using year-to-date prices 
Using 2022 year to date average rare earth 
prices or long term forecast rare earth prices, 
the PEA delivers an EBITDA operating margin 
over 80%, with an NPV of c. US$1 billion and  
a payback of 1.7 years.  

Minimal sensitivities to cost 
The project is insensitive to changes in costs, 
including an overall low energy intensity at just 
20% of annual operating costs. Against a 
backdrop of the anticipated demand strength 
and supply constraints for permanent magnet 
rare earths forecast over the next decade and 
beyond, Phalaborwa is expected to deliver an 
independent source of responsibly sourced 
rare earth oxides for the green revolution. 

Environmental benefits 
Studies at Phalaborwa have highlighted the 
environmental benefits of the project, which 
include very low levels of radioactivity 
(exempting Phalaborwa from radioactivity 
regulation) and the ability to neutralise the 
existing water from the stacks for reuse  
in a closed circuit as plant process water. In 
processing material from the existing gypsum 
stacks at Phalaborwa, we aim to remove 
existing environmental liabilities and redeposit 
benign gypsum on a new stack, built according 
to International Finance Corporation (“IFC”) 
Performance Standards and Equator Principles. 

2000

1500

1000

500

0

-500

Yr -2 Yr -1 Yr 1 Yr 2 Yr 3 Yr 4 Yr 5 Yr 6 Yr 7 Yr 8 Yr 9 Yr 10 Yr 11 Yr 12 Yr 13 Yr 14

1

 In addition, pre-production costs totalling US$4.0 million are incurred to 

neutralise water from the gypsum stacks for use as processing water. 

2 Post-tax, from base case scenario over the total project life. 

GAKARA BURUNDI 

The Gakara rare earths project is located  
in Western Burundi covering an area of 
approximately 135km². The project benefits 
from good infrastructure, with road links  
to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Mombasa, 
Kenya. Trial mining and processing has 
demonstrated that a high-grade rare earth 
mineral concentrate, with a 19-20% NdPr 
content, can be consistently produced via 
simple gravity separation from the narrow 
high-grade rare earth veins found across  
the Gakara licence area. 

Gakara was placed on care and 
maintenance in June 2021 at the request  
of the Government of Burundi, with the 
majority of staff placed on suspension and 
short-term cash requirements minimised. 
Rainbow continues to engage constructively 
with all stakeholders to resolve the issue and 
allow operations to recommence. 

On the expected restart of operations, 
Rainbow will assess the available options to 
move the project to commercial production. 

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

13

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
STRATEGIC REPORT
OPERATIONS REVIEW CONTINUED

DEVELOPING NEW  
SOURCES OF RARE EARTHS 
FROM PHOSPHOGYPSUM

What is  
phosphogypsum? 

Phosphogypsum is a waste  
by-product from the processing  
of phosphate rock in plants producing 
phosphoric acid and phosphate  
fertilisers, such as superphosphate. 

Available on a global scale in large  
volumes, phosphogypsum is  
an attractive secondary  
source of rare earth  
elements.

The successful global transition to clean 
energy is reliant on a considerable increase  
in supply of critical materials. Rainbow is 
focused on identifying the optimal way of 
producing rare earths responsibly from 
secondary sources, removing significant time, 
risk and cost from the overall project timeline. 

Phosphate rock is mined all over the world, 
with over three quarters of global reserves 
located in Northern Africa. Given the 
prevalence of phosphate mining, 
phosphogypsum is available throughout  
the world in large volumes. This makes  
it an attractive secondary source of rare  
earth elements. 

Recognising this enormous potential, our team 
is concentrated on securing opportunities for 
both collaboration and expertise sharing, as 
well as gaining access to new supply. 

In June, Rainbow entered into a Memorandum 
of Understanding with a diversified chemicals 
group based in South Africa to investigate the 
opportunity of extracting rare earth elements 
from a nitro phosphate process stream at its 
phosphoric acid production plant near 
Johannesburg in South Africa. 

Under the terms of the MoU, Rainbow is 
conducting a rare earths extraction pilot study 
with the chemicals group, involving initial 
grade test work on processing stream material. 
This will be followed by a technical programme 
to confirm a flowsheet using Rainbow’s unique 
knowledge and IP. 

14

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

The feedstock for the phosphoric acid 
production plant originates from the same ore 
originally mined by Foskor that generated the 
two gypsum stacks at Phalaborwa. Preliminary 
sampling of the processing stream indicates a 
grade of 0.81% TREO, with a circa 27% 
weighting to high-value NdPr, alongside 
economic levels of terbium and dysprosium, 
similar to Phalaborwa. 

Direct costs associated with the pilot study 
utilising Rainbow’s exclusive IP and technology 
will be financed by the chemicals group. 
Subject to a successful outcome, the parties 
intend to negotiate terms for a potential joint 
venture agreement to extract value from the 
rare earths present in the phosphoric acid 
processing stream. 

Post Year-end, in August 2022, Rainbow 
entered into a Master Agreement with OCP, the 
Moroccan world leading producer of phosphate 
products, and UM6P, a Moroccan university 
with a strong focus on science, technology and 
innovation, to further investigate and develop 
the optimal technique for the extraction of rare 
earth elements from phosphogypsum. 

Together with the innovative research carried 
out by UM6P, OCP has built up significant IP 
assets and expertise in the field of 
phosphogypsum processing. This provides a 
synergistic opportunity for joint development 
with Rainbow, given Rainbow’s expertise and 
intellectual property on rare earths extraction 
and processing gained from work carried out 
to date at Phalaborwa. OCP and UM6P will 
contribute with their respective expertise, 
including adapted complementary separation 
technologies. The Parties intend to develop the 
optimal route for the extraction of rare earths 
from phosphogypsum, and the development 
of pilot and industrial-scale extraction of rare 
earths from phosphogypsum.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
STRATEGIC REPORT
OPERATIONS REVIEW CONTINUED

UTILISING OUR 
BREAKTHROUGH TECHNOLOGY

OUR PROCESS

HYDRAULIC 
RECLAMATION

PRE-LEACH 
DEWATERING

PRETREATMENT 
PROCESS

PRETREATMENT 
DEWATERING

RARE EARTH 
LEACH

RE LEACH 
DEWATERING

NEW PG STACK

IMPURITIES 
REMOVAL

RAPID 
CONSOLIDATION

Closed circuit 
process

RECLAMATION 
WATER

NEUTRALISATION

RE CIX/CIC

Substantially fewer steps than 
solvent exchange methods

Separated 
rare earth oxide 
production

PROCESS  
WATER

Nd Pr  
OXIDE

Dy  
OXIDE

Tb  
OXIDE

Benign 
gypsum 
deposited 
on new dry 
stacks in 
line with 
IFC 
Standards / 
Equator 
Principles

The recovery of rare earths from 
phosphogypsum arising as a residue from 
phosphoric acid production has been the 
subject of international research for many 
years. However, the process has proven 
technically, environmentally and economically 
challenging. 

In 2022, following a robust international test 
work programme, Rainbow confirmed the 
successful development of a process 
flowsheet to extract rare earth elements 
efficiently from the phosphogypsum stacks  
at Phalaborwa using an innovative process 
developed in collaboration with K-Tech. 
Rainbow and K-Tech and are now in the 
process of jointly patenting this breakthrough. 

The process flowsheet utilises existing 
technology, proven at a commercial scale 
across a number of industries, in a novel way. 
The process includes a number of simple 
steps to remove impurities from the 
phosphogypsum before leaching the rare 
earth elements into a high-grade pregnant 
leach solution. Efficient recycling of leach 
streams ensures reagent costs are optimised. 

The high grade mixed rare earth solution  
is ultimately fed into a patented continuous  
ion exchange (“CIX”) and continuous ion 
chromatography (“CIC”) system. This allows for 
the recovery of high purity separated magnet 
rare earth oxides with far fewer steps than a 
traditional solvent exchange process. Unlike 
traditional separation techniques, the process 
does not involve the costly separation of low 
value products, such as cerium and 
lanthanum, before the high value magnet  
rare earth oxides can be targeted. 

The production of separated magnet rare 
earth oxides in a single processing facility, 
without the need to ship significant volumes  
of low value or waste material between a mine, 
cracking plant and separation facility, also 
provide significant environmental and cost 
benefits when compared to traditional 
methods. 

CIX and CIC are  
patented and proven  
processes

Fast, efficient, and  
precise extraction of  
trace quantities of 
target materials from  
high volume streams

Safe, simple to run,  
and can operate at a  
range of temperatures

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

15

 
 
 
 
STRATEGIC REPORT
ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND  
GOVERNANCE

PRODUCING THE CRITICAL RARE EARTH 
PRODUCTS REQUIRED TO PROGRESS THE  
GLOBAL GREEN TECHNOLOGY REVOLUTION  
IN AN EFFICIENT AND RESPONSIBLE MANNER

ZERO HARM  
to our people, to the local population,  
to the wider community and the 
environment

COURAGE  
to be prepared to persevere  
when others would not

OUR CORE VALUES

INTEGRITY 
undertaking all our business  
dealings and relationships  
with the utmost integrity

RESPECT 
for our colleagues, for our local 
communities and for our  
customers and stakeholders

TRANSPARENCY  
to conduct all of our business  
dealings to the highest level of 
transparency

ACCOUNTABILITY 
to be willing to take responsibility  
for all our actions

16

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

STRATEGIC REPORT
ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND  
GOVERNANCE CONTINUED

PEOPLE 

ENVIRONMENT 

COMMUNITY 

Health and safety  
Our primary objective is to achieve a zero-
harm working environment. Strong 
occupational health and safety management 
will always remain a core priority as we 
progress with the development of Phalaborwa, 
and we are committed to supporting 
employee health. 

Governance, ethics and values 
We uphold strong corporate governance and 
are committed to ethical business practices, 
underpinned by our policies, including the 
Group Code of Conduct. Clear anti-bribery  
and whistleblowing procedures are in place, 
with further detail on page 29. Our core values 
aim to inform a constructive and positive 
culture at Rainbow. Based on six key  
principles, our values guide behaviour  
and business practices. 

Fair employment  
Rainbow prioritises responsible and fair 
employment practices and looks to provide  
a working environment in which everyone  
is treated with respect. Rainbow is an equal 
opportunity employer and we do not tolerate 
discrimination against any of our employees 
on any grounds (including race, creed, gender, 
sexuality) and will treat any instances of 
discrimination as serious misconduct. 

Rainbow looks to make a positive contribution 
to the communities in which we operate 
through the provision of local employment 
opportunities, the support of local supply 
chains, community assistance and the 
transparent payment of taxes and royalties. 

Stakeholder engagement will be a 
fundamental part of project development  
as the Company progresses Phalaborwa.  
Our primary aims will be focused on building 
mutual trust and respect, opening clear lines  
of communication, understanding key risks 
and integrating stakeholder considerations 
into project development decisions to create  
long-term value.  

Through environmentally responsible 
production of rare earths, with a specific focus 
on NdPr, Rainbow is contributing to the clean 
energy transition. NdPr are fundamental 
components in permanent magnets for use  
in EVs and wind turbines and are therefore 
critical to global decarbonisation. 

Rainbow’s unique IP allows us to process  
rare earth oxides from phosphogypsum  
in an efficient and responsible way. By 
retreating secondary material, Rainbow’s 
process at Phalaborwa is expected to have  
the following environmental benefits: 
•

Treatment of acidic water currently 
contained within the gypsum stacks  
for use in closed circuit in the  
processing plant;  
Lower use of energy and reagents  
when compared to traditional hard rock 
mining deposits; 
Cleaning up historical contamination  
by redepositing clean, benign gypsum on 
a new stack, designed in accordance with 
IFC Standards / Equator Principles; and 
Potential use of the gypsum by-product  
in the building and other industries. 

•

•

•

As we progress to development, we are 
committed to sound environmental 
management and endeavouring to minimise 
any negative impacts of our operations on the 
physical environment. 

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

17

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
STRATEGIC REPORT
FINANCIAL REVIEW

PRODUCING THE CRITICAL RARE  
EARTHS REQUIRED TO PROGRESS  
THE GLOBAL GREEN TECHNOLOGY  
REVOLUTION IN AN EFFICIENT AND  
RESPONSIBLE MANNER

PROFIT AND LOSS 

BALANCE SHEET 

The Group balance sheet includes US$9.8 million of non-current  
assets at 30 June 2022 relating to Gakara, including US$8.6 million  
of exploration and evaluation costs and tangible fixed assets with  
a net book value of US$1.0 million. The Gakara cash generating unit also 
includes US$0.9 million of inventory, carried at cost, primarily relating to 
the stock of available for sale rare earth concentrate in Burundi. Whilst 
the Gakara project remains on care and maintenance, the Directors are 
confident that the issues with the Government of Burundi will be 
resolved, allowing the asset to recommence operations. 

A total of US$0.8 million of exploration and evaluation assets were 
capitalised in the year relating to Phalaborwa, leaving a closing 
capitalised cost of US$1.9 million. The Group is earning a 70% interest  
in the Phalaborwa project by completing a pre-feasibility study and at 
the balance sheet date has no tangible fixed assets and no obligations 
for environmental closure at the Phalaborwa site. 

The Group balance sheet includes US$0.3 million of tax receivables 
relating to the historic overpayment of royalties and VAT recoverable  
in Burundi, both measured at expected recoverable value. There are  
also US$0.5 million of tax and government liabilities in Burundi. 

During the year, the Group significantly strengthened its balance sheet, 
raising US$8.5 million, net of costs, at a price of 15 pence per new 
Ordinary Share in October 2021. This funding allowed the Pipestone loan 
to be fully repaid, including accrued interest, via US$0.9 million cash and 
US$0.2 million equity at 15p per new Ordinary Share. The sole remaining 
long-term financial liability is the US$0.6 million FinBank loan in Burundi, 
on which capital repayments are currently being deferred. At 30 June 
2022, the Group has US$4.1 million of cash which is predominantly held 
with Barclays Bank in London. 

With Rainbow’s strategic focus on processing rare earths from 
secondary sources, predominantly at Phalaborwa in South Africa,  
and the Gakara project remaining on care and maintenance throughout 
the year, the income statement represents the administrative costs for 
the Group for the year. 

Income statement costs associated with maintaining the Gakara project 
on care and maintenance totalled US$1.3 million (FY 2021: US$0.8 
million). The increase is due to the change in treatment of costs previously 
capitalised within exploration and evaluation assets. In FY 2021 a total  
of US$1.9 million was spent at Gakara, of which US$1.1 million was 
capitalised comprising US$0.4 million of net costs associated with trial 
mining and processing, US$0.3 million of depreciation on the mining 
fleet and US$0.4 million of direct exploration costs. With the project on 
care and maintenance throughout FY 2022, all costs associated with 
Gakara are recognised within the income statement as they do not 
represent costs incurred to evaluate the commercial viability of 
extracting the mineral resource at the Gakara project. The reduced 
overall cost base at Gakara in FY 2022 includes costs associated with 
suspending staff contracts up to 31 December 2021, following which  
the team was reduced to a core of 22 staff to safeguard the assets  
and maintain the administration in country. All staff with terminated 
employment contracts received redundancy payments in accordance 
with Burundi law. 

The Group’s corporate costs grew in FY 2022. With the expected fast 
track development of Phalaborwa, the administrative structures for the 
Group are being strengthened, and a new administrative hub has been 
established in South Africa. FY 2022 costs totalled US$2.3 million, 
increasing from US$1.9 million in FY 2021, predominantly driven  
by staff costs. 

Net finance costs of US$0.3 million (FY 2021: US$nil) relate primarily  
to foreign exchange differences. Gains on movements between the 
Burundian Franc (“BIF”) and US dollars, the functional currency of the 
Group, were offset in FY 2022 by losses on movements between GB 
Pounds, which the Group holds to match future expected costs, and US 
dollars. Finance costs also include US$0.1 million (FY 2021: US$0.1 million) 
associated with the FinBank loan in Burundi. 

The corporation tax rate in Burundi is 30%. In the absence  
of taxable profit, a minimum tax is charged calculated as 1% of revenue. 
The tax charge in the year represents an adjustment to minimum tax 
from prior periods. 

18

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
STRATEGIC REPORT
FINANCIAL REVIEW CONTINUED

GOVERNMENT PAYMENTS 

Rainbow is committed to full payment of its tax and fiscal obligations wherever it operates, as this supports the social licence to operate, and ensures  
a fair contribution to local economies. 

The table below sets out the key payments to government in the period arising as a result of Rainbow’s activity, including direct taxes (such as land 
taxes, duties etc) and indirect taxes (such as payroll taxes, withholding tax, and net VAT paid). 

US$’000
Royalties
Permit and land taxes
Corporation tax
Duties & other
Total tax borne
Payroll tax
Withholding tax
Net VAT
Total net payments to government

South Africa
-
-
-
-
-
44
-
(21)
22

FY 2022
Burundi
-
-
2
-
2
78
-
(4)
76

Total
-
-
2
-
2
122
-
(26)
22

UK
-
-
-
-
-
91
-
-
91

FY 2021 
Burundi
36
-
-
22
58
154
13
(12)
213

Total 
36 
- 
- 
22 
58 
245 
13 
(12) 
304 

Royalty payments relate to the Burundi government royalty of 4% charged on the value of exports of rare earths mineral concentrate.  
No royalties were paid in the current year as operations in Burundi, including all exports, are suspended by the Government. 

Permits and land taxes include annual taxes payable to the Government of Burundi under the terms of the Mining Convention for the Mining Permit  
at Gakara – no payments were made during the current financial year as the Burundi operations are suspended, with the annual cost accrued in the 
financial statements. 

Corporation tax is payable in Burundi based on a minimum 1% of turnover whilst the local operating entity remains loss making. No turnover  
was reported in the current year with the reported tax payments relating to payments on account to be off-set against future tax liabilities. 

Payroll taxes and VAT (net of recovered amounts) are included as they represent funds paid by the Group to the government either directly  
or via suppliers. 

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

19

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
PAGE TITLE

WE ARE COMMITTED  
TO THE HIGHEST 
STANDARDS  
OF CORPORATE 
GOVERNANCE

20

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

22    Directors’ Report 
24    Board of Directors 
25    Senior Management 
26    Principal Risks and Uncertainties 
29     Corporate Governance Statement

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

21

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
DIRECTORS’ REPORT

The Directors present their annual report and the financial 
statements of the Group for the year ended 30 June 2022. 

General 
Rainbow Rare Earths Limited, the parent company of the Group,  
was established in Guernsey on 5 August 2011. On 30 January 2017,  
its shares were listed on the Standard segment of the Main Market  
of the London Stock Exchange. 

Business review 
A review of the business during the year is included in the Chairman’s 
statement, the CEO’s statement, and in the Operating and Financial 
Reviews. The Group’s business and operations and the results thereof 
are reflected in the attached financial statements. 

Business risks 
A review of the key risks to the Company is set out on pages 26 to 27. 

Principal activity 
The Company’s principal activity is the development of rare earth 
minerals projects in South Africa and Burundi. 

