a7612d
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
_____________________
FORM 6-K
_____________________
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
PURSUANT
TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16
UNDER
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the month of March, 2022
Commission File Number: 001-40816
_____________________
Argo Blockchain plc
(Translation
of registrant’s name into English)
_____________________
9th Floor
16
Great Queen Street
London
WC2B 5DG
England
(Address
of principal executive office)
_____________________
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual
reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form 20-F ☒ Form 40-F
☐
Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper
as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): ☐
Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper
as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): ☐
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit
No.
1
|
Description
February
2022 Operational Update dated 07 March 2022
|
Press Release
07 March 2022
Argo Blockchain PLC
("Argo" or "the Company")
February 2022 Operational Update
Operational Update
Argo Blockchain plc, a global leader in cryptocurrency mining (LSE:
ARB; NASDAQ: ARBK), is pleased to provide the following operational
update for February 2022.
During the month of February, Argo mined 135 Bitcoin or Bitcoin
Equivalent (together, BTC) compared to 172 BTC in January 2022.
This reduction of BTC mined during February is primarily due to
record high global hashrate and subsequent network difficulty
increase. Additionally, the Company's facilities in Mirabel and
Baie Comeau, Quebec were subject to significant curtailment due to
cold winter conditions, as were the Company's hosted machines at
Core Scientific's facility in North Dakota. This curtailment
exemplifies how cryptocurrency mining facilities can be used to
stabilise North America's electrical grid by reducing energy
consumption during times of peak demand. Argo, like other crypto
miners, has agreements to access lower electricity prices with
suppliers in return for limiting usage in periods of peak
demand.
Based on daily foreign exchange rates and cryptocurrency prices
during the month, mining revenue in February amounted to £4.15
million [$5.58m*] (January 2022: £5.26 million [$7.10
million*]).
Argo generated this income at a Bitcoin and Bitcoin Equivalent
Mining Margin of approximately 71% for the month of February
(January 2022: 74%).
At the end of February, the Company owned 2,685 Bitcoin, of which
246 were BTC equivalents.
Intel Supply Agreement
The Company is also pleased to announce it has signed a supply
agreement with Intel Corporation to purchase Intel's new blockchain
accelerator. The Company has pro-rata allocation rights to purchase
a supply of the Intel units, with delivery anticipated to begin in
the second half of 2022.
The Company expects to announce more details in the coming months,
including the anticipated future increase in the Company's hashrate
from this supply agreement.
Helios Mining Facility Update
The Company is also pleased to provide the following update on the
construction of its 200 MW flagship cryptocurrency mining facility,
Helios, in Dickens County, Texas. The Company announces that it has
placed an order with PA Transformer for four additional Main Power
Transformers which will provide an additional 600 MW of total power
to Argo's Helios facility. They are identical in specification to
the initial order of transformers the Company is currently
installing on site, and will be delivered in Q1 and Q2,
2023.
Peter Wall, Chief Executive of Argo and interim Chairman, said:
"During February, we have experienced exceptional weather
conditions and are hopeful that these are behind us. Regardless of
this, we have continued to ensure that Argo is set to grow and
deliver on its intended objectives for the forthcoming year. The
Company's recent appointment of Raghav Chopra as an independent
non-executive director, continued progress with construction of the
Helios facility, and the supply agreement we have signed with Intel
are testaments to the fact that we are on the right track to
achieving our goals for the year."
Non-IFRS Measures
Bitcoin and Bitcoin Equivalent Mining Margin is a financial measure
not defined by IFRS. We believe Bitcoin and Bitcoin Equivalent
Mining Margin has limitations as an analytical tool. In particular,
Bitcoin and Bitcoin Equivalent Mining Margin excludes the
depreciation of mining equipment and so does not reflect the full
cost of our mining operations, and it also excludes the effects of
fluctuations in the value of digital currencies and realized losses
on the sale of digital assets, which affect our IFRS gross profit.
This measure should not be considered as an alternative to gross
margin determined in accordance with IFRS, or other IFRS measures.
This measure is not necessarily comparable to similarly titled
measures used by other companies. As a result, you should not
consider this measure in isolation from, or as a substitute
analysis for, our gross margin as determined in accordance with
IFRS.
