North American Palladium Announces 2012 Guidance on
Production, Capital Expenditures and Exploration Budgets
TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire
- Jan. 17, 2012) -
All figures are in Canadian dollars except where noted.
North American Palladium Ltd. ("NAP" or the "Company") (TSX:PDL)(NYSE Amex:PAL) today released its operating guidance for palladium and gold production as well as its capital expenditure and exploration budget for 2012.
Summary
-- Payable palladium production from Lac des Iles ("LDI") mine to increase to 150,000 to 160,000 ounces in 2012 at cash costs per ounce in the
range of US$375 to US$400. In 2011 payable palladium production was
146,000 ounces at cash costs expected to be in line with guidance of
US$450 per ounce;
-- Capital investment budget of $139 million, including $116 million on the
LDI mine expansion and $17 million at Vezza gold mine;
-- Vezza mine to commence commercial production at the beginning of Q2, and
forecast to produce 30,000 ounces of payable gold in the nine month
period to December 31, 2012 at cash costs per ounce of US$1,150;
-- 70,000 metres of palladium exploration drilling to expand reserves and
resources and identify new targets; and
-- Restructuring the gold division, including discontinuing production at
Sleeping Giant due to insufficient operating margin, resulting in a non-
cash impairment charge on gold assets of approximately $50 million. The
Sleeping Giant mill will continue to operate to process ore from the
Vezza mine.
"We expect modest growth in palladium production in 2012, a year in
which our top priority is the completion of Phase I of the LDI mine expansion
with the commissioning of the new shaft by year-end," stated William
J. Biggar, President and Chief Executive Officer. "This will
enable us, starting in 2013, to reduce our cash costs per ounce while allowing
us to increase production."
Mr. Biggar added: "We are also pleased to announce that we will
commence production from our new Vezza gold mine, which is expected to make a
good contribution to our 2012 operating cash flow during a favourable gold
price environment. With a nine year mine life, a secured workforce, and good
prospects for reserve growth through exploration, Vezza is well positioned to
be a steady contributor of cash flow for many years to support growth in our
palladium operations.
"At Sleeping Giant, we have been unable to achieve our objective of
returning to profitability by mining from three new levels at depth. While
early on we had great encouragement with high grade drill results that
supported the shaft deepening investment, as we conducted infill drilling we
encountered a lack of continuity in the narrow vein structure such that we were
unable to devise an economic mine plan," said Mr. Biggar. "Despite
our best efforts to improve the profitability of the mine, we are disappointed
with the outcome and wish to express our gratitude to our employees at Sleeping
Giant for their hard work during a very challenging period.
"The restructuring of our gold division conveys a significant
directional change of how we perceive our future in the gold business. With the
closure of the Sleeping Giant mine, our focus will be on the steady cash
generation of Vezza to support our palladium growth initiatives. With respect
to our pipeline of non-producing gold properties, there will be minimal
expenditures in 2012 and we will seek to realize value through either sale or
joint venture."
Palladium Operations
"I am very pleased with the significant progress made in 2011 on our
mine expansion development activities," commented Greg Struble,
Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. "During 2012 we will continue
to make major investments in our mines, in exploration, and in our people and I
am confident that we have the right team and processes in place to achieve our
objectives."
Production and Cash Costs
Payable palladium production from the LDI mine for the year ended December
31, 2011, totaled approximately 146,000 ounces at total cash costs
expected to be in line with management's guidance of US$450 per
ounce. More detailed disclosure of 2011 production numbers will be provided
when the Company releases its year-end results in February.
2012 production is expected to show modest growth from 2011, and be in the
range of 150,000 to 160,000 ounces at cash costs in the range of US$375
to US$400 per ounce. Underground mining is expected to average 2,600
tonnes per day with ore sourced from the Roby Zone as well as the upper part of
the Offset Zone (including development ore). Surface ore will come from mining
approximately 1 million tonnes from the existing open pit which was recently
restarted. Underground ore is expected to have an average head grade of 5.3
grams per tonne, and surface ore 1.9 grams per tonne. In total, the Company
expects to mill approximately 1.8 to 2.0 million tonnes of underground and
surface ore at an average palladium head grade of 3.7 grams per tonne, with a
mill recovery of 78%.
In 2012 the LDI mine remains in a transitional phase, with underground
mining being via ramp access, until the new mine shaft becomes operational at
the end of the year. Quarterly variability in LDI's production metrics is to be
expected during the transition phase, and reflects the planned mining sequence
(and hence grade variability) to mitigate logistical congestion between
operations and the underground development activities. It should also be noted
that cash costs are expected to be higher during the first half of the year due
to seasonal trends that impact operating costs, such as increased use of
propane during the winter season.