Business model 
The basis on which the Company seeks to preserve and generate value 
is through the investment of its funds in the development of rare earth 
minerals projects to become a globally significant and responsible 
producer of rare earth metals. Once operational, the net cash generated 
from the Group’s projects will be used to service the Company’s 
financing, re-invested in further rare earth project development 
opportunities, or (where appropriate) repaid to investors in the form  
of dividends. 

In the short term, this strategy is focused on the Phalaborwa rare earths 
Project in South Africa, where an inferred mineral resource has been 
defined contained within gypsum stacks derived from historic 
phosphate hard rock mining. The recently announced preliminary 
economic assessment has confirmed that the Phalaborwa development 
opportunity represents an economically attractive potential source of 
rare earth oxides. The Gakara Project in Burundi is currently on care and 
maintenance as set out in the Operations Review on page 13. 

Directors’ remuneration 

Advisers 
The Company’s advisers are set out on the inside back cover. 

Financial results 
During the 12 months ended 30 June 2022, the Company reported  
a net loss of US$3,985k (year ended 30 June 2020: net loss  
of US$2,742k). 

No dividends have been declared in respect of the years ending  
30 June 2022 or 2021. 

Directors 
A list of the Directors of the Company is set out on page 24. 

No Director shall be requested to vacate office at any time by reason  
of any specific age attained. The Board considers that there is a balance 
of skills within the Board and that each of the Directors contributes 
effectively. 

Robert A.G. Sinclair retired on 18 January 2022  
as Non-executive Director. 

                                                                                             Salary/fees (US$’000)                                Bonus (US$’000)                                        Total (US$’000) 

June 2022

June 2021

June 2022

June 2021

June 2022

June 2021 

Executive Directors
George Bennett 1
Non-Executive Chairman
Adonis Pouroulis
Non-Executive Directors
Alexander Lowrie
Atul Bali
J Peter Pham
Shawn McCormick
Robert Sinclair
Total

325

93

53
49
47
53
30
650

269

68

42
40
6
42
42
509

134

-

-
-
-
-
-
134

-

-

-
-
-
-
-
-

459

93

53
49
47
53
30
784

269 

68 

42 
40 
6 
42 
42 
509 

1.

In addition to salary, as set out in note 18 to the Financial Statements, Pipestone Capital Inc, in which George Bennett has a beneficial interest, earned interest on an unsecured bridge loan,  
which was settled in December 2021 by cash and shares issued. 

George Bennett’s salary was increased with effect from 1 April 2021 from 
US$250k per annum to US$325k per annum. He is not entitled to any 
other benefits. George also received a cash settled bonus during the 
current year. 

Atul Bali (Non-executive Director) was appointed as Chairman  
of the Audit Committee during the year and therefore his fees  
increased from £35.0k to £40.0k in February 2022. 

Non-executive Directors’ fees were increased with effect from  
1 April 2021 as follows: 
•

Adonis Pouroulis fees as Non-executive Chairman were increased 
from £42.5k/annum to £70.0k/annum. 
Other Non-executive Director fees were increased from 
£27.5k/annum to £35k/annum, with an additional £5k per annum 
paid to Non-executive Directors (excluding the Non-executive 
Chairman) who are chairmen on formal Board Committees  
as set out on page 30. 

•

22

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
DIRECTORS’ REPORT CONTINUED

Directors’ responsibility statement 
The Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008 requires the Directors to prepare 
financial statements for each financial period, which give a true and fair 
view of the state of affairs of the Group for that period and of the profit  
or loss of the Group for that period. Under that law they have elected  
to prepare the financial statements in accordance with International 
Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the EU and applicable law. 
In preparing those financial statements the Directors are required to: 
•

Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them 
consistently; 

• Make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; 
•

State whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, 
subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the 
financial statements; and 
Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless 
it is inappropriate to presume that the Group will continue in 
business. 

•

The Directors are responsible for keeping proper accounting records 
which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial 
position of the Group and to enable them to ensure that the financial 
statements have been properly prepared in accordance with the 
Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008. They are also responsible for 
safeguarding the assets of the Group and hence for taking reasonable 
steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. 

The Directors confirm that they have complied with the  
above requirements in preparing the financial statements. 

So far as each of the Directors are aware, there is no relevant audit 
information of which the Group’s auditor is unaware; having taken all  
the steps the Directors ought to have taken to make themselves aware 
of any relevant audit information and to establish that the Group’s auditor 
is aware of that information. 

Principal shareholders 
A list of shareholders who beneficially hold more than 5%  
of the Company’s shares at 21 October 2022 is as follows: 

                                                                                       Number                              % of 
                                                                                of ordinary                          Share 
Name of Shareholder                                                         shares                       Capital 
Pella Group  
(beneficially owned by Adonis Pouroulis)       76,478,864                       14.6% 
Pipestone Capital Inc  
(beneficially owned by George Bennett)        35,601,683                        6.8% 
Robert Kampf                                                          28,753,578                         5.5% 

Interests of Directors and senior managers 
The interests (all of which are beneficial and include related parties)  
of the Directors and senior managers in the Company’s issued share 
capital at 21 October 2022 are as follows: 

                                                                                       Number                              % of 
                                                                                of ordinary                          Share 
Position                                                                                          shares                       Capital 
Adonis Pouroulis                                                                     
Non-executive Chairman                                    76,478,864                       14.6% 
George Bennett                                                                        
Chief Executive Officer                                        35,601,683                        6.8% 
Alexander Lowrie                                                                     
Non-executive Director                                           6,075,124                         1.2% 
Atul Bali                                                                                         
Non-executive Director                                          3,657,992                         0.7% 
J Peter Pham                                                                             
Non-executive Director                                            250,000                        0.0% 
Shawn McCormick                                                                  
Non-executive Director                                            9,316,571                         1.8% 
Pete Gardner                                                                              
Senior manager                                                          200,000                        0.0% 
                                                                 131,580,234                       25.1% 
Total

Website publication 
The Directors are responsible for ensuring that the annual report  
and the financial statements are made available on a website.  
Financial statements are published on the Company’s website 
(www.rainbowrareearths.com) in accordance with applicable legislation 
in Guernsey governing the preparation and dissemination of financial 
statements, which may vary from legislation in other jurisdictions.  
The maintenance and integrity of the Company’s website is the 
responsibility of the Directors. The Directors’ responsibility also extends 
to the ongoing integrity of the financial statements contained therein. 

Going concern 
The Directors have reviewed the Group’s cash flow forecasts  
for at least 12 months following the reporting date, together with 
appropriate sensitivities and mitigating actions. A full analysis  
of the Directors analysis of the going concern status of the Group  
is set out in note 2 to the Financial Statements. 

After considering available cash, loan facilities anticipated to remain 
available, forecast cash flows and anticipated fundraising activities the 
Directors consider that the Group will have adequate resources to 
continue its operational existence for the foreseeable future. However, 
the cash flow forecast includes additional fundraising which is not yet  
in place. The Directors believe that the need to raise further funds 
represents a material uncertainty that casts doubt on this assumption. 
Nevertheless, the Directors continue to adopt the going concern basis  
in preparing the consolidated financial statements. 

Auditor 
BDO LLP has expressed its willingness to continue in office as auditors 
and a resolution to re-appoint BDO LLP will be proposed at the 
forthcoming annual general meeting. 

Signed on behalf of the Board of Directors on 
21 October 2022 

George Bennett 
Chief Executive Officer 

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

23

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Adonis Pouroulis 
(Non-executive Chairman) 

Shawn McCormick 
(Non-executive Director) 

Adonis is an entrepreneur whose expertise lies in the discovery, 
exploration and development of natural resources across Africa. Having 
worked in the sector for over 25 years he has extensive experience and  
a wide network of industry relationships across the continent. Adonis is 
founder and CEO of Chariot Oil & Gas (AIM: CHAR), founder and 
chairman of the Pella Resources Group, and was the founder and 
chairman of Petra Diamonds (LSE: PDL). Adonis holds a Bachelor  
of Science Degree (Honours). 

Shawn is an International Affairs specialist with more than 20 years’ 
political and extractive industries sector experience having served in  
The White House as Director for African Affairs on the National Security 
Council (Washington), Political Affairs Director of BP (London) and Vice 
President of TNK-BP (Moscow). He is currently Managing Director of  
a strategic advisory services company and an adviser to the Pella 
Resources Group. 

George Bennett 
(Chief Executive Officer) 

With over 25 years’ experience in mining, finance and management, 
George has led a number of mining and energy companies, including 
Shanta Gold Ltd (which he successfully listed on the London Stock 
Exchange in 2005), OreCorp Ltd (which he seed funded and helped raise 
the initial capital as a Non-executive Director) and most recently Karo 
Power (Pvt) Ltd. 

In 2006, George established MDM Engineering Ltd, which he 
successfully listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2008. MDM 
Engineering Ltd is a mining engineering company building mineral 
process plants and mining infrastructure throughout Africa. In 2014, 
George was instrumental in selling the business to Foster Wheeler 
Limited for US$120 million. 

In addition, George has been a partner and director with a number  
of leading financial, broking and advisory businesses including 
Fergusson Bros, Simpson Mckie, and HSBC Securities Africa (Pty) Ltd. 

Alexander Lowrie 
(Non-executive Director) 

Alex is the co-founder of Telemark Capital LLP, a partnership focusing  
on capital advisory and asset management. Through its consulting 
subsidiary, Gunnerside Advisors, Alex is also involved in providing 
governance services as an independent investment committee 
member to a variety of advisory panels. Prior to this Alex worked for 13 
years in investment banking. He was a director at Deutsche Bank and 
then RBS from 2004 to 2012, having started his banking career in 1998 
at ABN AMRO. Through these positions, he has gained extensive market 
experience in primary and secondary equity offerings including bringing 
companies to market through IPOs (including structuring, marketing, 
and distribution). Alex graduated from Durham University with a BA 
(hons) in Combined Social Sciences, and he is also in the process of 
completing an executive MBA from Henley Business School. 

Atul Bali 
(Non-executive Director) 

Atul is a corporate CEO and board member with extensive experience  
in tech, government contracting and regulated industries operating on 
all six continents. Over more than 20 years, he has led in excess of 50 
M&A and JV transactions in over 25 countries and both managed and 
served on the boards of several highly regulated businesses. Currently 
he advises a number of high-growth technology companies, is 
chairman of the Football Pools and a non-executive director of Everi 
Holdings Inc (NYSE:EVRI). He has previously held divisional CEO or 
president positions with IGT (NYSE), Aristocrat (ASX), and Real Networks 
(NASDAQ), as well as a venture capital firm. He trained as a Chartered 
Accountant with KPMG in the UK. 

J. Peter Pham 
(Non-executive Director) 

J. Peter Pham is a scholar and practitioner of International Affairs with 
more than 20 years of experience in Africa. Most recently, he served  
until January 2021 as first-ever United States Special Envoy for the 
Sahel Region with the personal rank of Ambassador. He had previously 
served as the US Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region of Africa  
from 2018-2020. 

Ambassador Pham is currently a Distinguished Fellow at the Atlantic 
Council, a preeminent American foreign policy think tank, where he was 
Vice President for Research and Regional Initiatives and Director of the 
Council’s Africa Center before his service in government. He is the author 
of several books and more than 300 articles, essays and reviews  
on African politics, security, and economic issues. He is also a member  
of the Board of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art in 
Washington, DC, serving between 2016-2021 as Vice Chair,  
as well as a Non-Executive Director of Africell Global Holdings. 

24

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
SENIOR MANAGEMENT

Pete Gardner 
Chief Financial Officer 

Chris Attwood 
Project Manager - Gakara 

Pete is a qualified Chartered Accountant with a breadth of experience  
in financial management and corporate finance in the natural resources 
sector. He was the Finance Director of Amara Mining plc from October 
2009 managing the corporate and financial development of the 
company culminating in its acquisition by Perseus Mining, and former 
Chief Finance Officer for Piran Resources, Chaarat Gold Holdings and 
Alexander Mining plc. 

Chris has more than 20 years’ experience in mining and extractive 
industries. He is a qualified mining engineer (Cambourne School  
of Mines) and has worked throughout Africa (including Tanzania  
and Eritrea) as well as the rest of the world. As well as rare earths,  
Chris has experience with gold, tin, coal, and quarrying operations. 

Dave Dodd  
Technical Director 

Dave has 45 years of extractive metallurgy experience covering  
research and development, technical sales and predominantly 
metallurgical project development and execution. He was Technical 
Director and co-founder of MDM Engineering between 1987-2014.  
Dave has designed and commissioned plants across Africa and the  
rest of the world, covering minerals from REEs to gold, platinum, 
diamonds, copper, zinc, phosphate, cobalt and many others. 

Charles Graham 
Project Manager - Phalaborwa 

Charles is a Mechanical Engineer with 20 years’ experience in project 
management delivering multidisciplinary mining and infrastructure 
projects in remote and logistically challenging geographical regions.  
He has successfully completed multiple feasibility studies across Africa 
and has a proven track record of increasing project value by reducing 
capital and operating costs during project life cycle from study  
to execution. 

The above names have been designated as Persons Discharging 
Managerial Responsibility (“PDMRs”). 

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

25

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
PRINCIPAL RISKS AND  
UNCERTAINTIES

The Directors regularly assess and discuss the principal risks facing the Company, including those that would threaten  
its business model, future performance, solvency or liquidity. 

The key risks affecting the Company are set out below: 

Business impact 

High

Risk 

Project definition  
risk including  
exploration and  
extractive  
metallurgy

Comment 

 At Phalaborwa, the Company has 

announced a preliminary economic 
assessment which has confirmed  
a processing flowsheet capable of 
economically extracting the magnet rare 
earth metals from the gypsum stacks  
in a low capital and low operating cost 
environment. Further test work, including 
pilot test work to confirm the efficacy of the 
processing flowsheet, will be required to 
provide sufficient confidence for project 
development, which may not deliver results 
in line with the preliminary economic 
assessment. 

At Gakara, the Company does not currently 
have a code-compliant Mineral Resource  
or Reserve due to the complexity of the 
underlying geological mineralisation.  
It is possible that the quantity of rare earths 
present in the licence area is less than 
management expectations with resulting 
impacts on plans to develop a long-term 
commercial operation at Gakara. 

Political risk in 
Burundi

High

On 12 April 2021, the Government of Burundi 
temporarily suspended the export of 
concentrate produced at Gakara. This was 
followed on 29 June 2021 with a suspension 
of all trial mining and exploration activity.  
All operations remain on care and 
maintenance at October 2022. There has 
been no attempt to remove the mining 
licence for the Gakara project.

Financing risk

High

26

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

Mitigation 

 The Company’s technical team has designed 

and commissioned numerous commercial 
plants in Africa, including rare earth projects. 
A number of alternative options and 
technologies are considered for each step  
of the extractive process to ensure that the 
final flow sheet chosen for the Phalaborwa 
Project can be delivered. 

At Gakara, throughout the 2020-21 financial 
year trial mining of ore, sourced using both 
mechanical and manual mining methods 
from across the licence area, confirmed near 
vein continuity and quality. Batch processing 
of this material demonstrated the ability to 
produce a high-grade rare earth concentrate 
via simple gravity separation for all ore 
sources identified to date. Subject to 
operations re-starting, the Company expects 
to use operating cash flow to define further 
low-cost exploration techniques to improve 
confidence in the Gakara mineralisation. 

Management understands that the concerns 
of the Government of Burundi relate 
principally to the pricing of the rare earth 
concentrate sold, which was addressed 
comprehensively in an independent report 
commissioned by the World Bank in 2019 and 
accepted by the Government in 2020. 

Although the situation has persisted longer 
than originally anticipated, management 
notes significant changes in the political 
landscape in Burundi which occurred in 
September 2022, which have led to further 
engagement with the authorities. Accordingly, 
management expects operations at Gakara  
to resume in the near term. 

The strong economic returns set out in the 
recently announced preliminary economic 
assessment for Phalaborwa are expected  
to ensure funding is available to progress 
with a feasibility study for that project. 

At Gakara, the Company expects funds 
received from the sale of current mineral 
concentrate to be available to finance the  
re-commencement of trial mining 
operations, which at current rare earth prices 
would not be expected to require further 
funding to maintain. 

Longer term, management maintains strong 
relationships with key sources of finance. 
Rainbow has a history of securing funding 
required for the Company’s growth plans, 
including support from its cornerstone 
investors, and management expects to be 
able to secure additional funding as required. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
PRINCIPAL RISKS AND  
UNCERTAINTIES CONTINUED

Risk 

Rare earth prices

Business impact 

High

Comment 

 Rainbow’s strategy is to identify near-term, 

secondary rare earths production 
opportunities. Meeting escalating demand  
for critical minerals needed for global 
decarbonisation, we are focused on 
producing the magnet rare earth metals 
NdPr, Dy and Tb.  

Whilst analysts are predicting strong growth 
in demand for rare earths, prices have been 
volatile in the past. If the underlying rare earth 
basket price of the Group’s development 
projects fall, this reduces potential revenue 
that will impact the long-term profitability  
of the project and could impact the 
commercial viability of any development. 

The Company currently has an off-take 
agreement with ThyssenKrupp for the Gakara 
Project trial mining activities in Burundi, 
selling rare earth concentrate at a discount  
of approximately 70% to the quoted price  
of the underlying metal oxides. 

Civil unrest

Medium

Burundi has experienced civil unrest, 
including most recently in 2015. South Africa 
experienced some civil unrest in 2021.  
Any subsequent instances of civil unrest 
could impact the long-term operations  
of the Company’s development projects, 
including the ability to obtain supplies,  
export production and manage 
administrative matters.

Mitigation 

 The recently announced preliminary 

economic assessment for the Phalaborwa 
Project in South Africa, has confirmed a 
simple, low-cost operation due to the nature 
of the rare earth mineral resource contained 
in a chemical form in two gypsum stacks, 
which will not require many of the processes 
associated with a primary mineral ore body 
for the extraction of rare earths. The resulting 
operating margin will allow Phalaborwa to 
generate strong returns in a lower rare earth 
price environment. The Company will aim to 
negotiate off-take arrangements if required 
to ensure a commercial development is 
viable in the interests of all stakeholders. 

At Gakara the Company expects to  
re-commence operations, which are not 
expected to require further funding to 
maintain at current rare earth prices. In the 
event of lower market prices, the Company 
would seek to defend its margins by 
reviewing its operating cost base, where 
possible, reducing discretionary expenditure 
and optimising the scale of developments to 
minimise the impact of fixed costs and 
marginal ore. 

Although civil unrest is beyond the control  
of management, the Company maintains 
strict political neutrality in all countries  
in which it operates. 

In the event of unrest, management would 
prioritise the safety of its staff, and if it were 
deemed safe to continue in operation,  
would work to ensure the security  
of its assets and supplies. 

Currency controls 
in Burundi

At Gakara, the Company has received sale 
proceeds in US dollars, which, are repatriated 
to an account in the Burundi Central Bank. 

