PR Newswire
TORONTO, Aug. 8, 2016
Increases Royalty Revenue Guidance and Expands Kemess East Exploration Program
TORONTO, Aug. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - AuRico Metals Inc. (TSX: AMI),("AuRico" or the "Company") today reported its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2016. The Company also announced increased guidance on royalty revenue and an expanded exploration program at Kemess East. For complete details of the Financial Statements and associated Management's Discussion and Analysis for the quarter ended June 30, 2016, please see the Company's filings on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) or the Company's website (www.auricometals.ca). All amounts are in US dollars unless otherwise indicated.
Recent Highlights
Commenting on the results, Chris Richter, President and CEO stated, "We are pleased to report a fourth consecutive quarter of higher royalty revenue and to be increasing our annual royalty revenue guidance. At Kemess we are advancing through the EA review process and are keen to accelerate permitting efforts over the remainder of the year. We are particularly excited about our expanded exploration program at Kemess East and look forward to the results from three drills currently in operation."
Operations Update
Royalties
The Company estimates quarterly revenue from its royalty assets based on a combination of guidance and recent production of the underlying operations. Revenues are adjusted in the subsequent quarter to reflect actual royalty payments received, should they differ from the estimated revenue.
During the three and six months ended June 30, 2016, the Company recognized revenues from the following royalties:
(in millions) |
Q2 2016 |
Year-to-date 2016 |
Revised Guidance | |
Fosterville 2% NSR royalty |
$0.9 |
$1.6 |
$3.4 – $3.5 | |
Young-Davidson 1.5% NSR royalty |
$0.8 |
$1.5 |
$3.3 - $3.4 | |
Other royalties |
$0.3 |
$0.5 |
$1.0 - $1.2 | |
Total |
$2.0 |
$3.6 |
$7.7 - $8.1 | |
The Company recognized revenue of $0.9 million from the Fosterville 2% NSR royalty in the three months ended June 30, 2016. In Q2 2016, Fosterville announced another record quarter, producing 37,245 ounces at a mill grade of 7.50 grams per tonne gold. This is a 12% increase over production of 33,138 ounces in Q1 2016 which was, at that time, a record. Record production during the first half of 2016 has led Newmarket to increase its production guidance at Fosterville to 130,000 to 140,000 ounces, up from previously announced guidance of 110,000 to 120,000 ounces. In addition, Newmarket reported encouraging drill intercepts at its Harrier South gold system during the quarter, including 22.13 gold grams per tonne over 3.4 metres in hole UDH 1559 (please refer to the press releases dated June 27, 2016, July 12, 2016 and July 29, 2016 available on Newmarket's website at www.newmarketgoldinc.com).
During Q2 2016, the Company recognized revenue of $0.8 million from the Young-Davidson 1.5% NSR royalty. Underground mining rates at Young-Davidson in Q1 2016 averaged 5,776 tonnes per day ("TPD"), increasing to an average of 6,300 TPD in April. Alamos notes that the operation remains on target to achieve 7,000 TPD by the end of 2016, which will have a favorable impact on production in the second half of 2016 (please refer to the press release dated May 12, 2016 available on Alamos' website at www.alamosgold.com).
The Company's 1% NSR royalty on the Stawell mine in Victoria, Australia, commenced on January 1, 2016 in accordance with the NSR agreement. The Company recognized revenue of $0.1 million from this royalty in Q2 2016, based on 8,504 ounces of production during the quarter. Newmarket continued drilling the Aurora B gold discovery during the quarter, completing an eight hole drill program which successfully demonstrated the continuation of mineralization both up and down plunge. Drilling on Aurora B will continue in the third quarter with two rigs operational (please refer to the press release dated July 12, 2016 available on Newmarket's website at www.newmarketgoldinc.com).
During Q2 2016, the Company recognized revenue of $0.1 million from its 0.25% royalty on the Williams mine at Hemlo. During the quarter, Barrick announced total production of 52,000 ounces at Hemlo, a 24% increase from the 42,000 ounces produced in the second quarter of 2015. On July 27, 2016, Barrick announced that it has increased guidance at Hemlo to 215,000 to 230,000 ounces for 2016, up from previous guidance of 200,000 to 220,000 ounces. Not all production at Hemlo is attributable to the Company's Williams-Hemlo royalty, therefore, total attributable production will be less than the Q2 2016 production reported by Barrick (please refer to the 2016 Q2 Mine Statistics, and the press release dated July 27, 2016, both available on Barrick's website at www.barrick.com).
The Company recognized revenue of $0.1 million from its 0.5% NSR royalty on the Eagle River underground mine during the three months ended June 30, 2016. In Q2 2016, the Eagle River underground mine reported production of 10,210 ounces. During the quarter, Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd. ("Wesdome") also released encouraging initial results from its 7 Zone exploration program, including the results of 15 underground drill holes. The 7 Zone has now been traced 200 metres up-plunge from existing reserves to the 840 metre level and continues to remain open towards surface (please refer to the press releases dated May 11, 2016 and May 31, 2016 available on Wesdome's website at www.wesdome.com).
