Kinross Operations Continue Advancements And Strong Performance
TORONTO - J. Paul Rollinson, President and CEO of Kinross Gold Corporation, said, “Our portfolio of mines continued to perform well during the third quarter, delivering higher production, lower costs and more than doubling adjusted operating cash flow compared with the same period last year. Paracatu in Brazil, Kupol in Russia, and Tasiast in West Africa, our largest producing mines, once again achieved our lowest costs. We remain on track to meet our annual production guidance, and given strong results year-to-date, are tracking towards the low end of our cost of sales guidance.
During the quarter, we announced we were proceeding with the Tasiast 24k project and the acquisition of the Chulbatkan project in Russian, two exciting opportunities that are expected to add significant value to our Company. Tasiast 24k is expected to generate strong free cash flow, attractive returns and further unlock the mine’s substantial value, while Chulbatkan adds a high-quality asset with upside potential to our project pipeline. In our Americas region, we are making excellent progress in advancing our projects. We completed the construction and commissioning of both our Nevada projects, started stripping at the Fort Knox Gilmore project and are targeting completion of the La Coipa feasibility study in February.”
Paracatu continued to perform well during the quarter, with production and cost of sales per ounce sold both improving compared with the same period in 2018. The mine continues to benefit from the more efficient operation of the mill, and improved throughput and recovery. Production decreased and cost of sales per ounce sold increased compared with last quarter’s record results mainly due to the expected decrease in grade.
At Round Mountain in Nevada, production was lower compared with the previous quarter and year mainly due to the timing of ounces recovered from the heap leach pads and lower mill grades. Production is expected to improve in Q4 2019 as recoveries from the pads are expected to increase. Cost of sales per ounce sold was largely in line year-over-year and was higher quarter-over-quarter mainly due to higher processing costs and less ounces recovered from the heap leach pads. Construction and commissioning of the Round Mountain Phase W project have been completed, with the project now fully transferred to the Operations team. Stripping and dewatering activities continue to progress well and are expected to continue until late 2020.
In Nevada, the Bald Mountain production was lower compared with the previous quarter and year mainly due to the slower than expected ramp up at the Vantage Complex. Fewer ounces were recovered from the heap leach pads, including from the recently completed Vantage Complex pad, which also contributed to the lower production. Cost of sales per ounce sold decreased quarter-over-quarter mostly due to timing of ounces recovered from the heap leach pads, and increased year-over-year mainly due to fewer ounces recovered from the pads. Production is expected to increase in Q4 2019, with costs expected to decrease, as the Vantage Complex project continues to ramp up. Construction and commissioning of the Bald Mountain Vantage Complex project have been completed, with the project now fully transferred to the Operations team. Weather-related issues impacted project timing and ramp up of production, as the heap leach pad was only fully completed in September 2019.
At Fort Knox in Alaska, production was largely in line with the previous quarter, and was higher compared with the same period in 2018 mainly due to an increase in ounces recovered from the heap leach pads and higher mill grades, partially offset by a planned decrease in mill throughput. Cost of sales per ounce sold increased compared with Q2 2019 and Q3 2018 mainly due to a larger proportion of production from the heap leach pads, a planned mill liner replacement during the quarter and higher maintenance costs. The Fort Knox Gilmore project is progressing on schedule and on budget, with heap leach construction approximately 50% complete and dewatering activities planned for 2019 now completed. Heap leach construction and dewatering will re-commence in the spring of 2020. Stripping for the initial project pushback commenced in the third quarter and is expected to continue throughout 2020, with initial Gilmore ore expected to be encountered later this year, ahead of schedule. Approximately 5% of Gilmore ore is expected to be stacked on the existing Walter Creek pad in early 2020, and 95% of Gilmore ore is expected to be stacked on the new Barnes Creek heap leach pad, with stacking scheduled to begin in late 2020.
In Chile, the Maricunga rinsing of heap materials placed on the pads prior to the suspension of mining activities and the timing of ounces recovered from the pads resulted in better than expected production during the quarter. Cost of sales per ounce sold decreased compared with the previous quarter mainly due to lower processing costs. Final Maricunga production is expected in Q4 2019, as the mine transitions to care and maintenance. For tax planning purposes, the sale of residual gold ounces are expected to continue after the closure of the mine. The La Coipa Restart project in Chile, feasibility study is now scheduled to be completed early next year, with study results expected to be released in February 2020. The timing of the completion of the feasibility study is not expected to have an impact on the overall project timeline. The Lobo-Marte project, also in Chile, pre-feasibility study is progressing and is on schedule to be completed in mid-2020. Both studies are evaluating the potential for a return to long-term production in Chile based on the concept of commencing Lobo-Marte production following the end of La Coipa’s mine life.
Kupol and Dvoinoye, in Russia continued to achieve strong results with production increasing quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year mainly due to higher grades. Cost of sales per ounce sold increased compared with the previous quarter mainly due to the timing of ore processed through the mill, and was lower compared with Q3 2018 primarily as a result of higher grades.
In West Africa, Tasiast’s strong performance continued during the third quarter, with production increasing slightly compared with the previous quarter mainly due to the planned mining of higher grade ore. Cost of sales per ounce sold was higher quarter-over-quarter primarily due to increased maintenance costs. Production and cost of sales per ounce sold both improved significantly year-over-year as a result of the benefits realized from the Phase One expansion, which was completed in the third quarter of 2018. Kinross announced it was proceeding with the Tasiast 24k project to incrementally increase throughput capacity at the mine to 24,000 tonnes per day (t/d). Initial work has commenced at the project, including mobilization of construction teams to begin work on additional onsite power generation and water supply. Detailed engineering is 65% complete and several contracts and work packages have been awarded. Stripping has ramped up, as the project is expected to increase throughput to 21,000 t/d by the end of 2021, and then to 24,000 t/d by mid-2023. In October 2019 the Company also finalized a new three-year collective labour agreement with unionized employees at Tasiast. The Company remains on schedule to complete the $300 million project financing for Tasiast. At Chirano in Ghana, lower mill throughput was the main contributor to the decrease in production compared with Q2 2019 and Q3 2018. Cost of sales per ounce sold was higher quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year mainly due to an increase in operating waste mined associated with the return to open pit mining.
The company’s address is 25 York Street, 17th Floor, Toronto, ON M5J 2V5, (416) 365-5123, www.kinross.com.