Medium

The Company has the right, under its Mining 
Convention with the Burundian Government, 
to unfettered access to its foreign currencies. 

Burundi has experienced shortages of 
foreign currency reserves in the past,  
and it is therefore possible that access  
to US dollars held in country might be 
difficult. This would affect the Company’s 
ability to meet ongoing foreign currency 
obligations including international suppliers, 
servicing of international debt and 
repatriation of profits. 

The Company will continue to monitor 
currency issues in country and will  
negotiate flexible terms with the  
Government as far as possible.  

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

27

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
PRINCIPAL RISKS AND  
UNCERTAINTIES CONTINUED

THROUGH  
RESPONSIBLE 
PRODUCTION OF RARE 
EARTHS, RAINBOW  
IS CONTRIBUTING TO  
THE CLEAN ENERGY 
TRANSITION

28

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE  
STATEMENT

As a Guernsey-registered Company, trading on the Standard List of the 
Main Market of the London Stock Exchange, the UK Corporate 
Governance Code published by the Financial Reporting Council does not 
apply to the Company. However, whilst the Company does not apply the 
UK Corporate Governance Code, the Directors recognise the importance 
of good corporate governance and have implemented corporate 
governance practices having consideration to the recommendations 
and principles of the UK Corporate Governance Code as far as is 
appropriate bearing the size and nature of the Company in mind. 

The Board oversees the performance of the Group’s activities. It 
comprises experienced Board members who have held senior positions 
in a number of public and private companies. The Board is responsible to 
shareholders for the proper management of the Group. The Non-
executive Directors have particular responsibility to ensure that the 
strategies proposed by the Executive Director are carefully considered. 
The Board meets regularly and met seven times in the year to 30 June 
2022. Prior to such meetings taking place, an agenda and board papers 
are circulated to the Directors so that they are adequately prepared for 
the meetings. 

To enable the Board to discharge its duties, all Directors have full and 
timely access to all relevant information. 

There is no agreed formal procedure for the Board (or members thereof) 
to seek independent professional advice but, pursuant to their letters of 
appointment, the Non-executive Directors may, where appropriate, take 
independent professional advice at the Group’s expense. 

In accordance with the Company’s Articles of Associations, the Directors 
submit themselves for re-election every three years at the Company’s 
Annual General Meeting. 

The composition of the Board will be reviewed regularly to ensure that 
the Board has the appropriate mix of expertise and experience. The 
Articles provide that the number of Directors that may be appointed may 
not be fewer than two. Two Directors present at a Board meeting will 
constitute a quorum. 

The Board ensures it is aware of the views of major shareholders through 
regular meetings in person (where appropriate), as well as through 
discussions with the Company’s brokers and market analysts. Where 
such information has been obtained by the CEO, this information is 
disseminated to the rest of the Board in a timely manner. 

Review of internal control and risk management systems 
The Board has reviewed the Company’s internal control and risk 
management systems. 

Rainbow has a relatively small team of management and financial staff 
and is therefore able to retain a tight control over its financial reporting 
activities. The Board does not consider it appropriate to have a separate 
internal audit function, however a number of internal controls and 
reviews have been put in place to provide the Board (and the Audit 
Committee) with assurance that the risks inherent to operating a natural 
resource company in more than one jurisdiction are managed 
appropriately. These controls include the following: 
•

Budgets and forecasts are prepared by finance staff in conjunction 
with operating teams and are reviewed and approved by senior 
management (and in the case of the Budget, by the Board). 
Actual results are reported against budget and forecast, and 
variances examined. 
All banking transactions must be initiated and authorised by at least 
two staff members, one of whom is a senior manager (CEO or CFO). 
Since the retirement of the General Manager in Burundi, all 
payments are approved by the CEO or CFO prior to payment being 
made locally. For international payments, all payments are approved 
in the on-line banking system by the CFO following sign-off by the 
CEO. 
Financial operations in Burundi are reviewed regularly by the CFO, 
both on visits to Burundi and online. During the current financial 
year, reviews have primarily been conducted in an online 
environment and in-country visits limited to discussions with the 
Burundi Government. 
The Group uses a central financial reporting system (Xero) which 
records all transactions, capturing third party documents (e.g. 
invoices) which are reviewed by head office on a monthly basis. 
Senior management regularly discuss material developments 
(normally weekly) and consider financial and reporting implications 
of any matters arising. 

•

•

•

•

•

In addition to formal Audit Committee meetings, the CFO has regular 
interaction with the Audit Committee chairman to discuss control and 
reporting matters in more detail.  

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

29

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE  
STATEMENT CONTINUED

Board of Directors 
The Company had one Executive Director and five Non-executive Directors at 30 June 2022. All major decisions relating to the Group are made  
by the Board as a whole. Operations are conducted by the subsidiaries of the Company. In Burundi, the Company is represented on the board  
of Rainbow Mining Burundi SM by the CEO and CFO. 

Determining the strategy for the Company; 
Approving the annual budget; 
Discussing and approving financing, including new debt and equity; 
Setting the dividend policy; 

The Board reviews key business risks regularly, including the financial risks facing the Group in the operation of its business. These matters include,  
but are not limited to, the following: 
•
•
•
•
• Mergers and acquisitions activity and significant transactions; 
•
•

Risk management; and 
Considering and, if appropriate, approving the recommendations of Board Committees. 

The following table lists the names, positions and ages of the Directors, the year they were appointed, and current committee memberships: 

Name
Adonis Pouroulis
George Bennett
Alexander Lowrie
Atul Bali
J. Peter Pham
Shawn McCormick

1 Ages at 30 June 2022 

Age1
52
61
47
51
51
55

Position
Chairman
CEO
Non-exec
Non-exec
Non-exec
Non-exec

Appointed
5 Aug 2011
27 Aug 2019
16 Nov 2016
29 Mar 2017
17 May 2021
4 Feb 2016

Audit Remuneration
Member
-
Chair
-
-
-

-
-
Member
Chair
-
Member

Nomination
Chair
-
-
Member
Member
-

SHEC 
- 
Member 
Member 
- 
- 
Chair 

The Company does not consider Adonis Pouroulis to be independent by virtue of being a significant shareholder. The other Non-executive Directors 
are considered to be independent, in terms of character and judgment, notwithstanding the following: 
•
•

All the Non-executives are shareholders in the Company (see Directors’ Report for details). 
All the Non-executives held share options during the year ended 30 June 2022 (see Note 22 for details). 

The table below shows the attendance at board and committee meetings during the year ended 30 June 2022: 

Name
Adonis Pouroulis
George Bennett
Alexander Lowrie
Atul Bali
J. Peter Pham
Shawn McCormick
Robert Sinclair

Board
7/7
7/7
7/7
6/7
6/7
7/7
3/3

Audit Remuneration
1/1
N/A
1/1
N/A
N/A
N/A
1/1

N/A
N/A
3/3
3/3
N/A
1/1
2/2

Nomination
0/0
N/A
n/a
0/0
0/0
N/A
N/A

SHEC 
N/A 
1/1 
1/1 
N/A 
N/A 
1/1 
N/A 

The membership of Board committees was updated in the year following the resignation of Robert Sinclair in January 2022. The table of Board 
committee attendance is based on the Board committee appointments at the time of the relevant meeting. The Board is regularly informed of 
developments outside formal Board meetings, through update calls and meetings, reports and one-to-one discussions with the CEO and other 
management. 

The deliberations of the various committees, referred to below, do not reduce the individual and collective responsibilities of Board members with 
regard to their fiduciary duties and responsibilities, and they must continue to exercise due care and judgment in accordance with their statutory 
obligations. 

These terms of reference are subject to the provisions of the Articles and any other applicable law or regulatory provision in force in Guernsey,  
and the Listings Rules. 

In addition to the Audit, Remuneration, Nomination and Safety, Health and Environment Committees which have formally delegated duties  
and responsibilities within written terms of reference, the Board may set up additional Committees as appropriate. 

30

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE  
STATEMENT CONTINUED

Audit Committee 
The Board has established an Audit Committee with formally delegated 
duties and responsibilities. The Audit Committee is chaired by Atul Bali 
since January 2022 following the retirement of Robert Sinclair. Alexander 
Lowrie has been a member of the committee throughout the year. 
Shawn McCormick was appointed as a member following the retirement 
of Robert Sinclair. 

The Audit Committee should meet not less than two times a year and  
is responsible for ensuring the financial performance of the Company  
is properly reported on and monitored, including reviews of the annual 
and interim accounts, results announcements, internal control systems 
and procedures and accounting policies. 

The Remuneration Committee met once during 2021/22 to discuss  
a proposal for an award under the short-term and long-term incentive 
plans for senior management. 

Safety, Health, and Environment Committee (“SHEC”) 
The SHEC is responsible for developing and reviewing the Group’s 
framework, policies and guidelines on safety, health and environmental 
management, monitoring key indicators on accidents and incidents 
within the Group’s operations and considering developments in relevant 
safety, health and environmental practices and regulations. 

The SHEC is chaired by Shawn McCormick. The other members  
of the committee are George Bennett and Alexander Lowrie. 

It is also responsible for keeping the categorisation, monitoring and 
overall effectiveness of the Company's risk assessment and internal 
control processes under review. 

The SHEC met once during 2021/22 to discuss the Terms of Reference 
for the committee, the Company’s policies and ESG priorities and 
regulatory developments. 

The Audit Committee was formally established in January 2017 and  
met three times during 2021/22. During these meetings, the following 
matters were considered: 
•

The audit of the year ended 30 June 2021 was planned and the  
key areas of audit risk were discussed ahead of the relevant audit 
procedures being undertaken. 
The financial statements for the year ended 30 June 2021, and the 
interim financial statements for the six months ended 31 December 
2021, were reviewed. Following due consideration, the Audit 
Committee recommended to the Board that these Financial 
Statements be approved 

•

The Audit Committee also considered the conduct of the external audit 
by BDO LLP, which was considered to be appropriate. The Committee 
therefore resolved to propose BDO LLP for reappointment at the next 
AGM for a period of 12 months. It was noted that BDO LLP had been 
auditors of the Company since October 2016. 

The Audit Committee also considered the independence and objectivity 
of BDO LLP. The Committee considered the composition of the BDO 
audit team, together with the duration of service of the partner and 
senior audit team members on the Company’s audit and concluded that 
BDO LLP was sufficiently independent to conduct the audit. The only 
non-audit service during the year was the informal review of the interim 
financial statements for the six months to 31 December 2021. 

Nomination Committee  
The Nomination Committee is chaired by Adonis Pouroulis, with the 
other members comprising Atul Bali and J. Peter Pham.  
The Nomination Committee is normally expected to meet only as 
required. The Nomination Committee is responsible for reviewing, within 
the agreed terms of reference, the structure, size, and composition of 
the Board, undertaking succession planning, leading the process for 
new Board appointments, and making recommendations to the Board 
on all new appointments and re-appointments of existing directors. 

The Nomination Committee did not meet during 2021/22. 

Remuneration Committee 
The Remuneration Committee members are Alex Lowrie (Chairman)  
and Adonis Pouroulis. Robert Sinclair was a member of the committee 
until his retirement in January 2022. It is normally expected to meet at 
least once a year. The Remuneration Committee has responsibility for 
determining, within agreed terms of reference, the Group’s policy on the 
remuneration of senior executives and specific remuneration packages 
for Executive Directors and the Non-executive Chairman.  
The remuneration of Non-executive Directors is a matter  
for the Board. No Director may be involved in any discussions  
as to their own remuneration. 

Share dealing policy 
The Company has a share dealing policy requiring all Directors and 
senior executives to obtain prior written clearance from either the 
Chairman or the Chief Executive Officer to deal in linked shares.  
The Chairman requires prior written clearance from the Chairman of the 
Audit Committee. Close periods (as defined in the share dealing policy) 
are observed as required by Market Abuse Regulations and other rules 
that apply to the Company by virtue of the market on which its shares 
are listed. During these periods, the Company’s directors, executives and 
inside employees are not permitted to deal in the Company’s securities. 
Additional close periods are enforced when the Company or its 
applicable employees are in possession of inside information. 

Anti-Bribery Policy 
The Company has adopted an Anti-Bribery Policy and procedures 
(including whistleblowing), which apply to the Group, its officers and 
staff anywhere in the world. The policy and procedures have been 
developed following an assessment of the risks applicable to the Group’s 
business and include a process for reporting suspicious conduct, 
financial limits on gifts and hospitality, procedures for financial  
record-keeping and for dealing with contracts with third parties, and a 
prohibition on charitable or political donations without Board approval. 

Pete Gardner acts as the Group’s Anti-Bribery Officer. The Anti-Bribery 
Officer oversees the day-to-day operation of the Anti-Bribery Policy and 
procedures. The Board also regularly reviews the operation of the Anti-
Bribery Policy and procedures and the Anti-Bribery Officer reports to the 
Board on any specific issues that may arise. 

All personnel are required to receive guidance and training in relation to 
the Group’s Anti-Bribery Policy and procedures. Senior staff have already 
received this training, and training for junior staff continues as an 
ongoing process. 

The Anti-Bribery Officer also undertakes due diligence on third parties  
as appropriate that are to be engaged by the Group to do business  
on its behalf. The Group requires third parties to take account of the  
anti-bribery policy and to act in accordance with its provisions. 

Signed on behalf of the Board of Directors on  
21 October 2022 

George Bennett 
Chief Executive Officer 

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

31

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

PAGE TITLE

OPPORTUNITY TO  
ACHIEVE ADDITIONAL 
VALUE FROM FURTHER 
DOWNSTREAM 
PROCESSING

32

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

34    Independent Auditors’ Report 
40    Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income 
41     Consolidated Statement of Financial Position 
42    Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity 
43    Consolidated Cash Flow Statement 
44    Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

33

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT 
TO THE MEMBERS OF RAINBOW RARE EARTHS LIMITED

Opinion on the financial statements 
In our opinion, the financial statements: 
•
•
•

give a true and fair view of the state of the Group’s affairs as at 30 June 2022 and of its loss for the year then ended; 
have been properly prepared in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the European Union; and 
have been properly prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008. 

We have audited the financial statements of Rainbow Rare Earths Limited (the ‘Parent Company’) and its subsidiaries (the ‘Group’) for the year  
ended 30 June 2022 which comprise the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income, the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position,  
the Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity, the Consolidated Cash Flow Statement and the notes to the financial statements, including  
a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and 
International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) as adopted by the European Union. 

Basis for opinion 
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those 
standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We believe that the audit 
evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. 

Independence  
Following the recommendation of the audit committee, we were appointed by the audit committee on the 03 October 2016 to audit the financial 
statements for the year ending 30 June 2016 and subsequent financial periods. The period of total uninterrupted engagement including retenders 
and reappointments is 7 years, covering the years ending 30 June 2016 to 30 June 2022. We remain independent of the Group and the Parent 
Company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical 
Standard as applied to listed public interest entities, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements.  
The non-audit services prohibited by that standard were not provided to the Group or the Parent Company. 

Material uncertainty relating to going concern 
We draw attention to note 2 to the financial statements concerning the Group’s ability to continue as a going concern. As stated in note 2 the Group 
has forecasted that it will need to raise additional funding to complete a feasibility study at Phalaborwa. These conditions, along with the other matters 
set out in Note 2 indicate the existence of a material uncertainty which may cast significant doubt over the Group’s ability to continue as a going 
concern. Our opinion is not modified in respect of this matter.  

We identified going concern as a key audit matter based on our assessment of the significance of the risk and the effect on our audit strategy.  

Our evaluation of the Directors’ assessment of the entity’s ability to continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting and in response  
to the key audit matter is described below. 

•

•

•

•

•

Critically assessing Director’s cash flow forecast and the underlying assumptions which have been approved by the Board. This included stress 
testing and applying sensitivities to the base cashflow forecast. Our testing included testing the integrity of the model, comparing forecast costs 
to historical actuals, evaluating the consistency of the forecast capital and exploration expenditure within the Group’s strategic plans,  
and considering the reasonableness of the sensitivities applied and outcome of the reverse stress tests.  
Verifying cash balances used in the forecast close to the date of sign off of these financial statements, by tracing cash positions against bank 
statements.  
Agreeing future cash outflows in respect of loans to underlying agreements. This included assessing the FinBank addendum that confirmed 
capital repayments are not required until after January 2023 and ensuring the timing of the capital repayments and interest charges was 
appropriately reflected in cashflows commencing from January 2023. 
Assessing the reasonableness of the cash outflows for the corporate overhead, which included some contingency and considering  
the completeness of the costs included in the forecast. 
Assessing the level of cash outflows assumed for the Gakara mine, which was assumed to remain on care and maintenance for the entire 
forecast period. This involved comparing forecast cash outflows to prior year actuals and considering the completeness of the costs included  
in the forecast.  

• We considered the ability of the group securing additional funds based on its history of successful fundraising and its share price performance 

and assessed the alternative actions available to management should they be unable to access additional funds. 

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the Directors with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report. 

34

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT CONTINUED 
TO THE MEMBERS OF RAINBOW RARE EARTHS LIMITED

Overview 

    Coverage                                                                                   93% (2021: 99%) of Group loss before tax 

                                                                                          96% (2021: 100%) of Group total assets 

    Key audit matters                                                                                                                                                                                                                    2022                          2021 

                                                                                          1. Carrying value of Burundi assets 

                                                                                          2. Going concern 

    Materiality                                                                                Group financial statements as a whole 

                                                                                          US$160k (2021: US$130k) based on 4% of loss before tax. In the prior year materiality was based 

on 1% of total assets. The change in materiality basis is based on the increased focus of the 
Group on the Phalaborwa asset which has a low proportion of total assets. Therefore, loss before 
tax would be a more appropriate materiality base as this represents the costs incurred to fund 
the group in the pre-revenue phase of operation.  

An overview of the scope of our audit 
Our Group audit was scoped by obtaining an understanding of the Group and its environment, including the Group’s system of internal control,  
and assessing the risks of material misstatement in the financial statements. We also addressed the risk of management override of internal  
controls, including assessing whether there was evidence of bias by the Directors that may have represented a risk of material misstatement. 

Whilst Rainbow Rare Earths Limited is a Company registered in Guernsey and listed on the Standard Segment of the London Stock Exchange  
in the UK, the Group’s principal operations are located in South Africa and Burundi. In approaching the audit we considered how the Group is  
organised and managed. We assessed the business as being two projects comprising of the Gakara and the Phalaborwa Projects, and a  
corporate head office function. 

Our Group audit scope focused on the Group’s principle operating entities, Rainbow Rare Earths Limited, Rainbow Mining Burundi and Rainbow 
International Resources. We have identified these entities as significant components for the purposes of our financial statement audit, based on their 
relative share of total assets. The significant components accounted for 96% of total assets and were subject to full scope audits conducted by the 
group engagement team, using a team with experience of auditing African exploration entities. Full scope audits were performed on these significant 
components. 

The remaining components of the Group were considered non-significant, and these components were principally subject to analytical review 
procedures with specific procedures for any significant balances impacting the Group results. 