Kemess Underground
The British Columbia Environmental Assessment Office ("EAO") initiated the 180 day EA review period on May 11, 2016. As of July 11, initial questions and comments from working group members, the general public and our First Nations partners had been received. By August 5, the Company had provided responses to 88% of these comments.
On August 2, the Company sent a letter to the EAO requesting an eight week extension to the application review period on account of the Company receiving many of the comments referenced above later than anticipated, and to accommodate a request from our First Nations partners for additional time for community engagement, which the Company supports. The Company's request for an extension was granted on August 4th.
Towards the end of the review period, the EAO will conclude their assessment and submit their report to both the provincial and federal ministers for their respective decisions. These decisions are expected in Q1 2017.
Kemess East
The Company has increased its planned drilling at Kemess East from $1.7 million to $4.4 million, having raised additional exploration funds through flow-through financings completed on July 22, 2016 and August 3, 2016. The ongoing drill campaign is focused on infilling and expanding the high grade core of Kemess East which was identified in 2015. The Company currently has 3 drills turning and the first set of assay results are expected in the near future.
Near-Term Corporate Objectives
The Company's objectives over the next several months include:
Outlook
The Company provided its initial annual outlook within its MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2015, and re-confirmed this guidance in its Q1 MD&A. The Company is updating its guidance and now expects the following for the full year (assuming a 0.75 CAD to USD exchange rate):
(in millions) |
Original |
Revised | ||
Royalty revenues (pre-tax) |
$6.6 to $7.1 |
$7.7 to $8.1 | ||
Royalty revenues (after-tax) |
$5.6 to $6.1 |
$6.6 to $7.0 | ||
General and administrative expense, excluding stock-based compensation |
$2.5 |
$2.5 | ||
Care and maintenance expense |
$4.5 |
$4.5 | ||
Kemess Underground project capital expenditures |
$1.5 to $2.5 |
$3.0 to $3.8 | ||
Kemess East exploration expenditures |
$1.7 |
$4.4 |
The Company has reported stronger revenues to date, as a result of both an improvement in gold prices, and increased production from the Fosterville mine in the first half of 2016. In its most recent forecast, the Company has revised its assumed gold price to $1,300 per ounce for the second half of the year, and has increased its production assumptions at Fosterville to be in line with revised Newmarket guidance of 130,000 to 140,000 gold ounces.
Conditional on the closing of the announced bought deal financing, the Company will increase its guidance for expenditures on Kemess Underground from a range of $1.5 million to $2.5 million to a range of $3.0 million to $3.8 million. The additional spend relates to accelerating permitting efforts for Kemess Underground during the remainder of 2016.
The Company has increased its guidance on exploration spending at Kemess East to $4.4 million. These expenditures have been funded through flow-through financings completed subsequent to June 30, 2016.
Preliminary Short Form Prospectus
In connection with the recently announced bought deal equity financing the Company expects to file its preliminary short form prospectus by the end of day on August 8, 2016.
About AuRico Metals
AuRico Metals is a mining royalty and development company whose producing gold royalty assets include a 1.5% NSR royalty on the Young-Davidson Gold Mine, a 0.25% NSR royalty on the Williams Mine at Hemlo, and a 0.5% NSR royalty on the Eagle River Mine – all located in Ontario, Canada. AuRico Metals also has a 2% NSR royalty on the Fosterville Mine and a 1% NSR royalty on the Stawell Mine, located in Victoria, Australia. Aside from its diversified royalty portfolio, AuRico owns (100%) the advanced Kemess Gold-Copper Project in British Columbia, Canada. AuRico Metals' head office is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Cautionary Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information as defined under Canadian and U.S. securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. The words "expect", "believe", "anticipate", "will", "intend", "estimate", "forecast", "budget" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements related to the Company's outlook and key deliverables for Kemess over the next year. These statements are based on a number of factors and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management at the time of making such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Known and unknown factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements and the factors and assumptions underlying them in this document include, but are not limited to:
The Company has made forward-looking statements relating to corporate objectives and key deliverables over the next 12 months, including permitting and the EA, the Company's ability to fund forecasted cash shortfalls, the Company's ability to create value for shareholders, sufficiency of working capital for future commitments and other statements that express management's expectations or estimates of future performance.
Actual results and developments are likely to differ, and may differ materially, from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained herein. Such statements are based on a number of assumptions which may prove to be incorrect, including assumptions about: business and economic conditions; commodity prices and the price of key inputs such as labour, fuel and electricity; credit market conditions and conditions in financial markets generally; development schedules and the associated costs; ability to procure equipment and supplies and on a timely basis; the timing and ability to obtain permits and other approvals for projects and operations including provincial and federal approval of the environmental assessment application; the ability to attract and retain skilled employees and contractors for the operations; the accuracy of reserve and resource estimates; the impact of changes in currency exchange rates on costs and results; interest rates; taxation; and ongoing relations with employees and business partners. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
Other information
The technical information disclosed in this press release relating to the Kemess Underground project, Kemess East Mineral Resource and the Company's Young-Davidson and Fosterville NSR royalties has been approved by Mr. John Fitzgerald, an officer of the Company, who is a qualified person within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101.
SOURCE AuRico Metals