News: AZS SQM Says Proposed Acquisition With Hancock Prospecting Of Azure Minerals Ltd Has...

March 4 (Reuters) - Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile S.A. SQMA.SN :

• SQM SAYS PROPOSED ACQUISITION WITH HANCOCK PROSPECTING OF AZURE MINERALS LTD HAS PROGRESSED WITH DISPATCH OF TRANSACTION BOOKLET
• SQM SAYS BOARD OF AZURE HAS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDED PROPOSED TRANSACTION
• SQM SAYS INDEPENDENT EXPERT HAS ASSESSED VALUE OF AZURE'S SHARES TO BE IN THE RANGE OF AUD 2.03 TO AUD 2.93 PER AZURE'S SHARE ON A 100% CONTROLLING INTEREST BASIS
• SQM SAYS INDEPENDENT EXPERT HAS CONCLUDED THAT TAKEOVER BID IS FAIR AND REASONABLE
• SQM SAYS AZURE'S CALCULATIONS INDICATE THAT THE VALUE OF ANDOVER LITHIUM PROJECT WOULD BE EXPECTED TO BE APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN AUD 956 MILLION AND AUD 1.434 BILLION
• SQM SAYS TWO OF AZURE'S SHAREHOLDERS, CREASY GROUP AND DELPHI GROUP, HAVE CONFIRMED THEY INTEND TO SELL ALL THEIR SHARES TO JOINT BIDDERS