All audit work (full scope audit or review work) was conducted by the group engagement team, with the exception of the inventory count which  
was carried out by BDO member firm. 

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

35

 
 
    
 
 
 
    
 
    
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT CONTINUED 
TO THE MEMBERS OF RAINBOW RARE EARTHS LIMITED

Key audit matters 
Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgement, were of most significance in our audit of the financial statements of the 
current period and include the most significant assessed risks of material misstatement (whether or not due to fraud) that we identified, including 
those which had the greatest effect on the overall audit strategy, the allocation of resources in the audit, and directing the efforts of the engagement 
team. These matters were addressed in the context of our audit of the financial statements as a whole, and in forming our opinion thereon, and we do 
not provide a separate opinion on these matters. In addition to the matter described in the Conclusions related to going concern, we have determined 
the matter below to be the key audit matter to be communicated in our report. 

    Key audit matter: Carrying Value of Burundi Assets (Exploration Assets, Inventory and the Royalty Receivable)  
   Refer to Note 3, 12, 14 & 15 

    The exploration assets are the most significant assets on the Group’s balance sheet and relate to the exploration licence acquisition costs  

and subsequently capitalised exploration expenditure incurred on the Group’s Projects, Gakara and Phalaborwa.  

    As at 30 June 2022, the Group’s capitalised exploration costs amounted to US$10,588k (30 June 2021: US$9,751k), of which US$8,635k  

(2021: US$ 8,635k) relates to the Gakara asset in Burundi.  

    In June 2021, the Burundian Government put a suspension on trial mining operations. This followed an export ban that was put in place  
by the Burundian Government in March 2021. As a result, since June 2021 the mine has been on care and maintenance and there have  
been no changes in operations since then. No additional costs were capitalised to Gakara in the 2022 period.  

    In addition to the capitalised exploration costs, the Group holds rare earths inventory produced during 2021 that remains unsold as at 30 June 2022 

from the Gakara asset of US$717k (2021: US$717k), and has a royalty receivable from the Burundian Government arising from overpayment of 
royalties on exported rare earths sales of US$109k as at 30 June 2022 (2021: US$178k), amounts are reflected net of the impairment provision raised. 

    Should the suspension and export ban not be lifted, operations may not restart and the value of the Gakara exploration asset, rare earths inventory 

and royalty receivable asset may not be recoverable and require impairing to their recoverable amount. 

    Given the judgement involved in assessing this, the carrying value of these assets is a key audit matter. 

36

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT CONTINUED 
TO THE MEMBERS OF RAINBOW RARE EARTHS LIMITED

    How the scope of our audit addressed the key audit matter  

    To assist us in determining whether the carrying amount of the exploration and evaluation asset, inventory and royalty receivable is recoverable,  

we have undertaken the following procedures: 

    • We made inquiries of Management regarding the suspension of mining operations and export ban imposed by the Government of Burundi  

and read board minutes, public announcements and correspondence with the Burundi Government and legal advisers.  

    Exploration and evaluation assets: 
    We evaluated Management’s impairment indicator assessment and formed our own assessment of impairment indicators by considering  

the requirements of IFRS 6- Exploration for and Evaluation of Mineral Resources. In doing so we: 

    • Confirmed the Group continues to hold valid title to the Gakara Project by inspecting the licence agreements;  
    • Reviewed strategic plans to confirm that further expenditure on exploration to evaluate mineral resources in the specific area is planned,  

and reviewed the assumptions in management’s economic model that indicated the carrying amount of the exploration and evaluation asset  
is likely to be recovered, subject to the suspension from trial mining operations and export ban being lifted; 

    • Considered the reasonableness under the accounting standard of expensing costs incurred opposed to capitalising them by assessing the  
nature of the costs incurred in relation to the capitalisation criteria. This included making inquiries of management and operational staff to 
understand the nature of the trial mining and processing activities so we could evaluate management’s conclusion that they did not contribute  
to the exploration and evaluation activities; and 

    • Assessed the financial statement disclosures, specifically including the uncertainty of the project given the suspension of operations  

and the export ban imposed by the Government of Burundi.  

Inventory:  
    The inventory on hand is made up of 420 tonne rare earth minerals. There is a risk that inventory on hand is overvalued and cannot be realised  

if the export ban is not lifted. In addressing this risk, we performed the following procedures: 

    • A BDO member firm attended an inventory count at the year-end where the number of bags of sealed and unsealed inventory were counted.  

The contents of the rare earth material was confirmed by evaluating plunge samples using a handheld X-Ray Fluorescence scanner. 

    • We assessed the net realisable value of a basket of rare earth by comparing the historical and forecasted realisable value against the carrying 

amount of inventory held, to consider whether the stock was appropriately valued at the lower of cost and net realisable value.  

    • We assessed the financial statement disclosures, specifically including the uncertainty of the project given the current export ban imposed  

by the Government of Burundi. 

    Royalty receivable: 
    At the year-end the Group held a receivable of $109k, net of provisions raised. In respect of historically overpaid royalties arising from the sale  
of rare earth concentrate. There is a risk that the receivable is overvalued and cannot be recovered. In addressing this risk, we performed the 
following procedures: 

    • We considered the gross value of the receivable. As no sales took place in the year due to the ongoing export ban, no additional royalty  

payments were incurred. In addition, none of the receivable was settled in the period. 

    • For the royalty recoverable in respect of overpayments made in prior years we agreed the gross balance to correspondence from the  

Government that confirmed that the amounts recognised were repayable to the company.  

    • We assessed Management’s assumptions to determine the recoverable amount of the receivable given the time that has elapsed with  

no payments being received. We recalculated the impairment which involved probability weighting potential different outcomes of the manner  
of recovery, including recovering the asset by offset against future payments discounted for the time value of money, and no amounts being 
recovered.  

    • We assessed the financial statement disclosures, specifically including the uncertainty of the project given the suspension of operations  

and the current export ban.  

    Key observations: 
    Based on procedures performed, we consider that managements judgement in respect of the carrying value of these assets is reasonable,  
and that the disclosure included within the financial statements details the significant uncertainty over when the suspension from mining 
operations and the export ban will be lifted, which may impact the recoverability of the carrying value of the Gakara exploration and evaluation 
assets, inventory and royalty receivable.  

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

37

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT CONTINUED 
TO THE MEMBERS OF RAINBOW RARE EARTHS LIMITED

Our application of materiality 
We apply the concept of materiality both in planning and performing our audit, and in evaluating the effect of misstatements. We consider materiality 
to be the magnitude by which misstatements, including omissions, could influence the economic decisions of reasonable users that are taken on the 
basis of the financial statements.  

In order to reduce to an appropriately low level the probability that any misstatements exceed materiality, we use a lower materiality level, performance 
materiality, to determine the extent of testing needed. Importantly, misstatements below these levels will not necessarily be evaluated as immaterial  
as we also take account of the nature of identified misstatements, and the particular circumstances of their occurrence, when evaluating their effect 
on the financial statements as a whole.  

Based on our professional judgement, we determined materiality for the financial statements as a whole and performance materiality as follows: 

                                                                                                                                                                                  2022
                                                                                                                                                                          US$’000 
     Materiality                                                                                                                                                                160,000
    Basis for determining materiality                                                                                   4% of loss before tax

2021 
US$’000 
130,000 
1% total assets 

Group financial statements 

    Rationale for the benchmark applied                                      We considered loss before tax to be the  

most significant determinant of the  
Group’s financial performance given the  
increased focus on Phalaborwa which  
makes up a low proportion of the group’s  
total assets, and the costs incurred to  
keep Gakara on care and maintenance  
being expensed in the period. Therefore,  
loss before tax would be a more  
appropriate materiality base as this  
represents the costs incurred to fund  
the group in the pre-revenue phase  
of operation. 

We consider total assets to be the most 
significant determinant of the Group’s 
financial performance on the basis that 
the Group’s principal activity is the 
exploration of mining assets, and it is the 
value of assets that is of the greatest 
interest to the users of the financial 
statements. 

    Performance materiality                                                                                                                                  112,000

91,000 

    Basis for determining performance materiality               Performance materiality was set at 70% (2021: 70%) of the materiality level based on  
our assessment of a number of factors including the expected total value of known  
and likely misstatements (based on past experience), our knowledge of internal control 
and management’s attitude towards proposed adjustments.  

Component materiality 
We set materiality for each component of the Group based on a percentage of 75% of Group materiality to ensure that the risk of errors exceeding 
component materiality was appropriately mitigated; this was capped due to aggregation risk in line with the ISAs (UK). Component materiality was 
US$120,000 for each component (2021: US$86,600). In the audit of each component, we further applied performance materiality levels of 70%  
(2021: 70%) of the component materiality.  

Reporting threshold  
We agreed with the Audit Committee that we would report to them all individual audit differences in excess of US$3,200 (2020: US$2,600).  
We also agreed to report differences below this threshold that, in our view, warranted reporting on qualitative grounds. 

Other information 
The directors are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the Annual Report and Accounts, 
other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, 
except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read 
the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements, or our 
knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or 
apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements 
themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required  
to report that fact. 

We have nothing to report in this regard. 

Other Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008 reporting 
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion: 
•
•
• we have failed to obtain all the information and explanations which, to the best of our knowledge and belief,  

proper accounting records have not been kept by the Company; or 
the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records; or  

are necessary for the purposes of our audit.

38

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

 
 
 
 
    
                                                                                                           
    
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT CONTINUED 
TO THE MEMBERS OF RAINBOW RARE EARTHS LIMITED

Responsibilities of Directors 
As explained more fully in the Directors’ responsibilities statement within the Directors Report, the Directors are responsible for the preparation  
of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the Directors determine  
is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. 

In preparing the financial statements, the Directors are responsible for assessing the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing,  
as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the Directors either intend to liquidate the 
Company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.  

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements 
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement,  
whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance,  
but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists.  
Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected  
to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements. 

Extent to which the audit was capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud 
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, 
outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable  
of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below: 

Our testing also included, but was not limited to: 
•

Gaining an understanding of the legal and regulatory framework applicable to the Group and the industry in which it operates through review  
of minutes of meetings and public available information and considering the risk of acts by the Group which were contrary to applicable laws  
and regulations, including fraud. These included but were not limited to compliance with the Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008 and international 
accounting standards, as well as Burundian and South African mining, environmental and taxation legislation. 

• We assessed that the accounts could be susceptible to fraud through management override of controls, including bribery.  
•

Communicating relevant and identified laws, regulation, and potential fraud risks to all engagement team members and remaining alert to any 
indicators of fraud or non-compliance with laws and regulations throughout the audit. The engagement partner assessed the engagement 
team’s collective competence and capabilities to be appropriate to identify or recognise non-compliance with laws and regulations. 
Fraud enquiries were held with operational staff to identify whether any instances of fraud was noted in the period. 
Testing the financial statement disclosures to supporting documentation, performing testing on account balances which were considered  
to be a greater risk of susceptibility to fraud. These balances relate to our key audit matters as disclosed above. 
Obtaining an understanding of the control environment in monitoring compliance with laws and regulations through review of minutes  
of meetings and enquiries put to Management. 

•
•

•

• Making enquiries of management as to whether there was any correspondence with regulators and the Government,  

•

in so far as the correspondence related to the financial statements and reviewed this correspondence. 
Performing targeted journal entry testing based on identified characteristics the audit team considered could be indicative of fraud to address  
the presumed risk of management override of controls, including bribery. For example, we tested capitalisation to property plant and equipment  
or exploration assets with the opposite entry being processed against bank and cash accounts and not against liability accounts. 

Our audit procedures were designed to respond to risks of material misstatement in the financial statements, recognising that the risk of not detecting 
a material misstatement due to fraud is higher than the risk of not detecting one resulting from error, as fraud may involve deliberate concealment by, 
for example, forgery, misrepresentations or through collusion. There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures performed and the further 
removed non-compliance with laws and regulations is from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, the less likely  
we are to become aware of it. 

A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at:  
https://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.  

Use of our report 
This report is made solely to the Company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Section 262 of the Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008.  
Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the Company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s 
report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the Company 
and the Company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed. 

Peter Acloque 
For and behalf of BDO LLP, Chartered Accountants and Recognised Auditor 
London, United Kingdom 

21 October 2022 

BDO LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales (with registered number OC305127). 

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

39

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF  
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME 
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

Revenue 
Cost of sales
Gross profit

Administration expenses

Loss from operating activities

Finance income
Finance costs

Loss before tax

Income tax expense

Total loss after tax and comprehensive expense for the year

Total loss after tax and comprehensive expense for the year is attributable to: 
Non-controlling interest
Owners of parent

The results of each year are derived from continuing operations 
Loss per share (cents) 
Basic
Diluted

Notes

30 June 2022
US$’000
-
-
-

30 June 2021 
US$’000 
639 
(639) 
- 

(3,654)

(3,654)

216
(543)

(2,707) 

(2,707) 

433 
(466) 

(3,981)

(2,740) 

(4)

(2) 

(3,985)

(2,742) 

(105)
(3,880)
(3,985)

(52) 
(2,690) 
(2,742) 

(0.76)
(0.76)

(0.60) 
(0.60) 

4

6
7

10

24

11
11

Notes on pages 44 to 66 form part of these financial statements.

40

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT  
OF FINANCIAL POSITION 
AS AT 30 JUNE 2022

Non-current assets 
Exploration and evaluation assets
Property, plant and equipment
Right of use assets
Total non-current assets

Current assets 
Inventory
Trade and other receivables
Cash and cash equivalents
Total current assets

Total assets

Current liabilities 
Trade and other payables
Borrowings
Lease liabilities
Total current liabilities

Non-current liabilities 
Borrowings
Lease liabilities
Provisions
Total non-current liabilities

Total liabilities

Net assets

Equity 
Share capital 
Share-based payment reserve
Other reserves
Retained loss
Equity attributable to the parent
Non-controlling interest
Total equity

30 June 2022
US$’000

30 June 2021 
US$’000 

Notes

12
13
19

14
15
16

17
18
19

18
19
20

21
23
23

24

10,588
1,043
108
11,739

858
401
4,134
5,393

17,132

(909)
(235)
(32)
(1,176)

(518)
(81)
(61)
(660)

9,751 
1,354 
70 
11,175 

863 
441 
573 
1,877 

13,052 

(1,009) 
(1,231) 
(14) 
(2,254) 

(662) 
(69) 
(61) 
(792) 

(1,836)

(3,046) 

15,296

10,006 

41,442
1,467
-
(26,572)
16,337
(1,041)
15,296

32,465 
1,295 
60 
(22,878) 
10,942 
(936) 
10,006 

These financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Board of Directors on 21 October 2022 and signed on its behalf by:  

George Bennett 
Director 

Notes on pages 44 to 66 form part of these financial statements.

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

41

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT  
OF CHANGES IN EQUITY 
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

Share

Share-

based

Share

warrant

Attributable

Non-

Other Accumulated

to the

controlling

capital

payments

reserve

reserves

losses

parent

interest

Note

US$’000
28,132

US$’000
1,099

US$’000
40

US$’000

US$’000
60 (20,542)

US$’000
8,789

US$’000
(884)

Total 
US$’000 
7,905 

Balance at 1 July 2020

Total comprehensive expense
Loss and total comprehensive loss for year

Transactions with owners
Shares placed during the year for cash consideration
Share placing transaction costs
Non-cash issue of shares during the period
Share warrants expired in the year
Fair value of employee share options in year
Share options exercised in the year, net of costs 
Balance at 30 June 2021

Total comprehensive expense
Loss and total comprehensive loss for year

Transactions with owners
21
Shares placed during the year for cash consideration
Share placing transaction costs
21
Non-cash issue of shares during the period, net of costs 21
Eliminate historic discount on extinguishment of interest  
free bridge loan
Fair value of employee share options in year
Share options exercised in the year, net of costs 
Balance at 30 June 2022

22
21

-

21
21
21
21
22
21

3,423
(85)
250
-
-
745
32,465

-

-
-

-
510
(314)
1,295

-

8,779
(240)
157

-

-
-
-

-
-
281
41,442

-
298
(126)
1,467

-

-
-

(40)
-
-
-

-

-
-
-

-
-
-
-

-

(2,690)

(2,690)

(52)

(2,742) 

-
-

-
-

3,423
(85)
250
-
40
510
-
745
314
60 (22,878) 10,942

-
-
-

-
-
-
-
-
-

3,423 
(85) 
250 
- 
510 
745 
(936) 10,006 

-

-
-
-

(3,880)

(3,880)

(105)

(3,985) 

-
-
-

8,779
(240)
157

-
-
-

8,779 
(240) 
157 

60
(60)
-
-
-
126
- (26,572)

-
298
281
16,337

-
-
-

- 
298 
281 
(1,041) 15,296 

Notes on pages 44 to 66 form part of these financial statements.

42

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW STATEMENT 
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

Cash flow from operating activities 
Loss from operating activities
Adjustments for: 
Depreciation
Impairment of royalties receivable
Share-based payment charge
Operating loss before working capital changes

Net decrease/(increase) in inventory
Net increase in trade and other receivables
Net(decrease)/increase in trade and other payables
Cash used by operations

Realised foreign exchange gains
Finance income
Finance costs
Taxes paid
Net cash used in operating activities

Cash flow from investing activities 
Purchase of property, plant & equipment
Exploration and evaluation costs
Net cash used in investing activities

Cash flow from financing activities 
Proceeds of new borrowings 
Repayment of borrowings
Interest payments on borrowings 
Payment of lease liabilities
Proceeds from the issuance of ordinary shares
Transaction costs of issuing new equity
Net cash generated by financing activities

Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

Cash & cash equivalents at the beginning of the year
Foreign exchange (loss)/gains on cash and cash equivalents
Cash & cash equivalents at the end of the year

30 June 2022
US$’000

30 June 2021 
US$’000 

Notes

(3,654)

380
69
297
(2,908)

5
(29)
(100)
(3,032)

186
-
-
(2)
(2,848)

(42)
(837)
(879)

-
(1,009)
(138)
(24)
9,077
(275)
7,631

3,904

573
(343)
4,134

22

14
15
17

6
7
10

13
12

18
18
18
19
21
21

16

(2,707) 

37 
128 
510 
(2,032) 

(121) 
(190) 
136 
(2,207) 

359 
- 
(23) 
- 
(1,871) 

(690) 
(2,024) 
(2,714) 

275 
(438) 
(104) 
(56) 
4,727 
(85) 
4,319 

(266) 

788 
51 
573 

Notes on pages 44 to 66 form part of these financial statements.

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

43

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED  
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

1. GENERAL INFORMATION 

Reporting entity 
Rainbow Rare Earths Limited (“the Company”) is a company domiciled in Guernsey and incorporated on 5 August 2011, with company registration 
number 53831, and is a company limited by shares. The Company’s registered office is Connaught House, St Julian’s Avenue, St Peter Port, Guernsey, 
GY1 1GZ. The consolidated financial statements of the Company for the years ended 30 June 2022 and 30 June 2021 comprise the Company and its 
subsidiaries. 

