Franco‑Nevada buys $250M NSR from i‑80, boosts Nevada presence
- Franco‑Nevada acquires a $250 million NSR royalty from i‑80 Gold via a U.S. subsidiary, expanding its Nevada footprint.
- The 1.5% NSR rises to 3.0% in 2031 and covers six i‑80 Nevada properties over 250 km2.
- Franco‑Nevada gains exposure to near‑term production and long‑term upside, supporting i‑80’s Phase 1 and 2 development.
Nevada royalty deal boosts Franco‑Nevada’s US presence
Franco‑Nevada Corporation agrees to acquire a $250 million net smelter return (NSR) royalty from i‑80 Gold Corp through a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary, expanding the Toronto‑listed royalty company’s footprint in Nevada. The NSR begins at 1.5% and steps up to 3.0% beginning in 2031, and it applies across i‑80’s six material Nevada properties, which together cover more than 250 km2 of prospective ground. Franco‑Nevada frames the purchase as a strategic move to partner on the advancement of a concentrated Nevada portfolio that spans operating, development and study‑stage projects.
The royalty encompasses Granite Creek Underground (operating), Archimedes Underground (development), Mineral Point Heap Leach (study), Granite Creek Open Pit (study), Cove Underground (study) and the Lone Tree open pit (study), giving Franco‑Nevada exposure to both near‑term production and longer‑term optionality. i‑80 is executing a phased development plan that ramps output from an expected 30–40 koz in 2025 to 150–200 koz in Phase 1, 300–400 koz in Phase 2, and north of 600 koz per year in Phase 3 by 2032 and beyond, with Granite Creek and Archimedes feeding the Lone Tree autoclave in 2028–2029. Franco‑Nevada notes the transaction supports Phases 1 and 2 and adds a sizeable portfolio in one of the world’s premier gold jurisdictions.
Company executives underscore the strategic rationale: Paul Brink, Franco‑Nevada’s president and chief executive, says the firm is pleased to add i‑80’s Nevada portfolio and to partner on advancing development, while i‑80 chief executive Richard Young describes the financing as foundational to the company’s recapitalization and path to scale production. The deal combines immediate exposure to an operating asset with longer‑term upside from staged development and regional exploration across a large, contiguous land package.
Deal mechanics and scope
The $250 million consideration funds i‑80’s concurrent recapitalization and is structured to back the financing of Phases 1 and 2; Franco‑Nevada acquires only the NSR, leaving project ownership and operator responsibilities with i‑80.
Broader industry context
The transaction reflects continuing investor appetite for royalty and streaming structures that provide leveraged exposure to production growth while capping operational and capital execution risk for the royalty holder, particularly in prolific jurisdictions such as Nevada.