Amerigo Resources Ltd. (TSX: ARG; OTCQX: ARREF)
(“Amerigo” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce production
results for the quarter ended June 30, 2024 (“Q2-2024”) from Minera
Valle Central (“MVC”), the Company’s 100% owned operation located
near Rancagua, Chile. Dollar amounts in this news release are in
U.S. dollars unless indicated otherwise.
“During the second quarter, Amerigo’s team at
MVC completed its planned annual 8-day maintenance shutdown.
Despite the non-planned impact of one million pounds of reduced
copper production due to the previously reported periods of heavy
rains (see Company news releases of June 17, 2024, and June 26,
2024), we have maintained our 2024 production guidance. The impact
of the rains was significantly lower than in 2023 because of
recently completed risk mitigation projects and MVC’s response
plan,” said Aurora Davidson, Amerigo’s President and CEO.
“In addition to its swift operational response
to the heavy rains, the MVC team continues to excel in managing and
controlling costs. Successfully blunting the headwind of a
lower-than-expected quarterly copper production level, we are
trending below our guided cash cost. The combination of excellent
operational results from MVC and the robust copper prices recorded
in the second quarter enabled us to continue strengthening our
balance sheet with increased cash and lowered debt. Amerigo’s board
of directors has just declared the Company’s first performance
dividend, which is Amerigo’s unique way of quickly transferring
strong copper price performance to shareholders,” she added.
In Q2-2024, MVC produced 14.0 million pounds (“M
lbs”) of copper, with 64% of production coming from fresh tailings.
MVC’s plant availability was 94%. Production for the first half of
2024 (“H1-2024”) was 30.0 M lbs, representing 48% of Amerigo’s 2024
copper production guidance of 62.4 M lbs.
Q2-2024 molybdenum production was 0.3 M lbs.
H1-2024 molybdenum production of 0.6 M lbs. is in line with
Amerigo’s annual molybdenum production guidance of 1.2 M lbs.
Amerigo’s cash cost1 in Q2-2024 was $1.96 per
pound (“/lb”), and H1-2024 normalized cash cost1 was $1.92/lb, both
below the Company’s 2024 cash cost1 guidance of $2.08/lb.
Normalized H1-2024 cash cost1 excludes $0.04/lb paid to MVC’s
supervisors in January 2024 as the signing bonus of a 3-year
collective labor agreement.
Amerigo’s quarterly copper price in Q2-2024 was
$4.39/lb, compared to $3.95/lb in Q1-2024. The Company’s molybdenum
price was $21.11/lb, up from $19.67/lb in Q1-2024.
On June 30, 2024, Amerigo’s cash position was
$28.7 million ($12.5 million higher than December 31, 2023), and
restricted cash was $4.2 million ($2.1 million lower than December
31, 2023). Outstanding bank debt was $15.5 million, $5.8 million
lower than December 31, 2023.
On June 30, 2024, MVC’s water reserves were over
10.0 million cubic meters, sufficient to maintain projected
historic tailings processing rates for at least eighteen months,
the Company’s maximum forecast horizon.