LDI's cash costs per ounce are presented net of by-product revenue. In 2012,
the by-product metals are expected to comprise approximately 35% of LDI's
revenue, as compared to approximately 28% in 2011. The higher by-product metal
percentage in 2012 results from mining proportionally more lower palladium
grade surface ore. Assumptions used to forecast cash costs for 2012 include US$1,600
per ounce gold, US$1,600 per ounce platinum, US$8.50
per pound nickel, US$3.50 per pound copper and an exchange rate
of C$1.00 to US$1.00.
The shaft, which will have a capacity of 7,000 tonnes per day, is targeted
to be commissioned at the end of the year, which will allow LDI to increase its
underground mining rate to 3,500 tonnes per day at the beginning of 2013.
Production will be gradually ramped up during 2013 and 2014 to 5,500 tonnes per
day starting in 2015, at which point the Company expects production will exceed
250,000 ounces at cash costs of approximately US$200 per ounce.
The mine expansion plan and forecast of future production is based on the
current resource wireframe, and does not include potential production from the
Cowboy, Outlaw, and Sheriff zones, which could alter future development plans.
Capital Expenditures
In 2011, the Company invested approximately $143 million in
the LDI mine expansion. In 2012, capital expenditures for the mine expansion
are budgeted at $116 million. Development work in 2012 will be
focused on completing Phase I of the mine expansion, which involves completing
the surface construction activities, advancing underground development, and
completing the shaft sinking to the 795-metre level by year end.
In 2012, the Company also expects to spend $6 million in
capital expenditures on additional Roby Zone development and mill and tailings
management facility upgrades.
Palladium Exploration
Following the exploration success achieved in the past few years, NAP will
continue to invest in exploration to expand the reserves and resources at LDI
and to identify new targets. 2012 exploration expenditures are expected to be
approximately $16 million, comprised of 70,000 metres of
drilling, of which 64,000 metres will be at LDI, and 6,000 metres at NAP's
other nearby properties. $10 million of the $16 million
in expenditures (55,000 of the 64,000 metres to be drilled at LDI) is in
connection with the mine expansion and is included in the $116 million
capital expenditure budget discussed above, leaving a balance of $6
million that will be expensed.
The main focus of the exploration program will be underground exploration at
LDI targeting the Offset Zone, to conduct infill drilling as well as to test
extensions of the Offset Zone mineralization towards surface, at depth, and to
the south. In addition, drilling will be conducted at North LDI, the North
VT-Rim and Legris Lake.
Gold Operations
Vezza Mine
The Company is pleased to announce that its Vezza mine has commenced
processing a bulk sample at the Sleeping Giant mill, achieving results in line
with expectations. Accordingly, the Company expects commercial production to
commence at a mining rate of 750 tonnes per day at the beginning of the second
quarter. For the nine month period to December 31, 2012, the
Company forecasts Vezza will produce approximately 30,000 ounces of gold at a
cash cost of approximately US$1,150 per ounce. This includes
trucking costs of approximately US$80 per ounce.
Production will come from a blend of long hole and alimak mining methods.
The Company has entered into a contract with Promec Mining Inc., a Val
d'Or mining contractor, to provide the mining workforce at Vezza.
The total workforce is expected to be in the range of 150 people. Vezza's ore
will be trucked to the Sleeping Giant mill (approximately 85 kilometres away),
which is expected to process an average head grade of 5.2 grams per tonne, with
a gold recovery of 88%.
In 2011, the Company invested $28 million to advance Vezza to
production, and plans to invest an additional $17 million in
2012 to continue underground development of the mine. The capital expenditures
in 2012 consist of development work associated with the underground
infrastructure (such as drifts and ore passes), drilling costs, as well as a
new camp for the workforce, a backfill cement plant, rock conveyor and pump,
and other required equipment.
Commencing in 2013, the Company expects to increase Vezza's daily mining
rate to 850 tonnes per day, yielding approximately 43,000 ounces in annual gold
production, at cash costs around US$1,000 per ounce. Vezza is
expected to have a mine life of 9 years.
Sleeping Giant Mine
Payable gold production from the Sleeping Giant mine for the year ended December
31, 2011, totaled approximately 17,000 ounces at total cash costs of
approximately US$1,850 per ounce. More detailed disclosure of
2011 production numbers will be provided when the Company releases its year-end
results in February.
In 2011 the Company conducted drilling in three new levels at depth, which
returned good to excellent results reaffirming the higher grades at depth.
However, the Company was unable to confirm those grades over sufficient strike
length, thereby significantly reducing the tonnage that could be mined
profitably.
After reviewing various mining scenarios, the Company concluded that mining
would likely continue at high costs given the lack of grade continuity, with
insufficient operating margin to justify continuing operations. The Company has
therefore decided to cease mining operations at Sleeping Giant and will
restructure the gold division, resulting in a non-cash impairment charge on its
gold assets of approximately $50 million, which will be reflected
in the fourth quarter 2011 financial results.