2. ACCOUNTING POLICIES 

Basis of preparation 
The Financial Statements of the Company and its subsidiaries (“the Group”) are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting 
Standards (“IFRS”) (IFRS and IFRIC Interpretations) issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”), as adopted by the European 
Union. 

The consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a historical cost basis, except for financial instruments measured at fair value through 
profit or loss. 

Going Concern 
As at 30 September 2022, the Group had total cash of US$2.9 million. 

The Board have reviewed a range of potential cash flow forecasts for the period to 31 December 2023, including reasonable possible downside 
scenarios. This has included the following assumptions: 

Corporate: 
The forecast includes US$2.5 million of ongoing general and administrative costs of the Group over the 18-month period from 1 July 2022  
to 31 December 2023, based on the current administrative costs of the Group. The budget excludes any significant expenditure on new  
business opportunities beyond early costs totalling US$39k over the 18-month period. 

Management’s reasonably plausible downside scenario includes a 10% contingency for unexpected costs plus a further US$500k for business 
development costs. 

Phalaborwa: 
This forecast includes all costs required for the completion of the Phalaborwa PEA (announced in October 2022) and the ongoing resource update 
estimated at US$583k. The forecast also includes salary and consultant costs of US$623k for the core project team tasked with advancing the project. 
A budget for the further work required to deliver a feasibility study at Phalaborwa, including pilot test work, has not yet been defined. Management’s 
reasonably plausible downside scenario includes US$7.6 million for further work at Phalaborwa during the 18-month forecast period. 

Gakara: 
The cash flow forecasts assume ongoing care and maintenance costs totalling US$746k. Further, in the event that the Gakara project returns to 
operations, stock of rare earth concentrates with an estimated gross sales value of US$1.6 million would be sold to provide the funds to re-commence 
operations. The forecasts show that, with the current productive capacity of the operations, the Gakara project would not require additional financial 
support from Rainbow Rare Earths Limited at current rare earth prices. At 30 June 2022 the Group has US$557k of undiscounted financing liabilities 
relating to a term loan from FinBank in Burundi. Capital repayment of this loan is formally suspended until 31 December 2022, with interest of US$7k 
per month being paid in cash. Whilst operations at Gakara remain suspended, management expect the repayment of principal to remain suspended. 
Notwithstanding, the forecast includes repayment at a rate of US$21k per month from 1 January 2023, including interest, within the care and 
maintenance costs for the Gakara project. 

Conclusion 
The base case forecast includes a total cash outflow over the Period of US$4,735k, compared to a cash balance at 1 July 2022 of US$4,134k,  
which confirms that the Group will need to raise additional finance before 31 December 2023. Management’s reasonably plausible downside scenario, 
which includes the discretionary costs to progress a feasibility study at the Phalaborwa project and an allowance for other business development 
opportunities, suggests that a total of US$9.2 million will need to be raised.  

The Board is confident that this funding will be secured, based on its history of successful fundraising. However, it also acknowledges that this funding 
is not, at the present time, in place. Accordingly, the Board acknowledges that the need for additional funding represents a material uncertainty which 
may cast significant doubt on the ability of the Company to continue as a going concern and, therefore, that it may be unable to realise its assets and 
discharge its liabilities in the normal course of business. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that would result if the Group was 
unable to continue as a going concern. 

44

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED  
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS CONTINUED 
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

2. ACCOUNTING POLICIES CONTINUED 

New and amended standards and interpretations adopted by the Group 
No material changes to accounting policies arose as a result of new standards applied by the Group from 1 July 2021. 

New standards, interpretations, and amendments not yet effective  
Certain new accounting standards and interpretations have been published that are not mandatory for 30 June 2022 reporting periods and have  
not been early adopted by the Group. These standards include:  
•

IAS 37 - Onerous Contracts – Cost of Fulfilling a Contract amending the standard regarding costs a company should include as the cost  
of fulfilling a contract when assessing whether a contract is onerous. These amendments are mandatorily effective for periods beginning  
on or after 1 January 2022.  
IFRS Standards 2018 to 2020 – Annual Improvements – The affected standards are: IFRS 1 (First-time Adoption of IFRS, IFRS 9  
(Financial Instruments), IFRS 16 (Leases) and IAS 41 (Agriculture). The amendments are effective for annual reporting periods beginning  
after 1 January 2022, with early application permitted. 
IAS 16 - Property, Plant and Equipment - Proceeds before Intended Use regarding proceeds from selling items produced while bringing  
as asset into the location and condition necessary for it to be capable of operating in the manner intended by management. These amendments 
are mandatorily effective for periods beginning on or after 1 January 2022.  
IFRS 3 Amendments – Reference to the Conceptual Framework – Effective for annual reporting periods beginning after 1 January 2022. 
IAS 1 – Presentation of Financial statements – The classification of liabilities as current or non-current basing the classification on contractual 
arrangements at the reporting date. These amendments are effective for periods beginning on or after 1 January 2023.  
IAS 1 and IFRS Practise Statement 2 – Disclosure of Accounting Policies – Amendments to “Presentation of Financial Statements” and an update 
to “Making Materiality Judgements” to help assist with providing useful accounting policy disclosures. The amendments are effective from  
1 January 2023 but may be applied earlier. 
IAS 8 Amendments – Definition of Accounting Estimate - The amendments introduce a new definition for accounting estimates: clarifying  
that they are monetary amounts in the financial statements that are subject to measurement uncertainty. The amendments also clarify the 
relationship between accounting policies and accounting estimates by specifying that a company develops an accounting estimate to achieve 
the objective set out by an accounting policy. The amendments are effective for periods beginning on or after 1 January 2023, with earlier 
application permitted, and will apply prospectively to changes in accounting estimates and changes in accounting policies occurring on  
or after the beginning of the first annual reporting period in which the company applies the amendments. 

•

•

•
•

•

•

With the exception of the amendment to IAS16, which will impact the future accounting treatment of revenue generated during the commissioning 
phase of a commercial development at any of the Group’s projects, these amendments are not expected to have a material impact on the Group. 

Basis of consolidation 
Where the Company has control over an investee, it is classified as a subsidiary. The Company controls an investee if all three of the following elements 
are present: power over the investee, exposure to variable returns from the investee, and the ability of the investor to use its power to affect those 
variable returns. Control is reassessed whenever facts and circumstances indicate that there may be a change in any of these elements of control. 

The consolidated financial statements present the results of the Company and its subsidiaries as if they formed a single entity. Intercompany 
transactions and balances between Group companies are therefore eliminated in full. 

The results of undertakings acquired or disposed of are consolidated from or to the date when control passes to or from the Group. The results  
of subsidiaries acquired or disposed of during the year are included in the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income from the date  
that control commences until the date that control ceases. 

Where necessary, adjustments are made to the results of subsidiaries to bring the accounting policies they use into line with those used by the Group. 

Non-controlling interests in the net assets of consolidated subsidiaries are identified separately from the Group’s equity. Non-controlling interests 
consist of the non-controlling shareholder’s share of changes in equity. The non-controlling interests’ share of losses, where applicable, are attributed 
to the non-controlling interests irrespective of whether the non-controlling shareholders have a binding obligation and are able to make an additional 
investment to cover the losses. On acquisition of a non-controlling interest the relevant non-controlling interest share of equity is extinguished and the 
difference between the fair value of consideration paid and the relevant carrying value of the non-controlling interest is recorded in retained earnings. 

Foreign currency 
The consolidated financial statements are presented in US dollars, which is also the functional currency of the company and all of its subsidiaries.  
The Group’s strategy is focused on developing rare earth projects in South Africa and the Republic of Burundi, which will generate revenue in United 
States Dollars. All support services are charged between group companies in United States Dollars. The Group is funded by various financial liabilities 
which are principally denominated in United States Dollars and shareholder equity. 

Transactions in foreign currencies are translated to the functional currency of the Group entity at the rates of exchange prevailing on the dates  
of the transactions. At each reporting date, monetary assets and liabilities that are denominated in foreign currencies are retranslated to the  
functional currency at the rates prevailing on the reporting date. Exchange differences on all transactions are recognised in the consolidated 
statement of comprehensive income in the year in which they arise. 

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

45

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED  
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS CONTINUED 
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

2. ACCOUNTING POLICIES CONTINUED 

Revenue recognition 
The Company produces and sells rare earth concentrate from its Gakara project in Burundi. Once concentrate has been produced at the Kabezi  
plant in Burundi, it is bagged, sampled, and loaded into containers for transportation to a port, normally in East Africa, for shipment.  

The Company currently has a 10-year distribution and offtake agreement with its customer, ThyssenKrupp, which commenced in January 2018, 
under which the majority of production has been sold. Under the terms of the contract, the Company’s performance obligation is considered to be 
satisfied and associated revenue from customers is recorded when the legal title for a shipment is transferred to ThyssenKrupp, normally at a port  
in East Africa, after which the Company has no responsibility for the onward shipment of the concentrate. 

The price for each shipment is established in accordance with the terms of the offtake agreement, by reference to the market price and quantities  
of rare earth oxides in each shipment. Shipping and other fees are deducted from net proceeds by ThyssenKrupp. The Company is entitled to 
payment for 90% of the shipment on transfer of title with 10% payable subsequently net of any adjustments to reflect quality testing. The Company 
recognises 100% of the revenue on transfer of title where it is considered highly probable there will be no reversals, having consideration of the 
independent quality tests performed prior to shipment. 

Rare earth exploration and evaluation assets 
All exploration and evaluation costs incurred are accumulated in respect of each identifiable project area. Costs which are classified as intangible  
fixed assets are only carried forward to the extent that they are expected to be recovered through the successful development of the area or where 
activities in the area have not yet reached a stage which permits reasonable assessment as to whether the deposit is commercially viable and 
technically feasible for extraction. Costs associated with exploration and evaluation include costs related to trial mining and processing when such 
activity is focused on improving the understanding of the ore body. Such costs include the cost of mining, processing and sales costs for concentrate 
produced as a result of trial mining activities, excluding any costs associated with year-end inventory.  

Costs incurred prior to the legal right to a mineral project being obtained are written off immediately. Accumulated cost in relation to an abandoned 
area are written off in full to the statement of comprehensive income in the year in which the decision to abandon the area is made. 

Exploration and evaluation assets associated with an identifiable project area are transferred from intangible fixed assets to tangible fixed assets  
as ‘mine development costs’ when the commercial viability and technical feasibility of extracting the deposit has been established. This includes 
consideration of a variety of factors such as whether the requisite permits have been awarded, whether funding required for development is 
sufficiently certain of being secured, whether an appropriate mining method and mine development plan is established and the results of exploration 
data including internal and external assessments. 

Property, plant and equipment  
Property, plant and equipment consists of plant and machinery, mine development costs, motor vehicles, computer equipment, and office furniture 
and fittings. 

Property, plant and equipment is initially recognised at cost and subsequently stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and any impairment.  
The cost of acquisition is the purchase price and any directly attributable costs of acquisition or construction required to bring the asset to the location 
and condition necessary for the asset to be capable of operating in the manner intended by management. 

The Company assesses the stage of a mine development project to determine when it has reached commercial production, at which point the 
relevant assets begin to be depreciated. The criteria used to assess the date at which commercial production is achieved, being the point at which  
the mine is ready for its intended use and operating in the manner intended by management, include completion of a reasonable period of testing,  
the ability to sustain commercial levels of production, and engineering sign off on the plant performance. In the case of new mining sites, commercial 
production is deemed to have been met when the site has received all necessary permits and approvals (including a certificate of environmental 
conformity) and is in operation as a mine. Prior to this period, any costs associated with the mine site are capitalised.  

Depreciation 
Property, plant and equipment is depreciated on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the asset. Residual values and useful lives  
are reviewed on an annual basis and changes are accounted for over the remaining lives. 

The applicable depreciation rates are as follows: 

Description                                                                                                                       Useful life 
Plant, machinery, and mine infrastructure                                                  5 years 
Vehicles                                                                                                                  5 years 
Computer equipment                                                                                        3 years 
Office furniture and fittings                                                                               7 years 

Depreciation incurred on equipment used in exploration is capitalised to exploration and evaluation costs. 

46

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED  
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS CONTINUED 
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

2. ACCOUNTING POLICIES CONTINUED 

Impairment of non-financial assets including exploration and evaluation assets 
Exploration and evaluation assets are reviewed regularly for indicators of impairment following the guidance in IFRS 6 ‘Exploration for and Evaluation  
of Mineral Resources’ and tested for impairment where such indicators exist. In addition, these assets are tested for impairment prior to transfer to 
mine development costs. In accordance with IFRS 6 the Group considers the following facts and circumstances in their assessment of whether the 
Group’s exploration and evaluation assets may be impaired: 
• whether the period for which the Group has the right to explore in a specific area has expired during the period or will expire in the near future,  

and is not expected to be renewed; 

• whether substantive expenditure on further exploration for and evaluation of mineral resources in a specific area is neither budgeted nor planned; 
• whether exploration for and evaluation of reserves in a specific area have not led to the discovery of commercially viable quantities of mineable 

material and the Group has decided to discontinue such activities in the specific area; and 

• whether sufficient data exists to indicate that although a development in a specific area is likely to proceed, the carrying amount  

of the exploration and evaluation assets is unlikely to be recovered in full from successful development or by sale. 

If any such facts or circumstances are noted, the Group performs an impairment test in accordance with the provisions of IAS 36. In such 
circumstances the aggregate carrying value of the exploration and evaluation asset, together with any associated property, plant and equipment held 
within the relevant cash generating unit, is compared against the expected recoverable amount of the cash generating unit. The recoverable amount 
is the higher of value in use and the fair value less costs to sell. 

Where the carrying amount of an asset or cash generating unit exceeds its recoverable amount, the asset or cash generating unit is considered 
impaired and is written down to its recoverable amount. Impairment losses are recognised in the Income Statement. Impairment losses recognised  
for a cash generation are recognised against goodwill (if any) and then to identifiable assets on a pro-rata basis. 

A previously recognised impairment loss is reversed if the recoverable amount increases as a result of a reversal of the conditions that originally 
resulted in the impairment. This reversal is recognised in the Income Statement and is limited to the carrying amount that would have been 
determined, net of depreciation, had no impairment loss been recognised in prior years. 

Leases 
At inception the Group assesses whether a contract is, or contains, a lease. A contract is, or contains, a lease if the contract conveys the right to control 
the use of an identified asset, for a period of time, in exchange for consideration. To assess whether a contract conveys the right to control the use of 
an identified asset, the Group assesses whether: 
•

the contract involves the use of an identified asset. This may be specified explicitly or implicitly and should be physically distinct or represent 
substantially all of the capacity of a physically distinct asset. If the supplier has a substantive substitution right, then the asset is not identified; 
the Group has the right to obtain substantially all of the economic benefits from use of the asset throughout the period of use; and 
the Group has the right to direct the use of the asset. The Group has the right when it has the decision-making rights that are most relevant to 
changing how and for what purposes the asset is used. In rare cases where the decision about how and for what purpose the assets is used is 
predetermined, the Group has the right to direct the use of the asset if either: 
-
-

the Group has the right to operate the asset; or 
the Group designed the asset in a way that predetermines how and for what purpose it will be used. 

•
•

At inception or on reassessment of a contract that contains a lease component, the Group allocates the consideration in the contract to each lease 
component on the basis of their relative stand-alone prices. 

The right-of-use asset is initially measured at the present value of the remaining lease payments, discounted using the incremental borrowing rate. 

The right-of-use asset is subsequently depreciated using the straight-line method from the commencement date to the end of the lease term.  
In addition, impairment indictors for the right-of-use asset is assessed annually and will be adjusted for certain remeasurements of the lease liability. 

The lease liability is initially measured at the present value of the remaining lease payments, discounted using the incremental borrowing rate.  
The liability is subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method. Lease payments are apportioned between the  
finance charges and reduction of the lease liability using the incremental borrowing rate implicit in the lease to achieve a constant rate of  
interest on the remaining balance of the liability.  

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

47

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED  
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS CONTINUED 
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

2. ACCOUNTING POLICIES CONTINUED 

Environmental rehabilitation costs 
An obligation to incur restoration, rehabilitation and environmental costs arises when environmental disturbance is caused by the development or 
ongoing production of a project. Such costs arising from the decommissioning of plant and other site preparation work, discounted to their net present 
values, are provided for in full as soon as the obligation to incur such costs arises and can be quantified. On recognition of a full provision, an addition is 
made to tangible or intangible fixed assets of the same amount. Upon commercial production this addition is then charged against profits over the life 
of the project. Closure provisions are updated annually for changes in cost estimates as well as for changes to the anticipated life of the project, with 
the resulting adjustments made to both the provision balance and the net book value of the associated non-current asset. 

Inventory 
Stockpiles of ore (whether Run of Mine “RoM” ore, concentrate stockpiles pre-shipment, or concentrate in transit but not yet sold) are valued at the 
lower of historic cost and net realisable value. Historic cost is based on an allocation of mining costs and (in the case of concentrates) processing costs 
incurred in bringing the stockpiles to their finished condition for transportation at the period end (including plant running costs, haulage costs from the 
mine site to the plant, and transportation costs to the port of sale). Realisable value is based on an estimate of selling price less shipment costs, 
royalties, and other fees to be incurred in the course of the sales process. Inventory stockpile costs do not include an allocation of support costs. 

Inventory spares (including tools, parts for equipment, and stocks of consumables) are also valued at the lower of historic cost and realisable value, 
where material. Spares are reviewed at each period end for obsolescence, with provisions applied to those stock lines where realisable value is 
considered to be lower than historic cost. 

Taxation 
Current tax is based on the estimated taxable profit for the period. Taxable profit differs from net profit as reported in the income statement because  
it excludes items of income or expense that are taxable or deductible in other years and it further excludes items that are never taxable or deductible. 
When no taxable profit arises, current tax includes a minimum tax charge in Burundi calculated as 1% of revenue. 

Deferred tax is the tax expected to be payable or recoverable on differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial 
reporting purposes and the corresponding tax bases used in the computation of taxable profit. It is accounted for using the balance sheet liability 
method. Deferred tax liabilities are recognised for all taxable temporary differences and deferred tax assets are recognised to the extent that it is 
probable that taxable profits will be available against which deductible temporary differences can be utilised. The carrying amount of deferred tax 
assets is reviewed at each reporting date and reduced to the extent that it is no longer probable that sufficient taxable profits will be available to  
allow all or part of the asset to be recovered. 

Financial instruments 
Financial assets and financial liabilities are recognised on the statement of financial position when the Group becomes a party to the contractual 
provisions of the instrument.  

-

Financial assets 
Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash held by the Group and short-term bank deposits with a maturity of three months or less. 

Trade and other receivables, to the extent they represent financial assets, are measured at initial recognition at fair value and are subsequently 
measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method. A provision is established when there is objective evidence that the Group will 
not be able to collect all amounts due.  

