Atico Mining Corporation (the “Company” or “Atico”) (TSX.V: ATY |
OTC: ATCMF) today announced its financial results for the three
months ended September 30, 2022, posting a net income of $0.3
million. Production for the period at Atico’s El Roble mine totaled
3.8 million pounds (“lbs”) of copper and 2,724 ounces (“oz”) of
gold in concentrate at a cash cost(1) of $1.35 per payable pound of
copper(2).
Fernando E. Ganoza, CEO and Director, commented,
“El Roble mine production results were only slightly below budget
given a particularly challenging quarter caused by downtime of the
SAG mill system due to repairs to the trunnion. The repairs were
completed, and the SAG Mill is now working. During this period, we
also saw a significant drop in the metal prices when compared to
this time last year which had a negative impact on our sales.
Despite all of these challenges, the Company showed a modest net
profit for the period and continues to generate cash flow for the
Company.” Mr. Ganoza continued, “the exploration work at both El
Roble and La Plata restarted during the quarter with drilling
intensifying towards the end of the year. The mine vicinity
drilling at El Roble continues looking for continuity of
mineralization at depth and along strike, while the regional
program has begun testing new exciting target areas south of the
mine.”
Third Quarter Financial
Highlights
- Net income for the quarter amounted
to $0.3 million, compared with net income of $7.6 million for the
same period last year. The decrease was primarily due to lower
sales as explained below impacting income from mining
operations.
- Sales for the quarter decreased 27%
to $23.1 million when compared with $31.8 million in Q3-2021.
Copper (“Cu”) and gold (“Au”) accounted for 81% and 19% of the
14,219 dry metric tonnes (“DMT”) sold during Q3-2022. Sales during
the quarter were impacted by lower metal prices and quantities sold
compared to Q3-2021.
- Working capital was $24.4 million,
while the Company had $15.6 million in long-term loans
payable.
- The average realized price per
metal on provisional invoicing was $3.40 per pound of copper and
$1,687 per ounce of gold.
- Cash costs(1) were $134.52 per
tonne of processed ore and $1.35 per pound of payable copper
produced(2), which were increase of 21% and a decrease of 4% over
Q3-2021, respectively.
- Cash margin(1)(2) was $2.05 per
pound of payable copper produced, which was a decrease of 28% over
Q3-2021, due to lower metal price.
- All-in sustaining cash cost per
payable pound of copper produced(1)(2) was $2.32.
Third Quarter Summary of Financial
Results
|
|
Q32022 |
Q32021 |
%Change |
Revenue |
|
$ |
23,123,099 |
$ |
31,807,740 |
-27% |
Cost of sales |
|
|
(17,626,532) |
|
(18,048,730) |
-2% |
Income from mining operations |
|
|
5,496,567 |
|
13,759,010 |
-60% |
As a % of revenue |
|
|
24% |
|
43% |
-45% |
General and administrative expenses |
|
|
1,484,734 |
|
1,439,993 |
3% |
Income from operations |
|
|
3,832,094 |
|
12,116,690 |
-68% |
As a % of revenue |
|
|
17% |
|
38% |
-56% |
Income before income taxes |
|
|
2,646,391 |
|
12,208,835 |
-78% |
Net income |
|
|
297,615 |
|
7,555,343 |
-96% |
As a % of revenue |
|
|
1% |
|
24% |
-95% |
Operating cash flow before changes in non-cash operating working
capital items(1) |
|
$ |
6,689,397 |
$ |
14,574,929 |
-54% |
Third Quarter Operational
Review
In Q3-2022, the Company produced 3.8 million lbs
of copper, 2,724 oz of gold, and 9,501 oz of silver. The decrease
in both copper and gold production is mainly explained by the
decrease in processed ore, partially offset by improved head grades
over the same period of last year. The gold output completely
offset the lower processed tonnes in the quarter as we saw a
significant improvement in head grade relative to Q3-2021.