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Q2-2024 |
Q1-2024 |
Q4-2023 |
Q3-2023 |
Q2-2023 |
Fresh tailings |
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|
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Tonnes per day |
111,636 |
|
116,246 |
|
117,331 |
|
109,276 |
|
138,261 |
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Operating days |
82 |
|
90 |
|
92 |
|
86 |
|
76 |
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Tonnes processed |
9,247,246 |
|
10,514,765 |
|
10,789,129 |
|
9,397,541 |
|
10,535,165 |
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Copper grade |
0.184% |
|
0.177% |
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0.174% |
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0.175% |
|
0.169% |
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Copper recovery |
23.6% |
|
20.8% |
|
21.0% |
|
22.6% |
|
22.3% |
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Copper produced (M lbs) |
8.98 |
|
8.55 |
|
8.69 |
|
8.21 |
|
8.79 |
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Historic tailings |
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Tonnes per day |
45,469 |
|
49,289 |
|
50,578 |
|
45,588 |
|
36,487 |
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Operating days |
62 |
|
90 |
|
91 |
|
38 |
|
72 |
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Tonnes processed |
2,912,856 |
|
4,422,148 |
|
4,584,009 |
|
1,733,896 |
|
2,624,532 |
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Copper grade |
0.245% |
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0.251% |
|
0.243% |
|
0.239% |
|
0.254% |
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Copper recovery |
31.3% |
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30.5% |
|
31.3% |
|
32.0% |
|
32.8% |
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Copper produced (M lbs) |
5.00 |
|
7.45 |
|
7.68 |
|
2.91 |
|
4.84 |
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Copper produced (M lbs) |
13.98 |
|
16.00 |
|
16.37 |
|
11.12 |
|
13.63 |
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Copper delivered (M lbs) |
14.33 |
|
15.96 |
|
16.08 |
|
10.98 |
|
13.67 |
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Cash cost1
($/lb) |
1.96 |
|
1.96 |
|
2.06 |
|
2.44 |
|
2.37 |
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Normalized cash cost1
($/lb) |
1.96 |
|
1.89 |
|
2.06 |
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2.44 |
|
2.37 |
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Molybdenum produced (M lbs) |
0.30 |
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0.32 |
|
0.33 |
|
0.22 |
|
0.30 |
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Molybdenum sold (M lbs) |
0.30 |
|
0.32 |
|
0.33 |
|
0.22 |
|
0.30 |
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Capital Return Strategy
Since implementing its Capital Return Strategy
(the “Strategy”) in September 2021, Amerigo has paid cumulative
quarterly dividends of Cdn$0.32 per share ($40.5 million) and used
$23.7 million to purchase and cancel 20.1 million of its common
shares, a 11.1% reduction in the number of common shares
outstanding at the inception of the Strategy.
On July 8, 2024, Amerigo’s board of directors
declared the Company’s first Performance Dividend of Cdn$0.04 per
share. With the declaration of the Company’s first Performance
Dividend, the three legs of the Strategy (quarterly dividends,
performance dividends and share buybacks) are now fully deployed.
Amerigo’s Performance Dividend is a flexible mechanism with regard
to timing, frequency and the amount of capital returned to
shareholders. It is ideally suited to return capital to
shareholders quickly and is a unique tool to transfer the benefits
of solid copper price performance to Amerigo’s shareholders.
Release of Q2-2024 financial results on
July 31, 2024
Amerigo will release Q2-2024 financial results
at the market open on Wednesday, July 31, 2024.
Investor conference call on Thursday,
August 1, 2024
Amerigo’s quarterly investor conference call
will be held on Thursday, August 1, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. Pacific
Daylight Time/2:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.
Participants can join by visiting
https://emportal.ink/3VNPCys and entering their name and phone
number. The conference system will then call the participants and
place them instantly into the call.
Alternatively, participants can dial directly to
be entered into the call by an Operator. Dial 1-888-664-6392
(Toll-Free North America) and state they wish to participate in the
Amerigo Resources Q2-2024 Earnings Call.
About Amerigo and MVC
Amerigo is an innovative copper producer with a
long-term relationship with Corporación Nacional del Cobre de Chile
(“Codelco”), the world’s largest copper producer.
Amerigo produces copper concentrate and
molybdenum concentrate as a by-product at the MVC operation in
Chile by processing fresh and historic tailings from Codelco’s El
Teniente mine, the world's largest underground copper mine. Tel:
(604) 681-2802; Web: www.amerigoresources.com; Listing: ARG:
TSX.
Contact Information
Aurora
DavidsonPresident and CEO(604) 697-6207ad@amerigoresources.com |
Graham
FarrellInvestor Relations(416)
842-9003Graham.Farrell@Harbor-Access.com |
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Non-IFRS Measures
This news release references cash cost and
normalized cash cost, performance measures not defined under
International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”).
