SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16 OF
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Dated March 29,2004
Fording Canadian Coal Trust
(Translation of Registrant’s Name Into English)
Suite 1000, 205-9th Avenue SE
Calgary, Alberta Canada T2G 0R4
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(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 ___X___
(Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained in this form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.)
Yes ______
No __X__
(If “Yes” is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82-________.
This report furnished on Form 6-K shall be incorporated by reference into each of the Registration Statements under the Securities Act of 1933 of the registrant.
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.
FORDING CANADIAN COAL TRUST
March 29, 2004
By: _s/James F. Jones
James F. Jones
Corporate Secretary
Exhibit Index
The following is a list of Exhibits included as part of this Report on Form 6-K.
Description of Exhibit
Number
Fording Announces Cdn $105 Million Offering of Trust Units
Exhibit 99
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Suite 1000, 205 Ninth Ave. S.E. |
For Immediate Release
FORDING ANNOUNCES CDN$105 MILLION OFFERING
OF TRUST UNITS
CALGARY, March 29, 2004 – Fording Canadian Coal Trust (TSX: FDG.UN, NYSE: FDG) today announced that it has entered into an agreement to sell, to a syndicate of underwriters led by RBC Capital Markets, 2.0 million trust units at CDN$52.50 per trust unit to raise gross proceeds of CDN$105.0 million on a bought-deal basis. The issue will be offered in all provinces and territories of Canada. Closing is expected to occur on or about April 16, 2004 subject to regulatory approval.
Fording Canadian Coal Trust intends to use the net proceeds of the offering to make a further investment in Fording Inc., its wholly-owned subsidiary. It is anticipated that Fording Inc. will use such further investment to pay down indebtedness and thereafter, use its existing debt capacity to fund its portion of the recently announced development of the Cheviot pit that forms part of the Cardinal River operations.
The securities to be offered have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or applicable exemption from registration requirement. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction.
Fording Canadian Coal Trust is an open-ended mutual fund trust. Through investments in metallurgical coal and industrial minerals mining and processing operations, the Trust makes quarterly cash distributions to unitholders. The Trust, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Fording Inc., holds a 65% ownership of Elk Valley Coal and is the world's largest producer of the industrial mineral wollastonite. Elk Valley Coal, comprised of Canada's senior metallurgical coal mining properties, is the world's second largest exporter of metallurgical coal, capable of supplying approximately 25 million tonnes of high-quality coal products annually to the international steel industry
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For further information contact:
Mark Gow, CA
Controller
Fording Canadian Coal Trust
403-260-9834