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Monday, August 16, 2010 Great Panther Silver Reports Increased Revenue, Earnings From Mining Operations And Record Net Income In Second Quarter
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GREAT PANTHER SILVER LIMITED (TSX: GPR; the "Company") is pleased to announce the unaudited financial results for the Company's quarter ending June 30, 2010. The full version of the financial statements and the management discussion and analysis can be viewed on the Company's web site at www.greatpanther.com or on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
"Great Panther enjoyed a strong second quarter, setting several new records, while continuing to focus on mine development and exploration drilling," said Robert Archer, President & CEO. "With new equipment still arriving, modified mine plans being initiated, and almost 9,000 metres of diamond drilling completed in the quarter, we should see continued improvements in production, unit costs and financial performance through the balance of 2010."
Second Quarter Highlights
- 15% increase in overall metal production to 574,740 silver equivalent ounces ("Ag eq oz") in the second quarter 2010 from 499,845 Ag eq oz in the second quarter 2009.
- 23% increase in silver production from 333,358 oz Ag in the second quarter 2009 to a record 410,583 oz Ag in the second quarter 2010.
- 31% increase in silver production from Guanajuato to a record 288,825 oz from 220,742 oz in the second quarter 2009.
- 19% increase in metal production from Topia to 205,350 Ag eq oz compared to 172,550 Ag eq oz in the second quarter 2009.
- Record metallurgical silver and gold recoveries at Guanajuato and record metallurgical silver, lead and zinc recoveries at Topia.
- 39% increase in revenue for the three months ended June 30, 2010 to $9.3 million compared to $6.7 million for the three months ended June 30, 2009 due to higher metal prices and an increase in payable silver ounces.
- 43% increase in earnings from mining operations to $4.3 million in the second quarter 2010 from $3.0 million in the second quarter 2009.
- Record net income of $1.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2010 compared to a net loss of $0.2 million for the same period in 2009.
- The Company invested $2.3 million in capital expenditures and $1.8 million in mineral property exploration expenditures during the quarter as it continued the implementation of its three-year growth strategy which commenced during the fourth quarter 2009. The Company plans to invest $13 million in capital expenditures and $6.3 million in mineral property exploration expenditures in 2010.
- The Company reported positive assay results from the expanded 7,800-metre (initially 6,000 metres) surface drill program at Topia. The program will provide for additional mineral resources to direct mine development and expansion decisions over the next several years and the Company anticipates mineral resource estimates for an additional four to five Topia area mines.
- Early results from the on-going underground drilling and development program in the Los Pozos and Santa Margarita zones in the Rayas area of the Guanajuato mine demonstrated the continuity of silver and gold mineralization. This will allow the Company to construct a new mineral resource estimate and provide greater definition for the mine plan in these areas.
Outlook
Great Panther has revised its overall production estimate for 2010 to 2.4 million silver equivalent ounces, a 9% increase over 2009 production, to reflect production shortfalls and reduced ore grades at Guanajuato, particularly during the first quarter of the year. Improvements have been evident in the second quarter and further improvements are expected throughout the balance of the year. In addition, underground development has advanced ahead of plan to provide for exploration drilling for Deep Rayas (drilling in progress), Guanajuatito and Valenciana (drilling to start in the third and fourth quarters respectively).
The long term forecast of achieving 3.8 million Ag eq oz by 2012 is unchanged. The impact of the new equipment is enabling increased development and production improvements throughout 2010 and positive exploration drill results are being used to estimate new resources in support of the 3-year growth strategy.
The Topia operation has made a very encouraging start to 2010 with record production and year to date unit costs of US$7.61 per oz of silver, net of by-product credits, and is well on its way to achieving its targets. At Guanajuato, year to date production is below plan mainly due to grades being lower than estimated in the first quarter. When combined with increased development costs during the first half of the year, this has resulted in Guanajuato's year to date cash cost per silver ounce, at US$7.08, being higher than the guidance of US$4.50 to US$5.00. The mining plans have been revised, and should result in continuous improvement through the third and fourth quarters. New mineralized zones are being prepared for production on the Los Pozos and Santa Margarita veins while mining of the higher grade Alto veins of the Cata Clavo will commence in the fourth quarter.
The Company's emphasis will be on maintaining profitability while developing and exploring to continually increase metal production. Great Panther's production strategy is to increase silver production year-on-year at continually decreasing unit costs.
"The second quarter of this year saw the achievement of new all-time records in both silver production and corporate net profits, with record metallurgical recoveries at both mines", said Kaare Foy, the Company's Executive Chairman. "The on-going implementation of our three-year growth strategy will provide us with increased resource levels and increased production."
Great Panther Silver Limited is one of the fastest growing primary silver producers in Mexico with strong leverage to future rises in the price of silver. The Company owns a 100% interest in two operating mines in Mexico. The Company's mission is to become a leading primary silver producer by acquiring, developing and profitably mining precious metals in Mexico.
For further information, please visit the Company's website at www.greatpanther.com, contact B&D Capital at telephone 604 685 6465, fax 604 899 4303 or e-mail info@greatpanther.com.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
"Robert A. Archer"
Robert A. Archer, President & CEO
"Kaare G. Foy"
Kaare G. Foy, Executive Chairman
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and forward-looking information within the meaning of the Securities Act (Ontario) (together, "forward-looking statements"). Such forward-looking statements may include but are not limited to the Company's plans for production at its Guanajuato and Topia Mines in Mexico, exploring its other properties in Mexico, the overall economic potential of its properties, the availability of adequate financing and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements to be materially different. Such factors include, among others, risks and uncertainties relating to potential political risks involving the Company's operations in a foreign jurisdiction, uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses, physical risks inherent in mining operations, currency fluctuations, fluctuations in the price of silver, gold and base metals, completion of economic evaluations, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, the inability or failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis, and other risks and uncertainties, including those described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2009 and reports on Form 6-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available at www.sec.gov and Material Change Reports filed with the Canadian Securities Administrators and available at www.sedar.com.
- "Earnings from mining operations" is a non-GAAP measure and is defined as mineral sales less cost of sales (excluding amortization and depletion).
- "Adjusted EBITDA" is a non-GAAP measure in which standard EBITDA (earnings before interest expense, taxes, and depreciation and amortization) is adjusted for stock-based compensation expense and non-recurring items.
- The non-GAAP measure of cash cost per ounce of silver is used by the Company to manage and evaluate operating performance at each of the Company's mines and is widely reported in the silver mining industry as a benchmark for performance, but does not have a standardized meaning.
- Silver equivalent ounces in 2010 were established using prices of US$1,000/oz Au, US$16/oz Ag, US$0.80/lb Pb and US$0.80/lb Zn.
You can also view this News Release on our website at: http://www.greatpanther.com/s/NewsReleases.asp?ReportID=414785 |
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