The Group assesses on a forward-looking basis the expected credit loss, defined as the difference between the contractual cash flows and the 
cash flows that are expected to be received, associated with its assets carried at amortised cost. The impairment methodology applied depends 
on whether there has been a significant increase in credit risk. For trade receivables only, the simplified approach permitted by IFRS 9 is applied, 
which requires expected lifetime losses to be recognised from initial recognition of the receivables. 

Losses are recognised in the income statement. When a subsequent event causes the amount of impairment loss to decrease, the decrease  
in impairment loss is reversed through the income statement 

48

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED  
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS CONTINUED 
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

2. ACCOUNTING POLICIES CONTINUED 

Financial instruments continued 
-

Financial liabilities 
Loans, borrowings and trade and other payables are initially measured at fair value and are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the 
effective interest rate method. They are classified as current liabilities unless the company has an unconditional right to defer settlement of the 
liability for at least 12 months after the statement of financial position date. 

A financial liability is removed from the balance sheet when it is extinguished, being when the obligation is discharged, cancelled, or expired.  
On extinguishment of a financial liability, any difference between the carrying amount of the liability and the consideration paid, including any 
non-cash assets transferred or liabilities assumed, is recognised in profit or loss. A modification or exchange of a financial liability is either 
accounted for as an extinguishment of the original financial liability or a renegotiation of the original financial liability. An extinguishment or 
substantial modification of a financial liability results in de-recognition of the original financial liability and any unamortised transaction costs 
associated with the original financial liability are immediately expensed to the profit and loss account. Where the change in the terms of the 
modified financial liability are not substantial, it is accounted for as a modification of the original liability, with the modified financial liability 
measured at amortised cost using the original effective interest rate. To determine whether the terms of the modified liability are substantially 
different from those of the original one, a qualitative assessment is performed. If it is not already clear from a qualitative assessment that a 
modification has resulted in a substantial change, then quantitative assessment is performed. This includes consideration whether the 
discounted present value of the cash flows under the new terms, including any fees paid net of any fees received and discounted using the 
original effective interest rate, is at least 10% different from the discounted present value of the remaining cash flows of the original financial 
liability. 

Share capital 
Ordinary shares are classified as equity and are recorded at the proceeds received, net of any direct issue costs. 
The nature of the Company’s reserves is set out in note 23. 

Share options 
Equity-settled share-based payments to employees and Directors are measured at the fair value of the equity instrument. The fair value of the  
equity-settled transactions with employees and Directors is recognised as an expense over the vesting period. The fair values of the equity 
instruments are determined at the date of grant, considering market-based vesting conditions.  

The fair values of share options are measured at fair value at the date of grant by use of an option pricing model. Where the share options only contain 
service conditions or non-market conditions, a Black – Scholes model is used. Where the share options contain market conditions, a Monte Carlo 
simulation model is used and reflected in the fair value of the options granted. Details of the assumptions used in those models are included in  
Note 22 Share based payments. 

The expected life used in the models is adjusted, based on management’s best estimate of the effects of non-transferability, exercise restrictions  
and behavioural considerations.  

The cost of equity-settled transactions is recognised, together with a corresponding increase in equity, over the period in which the performance 
and/or service conditions are fulfilled, ending on the date on which the relevant employees (or other beneficiaries) become fully entitled to the award 
(“the vesting date”).  

The cumulative expense recognised for equity-settled transactions at each reporting date until the vesting date reflects the extent to which the 
vesting period has expired and the Company’s best estimate of the number of equity instruments that will ultimately vest.  

The income statement charge or credit for a period represents the movement in cumulative expense recognised as at the beginning and end  
of that period.  

No expense is recognised for awards that do not ultimately vest, except for awards where vesting is conditional upon a market condition, which are 
treated as vesting irrespective of whether the market condition is satisfied, provided that all other performance and/or service conditions are satisfied. 

Warrants  
Warrants issued are recognised at fair value at the date of grant. The fair value is measured using the Black-Scholes model. Where warrants are issued 
in respect of services provided, the fair value is expensed on a straight-line basis over the vesting period (if applicable). Where warrants are considered 
to represent a transaction cost attributable to a liability recorded at amortised cost the fair value is deducted from the liability and amortised 
subsequently through the effective interest rate. Where a fixed number of warrants are issued, and the exercise price is in the functional currency of the 
issuer the warrant fair value is credited to equity. Where the number of warrants is fixed but the exercise price is in a currency other than the functional 
currency of the issuer the instrument fails the “fixed-for-fixed” criteria and is recognised as a financial liability at fair value through profit and loss. 

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

49

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED  
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS CONTINUED 
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

3. ACCOUNTING JUDGMENTS AND ESTIMATIONS 

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with IFRS requires management to make judgments, estimates and assumptions that affect  
the application of policies and reported amounts of assets and liabilities, income and expenses. The estimates and associated assumptions are based 
on historical experience and various other factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis of 
making the judgments about carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from 
these estimates. 

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period  
in which the estimate is revised if the revision affects both current and future periods. Key sources of judgment and estimation uncertainty are: 

Accounting treatment of exploration and evaluation costs  
Significant accounting judgement 
Judgment was required in determining how to treat costs incurred during the year for the Group’s development projects in South Africa and Burundi. 
For the Phalaborwa asset management note that the project is based on a JORC compliant mineral resource contained within gypsum stacks at the 
Phalaborwa site. The Group has signed a legal agreement to earn a 70% economic interest in the project. Accordingly, all costs associated with 
defining the technical feasibility and commercial viability of the project are being capitalised under IFRS6. For the Gakara asset management note that 
the project has been on care and maintenance throughout the year. Accordingly, none of the costs incurred have been focused on improving the 
understanding of the ore body, and as such all costs have been recognised in the income statement in the year. 

Impairment indicator assessment for exploration and evaluation assets and associated assets (notes 12 and 13)  
Significant accounting judgement 
Judgment was required in determining whether indicators of impairment existed at 30 June 2022 for the Group’s exploration and evaluation assets. 
The Board assessed factors including the remaining licence term, the plans for future exploration and the results of activities to date together with the 
strategic plans for the asset against the criteria set out in IFRS 6. For the Phalaborwa asset management note the recently announced preliminary 
economic assessment has confirmed a processing flow sheet capable of economically extracting the magnet rare earth metals from the gypsum 
stacks in a low capital and low operating cost environment with strong economic returns. Accordingly, management do not consider there to be any 
indicators of impairment for the Phalaborwa asset. For the Gakara cash generating unit management considerations for each of the criteria set out in 
IFRS 6 were as follows: 

1. The period for which the entity has the right to explore in the specific area has expired during the period or will expire  

in the near future and is not expected to be renewed 
The Gakara mining licence is valid until 2040. Management considered the current political situation in Burundi, which has led to a suspension of 
operations at Gakara, noting that this is in contravention of the legally binding mining convention in place between the Government of Burundi and 
the Group’s Burundi subsidiary, Rainbow Mining Burundi SM. Whilst formal negotiations to allow the operations to re-start have not yet delivered a 
positive result, numerous discussions have been held with the Government of Burundi indicating that the suspension does not constitute a long-
term threat to the integrity of the licence. Management notes significant changes in the political landscape in Burundi which occurred in 
September 2022, which have led to further engagement with the authorities. Management is confident that operations will be allowed to re-start 
following discussions with the Government of Burundi and, accordingly, do not consider this to be an indicator of impairment for the Gakara asset. 

2. Substantive expenditure on further exploration for and evaluation of mineral resources in the specific area is neither budgeted  

nor planned. 
A budget has been prepared for the re-start of trial mining and processing activities at Gakara, which shows that at current rare earth prices, 
positive cash flow is expected at the project. This cashflow will be re-invested in Burundi to further expand the productive capacity of the trial 
mining operation to fully utilise the pilot plant capacity and allow exploration to expand into new areas across the licence. Notwithstanding the 
current suspension of activities in Burundi, this intention remains.  

3. Exploration for and evaluation of mineral resources in the specific area have not led to the discovery of commercially viable quantities 

of mineral resources and the entity has decided to discontinue such activities in the specific area. 
An updated JORC compliant exploration target for the Gakara project was announced in October 2020, which showed considerable potential  
for commercially viable quantities of mineral resources to be defined. Subject to Government support exploration and evaluation work is expected 
to re-commence in the 2022/2023 financial year. 

4. Sufficient data exist to indicate that, although a development in the specific area is likely to proceed, the carrying amount  

of the exploration and evaluation asset is unlikely to be recovered in full from successful development or by sale. 
The Gakara mining licence covers an area of 39km2 over which numerous occurrences of rare earth mineralisation have been detected from both 
surface sampling/mapping and geophysical surveys. Due to the complex nature of the stockwork vein systems much of the focus since 2017 has 
been on trial mining and processing to demonstrate the ability to recover a saleable concentrate from the vein hosted mineralisation and to define 
the best mining methodology to exploit these types of structures. At the point of suspension of activities recent investment had delivered a 
pathway which is expected allow this work to fund further exploration activity across the licence. Despite the capacity of the current pilot plant not 
representing commercial scale production, management are confident that at current rare earth prices ongoing production utilising the full 
capacity of the pilot plant would allow the full recovery of the carrying amount of the non-financial assets in the Gakara cash generating unit. This 
does not remove the intention to undertake further exploration and evaluation work to allow a full commercial scale operation to be developed. 

At 30 June 2022 the Directors consider that no formal indicators of impairment exist under the framework of IFRS6 for the Gakara project and, 
accordingly, that no formal impairment review is required for either the intangible or tangible fixed assets in the Gakara cash generating unit. This 
judgement also extends to the expected net realisable value of the inventory at Gakara. However, the Directors note there is a significant uncertainty 
relating to the current political situation in Burundi and have added disclosure relating to this uncertainty in the appropriate places within the financial 
statements as set out below.

50

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED  
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS CONTINUED 
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

3. ACCOUNTING JUDGMENTS AND ESTIMATIONS CONTINUED 

Recoverability of royalty receivable (note 15) 
Key sources of estimation uncertainty  
Rainbow Mining Burundi SM has historically overpaid royalties arising from the sale of rare earth concentrate. Whilst the Government has accepted  
in writing that the overpaid royalties are recoverable, no repayment has been received to date. The Directors have impaired the royalty receivable 
based on an assessment of the likelihood that the overpayment will be recovered, considering a range of possible outcomes including recovery 
against future royalty liabilities. The impairment has been recognised in administrative expenses. The assessment was updated at 30 June 2022  
and further impairment of US$69k has been recognised in the year. The discount rate used and estimated timing of recovery of the royalty  
receivable are both management’s best estimates and future recovery may differ. 

Valuation of available for sale mineral concentrate (note 14) 
Significant accounting judgement 
Trial mining and processing operations at the Gakara project in Burundi are currently on care and maintenance at the request of the Government  
of Burundi. At 30 June 2022 the operation has 421t of available for sale mineral concentrate with an estimated sale value of US$1.6 million carried  
at cost of US$717k on the Group balance sheet. This concentrate cannot be sold due to an export ban imposed by the Government of Burundi. 
Judgement was needed in assessing whether the current export ban would be lifted, allowing the value of the concentrate to be realised. 
Management made judgements on the political situation in Burundi and assess that it is probable that the current export ban will be lifted  
in due course, and that the timing of the likely sale would not impact the carrying value of the mineral concentrate at the balance sheet date. 

Decommissioning, site rehabilitation and environmental costs (note 20)  
Key sources of estimation uncertainty 
The Group’s mining and exploration activities are subject to various laws and regulations governing the protection of the environment. Estimation  
and experience are used in determining the expected timing, closure, and decommissioning methods, which can vary in response to changes  
in the relevant legal requirements or decommissioning technologies. No provision was deemed necessary for the Group’s Phalaborwa project  
as on-site activities have not yet commenced and historical environmental liabilities associated with the site remain with the previous owners. 

The discounted provision recognised for the Group’s Gakara project represents management’s best estimate of the rehabilitation costs that will  
be incurred, discounted from the period in which they are judged to be incurred. Actual costs incurred in future periods could differ materially from  
the estimates. Additionally, future changes to environmental laws and regulations, life of mine estimates and discount rates could affect the carrying 
amount of this provision. 

Share based payments (note 22) 
Key sources of estimation uncertainty 
The valuation of share options issued in the year has been based on a Black-Scholes model. The inputs to the model represent the Director’s best 
estimates for the likely exercise behaviour of the option holders. The expected future share price volatility was estimated based on the historical 
volatility of the Company’s share price and a representative peer group of similar companies. 

4. LOSS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES 

Operating loss includes: 

Employee remuneration (excluding share options)
Share-based payment charge
Audit of the Group financial statements 1
Non-audit service fees paid to Company auditor
Depreciation
Impairment of Royalties Receivable
Taxes and duties

1. Audit fees include US$132k for the current year and US$18k for the prior year. 

30 June 2022
US$’000
(1,936)
(298)
(150)
-
(380)
(69)
-

30 June 2021 
US$’000 
(1,025) 
(510) 
(136) 
(2) 
(37) 
(128) 
(175) 

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

51

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED  
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS CONTINUED 
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

5. SEGMENTAL INFORMATION 

Operating segments are reported in a manner consistent with the internal reporting provided to the chief operating decision maker.  
The chief operating decision maker has been identified as the Chief Executive Officer. It is considered that the Group has two reportable segments: 
•
•

Phalaborwa – a gypsum stack re-treatment project for the recovery of rare earths in South Africa. 
Gakara – a high-grade rare-earth project in Burundi. 

Unallocated costs include corporate costs, which are not reported by entity to the Board. 

Year ended 30 June 2022: 

Revenue
Production and sales costs
Administration expenses
Loss from operating activities
Finance income
Finance costs
Loss before tax
Income tax expense
Loss after tax

Segmental assets
Exploration and evaluation assets
Property, plant and equipment
Other assets
Current assets

Segmental liabilities
Capital expenditure

Year ended 30 June 2021: 

Revenue
Production and sales costs
Administration expenses
Loss from operating activities
Finance income
Finance costs
Loss before tax
Income tax expense
Loss after tax

Segmental assets
Exploration and evaluation assets
Property, plant and equipment
Other assets
Current assets

Segmental liabilities
Capital expenditure

Phalaborwa
US$’000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

2,198
1,953
-
-
245

(133)
837

Phalaborwa
US$’000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

1,116
1,116
-
-
-

-
1,116

Gakara
US$’000
-
-
(1,368)
(1,368)
22
(97)
(1,443)
(4)
(1,447)

10,985
8,635
1,042
108
1,200

(1,232)
-

Gakara
US$’000
639
(639)
(806)
(806)
345
(126)
(587)
(2)
(589)

11,352
8,635
1,353
70
1,294

(1,209)
1,484

Unallocated
US$’000
-
-
(2,286)
(2,286)
194
(446)
(2,538)
-
(2,538)

3,949
-
1
-
3,948

(471)
1

Unallocated
US$’000
-
-
(1,901)
(1,901)
88
(340)
(2,153)
-
(2,153)

584
-
1
-
583

(1,837)
-

Total 
US$’000 
- 
- 
(3,654) 
(3,654) 
216 
(543) 
(3,981) 
(4) 
(3,985) 

17,132 
10,588 
1,043
108 
5,393 

(1,836) 
838 

Total 
US$’000 
639 
(639) 
(2,707) 
(2,707) 
433 
(466) 
(2,740) 
(2) 
(2,742) 

13,052 
9,751 
1,354 
70 
1,877 

(3,046) 
2,600 

52

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED  
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS CONTINUED 
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

6. FINANCE INCOME 

Interest received
Foreign exchange gains
Total

30 June 2022  30 June 2021 
US$’000 
- 
433 
433 

US$’000
-
216
216

Foreign exchange gains in the current and prior periods mainly relate to gains on translation of funds from US dollars to Burundian Francs (“BIF”)  
plus the settlement of liabilities in Burundi denominated in BIF. 

7. FINANCE COSTS 

Change in fair value of warrant liability (notes 18 and 22)
Interest on Pipestone bridge loan (note 18)
Interest on bank borrowing (note 18)
Interest on short term bridge loan (note 18)
Bank charges
Reversal of accrued finance costs associated with Lind facility
Interest on lease liabilities 
Foreign exchange losses
Total

30 June 2022  30 June 2021 
US$’000 
(256) 
(140) 
(99) 
(5) 
(24) 
75 
(17) 
- 
(466) 

US$’000
109
(52)
(86)
-
-
-
(13)
(501)
(543)

Foreign exchange losses in the current period arise principally from GBP and ZAR bank accounts, which the Group holds to match future expected 
cash outflows, which depreciated in value against the US dollar during the year. 

8. REMUNERATION OF KEY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL 

Key management personnel are defined as being Executive and Non-executive Directors and Persons Discharging Managerial Responsibility 
(“PDMRs”), who are set out on pages 24 to 25. Directors' emoluments are set out on page 22. 

Their remuneration for the 12 months ended 30 June 2022 and 30 June 2021 is summarised as follows: 

Wages and salaries 
Bonus
Benefits
Share- based payments
Total remuneration of key management personnel 

Benefits paid to key management personnel include pension contributions.  

30 June 2022  30 June 2021 
US$’000 
1,110 
- 
16 
510 
1,636 

US$’000
1,330
218
8
274
1,830

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

53

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED  
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS CONTINUED 
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

9. TOTAL EMPLOYEE REMUNERATION (INCLUDING KEY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL) 

Wages and salaries 
Bonus
Benefits
Share-based payments
Total employee remuneration 

Benefits paid to employees include healthcare and pension contributions.  

Staff costs include US$239k capitalised within Exploration and Evaluation assets in the year (2021: US$1,048k). 

The average number of employees during the period were made up as follows 

Directors
Management and administration
Mining, processing, and exploration staff
Total

10. INCOME TAX EXPENSE 

Current tax expense
Prior year tax adjustment
Total tax expense for the year

30 June 2022  30 June 2021 
US$’000 
2,048 
- 
69 
510 
2,627 

US$’000
1,914
218
43
287
2,462

30 June 2022  30 June 2021 
6 
20 
235 
261 

7
28
-
35

30 June 2022  30 June 2021 
US$’000 
2 
- 
2 

US$’000
-
4
4

The income tax charge in the year relates to a minimum tax in Burundi for accounting periods where no taxable profits are reported calculated  
as 1% of revenue (2021: 1% of revenue).  

The difference between the total tax expense shown above and the amount calculated by applying the standard rate of corporation tax to the loss 
before tax is as follows: 

Loss for the year before tax

Income tax using the Guernsey rate of 0%:
Effects of:
Differences in tax rates
Differences in capital allowances
Differences in treatment of exploration and evaluation costs
GAAP differences
Tax losses carried forwards
Minimum income tax based on revenue in Burundi
Adjustment of Burundi tax in respect of prior years
Total

30 June 2022  30 June 2021 
US$’000 
(2,740) 

US$’000
(3,981)

-

(337)
(289)
-
3
623
-
4
4

- 

(215) 
42 
(178) 
- 
351 
2 
- 
2 

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited and Rainbow International Resources Limited are subject to 0% income tax in Guernsey and the British Virgin Islands 
respectively. Rainbow Rare Earths (Proprietary) Limited, which was established on 3 March 2022, is subject to an income tax rate in South Africa of 
28%. In Burundi, Rainbow Burundi SPRL and Rainbow Mining Burundi SM are subject to corporation tax in Burundi at 30%. 