Cash costs were $134.52 per tonne of processed
ore and $1.35 per pound of payable copper produced, which were an
increase of 21% and a decrease of 4% over Q3-2021, respectively
(refer to non-GAAP Financial Measures). The increase in cash cost
per tonne processed compared to the comparative period is mainly
due to lost production during Q3-2022 due to repairs to the
trunnion of the SAG mill, which is now working, price increase on
certain services and consumables, the operation of the new
tailings-filtering plant, and some tailings-rehandling required
prior to completion of the dry-stack tailings facility which is
expected to be completed in Q4-2022.
Third Quarter Operational Details
|
|
Q32022 |
Q32021 |
%Change |
Production (Contained metals)(3) |
|
|
|
|
Copper (000s lbs) |
|
3,753 |
4,442 |
-16% |
Gold (oz) |
|
2,724 |
2,978 |
-9% |
Silver (oz) |
|
9,501 |
11,692 |
-19% |
Mine |
|
|
|
|
Tonnes of material mined |
|
66,245 |
76,276 |
-13% |
Mill |
|
|
|
|
Tonnes processed |
|
59,689 |
77,816 |
-23% |
Tonnes processed per day |
|
786 |
919 |
-15% |
Copper grade (%) |
|
3.12 |
2.80 |
11% |
Gold grade (g/t) |
|
2.28 |
2.02 |
13% |
Silver grade (g/t) |
|
10.15 |
8.27 |
23% |
Recoveries |
|
|
|
|
Copper (%) |
|
91.5 |
92.6 |
-1% |
Gold (%) |
|
62.0 |
58.8 |
5% |
Silver (%) |
|
48.8 |
56.6 |
-14% |
Concentrates |
|
|
|
|
Copper Concentrates (DMT) |
|
9,048 |
10,704 |
-16% |
Copper (%) |
|
18.8 |
18.8 |
0% |
Gold (g/t) |
|
9.4 |
8.7 |
8% |
Silver (g/t) |
|
32.7 |
34.0 |
-4% |
|
|
|
|
|
Payable copper produced (000s lbs) |
|
3,565 |
4,182 |
-15% |
Cash cost per pound of payable copper ($/lbs)(1)(2) |
|
1.35 |
1.40 |
-4% |
The financial statements and MD&A are
available on SEDAR and have also been posted on the Company's
website at http://www.aticomining.com/s/FinancialStatements.asp
El Roble Mine
The El Roble mine is a high grade, underground
copper and gold mine with nominal processing plant capacity of
1,000 tonnes per day, located in the Department of Choco in
Colombia. Its commercial product is a copper-gold concentrate.
Since obtaining control of the mine on November
22, 2013, Atico has upgraded the operation from a historical
nominal capacity of 400 tonnes per day.
El Roble has Proven and Probable reserves of
1.00 million tonnes grading 3.02% copper and 1.76 g/t gold, at a
cut-off grade of 1.3% copper equivalent with an effective date of
September 30, 2020. Mineralization is open at depth and along
strike and the Company plans to further test the limits of the
deposit. On the larger land package, the Company has identified a
prospective stratigraphic contact between volcanic rocks and black
and grey pelagic sediments and cherts that has been traced by Atico
geologists for ten kilometers. This contact has been determined to
be an important control on VMS mineralization on which Atico has
identified numerous target areas prospective for VMS type
mineralization occurrence, which is the focus of the current
surface drill program at El Roble.
La Plata Overview
Atico’s wholly-owned La Plata project is a gold
rich volcanogenic massive sulphide deposit that was the subject of
small-scale mining from 1975-1981 by Outokumpu Finland. The project
benefits from a modern drill and exploration database which was
completed by Cambior Inc. from 1996-1999, Cornerstone Capital from
2006-2009 and Toachi Mining Inc. from 2016-2019.
