CONSULTING AGREEMENT
EXHIBIT
10.1
THIS
AGREEMENT made as of April 1st,
2009.
BETWEEN
MINERA FARELLON LTDA. (the
"Consultant")
Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxx
XXX
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx
Email:
xxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx
AND
MINERA POLYMET LTDA. (the "Client")
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxxxx,
xxxxxx
XXX
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx
Email:
xxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx
WHEREAS:
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A.
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The
Client is in the business of resource exploration and
development.
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B.
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The
Consultant and its personnel have certain knowledge and expertise in the
area of the Client’s business.
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C.
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The
Client and the Consultant have agreed that the personnel of the Consultant
are available to provide consulting services to the Client as independent
contractors and not as employees, from time to time as required by the
Client and on the terms and conditions
below.
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In
consideration of the foregoing and of the following mutual promises, the parties
agree as follows:
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1.
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Engagement
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The
Consultant will provide consulting services to the Client In accordance with the
terms and conditions of this Agreement (the "Services").
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2.
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Term
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The term
of this Agreement will be from the date stated above until and including
December 31, 2009, unless terminated according to any of the provisions listed
in section 3. The parties may extend the term of this agreement by
written agreement at least 60 days prior to the termination date of this
agreement.
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3.
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Termination
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(a)
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The
parties may terminate this agreement at any time by mutual
consent.
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(b)
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The
Client may terminate this agreement immediately if the
Consultant (or any of its personnel) fails
to:
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(i)
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abide
by all policies of the Client, which the Client has delivered to the
Consultant in writing;
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(ii)
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comply
with Client’s reasonable instructions, where written notification of
failure to comply with instructions has been given to the Consultant and
the failure is not remedied by the Consultant (or its personnel) within a
reasonable period of time after receiving written notice of the failure,
or
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(iii)
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abide
by all government policies, instruments, regulations, laws and legislation
applicable to its business including, but not limited to, health and
safety, labour, environmental, natural resource, mining and securities
laws.
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4.
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Compensation
And Reimbursement
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(a)
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The
Client will pay the Consultant for the Services according to the rates
listed in Schedule
B (the “Fees”). Any Fees not listed in Schedule B will be approved on a
project by project basis.
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(b)
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The
Client will have the option of supplying the equipment or accommodation
set out in Schedule B and the Client will
not be charged any Fees in respect of equipment or accommodation which may
be supplied by the Client.
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(c)
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The
Consultant will submit invoices to the Client for the Fees from time to
time and the Client will pay the balance within 30 days of such invoices
being submitted. The Client will notify the Consultant within
21 days if the
Client disputes any invoice.
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(d)
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The
Client will reimburse the Consultant for any approved, out-of-pocket
expenses that the Consultant incurs on behalf of the
Client.
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(e)
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All
fees and payments included in this agreement will be in Chilean
Pesos.
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5.
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The
Services
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(a)
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During
the term of this Agreement, the Consultant agrees to provide the Services
to the Client, including providing the employees and/or contractors set
out in Schedule A
to perform the Services when required by the
Client.
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(b)
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The
Consultant will ensure that all Services are provided by the employees
and/or contractors as specified in Schedule A and, in particular,
that Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx will devote his time and attention to providing the
Services as is necessary for the business and affairs of the Client and as
set out in Schedule A. The Consultant will
use only the employees and/or contractors specified in Schedule A for the Services and
will notify the Client of any change in
personnel.
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(c)
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The
Consultant will provide its services and the services of Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx
exclusively to the Client unless the Client consents in writing to their
providing their services to
another.
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6.
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Covenants
of the Consultant
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(a)
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The
Consultant will faithfully serve and use its best efforts to promote the
interests of the Client and will not use any information it may acquire
with respect to the business and affairs of the Client or its affiliates
for its own purposes or for any purposes other than those of the Client or
its affiliates.
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(b)
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The
Consultant will not disclose to anyone any confidential information with
respect to the business or affairs of the Client except as may be
necessary or desirable to further the business interests of the Client.
This obligation survives the expiry or termination of this
Agreement. “Confidential Information” includes all data and
information that ought to be considered confidential from its nature and
includes information that may originate from the Consultant, the Client or
a third party, whether or not in written form or designated as
confidential. Confidential Information includes, without
limitation, information relating to the current or proposed business plans
of the Client, financial information, geological information, real estate
information, and personnel information. Confidential
Information does not include information that is available to the public
or in the public domain (meaning readily accessible to the public in
written publications without breach of this or similar agreements) at the
time of disclosure or use, without breach of this
Agreement. Confidential Information also does not include
information which is required to be disclosed by any law, regulation,
governmental authority or court, provided that before disclosure
is made, notice of the requirement is provided to the
Client.
