Coeur Reports Record 2023 Fourth Quarter Production at its Newly Expanded Rochester Operation and Provides Update on First Half 2024 Crusher Commissioning and Ramp-Up Progress
January 29 2024 - 3:30PM
Business Wire
Coeur Mining, Inc. (“Coeur” or the “Company”) (NYSE: CDE) today
provided an update on expansion-related activities taking place at
its Rochester silver and gold operation in Nevada.
Fourth quarter production reached record levels of approximately
1.3 million ounces of silver and 19,847 ounces of gold, which
represented quarter-over-quarter increases of 120% and 345% and
year-over-year increases of 38% and 71%, respectively. These
materially higher production levels were driven by the initial
surge of ounces produced from the new Stage 6 leach pad and new
Merrill-Crowe process plant, which began delivering silver and gold
ounces late in the third quarter of 2023.
Commissioning of the new three-stage crushing circuit is
progressing after the successful feed of initial material through
the primary crusher during the fourth quarter of last year and
through the secondary crushers and truck loadout facility during
January 2024. Commissioning of the pre-screen and tertiary crushers
is expected to be completed in the current quarter. Ramp-up
activities at Rochester are anticipated to be completed during the
first half of 2024. Once operating at full capacity, throughput
levels are expected to average 32 million tons per year, which is
approximately 2.5 times higher than historical levels, making
Rochester one of the world’s largest open pit heap leach
operations.
In addition, work on dismantling the legacy X-Pit crushing
system commenced in the fourth quarter of 2023 with the primary and
secondary crushers now fully disassembled and the remainder of the
system to be completed throughout the first half of 2024 to allow
for access to higher-grade ore that is now being mined.
“Rochester’s fourth quarter production represents the first
glimpse of its full potential as an engine of significantly higher
cash flow generation and as a linchpin of Coeur’s near-term growth
profile,” said Mitchell J. Krebs, President and Chief Executive
Officer. “Just as importantly, Rochester now assumes a key position
as America’s largest source of domestically produced and refined
silver just as global demand is set to increase with the rapid
proliferation of electrification technologies that require
silver.”
The Company expects lower production levels at Rochester during
the first quarter of 2024 as commissioning and ramp-up of the new
crushing circuit takes place. Materially higher production levels
at Rochester are anticipated to build throughout 2024 commensurate
with the completion of the ramp-up and accessing the higher grades
that were underneath the dismantled X-Pit crusher.
On February 21, 2024, Coeur will report full fourth quarter 2023
consolidated operating and financial results as well as the
Company’s 2024 operating guidance.
About Coeur
Coeur Mining, Inc. is a U.S.-based, well-diversified, growing
precious metals producer with four wholly-owned operations: the
Palmarejo gold-silver complex in Mexico, the Rochester silver-gold
mine in Nevada, the Kensington gold mine in Alaska and the Wharf
gold mine in South Dakota. In addition, the Company wholly-owns the
Silvertip silver-zinc-lead exploration project in British
Columbia.
Cautionary Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the
meaning of securities legislation in the United States and Canada,
including statements regarding the Company’s anticipated
production, operations, expectations and initiatives at Rochester,
including the Rochester expansion project, and expected increases
in the demand for silver. Such forward-looking statements involve
known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may
cause Coeur’s actual results, performance or achievements to be
materially different from any future results, performance or
achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking
statements. Such factors include, among others, the risk that
anticipated production, cost and expense levels are not attained,
the risks and hazards inherent in the mining business (including
risks inherent in developing large-scale mining projects,
environmental hazards, industrial accidents, weather or
geologically-related conditions), changes in the market prices of
or demand for gold and silver and a sustained lower price or higher
treatment and refining charge environment, the uncertainties
inherent in Coeur’s production, exploratory and developmental
activities, including risks relating to permitting and regulatory
delays, changes in mining laws, ground conditions and, grade and
recovery variability, any future labor disputes or work stoppages
(involving the Company and its subsidiaries or third parties), the
uncertainties inherent in the estimation of mineral reserves,
changes that could result from Coeur’s future acquisition of new
mining properties or businesses, the loss of access or insolvency
of any third-party refiner or smelter to which Coeur markets its
production, the potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,
including impacts to the availability of our workforce, continued
access to financing sources, government orders that may require
temporary suspension of operations at one or more of our sites and
effects on our suppliers or the refiners and smelters to whom the
Company markets its production and on the communities where we
operate, the effects of environmental and other governmental
regulations and government shut-downs, the risks inherent in the
ownership or operation of or investment in mining properties or
businesses in foreign countries, Coeur’s ability to raise
additional financing necessary to conduct its business, make
payments or refinance its debt, as well as other uncertainties and
risk factors set out in filings made from time to time with the
United States Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Canadian
securities regulators, including, without limitation, Coeur’s most
recent report on Form 10-K and 10-Q. Actual results, developments
and timetables could vary significantly from the estimates
presented. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on
forward-looking statements. Coeur disclaims any intent or
obligation to update publicly such forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Additionally, Coeur undertakes no obligation to comment on
analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in
respect of Coeur, its financial or operating results or its
securities. This does not constitute an offer of any securities for
sale.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240129110827/en/
Coeur Mining, Inc. Jeff Wilhoit, Director, Investor Relations
Phone: (312) 489-5800 www.coeur.com
Coeur Mining (NYSE:CDE)
Historical Stock Chart
From Dec 2024 to Jan 2025
Coeur Mining (NYSE:CDE)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jan 2024 to Jan 2025