The following table shows a reconciliation of gross margin to
Bitcoin and Bitcoin Equivalent Mining Margin, the most directly
comparable IFRS measure, for the months of January 2022 and
February 2022.
|
Month
Ended 31 January 2022
|
Month
Ended 28 February 2022
|
|
£
|
$
|
£
|
$
|
Gross (loss)/profit¹
|
(13,204,218)
|
(17,832,213)
|
11,383,225
|
15,372,973
|
Gross
Margin
|
(251%)
|
(251%)
|
276%
|
276%
|
Depreciation
of mining equipment
|
1,284,142
|
1,734,226
|
1,287,252
|
1,738,426
|
Charge
in fair value of digital currencies
|
15,460,310
|
20,879,051
|
(9,380,856)
|
(12,668,786)
|
Realised
loss/(gain) on sale of digital currencies
|
331,171
|
447,244
|
(377,028)
|
(509,174)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mining Profit
|
3,871,405
|
5,228,308
|
2,912,593
|
3,933,439
|
Bitcoin
and Bitcoin Equivalent Mining Margin
|
74%
|
74%
|
71%
|
71%
|
(1) Due to favourable changes in the fair value of Bitcoin and
Bitcoin Equivalents in February 2022 there was a gross profit.
January 2022 resulted in a gross loss due to unfavourable changes
in the fair value of digital currencies.
* Dollar values translated from pound sterling into U.S. dollars
using the noon buying rate of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York
as at the applicable dates.
Forward-Looking Information
This announcement contains inside information and includes
forward-looking statements which reflect the Company's or, as
appropriate, the Directors' current views, interpretations, beliefs
or expectations with respect to the Company's financial
performance, business strategy and plans and objectives of
management for future operations. These statements include
forward-looking statements both with respect to the Company and the
sector and industry in which the Company operates. Statements
which include the words "expects", "intends", "plans", "believes",
"projects", "anticipates", "will", "targets", "aims", "may",
"would", "could", "continue", "estimate", "future", "opportunity",
"potential" or, in each case, their negatives, and similar
statements of a future or forward-looking nature identify
forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements address
matters that involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to
events that may or may not occur in the future.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future
performance. Accordingly, there are or will be important
factors that could cause the Company's actual results, prospects
and performance to differ materially from those indicated in these
statements. In addition, even if the Company's actual
results, prospects and performance are consistent with the
forward-looking statements contained in this document, those
results may not be indicative of results in subsequent periods.
These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this
announcement. Subject to any obligations under the Prospectus
Regulation Rules, the Market Abuse Regulation, the Listing Rules
and the Disclosure and Transparency Rules and except as required by
the FCA, the London Stock Exchange, the City Code or applicable law
and regulations, the Company undertakes no obligation publicly to
update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result
of new information, future developments or otherwise. For a more
complete discussion of factors that could cause our actual results
to differ from those described in this announcement, please refer
to the filings that Company makes from time to time with the United
States Securities and Exchange Commission and the United Kingdom
Financial Conduct Authority, including the section entitled "Risk
Factors" in the Company's Registration Statement on Form
F-1.
For further information please contact:
Argo
Blockchain
|
|
Peter
Wall
Chief
Executive
|
via Tancredi +44 203 434 2334
|
finnCap Ltd
|
|
Corporate
Finance
Jonny Franklin-Adams
Tim Harper
Joint
Corporate Broker
Sunila
de Silva
|
+44
207 220 0500
|
Tennyson Securities
|
|
Joint
Corporate Broker
Peter Krens
|
+44
207 186 9030
|
OTC Markets
|
|
Jonathan
Dickson
jonathan@otcmarkets.com
|
+44
204 526 4581
+44
7731 815 896
|
Tancredi Intelligent Communication
UK
& Europe Media Relations
|
|
Emma Valgimigli
Emma Hodges
Fabio Galloni-Roversi Monaco
Nasser Al-Sayed
argoblock@tancredigroup.com
|
+44 7727 180 873
+44 7861 995 628
+44 7888 672 701
+44 7915 033 739
|
About Argo:
Argo Blockchain plc is a global leader in cryptocurrency mining
with one of the largest and most efficient operations powered by
clean energy. The Company is headquartered in London, UK and its
shares are listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange
under the ticker: ARB and on the Nasdaq Global Select Market in the
United States under the ticker: ARBK.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the
requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant
has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
Date:
07 March, 2022
|
ARGO BLOCKCHAIN PLC
By:
Name:
Peter Wall
Title:
Chief Executive Officer
Name:
Davis Zaffe
Title:
General Counsel
|