No deferred tax asset has been recognised in respect of the tax losses carried forward as the recoverability of this benefit is dependent on the future 
profitability of the individual entities within the Group, the timing of which is considered insufficiently certain. The total unrecognised potential deferred 
tax assets in respect of losses carried forward are Rainbow Rare Earths (Proprietary) Limited US$18k, Rainbow Burundi SPRL US$Nil (30 June 2021: 
US$1k) and Rainbow Mining Burundi SM US$3,727k (30 June 2021: US$3,127k). 

The tax losses for Rainbow Mining Burundi SM expire after five accounting periods based on a 31 December tax year-end. The tax losses for Rainbow 
Rare Earths (Proprietary) Limited have no expiry. The unrecognised deferred tax asset for Rainbow Mining Burundi SM expires as follows: US$1,063k 
on 31 December 2022, US$608k on 31 December 2023, US$821k on 31 December 2024, US$345k on 31 December 2025, US$568k on 31 December 
2026 and US$323k on 31 December 2027. 

54

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED  
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS CONTINUED 
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

11. LOSS PER SHARE 

The earnings per share calculations for 30 June 2022 reflect the changes to the number of ordinary shares during the period.  

At the start of the year, 476,411,434 shares were in issue. During the year, a total of 9,598,875 new shares were allotted (see note 21 Share Capital)  
and on 30 June 2022, 524,405,810 shares were in issue. The weighted average of shares in issue in the year was 508,566,911. 

The loss per share has been calculated using the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue. The Company was loss making for all periods 
presented, therefore the dilutive effect of share options has not been accounted for in the calculation of diluted earnings per share, since this would 
decrease the loss per share for each reporting period. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Basic and diluted 

Loss for the year (US$’000) attributable to ordinary equity holders
Weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue during the year
Loss per share (cents)

12. EXPLORATION AND EVALUATION ASSETS 

At 1 July 2020

Additions
Adjustment of rehabilitation provision
At 30 June 2021

Additions
At 30 June 2022

2022
(3,880)
508,566, 911
(0.76)

2021 
(2,690) 
450,749,572 
(0.60) 

Gakara
US$’000
7,572

Phalaborwa
US$’000
-

Total 
US$’000 
7,572 

1,102
(39)
8,635

-
8,635

1,116
-
1,116

837
1,953

2,218 
(39) 
9,751 

837 
10,588 

Only costs relating to the Phalaborwa Project were capitalised during the financial year. The Burundi Project has been under care & maintenance 
throughout the year and, accordingly, none of the costs meet the requirements under the Group’s accounting policy for capitalisation. 

The Phalaborwa project represents an opportunity to extract rare earth elements from the chemical re-treatment of gypsum stacks. A JORC 
compliant rare earth resource was declared on 17 June 2021 and the costs of establishing the commercial viability of development for the project  
are being capitalised as exploration and evaluation assets under IFRS 6. Additions in the year include costs associated with process development  
to deliver an economic and technically viable route to recovering rare earths. Additions in 2021 included US$750k consideration payable under the 
earn-in agreement payable in cash and shares together with costs associated with the definition of the inferred mineral resource, metallurgical test 
work and technical support.  

On 12 April 2021 RMB received notification from the Ministry of Hydraulics, Energy and Mines of the Republic of Burundi of a temporary suspension on 
the export of concentrate produced from the trial mining and processing operations at the Gakara Project. On 29 June 2021 a further notification was 
received suspending all trial mining and processing operations pending negotiations on the terms of the Gakara mining convention signed in 2015.  

Following face to face meetings in Burundi in April 2022 the Company presented a detailed plan to the Government for the export of the current  
stock of rare earth concentrate along with responses to all questions raised by the Government relating to the Company’s operations in Burundi.  
The Company is awaiting a formal response to this export plan, noting increased engagement following significant changes in the political landscape 
in Burundi in September 2022. The Directors have also received confirmation from independent legal advisors that the mining convention in place 
between RMB and the Government of Burundi remains legally binding on both parties, and that the actions of the Government of Burundi have not 
been in accordance with that legally binding agreement. 

Based on an assessment of both the legal and political position, the Directors have a reasonable expectation that the current temporary suspension 
does not represent a threat to the licence and activities will be allowed to re-start. Accordingly, the Directors do not believe this uncertainty represents 
an indication of impairment of the exploration and evaluation assets at Gakara, or the associated property, plant and equipment or inventory within the 
Gakara cash generating unit. The royalty recoverable, which also forms part of the Gakara cash generating unit, is considered separately as set out in 
note 15. As set out in note 3 the Directors do not consider there to be any indicators of impairment for the Gakara cash generating unit, however they 
note that the current suspension of activities could result in future losses for the Group if it is not resolved as anticipated. 

FinBank SA hold security over the fixed and floating assets of Rainbow Mining Burundi SM (“RMB”) which include US$7.3 million of exploration  
and evaluation assets associated with the Gakara mining permit in Burundi. 

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

55

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED  
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS CONTINUED 
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

13. PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT 

US$’000
Cost 
At 1 July 2020

Additions
At 30 June 2021

Additions
At 30 June 2022

Depreciation
At 1 July 2020
Charge for year
At 30 June 2021
Charge for the year 
At 30 June 2022

Net Book Value at 30 June 2022
Net Book Value at 30 June 2021
Net Book Value at 30 June 2020

Mine
development
costs

Plant and
machinery

Vehicles

Office
equipment

183

-
183

-
183

47
26
73
26
99

84
110
136

2,665

182
2,847

42
2,889

2,665
2
2,667
1
2,668

221
180
-

1,074

508
1,582

-
1,582

298
241
539
316
855

727
1,043
776

45

-
45

-
45

15
9
24
10
34

11
21
30

Total 

3,967 

690 
4,657 

42 
4,699 

3,025 
278 
3,303 
353 
3,656 

1,043 
1,354 
942 

Depreciation of US$Nil (2021: US$269k) relating to mining vehicles, plant and machinery and site infrastructure was capitalised in the year as part  
of Exploration and Evaluation costs. 

FinBank SA hold security over the fixed and floating assets of Rainbow Mining Burundi SA which include US$1,042k (2021: US$1,353k) of property, 
plant, and equipment in Burundi. 

As set out in note 12 the Directors recognise the uncertainty relating to the temporary suspension of trial mining and processing activities in Burundi 
which could impact the carrying value of the property, plant and equipment within the Gakara cash generating unit, which comprises US$1,042k of 
the net book value at the balance sheet date. 

14. INVENTORY 

Finished goods
Consumables
Total inventory

30 June 2022  30 June 2021 
US$’000 
717 
146 
863 

US$’000
717
141
858

Finished goods represents 421 tonnes (2021: 421 tonnes) of rare earth concentrate available for export at the Kabezi processing plant.  
The cost is considered to be below the net realisable value and no provision for impairment has been made at 30 June 2022 (2021: US$Nil). 

As set out in note 12, the Directors recognise the uncertainty relating to the temporary suspension of trial mining and processing activities in Burundi 
which could impact the carrying value of the inventory within the Gakara cash generating unit, which comprises all of the inventory held at the 
balance sheet date. 

56

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED  
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS CONTINUED 
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

15. TRADE AND OTHER RECEIVABLES 

VAT recoverable
Prepayments
Royalty receivables
Deposits paid
Sundry debtors
Total trade and other receivables

30 June 2022  30 June 2021 
US$’000 
189 
66 
178 
5 
3 
441 

US$’000
214
70
109
5
3
401

VAT recoverable relates to the input VAT recoverable in Burundi (US$194k, 2021: US$189k) and South Africa (US$20k, 2021: US$Nil). During the year 
ended 30 June 2021 a tax audit was undertaken in Burundi over the local operating subsidiary, Rainbow Mining Burundi SM (RMB), covering the period 
from 2017 to 2019. The audit concluded that reverse VAT totalling US$181k had not been correctly accounted for on several invoices received for 
services supplied to RMB from international suppliers. The reverse VAT is recoverable under Burundi legislation and, accordingly, both the asset and 
liability are recognised at 30 June 2022. 

The US$109k (2021: US$178k) in respect of royalty receivables arises due to a gross overpayment of US$306k for royalties up to 30 June 2020,  
which were paid based on the total basket price of exports, rather than on the discounted price received from the Company’s customer 
ThyssenKrupp. In July 2020 the Government of Burundi accepted the recommendations of a report published in July 2019 by SRK, commissioned  
by the World Bank on behalf of the government, which accepted that the discounted price received by Rainbow was reasonable. Subsequent royalties 
have been paid on the basis of the discounted price. Despite the Government of Burundi agreeing to repay the difference in September 2020 no 
repayment has been received to date. The Directors have impaired the royalty receivable based on an assessment of the likelihood that the 
overpayment will be recovered, considering a range of possible outcomes including recovery against future royalty liabilities, and no recovery.  
The impairment of US$69k is recognised in administrative expenses, in the current year (2021: US$128k). 

Expected credit losses were assessed at 30 June 2022 considering various potential scenarios, information regarding the counterparty credit risk,  
the historical payment profiles, and forward-looking factors. No expected credit loss provision was considered necessary in the year (2021: US$Nil). 

16. CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS 

Cash at bank and in hand
Total cash at bank and in hand

No cash amounts were restricted at 30 June 2022 (30 June 2021: nil). 

17. TRADE AND OTHER PAYABLES 

Trade payables
Accrued expenses
Taxes and social security
Burundi land taxes payable
Amounts due to staff and management
Other payables
Provision for employment disputes
Total trade and other payables

30 June 2022  30 June 2021 
US$’000 
573 
573 

US$’000
4,134
4,134

30 June 2022  30 June 2021 
US$’000 
71 
233 
363 
60 
32 
250 
- 
1,009 

US$’000
174
255
360
60
-
-
60
909

Tax and social security payables include US$329k for taxes provided as a result of a tax audit undertaken in Burundi over the local operating subsidiary, 
Rainbow Mining Burundi SM (RMB), covering the period from 2017 to 2019. Reverse VAT totalling US$152k and withholding tax totalling US$75k had not 
been correctly accounted for on a number of invoices received for services supplied to RMB from international suppliers. A further US$10k of payroll 
taxes were found not to have been paid on salaries for casual staff. Penalties totalling US$92k on the unpaid taxes have also been provided for in 
accordance with Burundi legislation. An internal review was carried out for the period following the tax audit and a further US$24k of taxes and 
penalties provided for 2020 and 2021. 

The Directors consider that the carrying value of trade and other payables approximate to their fair value. 

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

57

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED  
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS CONTINUED 
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

18. BORROWINGS 

FinBank Loan
Pipestone Loan
Warrant liability
Total borrowings

Borrowings fall due:
Due within one year
Due between 2 to 5 years
Total

The following table analyses the movement in borrowings: 

                                                                                                                                                         30 June 2022

Borrowings brought forward
Cash flows from borrowings
Drawdown of borrowings
Repayment of borrowings
Interest paid

Non-cash movement in borrowings 
Interest charge on borrowings
Settlement of borrowings in shares
Valuation of warrant liability
Extinguishment of Pipestone bridge loan
Drawn down of renewed Pipestone bridge loan
Other

Borrowings carried forward

30 June 2022  30 June 2021 
US$’000 
579 
1,008 
306 
1,893 

US$’000
557
-
196
753

235
518
753

1,231 
662 
1,893 

                    30 June 2021 
US$’000

US$’000 
1,680 

US$’000

US$’000
1,893

-
(834)
(138)

138
(175)
(109)
-
-
(22)

275
(438)
(104)

244
-
256
(925)
925
(20)

(267)

480 
1,893 

(972)

(168)
753

FinBank Loan 
The FinBank loan facility in Burundi is expressed in BIF and carries an interest rate of 15%. Interest has been paid throughout the period. Capital 
repayments have been suspended since April 2021 as a result of the export ban imposed in Burundi on the Group’s rare earth concentrate from  
trial mining and processing activities. This is not a substantial modification of the loan. 

Under the terms of this loan, FinBank has security over the fixed and floating assets of Rainbow Mining Burundi SM (“RMB”, the local operating 
company in Burundi which owns the Gakara project and mining permit), the shares of RMB, and the cash held in RMB’s FinBank bank accounts. 
Interest on the loan amounted to US$98k (2021: US$98k). 

Pipestone Bridge Loan 
On 21st February 2020 Pipestone Capital Inc, provided a US$1 million unsecured bridging loan to the Company. The loan did not bear interest, with the 
finance cost provided by the issue of 2 million warrants. Further detail on the warrants is provided in note 22. In June 2020 the original Pipestone loan 
was re-financed, with US$75k repaid via the issue of 1,993,779 shares. The remaining US$925k was extinguished and replaced with a new, interest 
free, unsecured bridging loan of US$925k pending a larger capital raise. The loan was further refinanced following an equity raise in November 2020. 
The Company had no headroom under the prospectus directive regulations to issue shares at the price of the November 2020 equity raise to repay 
the loan and had insufficient funds to allow for repayment in cash. As a result, the US$925k interest-free liability was extinguished and replaced with  
a new unsecured bridge loan from 1 December 2020 which bears interest at a rate of 15% per annum. In December 2021 this loan was repaid with 
cash (US$886k) and the issue of 875,389 shares (US$175k). 

58

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED  
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS CONTINUED 
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

19. LEASES 

Lease liabilities fall due: 
Due within one year
Due between 2 to 5 years
After 5 years
Total

The following table analyses the movement in lease liabilities: 

                                                                                                                                                         30 June 2022

Lease liabilities brought forward
Cash flows from leases
Payment of lease liabilities
Interest paid

Non-cash movement in leases
Recognition of lease liabilities
Interest charge on leases
Revaluation on termination
Change in lease term

Lease liabilities carried forward

Right of use assets 

Balance as at 1 July 2020
Right of use asset recognised in the year
Amendment to expected life
Depreciation in year
Balance as at 30 June 2021
Right of use asset recognised in the year
Amendment to expected life
Depreciation in year
Balance as at 30 June 2022

30 June 2022  30 June 2021 
US$’000 

US$’000

32
35
46
113

14 
37 
32 
83 

                    30 June 2021 
US$’000

US$’000 
128 

US$’000

US$’000
83

(23)
(13)

110
13
(57)
-

(36)

66
113

(39)
(17)

27
17

(33)

(56) 

11 
83 

Land and buildings 
US$’000 
104 
27 
(33) 
(28) 
70 
110 
(48) 
(24) 
108 

At 1 July 2020 two leasehold properties were recognised as right of use assets in Burundi in accordance with IFRS 16. During the year ended  
30 June 2021 a further property lease was recognised in Burundi and notice was served on one property. During the year ended 30 June 2022  
a new office lease was entered into in South Africa and the leases for the two properties initially recognised at 1 July 2020 were formally terminated. 

The two remaining leasehold properties are subject to annual agreements, with right of use assets and lease liabilities calculated by reference  
to the Group’s anticipated long-term intentions to renew the lease agreements. 

There are no other lease commitments with the short term lease of a bulldozer terminated in the year ended 30 June 2021 after total payments  
of US$107k in the year ended 30 June 2021. 

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

59

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED  
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS CONTINUED 
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

20. PROVISIONS 

At 1 July 2020
Discount
At 30 June 2021
Discount
At 30 June 2022

Rehabilitation provision  
US$’000 
100 
(39) 
61 
- 
61 

The rehabilitation provision relates to the anticipated cost of restoring the operating sites at the Gakara project in Burundi, discounted to reflect 
management’s best estimates of the timing of future estimated cashflows. 

No provision is deemed necessary for the Group’s Phalaborwa project as on-site activities have not yet commenced and historical environmental 
liabilities associated with the site remain with the previous owners. 

21. SHARE CAPITAL 

Share Capital
Issued Share Capital 

The table below shows a reconciliation of share capital movements: 

At 30 June 2020
November 2020 - Share placing – Cash receipts net of costs
December 2020 - Exercise of share options (cash receipts)
January 2021 - Exercise of share options (cash receipts)
February 2021 - Exercise of share options (cash receipts)
April 2021 - Exercise of share options (cash receipts)
Costs associated with exercise of share options
June 2021 - Phalaborwa consideration shares
At 30 June 2021
July 2021 - Exercise of share options (cash receipts)
October 2021 - Share placing – Cash receipts net of costs
November 2021 - Share placing – Cash receipts net of costs
December 2021 – Pipestone Loan repayment shares
April 2022 - Exercise of share options (cash receipts)
Costs associated with exercise of share options and loan settlement
Total

30 June 2022
US$’000
41,442
41,442

30 June 2021 
US$’000 
32,465 
32,465 

Number of shares
421,981,551
42,700,000
3,000,000
4,000,000
2,700,000
800,000
-
1,229,883
476,411,434
2,500,000
32,900,000
10,000,000
875,389
1,718,987
-
524,405,810

 US$’000 
28,132 
3,338 
215 
290 
200 
58 
(18) 
250 
32,465 
182 
6,557 
1,982 
175 
116 
(35) 
41,442 

On 27 November 2020 the Company issued 42.7 million new ordinary shares at a price of 6 pence per share, raising gross cash proceeds  
of US$3.4 million (before costs of $85k). 

Between December 2020 and April 2021 Australian Special Opportunity Fund, LP exercised options over 10.5 million shares at an exercise  
price of 5.28p per share, raising gross cash proceeds of US$763k (before costs of US$18k). 

On 25 June 2021 1,229,882 shares were issued to Bosveld Phosphates (Pty) Limited to settle US$250,000 consideration due under  
the Phalaborwa co-development agreement originally announced on 3 November 2020. 

On 13 July 2021 Australian Special Opportunity Fund, LP exercised options over 2.5 million shares at an exercise price of 5.28p per share,  
raising gross cash proceeds of US$182k. 

On 13 October 2021 the Company issued 32.9 million shares at a price of 15 pence per share, raising gross cash proceeds of US$6.8 million  
(before costs of $221k). 

On 15 November 2021 the Company issued a further 10.0 million shares at a price of 15 pence per share, raising gross cash proceeds  
of US$2.0 million (before costs of $18k). 

On 25 April 2022 Australian Special Opportunity Fund, LP exercised options over 1,718,987 million shares at an exercise price of 5.28p per share,  
raising gross cash proceeds of US$116k. 

60

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED  
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS CONTINUED 
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

22. SHARE OPTIONS AND WARRANTS 

The total share-based payment charge for the year was US$287k, US$144k relating to the initial tranche of options issued under the Long Term 
Incentive Plan and US$143k relating to 3.8 million options issued under the existing share option plan as set out in more detail below (2021: US$510k). 