Cash cost is a non-IFRS performance measure
included in this news release as it is a key performance measure
used by management to monitor operating performance, assess
corporate performance, and plan and assess the overall
effectiveness and efficiency of Amerigo’s operations. Non-IFRS
performance measures are not standardized under IFRS; therefore,
amounts presented may not be comparable to similar financial
measures disclosed by other companies. Non-IFRS performance
measures should not be considered a substitute for performance
measures under IFRS.
Cash cost is a performance measure commonly used
in the mining industry. In Amerigo’s case, cash cost is the
aggregate of smelting and refining charges, tolling/production
costs net of inventory adjustments, and administration costs net of
by-product credits. Cash cost per pound produced is based on pounds
of copper produced and is calculated by dividing cash cost by the
number of pounds of copper produced.
The Company reconciles non-IFRS performance
measures against IFRS measures every quarter when financial results
are reported. Reconciliations are included in the Company’s
quarterly earnings release and its Management’s Discussion and
Analysis.
Cautionary Note Regarding
Forward-Looking Information
This news release contains certain
forward-looking information and statements defined in applicable
securities laws (collectively called "forward-looking statements").
These statements relate to future events or the Company’s future
performance. All statements other than statements of historical
fact are forward-looking statements. The use of any of the words
"anticipate", "plan", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may",
"will", "project", "predict", "potential", "should", "believe" and
similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking
statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not
limited to, statements concerning:
- forecasted production and operating
costs for 2024;
- the maintenance of the Company’s
Capital Return Strategy;
- our strategies and objectives;
- our estimates of the availability
and quantity of tailings and the quality of our mine plan
estimates;
- the sufficiency of MVC’s water
reserves to maintain projected historic tailings tonnage processing
for at least 18 months;
- prices and price volatility for
copper, molybdenum and other commodities and materials we use in
our operations;
- the demand for and supply of
copper, molybdenum and other commodities and materials that we
produce, sell and use;
- sensitivity of our financial
results and share price to changes in commodity prices;
- our financial resources and
financial condition and our expected ability to redeploy other
tools of our capital return strategy;
- interest and other expenses;
- domestic and foreign laws affecting
our operations;
- our tax position and the tax rates
applicable to us;
- our ability to comply with our loan
covenants;
- the production capacity of our
operations, our planned production levels and future
production;
- potential impact of production and
transportation disruptions;
- hazards inherent in the mining
industry causing personal injury or loss of life, severe damage to
or destruction of property and equipment, pollution or
environmental damage, claims by third parties and suspension of
operations;
- estimates of asset retirement
obligations and other costs related to environmental
protection;
- our future capital and production
costs, including the costs and potential impact of complying with
existing and proposed environmental laws and regulations in the
operation and closure of our operations;
- repudiation, nullification,
modification or renegotiation of contracts;
- our financial and operating
objectives;
- our environmental, health and
safety initiatives;
- the outcome of legal proceedings
and other disputes in which we may be involved;
- the outcome of negotiations
concerning metal sales, treatment charges and royalties;
- disruptions to the Company's
information technology systems, including those related to
cybersecurity;
- our dividend policy; and
- general business and economic
conditions, including, but not limited to, our assessment of strong
market fundamentals supporting copper prices.