Toachi Mining Inc. completed a PEA estimating an
inferred resource of 1.85 million tonnes grading 4.10 grams gold
per tonne, 50.0 grams silver per tonne, 3.30% copper, 4.60% zinc
and 0.60% lead per tonne.
The La Plata project consists two concessions
covering a total area of 2,235 hectares along its 4-kilometer
length, which contains known mineralization in two VMS lenses and
nine priority exploration targets.
The Company is currently focused on completing a
Feasibility Study and obtaining the necessary permits and licenses
to begin construction of the La Plata project. The Company is
conducting variability tests to strengthen the metallurgical
solution of the different ore types of the La Plata mineral
deposit. Once these tests are completed, the Company can resume
with the finalization of the Feasibility Study.
On May 19, 2022, the Company announced it has
received the approval of its Environmental Impact Assessment
(“EIA”) study for the project. The Company is currently waiting for
the government of Ecuador to issue guidelines for the Environmental
Public Consultation process, which is a step necessary for the
delivery of the Environmental License.
Qualified Person
Mr. Thomas Kelly (SME Registered Member
1696580), advisor to the Company and a qualified person under
National Instrument 43-101 standards, is responsible for ensuring
that the technical information contained in this news release is an
accurate summary of the original reports and data provided to or
developed by Atico.
About Atico Mining Corporation
Atico is a growth-oriented Company, focused on
exploring, developing and mining copper and gold projects in Latin
America. The Company generates significant cash flow through the
operation of the El Roble mine and is developing it’s high-grade La
Plata VMS project in Ecuador. The Company is also pursuing
additional acquisition of advanced stage opportunities. For more
information, please visit www.aticomining.com.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
Fernando E. GanozaCEOAtico Mining
Corporation
Trading symbols: TSX.V: ATY | OTC: ATCMF
Investor RelationsIgor DutinaTel:
+1.604.633.9022
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX
Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this release.
No securities regulatory authority has either
approved or disapproved of the contents of this news release. The
securities being offered have not been, and will not be, registered
under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
‘‘U.S. Securities Act’’), or any state securities laws, and may not
be offered or sold in the United States, or to, or for the account
or benefit of, a "U.S. person" (as defined in Regulation S of the
U.S. Securities Act) unless pursuant to an exemption therefrom.
This press release is for information purposes only and does not
constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy
any securities of the Company in any jurisdiction.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking
Statements
This announcement includes certain
“forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Canadian
securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of
historical fact, included herein, without limitation the use of net
proceeds, are forward-looking statements. Forward- looking
statements involve various risks and uncertainties and are based on
certain factors and assumptions. There can be no assurance that
such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and
future events could differ materially from those anticipated in
such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results
to differ materially from the Company’s expectations include
uncertainties as to the timing and process for renewal of title to
the El Roble claims; uncertainties relating to interpretation of
drill results and the geology, continuity and grade of mineral
deposits; uncertainty of estimates of capital and operating costs;
the need to obtain additional financing to maintain its interest in
and/or explore and develop the Company’s mineral projects;
uncertainty of meeting anticipated program milestones for the
Company’s mineral projects; the world-wide economic and social
impact of COVID-19 is managed and the duration and extent of the
coronavirus pandemic is minimized or not long-term; disruptions
related to the COVID-19 pandemic or other health and safety issues,
or the responses of governments, communities, the Company and
others to such pandemic or other issues; and other risks and
uncertainties disclosed under the heading “Risk Factors” in the
Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ended
December 31, 2021 as filed on SEDAR and as available on the
Company's website for further details, and in the prospectus of the
Company dated March 2, 2012 filed with the Canadian securities
regulatory authorities on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
The items marked with a "(1)" are alternative
performance measures and readers should refer to Non-GAAP Financial
Measures in the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis for
the nine months ended September 30, 2022, as filed on SEDAR and as
available on the Company's website for further details.
(1) Alternative performance measures; please refer to “Non-GAAP
Financial Measures” at the end of this release.(2) Net of
by-product credits(3) Subject to adjustments on final
settlement
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