Barrick Has Record $837 Million Net Income In Q3 

TORONTO, ON - Barrick Gold Corporation reported Q3 net income was a record $837 million. Adjusted Q3 net income rose 75% to $829 million compared to $473 million in Q3 2009. Operating cash flow also set a new Company record, rising 40% to $1.28 billion from $911 million in the prior year period, demonstrating Barrick's strong leverage to the gold price.

Q3 gold production of 2.06 million ounces was ahead of plan at lower than expected total cash costs of $454 per ounce or net cash costs of $349 per ounce on strong performance from the North America region, including the new Cortez Hills mine, which continues to exceed expectations. Barrick is on track with its original operating guidance for higher gold production and lower total cash costs in 2010, with full year production expected to be 7.65-7.85 million ounces at total cash costs of about $455 per ounce or net cash costs of $350-$360 per ounce. The Company is targeting growth in gold production to 9.0 million ounces within five years once the world class Pueblo Viejo(3) and Pascua-Lama projects come onstream, and as additional opportunities are developed around existing mine sites. "Operationally we had an excellent quarter, meeting our production and cost targets. Our project pipeline continues to be advanced and the focus on value creation opportunities has surfaced new investment and growth opportunities within our existing asset base. This will support our goal of producing nine million ounces annually within the next five years," said Aaron Regent, Barrick's President and CEO. "The leverage we have to the gold price is also clear and is reflected in the 50% growth in our operating margins and in our record net income and operating cash flow." The North America region delivered another quarter of results which were ahead of expectations, producing 0.93 million ounces at total cash costs of $454 per ounce in Q3. The Cortez property continues to perform strongly, producing 0.37 million ounces at total cash costs of $277 per ounce on higher than anticipated grades and recoveries from the Cortez Hills open pit and underground. Due to mine sequencing, production from Cortez is expected to be lower in the final quarter of the year before increasing again in the first quarter of 2011. Full year production from Cortez is anticipated to be at the higher end of the original guidance range of 1.08-1.12 million ounces. Total cash costs are also expected to be within the original guidance range of $295-$315 per ounce. Cortez Hills continues to operate under the terms of the tailored injunction issued by the District Court while the Bureau of Land Management completes a Supplementary Environmental Impact Study (SEIS) on three aspects identified by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The Company expects completion of the SEIS and a Record of Decision to be issued by year-end or early 2011. The Goldstrike operation also performed ahead of expectations, producing 0.38 million ounces at total cash costs of $494 per ounce in Q3, primarily due to better than expected grades from the open pit and higher roaster throughput. Full year production for the North America region is expected to be in the range of 3.07-3.10 million ounces, which is in line with original guidance. Higher expected total cash costs of $480-$500 per ounce reflect the impact of higher gold prices on royalties and production taxes. The South American business unit had a strong quarter, producing 0.52 million ounces at total cash costs of $263 per ounce in Q3. The Veladero mine outperformed expectations, producing 0.36 million ounces at total cash costs of $250 per ounce on higher grades from the Amable and Filo Federico pits, and is expected to produce over 1.0 million ounces in 2010. The Lagunas Norte operation contributed 0.12 million ounces at total cash costs of $204 per ounce. Based on previously disclosed changes to the mine plan, production is expected to be lower in the fourth quarter but is anticipated to increase again in early 2011. Full year production for the South America region is expected to be 2.10-2.15 million ounces compared to the revised guidance of 2.05-2.10 million ounces. Total cash costs are expected to be $240-$260 per ounce, in line with original guidance. The Australia Pacific business unit produced 0.48 million ounces at total cash costs of $613 per ounce in Q3. Strong results from Kalgoorlie and Cowal, both ahead of plan on higher grades, partially offset lower than plan production from Porgera, which produced 0.11 million ounces at total cash costs of $676 per ounce. Full year production for the Australia Pacific region is expected to be 1.925-1.975 million ounces at total cash costs of $610-$625 per ounce, which is in line with original guidance. Q3 copper production was 84 million pounds at total cash costs of $1.12 per pound. The Company remains on track with its full year copper guidance and expects to produce about 360 million pounds at total cash costs of $1.10-$1.15 per pound. The company's address is 161 Bay Street, Suite 3700,P.O. Box 212,Toronto, ON M5J 2S1, 416-861-9911, fax: 416-861-2492.