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(c)
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The
Consultant agrees that all Confidential Information in the possession of
the Consultant or any of its personnel is the property of the Client, and
that all such Confidential information and all copies in any medium will,
whenever requested by the Client, be surrendered to the Client or
destroyed by the Consultant.
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(d)
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The
Consultant agrees to act in accordance with any policy of the Client,
which the Consultant acknowledges having received, with all reasonable
instructions relating to the Services by the senior officers or board of
directors of the Client, and with all government policies, instruments,
regulations and laws applicable to the Client and its
business.
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(e)
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The
Consultant agrees that project generation services will be for the Client
exclusively and the Consultant will not offer any property or project to
any other person or entity unless the Client consents in
writing.
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7.
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Covenants
of the Client
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The
Client will abide by all legislation applicable to its business, including but
not limited to health and safety, labour, environmental, and natural resource
laws.
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8.
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Disclosure
Consent
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The
Consultant acknowledges and consents to the disclosure of the personal
information of its personnel providing the Services by the Client as required by
law, and confirms that it has advised the personnel of such potential disclosure
and has obtained their consent to such disclosure.
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9.
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Applicable
Law
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This
Agreement will be construed, interpreted and enforced in accordance with, and
the respective rights and obligations of the parties will be governed by, the
laws of the Chile, and each party irrevocably and unconditionally submits to the
non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Chile.
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10.
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Execution
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The
parties may execute this Agreement in counterparts and deliver them and any
notices under it to each by fax or email, with the same effect as if both
parties had signed and delivered the same document; and all counterparts, when
executed and delivered, constitute one original document.
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11.
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Time
Is Of The Essence
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Time
is of the essence of this
Agreement.
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12.
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Notice
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All
notices required under this Agreement will be in writing, and sent by fax or
email or hand delivery. A notice sent by fax or email will be deemed
to have been received on the business day after it is sent. A notice
sent by hand delivery will be deemed to have been received on the date of actual
delivery to the applicable address, either to the individual named or to an
individual with apparent authority to accept deliveries. Notices of
change of address will also be governed by this section. The address
for service of the respective parties is as shown on page 1.
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13.
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Miscellaneous
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(a)
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This
Agreement may only be amended or modified in writing signed by signing
authorities of both the Client and the
Consultant.
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(b)
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This
Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the
parties.
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(c)
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Each
provision of this agreement constitutes a separate and distinct covenant
and can be severable from all other such separate and distinct covenants
contained in this agreement. Any provision of this agreement which is
prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction will be ineffective to the
extent of such prohibition or unenforceability and will be severed from
the balance of this agreement, all without affecting the remaining
provisions of this agreement or affecting the validity or enforceability
of such provision in any other
jurisdiction
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As
evidence of their agreement to the foregoing terms and conditions, the parties
hereto have executed this Agreement as of the day written above by the hands of
their duly authorized officers.
MINERA
POLYMET LTDA.
Per
/s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx
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Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
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MINERA
FARELLON LTDA.
Per
/s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx
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Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
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Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx personally
agrees to provide his services exclusively to Client, whether through Consultant
or otherwise, as described in the foregoing agreement.
Per
/s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx
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Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
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5
SCHEDULE
A – SERVICES
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
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Project
Generation, Logistics and Administration
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As
required
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Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx
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Administration,
Logistics
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As
required
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Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx
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Accounting
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As
required
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Labour
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Miscellaneous
Casual Labour
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As
required
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Furnished
Field House & Office
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Rent,
Utilities, Phone/Internet/Cable, Housekeeping
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Core
Yard
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Rent,
Utilities
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Ford
Ranger 4x4 Truck - Grey
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Rental,
Registration, Licensing, Insurance, maintenance
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SCHEDULE
B – PROFESSIONAL AND OTHER FEES
Service
Item
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Unit
Description
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Cost per
Unit
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Professional
Fees
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Project
Generation and admin
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per
month
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$1.800.000
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Other
Fees
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Field
House & Office
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per
month
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$550.000
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Ford
Ranger 4x4 Truck – Grey
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per
month
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$550.000
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Ford
Ranger 4x4 Truck – Grey
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per
month
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$550.000
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