Employee share options 
At 30 June 2022, the following employee share options were exercisable and outstanding: 

                                                                                                                                                         30 June 2022

                    30 June 2021 

Share option plan 
Outstanding as at 1 July 
Granted in the year
Lapsed in the year
Outstanding as at 30 June
Exercisable as at 30 June 

Long Term Incentive Plan 
Outstanding as at 1 July
Granted in the year
Outstanding as at 30 June
Exercisable as at 30 June 

Average
weighted
exercise
price (pence)

12.19
16.03

13.43
12.53

-
-
-
-

Number

7,991,400
3,800,000
-
11,791,400
8,491,400

3,708,000
-
3,708,000
1,236,001

Average 
weighted 
exercise 
price (pence) 

12.28 
12.00 
- 
12.19 
12.19 

- 
- 
- 
- 

Number

5,491,400
2,500,000
-
7,991,400
7,991,400

-
3,708,000
3,708,000
-

No employee share options were exercised or lapsed in the year. The options outstanding at 30 June 2022 across both the share option plan  
and long-term incentive plan had a weighted average remaining contractual life of 6.7 years (2021: 7.8 years). 

During the year 3.8 million options were issued as follows: 
•

•

•

500,000 being issued to a non-executive director (PDMR) on 6 July 2021. The options have an exercise price of 18 pence per share and vest 
immediately on issue with a term of 10 years. 
800,000 being issued to key personnel (not PDMR’s) on 6 July 2021. The options have an exercise price of 18 pence per share and vest in three 
tranches after 12 month, 24 months and 36 months, with a term of 10 years, subject to the personnel remaining employees of the group. 
2,500,000 issued under the existing Share Option Plan: CEO: 1,600,000 options and CFO: 900,000 options (both PDMR’s). The options have an 
exercise price of 15 pence per share and vest in three tranches after 12 month, 24 months and 36 months, with a term of 10 years, subject to the 
personnel remaining employees of the group. 

The options have been valued using a Black-Scholes model using the inputs as detailed below: 

Share price (GBP pence)
Exercise price (GBP pence)
Expected volatility
Risk free rate
Rate of Exchange
Time to exercise (years)

Options granted
6 July 2021
to PDMR
14.75 
18.00
106.61%
0.14%
1.38
3.00

Options granted
6 July 2021
to non PDMR
14.75 
18.00
106.61%
0.14%
1.38
5.00

Options granted 
2 February 2022 
16.63 
15.00  
78.64% 
1.08% 
1.36 
5.00 

Expected volatility was determined by reference to the annual volatility of the Company’s closing mid-market share price on the London Stock Exchange. 

Lind share options 
In January 2019, 16,718,987 share options were issued to Lind Partners with an exercise price of 5.28 pence. These were exercisable immediately from 
the date of award for a period of 48 months. The Fair Value of these share options was estimated using a Black Scholes model to be US$0.5 million. This 
cost was included under Finance Costs as part of the cost of the Lind Facility, a funding arrangement entered into by the Company in January 2019. 

During the 2021 financial year 10,500,000 options originally issued to Lind Partners in January 2019 with an exercise price of 5.28 pence per share 
were exercised for gross proceeds of US$763k. During the year ended 30 June 2022 a further 4,218,987 options were exercised for gross proceeds  
of US$298k. At 30 June 2022 a further 2 million options with an exercise price of 5.28 pence per share are outstanding which can be exercised until 
24 January 2023. 

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

61

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED  
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS CONTINUED 
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

22. SHARE OPTIONS AND WARRANTS CONTINUED 

Warrants 

Outstanding and exercisable at 1 July 2020
Expired during the year
Outstanding and exercisable at 30 June 2021 and 2022

1. Weighted average exercise price calculated for US$ based warrants on US$:GBP exchange rate ruling on 30 June 2020. 

Number Exercise price  
£0.067 1 
2,427,924
US$0.21 
(427,924)
£0.0455 
2,000,000

During the year ended 30 June 2021, 427,924 warrants with an exercise price of US$0.21 per share originally issued to Chrystal Capital Partners LLP  
on 9 November 2015 expired. 

On 21 February 2020, 2,000,000 warrants were issued to Pipestone Capital Inc, in which George Bennett, the Company’s CEO, has a beneficial 
interest. The warrants were issued in lieu of interest on a US$1 million bridging loan provided to the Company as set out in note 18. The warrants have  
a contractual life of 4 years at an exercise price of 4.55 pence per warrant. The Pipestone warrants are recognised as a financial liability at fair value 
through profit and loss with changes in value included under Finance Costs as part of the cost of the Pipestone Loan Facility as set out in note 7. 

As noted above, the Pipestone warrants are classified as a financial liability and are revalued at each period end using a Black-Scholes model.  
The inputs into the model were: 

Share price (GBP pence)
Exercise price (GBP pence)
Expected volatility
Risk free rate
Rate of exchange
Time to exercise (years)

At 30 June
2022
12.38
4.55
52.07%
1.87%
1.22
1.50

At 30 June 
2021 
14.50 
4.55 
106.71% 
0.18% 
1.38 
1.67 

Expected volatility was determined by reference to the annual volatility of the Company’s closing mid-market share price on the London Stock Exchange. 

The expected life used in the model has been on management’s best estimate for the effects of exercise restrictions and behaviour. 

23. RESERVES 

Reserve                                                                                                    Purpose 
Share capital                                                                           Value of shares issued less costs of issuance 
Share-based payment reserve                                        Fair value of share options issued 
Other reserves                                                                       Fair value adjustments for interest free loans 
Accumulated losses                                                            Cumulative net losses recognised in the statement of comprehensive income 
Non-controlling interest                                                      Amounts attributable to the 10% interest the State of Burundi has in Rainbow Mining Burundi SM 
and 3% interest Gilbert Midende has in Rainbow Burundi SPRL at 30 June 2022. Refer to note 24 
for further details and non-controlling interests for earlier periods 

Details in the movements of these reserves are set out in the Statement of Changes in Equity. 

62

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED  
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS CONTINUED 
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

24. NON-CONTROLLING INTEREST 

The non-controlling interests of the Group’s partners in its operations are presented in the table below: 

Name of subsidiary

Country

Effective non-controlling interest

Interest of non-controlling interest
As at 1 July 2020
Minority share of loss for year
At 30 June 2021
Minority share of loss for year
At 30 June 2022

Assets at year-end:
30 June 2021
30 June 2022

Liabilities at year-end:
30 June 2021
30 June 2022

Loss for the year to:
30 June 2021
30 June 2022

Rainbow
Burundi SPRL
Burundi
US$’000
3%

Rainbow
Mining
Burundi SM
US$’000
10%

Total 
Group 
US$’000 
13% 

7
-
7
1
8

1
1

295
295

-
-

877
52
929
104
1,033

10,019
9,603

19,298
19,936

884 
52 
936 
105 
1,041 

10,020 
9,604 

19,593 
20,231 

(524)
(1,055)

(542) 
(1,055) 

No dividends have been paid to minority interests in the year (2021: nil). 

25.  CAPITAL COMMITMENTS 

There were no capital commitments on 30 June 2022 (2021: nil). Under the terms of the Gakara Mining Convention there are no minimum expenditure 
commitments in respect of exploration and evaluation activities. 

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

63

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED  
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS CONTINUED 
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

26. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS 

Gilbert Midende 1
Benzu Minerals (Proprietary) Limited 2
Pipestone Capital Inc 3
Alexander Lowrie 4
Atul Bali 4
Robert Sinclair 4
Shawn McCormick 4
MPD Consulting Limited 5
Total

Year to 30 June 2022

Year to 30 June 2021 

Balance as at

Charged in year Settled in year 30 June 2022 Charged in year
US$’000
35
23
237
26
25
26
25
25
422

US$’000
(50)
(48)
(1,061)
-
-
-
-
(13)
(1,172)

US$’000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

US$’000
50
48
52
-
-
-
-
13
163

Settled in year
US$’000
(35)
(23)
(153)
(26)
(25)
(26)
(25)
(25)
(338)

Balance as at 
30 June 2021 
US$’000 
- 
- 
1,009 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
1,009 

1. Gilbert Midende formally retired as Director General of Rainbow Mining Burundi SM in May 2021. In the year ended 30 June 2021, in addition to salary, Gilbert Midende was paid US$35k in respect of property leases in Burundi.  

In the year ended 30 June 2022 Gilbert Midende received a retirement settlement of US$50k. 

2. Benzu Minerals (Proprietary) Limited is connected to Cesare Morelli who is engaged as a geologist. In addition to the amounts disclosed, which relate to costs associated with the drilling programme at Phalaborwa, salary was paid  

to Cesare Morelli via Benzu Minerals (Proprietary) Limited and is included in remuneration disclosures in note 9. 

3. Pipestone Capital Inc, in which George Bennett, the Company’s CEO, has a beneficial interest, provided a bridging loan to the Group which totalled US$925k at 1 July 2020 on which Interest totalling US$52k accrued during the year  

ended 30 June 2022 (2021: US$84k). The loan was fully settled via a mixture of cash and shares in December 2021 as set out in note 18. In addition, Pipestone Capital Inc provided US$150k of the bridge loan received in October 2020,  

which was repaid in full, including US$3k interest, in December 2020. 

4. Alexander Lowrie, Atul Bali, Robert Sinclair and Shawn McCormick, all Non-Executive Directors of the Company, provided an aggregate of US$100k of the bridge loan received in October 2020, which was repaid in full,  

including US$2k aggregate interest, in December 2020. 

5. MPD Consulting Limited (connected with Peter Gardner, CFO) provided US$25k of the bridge loan received in October 2020, which was repaid in full, including interest, in December 2020. MPD Consulting Limited charged  

the company US$13k for providing UK office services to the CFO in the year ended 30 June 2022, which was settled in full. 

27. INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES 

The shareholdings in the Group’s subsidiaries for each year are set out below: 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     % Share Capital Held 

Name of Company                                                                                       Principal Activity                            Country of Incorporation                   2022                         2021 
Rainbow International Resources Ltd                                        Rare earth exploration                 British Virgin Islands                                 100%                       100% 
Rainbow Rare Earths UK Ltd                                                        Service Company                         United Kingdom                                                  -                       100% 
Rainbow Burundi SPRL                                                                 Rare earth exploration                 Republic of Burundi                                    97%                          97% 
Rainbow Mining Burundi SM                                                        Rare earth mining                         Republic of Burundi                                    90%                         90% 
Rainbow Rare Earths Zimbabwe (Private) Limited                Rare earth exploration                 Zimbabwe                                                   100%                       100% 
Rainbow Rare Earths (Proprietary) Limited                              Group support services              South Africa                                                100%                                - 

a. Rainbow International Resources Limited is 100% owned by Rainbow Rare Earths Limited. 
b. Rainbow Rare Earths UK Ltd was deregistered on 3 February 2022. 
c. Gilbert Midende holds a 3% interest in Rainbow Burundi SPRL. 
d. 97% of shares in Rainbow Burundi SPRL and 90% of shares in Rainbow Mining Burundi SM are held by Rainbow International Resources Limited 
e. The government of Burundi has a 10% interest in Rainbow Mining Burundi SM granted in accordance with the Mining Code of Burundi 
f. Rainbow Rare Earths Zimbabwe (Private) Limited is dormant and not trading. 
g. Rainbow Rare Earths (Proprietary) Ltd was established on 7 March 2022 in South Africa to provide support services for the Group. It is owned 

100% by Rainbow Rare Earths Ltd. 

28. CONTINGENT LIABILITIES 

There were no contingent liabilities at 30 June 2022 (30 June 2021: nil).  

29. POST BALANCE SHEET EVENTS 

No events after the reporting date were identified that would affect the group of companies significantly or cause its financial results  
to be materially misstated. 

64

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED  
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS CONTINUED 
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

30. FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT 

The Group’s financial liabilities at each period end consist of bank borrowings, leases, unsecured loans and trade and other payables (including 
accrued expenses). The warrants issued in lieu of interest for the Pipestone Loan, as set out in note 18, are measured at fair value through profit or loss. 
All other liabilities are measured at amortised cost. These are detailed in notes 17, 18 and 19. 

The Group has various financial assets, being trade and other receivables and cash, which arise directly from its operations. To the extent that these 
represent financial assets they are classified as assets held at amortised cost. These are detailed in notes 15 and 16. 

The fair values of the Group’s cash, trade and other receivables, borrowings, unsecured loans, leases, trade and other payables and financial liabilities  
at fair value through profit and loss are considered to approximate book value. 

The risks arising from the Group’s financial instruments are credit risk, liquidity risk and market risk (including interest risk and currency risk).  
The risk management policies employed by the Group to manage these risks are discussed below. 

Credit risk 
Credit risk refers to the risk that the Group’s financial assets will be impaired by the default of a third party. The Group is exposed to credit risk on its cash 
and cash equivalents as set out in note 16. Credit risk is managed by ensuring that surplus funds are held in the UK with well-established financial 
institutions of high-quality credit standing. At 30 June 2022, 99% of funds were held with a bank with a long-term A- credit rating (2021: 90%). 

Market risk 
Market risk arises from the Company’s use of interest bearing, tradable and foreign currency financial instruments. It is the risk that the fair value or 
future cash flows of a financial instrument will fluctuate because of changes in interest rates (interest rate risk), foreign exchange rates (currency risk) 
or other market factors (other price risk). 

Currency risk 
Currency risk refers to the risk that fluctuations in foreign currencies cause losses to the Group. 

The Group is exposed to foreign exchange risk arising from various currency exposures primarily with respect to Sterling and the Burundian Franc. 
Management monitors the exchange rate fluctuations on a continuous basis and acts accordingly. The financial assets and liabilities that include 
significant foreign currency denominated balances are shown below. 

Foreign exchange risk is managed by matching the currency profile of cash holdings to expected future cash outflows.  
Minimal cash is held in Burundian Francs. The table below shows the currency profiles of cash and cash equivalents: 

Cash and cash equivalents
US Dollars
GB Pounds
SA Rands
Burundi Francs
Total

30 June 2022
US$’000
1,623
1,778
716
17
4,134

30 June 2021  
US$’000 
353 
183 
- 
37 
573 

The table below shows an analysis of the currency of the monetary liabilities in the functional currency of the Group (US dollars): 

US Dollars
GB Pounds
Burundi Francs
South African Rand
Australian Dollars
Total

30 June 2022
US$’000
336
187
1,040
189
22
1,774

30 June 2021  
US$’000 
1,662 
233 
681 
23 
22 
2,621 

The largest monetary liability exposure and the least stable currency is the Burundi Franc. A 10% movement in the US$:BIF rate would have resulted  
in a gain or loss of approximately US$0.1m (2021: approximately US$0.1m) in the income statement in relation to the cash and cash equivalents and 
trade payables as at 30 June 2021. 

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

65

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED  
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS CONTINUED 
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

30. FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT CONTINUED 

Interest rate risk 
Interest rate risk refers to the risk that fluctuations in interest rates cause losses to the Company. 

The Group and Company have no exposure to interest rate risk except on cash and cash equivalents which carry variable interest rates.  
The Group has no material sensitivity to reasonable changes in variable interest rates. The group monitors the variable interest risk accordingly. 

The Group’s borrowings bear fixed rates of interest. 

Liquidity risk 
Liquidity risk refers to the risk that the Group has insufficient cash resources to meet working capital requirements. The Group manages its liquidity 
requirements by using both short and long-term cash flow projections. The following table sets out the contractual maturities (representing 
undiscounted contractual cash-flows) of financial liabilities: 

      As at 30 June 2022

        As at 30 June 2021 

Trade and other payables
Loans and borrowings
Lease liabilities
Totall

Due in
2 to 5
years

Due in
1 to 2
years

Due
within 1
years

Due in
5 to 10
years
US$’000 US$’000 US$’000 US$’000
-
-
-
-

909
235
32
1,176

-
469
34
503

-
49
46
95

Due
within 1
years
US$’000
646
1,304
17
1,967

Due in
1 to 2
years
US$’000
-
314
12
326

Due in
2 to 5
years
US$’000
-
79
36
115

Due in 
5 to 10 
years 
US$’000 
- 

39 
39 

Ultimate responsibility for liquidity risk management rests with the Directors, who have built an appropriate liquidity risk management framework  
for the management of the Group’s short, medium, and long-term funding and liquidity management requirements. The Group closely monitors and 
manages its liquidity risk. For further details on the Group’s liquidity position, please refer to the going concern paragraph in note 2 of these accounts. 

Capital management 
In managing the capital, the Group’s primary objective is to maintain a sufficient funding base, through debt and equity, to enable the Group to meet 
its working capital and strategic investment needs. This includes ensuring sufficient funds are available to service the Group’s borrowings as they fall 
due. No funds are held in restricted or designated accounts for future debt servicing requirements. In making decisions to adjust its capital structure  
to achieve these aims the Group consider not only its short-term position but also its long term operational and strategic objectives. 

The Group’s primary capital management measure is net debt (borrowings less cash) to total equity, measured as follows: 

Net debt/(net cash) to equity

Total borrowings (note 18)
Less: Cash and cash equivalents
Net (cash) / debt
Total equity
Ratio

30 June 2022
US$’000
753
(4,134)
(3,381)
15,345
(22.03%)

30 June 2021 
US$’000 
1,892 
(573) 
1,319 
10,006 
13.18% 

31. NON-CASH TRANSACTIONS 

Material non-cash transactions were as follows: 

Year end 30 June 2022 
•
•

Settlement of the Pipestone Loan Balance in shares as set out in note 21.  
Recognition of a right of use asset under a lease agreement as set out in note 19. 

Year end 30 June 2021 
•
•

Settlement of the second tranche of consideration for the Phalaborwa earn-in agreement in shares as set out in note 21.  
Recognition of right of use assets under lease agreements as set out in note 19. 

32. ULTIMATE CONTROLLING PARTY 

The Company does not have a single controlling party.  

66

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION

Executive director 
George Bennett – Chief Executive Officer 

Non-executive directors 
Adonis Pouroulis – Chairman 
Alex Lowrie 
Shawn McCormick 
Atul Bali 
J Peter Pham 

Company Secretary 
Scorpio Secretarial Services Limited 

Registered office 
Connaught House, St Julian’s Avenue 
St Peter Port, Guernsey GY1 1GZ 

Company website 
www.rainbowrareearths.com

Registrars and transfer office 
Computershare Investor Services PLC 
PO Box 82, The Pavilions, Bridgwater Road 
Bristol BS99 7NH 

Bankers 
Barclays Bank PLC (UK) 
FinBank S.A (Burundi) 
Standard Bank of South Africa Limited (South Africa) 

Brokers 
SP Angel 

Independent Auditors 
BDO LLP 

Solicitors 
Memery Crystal LLP (UK) 
Legal Solutions Chambers (Burundi)  
Malan Scholes Inc. (South Africa) 

Designed and produced by effektiv  
+44 (0)20 7459 4266 / www.effektiv.co.uk

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited  Annual Report & Accounts 2022

67

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
RAINBOW

RARE EARTHS

Rainbow Rare Earths Limited 

Registered office 
Trafalgar Court, Admiral Park, St Peter Port,  
Guernsey GY1 3EL 

www.rainbowrareearths.com