These forward-looking statements involve known
and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause
actual results or events to differ materially from those
anticipated in such statements. Inherent in forward-looking
statements are risks and uncertainties beyond our ability to
predict or control, including risks that may affect our operating
or capital plans; risks generally encountered in the permitting and
development of mineral projects such as unusual or unexpected
geological formations, negotiations with government and other third
parties, unanticipated metallurgical difficulties, delays
associated with permits, approvals and permit appeals, ground
control problems, adverse weather conditions (including, but not
limited to, continued extreme rainfall), process upsets and
equipment malfunctions; risks associated with labour disturbances
and availability of skilled labour and management; risks related to
the potential impact of global or national health concerns, and the
inability of employees to access sufficient healthcare; government
or regulatory actions or inactions; fluctuations in the market
prices of our principal commodities, which are cyclical and subject
to substantial price fluctuations; risks created through
competition for mining projects and properties; risks associated
with lack of access to markets; risks associated with availability
of and our ability to obtain both tailings from Codelco’s Division
El Teniente’s (“DET”) current production and historic tailings from
tailings deposit; the availability of and ability of the Company to
obtain adequate funding on reasonable terms for expansions and
acquisitions; mine plan estimates; risks posed by fluctuations in
exchange rates and interest rates, as well as general economic
conditions; risks associated with environmental compliance and
changes in environmental legislation and regulation; risks
associated with our dependence on third parties for the provision
of critical services; risks associated with non-performance by
contractual counterparties; risks associated with supply chain
disruptions; title risks; social and political risks associated
with operations in foreign countries; risks of changes in laws
affecting our operations or their interpretation, including foreign
exchange controls; and risks associated with tax reassessments and
legal proceedings. Many of these risks and uncertainties apply to
the Company and its operations, as well as DET and its operations.
DET’s ongoing mining operations provide a significant portion of
the materials the Company processes and its resulting metals
production. Therefore, these risks and uncertainties may also
affect the Company's operations and have a material effect.
Actual results and developments will likely
differ materially from those expressed or implied by the
forward-looking statements in this news release. Such statements
are based on several assumptions which may prove to be incorrect,
including, but not limited to, assumptions about:
- general business and economic
conditions;
- interest and currency exchange
rates;
- changes in commodity and power
prices;
- acts of foreign governments and the
outcome of legal proceedings;
- the supply and demand for,
deliveries of, and the level and volatility of prices of copper,
molybdenum and other commodities and products used in our
operations;
- the ongoing supply of material for
processing from DET’s current mining operations;
- the grade and projected recoveries
of tailings processed by MVC;
- the ability of the Company to
profitably extract and process historic tailings;
- the timing of the receipt of and
retention of permits and other regulatory and governmental
approvals;
- our costs of production and our
production and productivity levels, as well as those of our
competitors;
- changes in credit market conditions
and conditions in financial markets generally;
- our ability to procure equipment
and operating supplies in sufficient quantities and on a timely
basis;
- the availability of qualified
employees and contractors for our operations;
- our ability to attract and retain
skilled staff;
- the satisfactory negotiation of
collective agreements with unionized employees;
- the impact of changes in foreign
exchange rates and capital repatriation on our costs and
results;
- engineering and construction
timetables and capital costs for our expansion projects;
- costs of closure of various
operations;
- market competition;
- tax benefits and tax rates;
- the outcome of our copper
concentrate sales and treatment and refining charge
negotiations;
- the resolution of environmental and
other proceedings or disputes;
- the future supply of reasonably
priced power;
- average recoveries for fresh
tailings and historic tailings;
- our ability to obtain, comply with
and renew permits and licenses in a timely manner; and
- Our ongoing relations with our
employees and entities we do business with.
Future production levels and cost estimates
assume no adverse mining or other events significantly affecting
budgeted production levels.
Although the Company believes that these
assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions
are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and
contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are
beyond the Company’s control, the Company cannot assure that it
will achieve or accomplish the expectations, beliefs or projections
described in the forward-looking statements.
The preceding list of important factors and
assumptions is not exhaustive. Other events or circumstances could
cause our results to differ materially from those estimated,
projected, and expressed in or implied by our forward-looking
statements. You should also consider the matters discussed under
Risk Factors in the Company`s Annual Information Form. The
forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as of the
date of this news release. Except as required by law, we undertake
no obligation to publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking
statements or the preceding list of factors, whether due to new
information or future events.
1 This is a non-IFRS measure. See “Non-IFRS
Measures” for further information.
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