The mill at Sleeping Giant will continue to operate to process ore from the
Vezza mine. The mill has a capacity of 900 tonnes per day which will be
sufficient to process Vezza's ore..
Although the Company plans to implement a plan to redeploy some of its
Sleeping Giant employees to its nearby Vezza mine and facilitate potential
transfers to LDI, the mine closure is expected to result in the layoff of
approximately 90 employees.
Capital Resources and Liquidity
NAP continues to have a strong balance sheet, which gives the Company the
financial strength to continue funding its development activities. As at the
end of December 31, 2011, the Company had approximately $51
million of cash on hand. The Company is in the process of finalizing a $15
million capital lease facility to fund equipment for the LDI mine
expansion, and also has a $60 million operating line, of which $48
million is available.
Upcoming Milestones
-- LDI exploration update on the remaining results from the 2011 drill
program, expected in Q1, 2012;
-- Updated mineral reserve and resource estimate for LDI as at December 31,
2011, expected in Q2, 2012; and
-- Updated mineral reserve and resource estimate for Vezza as at December
31, 2011, expected in Q2, 2012.
Conference Call and Webcast
Management will host a conference call and a live webcast for analysts and
investors on Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. ET
to discuss the Company's guidance for the year. The details for the conference
call and webcast are as follows:
Date: Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Time: 2:00 p.m. ET
Webcast: www.nap.com
Live Call: 1-866-551-3680 or 416-849-8296 (PIN: 34 76 36 23, followed by #
sign)
Replay: 1-866-551-4520 or 212-401-6750 (PIN: 27 92 00, followed by #
sign)
The conference call replay will be available until midnight on April
17, 2012. An archived audio webcast of the call will also be posted to
the Company's website. Alternative international toll-free and toll access
dial-in numbers for global conference participants are available on the
Company's website under the Conference Calls tab on the Investor Relations
page.
About North American Palladium
NAP is an established precious metals producer that has been operating its
flagship Lac des Iles mine (LDI) located in Ontario,
Canada since 1993. LDI is one of only two primary producers of
palladium in the world, and is currently undergoing a major expansion to
increase production and reduce cash costs per ounce. NAP also operates the
Vezza gold mine located in the Abitibi region of Quebec.
The Company's shares trade on the NYSE Amex under the symbol PAL and on the TSX
under the symbol PDL.
Cautionary Statement on Forward Looking Information
Certain information included in this news release constitutes
'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the 'safe harbor' provisions
of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and
Canadian securities laws. The words 'expect', 'believe', 'will', 'intend',
'estimate', 'forecast', and similar expressions identify forward-looking
statements. Such statements include, without limitation, any information as to
our future exploration, financial or operating performance, including: the
Company's forward looking production guidance, projected capital expenditures,
operating cost estimates, project timelines, mining and milling rates, the
methods by which ore will be extracted, projected grades, mill recoveries, and
other statements that express management's expectations or estimates of future
performance. 2011 operating and capital expenditure numbers discussed in this
press release are subject to change following completion of the year-end audit.
Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of factors
and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently
subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and
contingencies. The factors and assumptions contained in this news release,
which may prove to be incorrect, include, but are not limited to: that metal
prices will be consistent with the Company's expectations, that the exchange
rate between the Canadian dollar and the
United States dollar will be consistent with the Company's
expectations, that there will be no significant disruptions affecting
operations, that prices for key mining and construction supplies, including
labour and transportation costs, will remain consistent with the Company's
expectations, that the Company's current estimates of mineral reserves and
resources are accurate, and that there are no material delays in the timing of
ongoing development projects. The forward-looking statements are not guarantees
of future performance. The Company cautions the reader that such
forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks that may cause the
actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by
the forward-looking statements. Such risks include, but are not limited to: the
possibility that metal prices, foreign exchange rates or operating costs may
differ from management's expectations, uncertainty of mineral reserves and resources,
inherent risks associated with mining and processing, the risk that the Lac des
Iles and Vezza mines and may not perform as planned and that the Offset Zone
and other properties may not be successfully developed, and uncertainty of the
ability of the Company to obtain financing. For more details on the factors,
assumptions and risks see the Company's most recent Form 40-F/Annual
Information Form on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
and Canadian provincial securities regulatory authorities. The Company
disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, events or otherwise, except as
expressly required by law. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on
these forward-looking statements.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
North American Palladium Ltd
Camilla Bartosiewicz
Director, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
416-360-7590 Ext. 7226
camilla@nap.com
Source: North American Palladium Ltd.
Click
Here for a complete listing of NAP press releases.
-------------------
To unsubscribe from this list please visit the email
alert section of the NAP site.