DENVER, CO, Oct. 13, 2015 /PRNewswire/ - Thompson Creek
Metals Company Inc. (NYSE: TC) (TSX: TCM) ("Thompson Creek" or the
"Company") announced today production and sales results for the
three and nine months ended September
30, 2015. Total concentrate production for Mount
Milligan for the quarter ended September 30,
2015 was 31.7 thousand dry tonnes, with 16.3 million pounds
of payable copper and 53.8 thousand ounces of payable gold, which
represents an increase of approximately 1% and a decrease of 11%,
respectively, from payable copper and gold production during the
third quarter of 2014. Total concentrate production for Mount
Milligan for the nine months ended September
30, 2015 was 101.6 thousand dry tonnes, with 51.9 million
pounds of payable copper and 159.8 thousand ounces of payable gold,
which represents increases of approximately 12% and 17%,
respectively, from payable copper and gold production during the
first nine months of 2014.
|
Q1
2015
|
|
Q2
2015
|
|
Q3
2015
|
|
YTD
2015
|
Copper and
Gold
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mount Milligan
Mine
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average Daily Mill
Throughput (tonnes)
|
39,569
|
|
44,940
|
|
44,077
|
|
42,878
|
|
|
Mill Availability
(%)
|
87.3%
|
|
91.2%
|
|
90.2%
|
|
89.6%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Copper ore grade
(%)
|
0.26%
|
|
0.28%
|
|
0.25%
|
|
0.26%
|
|
|
Copper recovery
(%)
|
79.3%
|
|
85.5%
|
|
76.1%
|
|
80.5%
|
|
|
Copper payable
production (million lbs)
|
15.4
|
|
20.2
|
|
16.3
|
|
51.9
|
|
|
Copper sold (million
lbs)
|
14.8
|
|
21.2
|
|
24.4
|
|
60.4
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gold ore grade (g per
tonne)
|
0.63
|
|
0.65
|
|
0.64
|
|
0.64
|
|
|
Gold recovery
(%)
|
66.7%
|
|
72.7%
|
|
67.3%
|
|
69.0%
|
|
|
Gold payable
production (000's ounces)
|
46.1
|
|
59.9
|
|
53.8
|
|
159.8
|
|
|
Gold sold (000's
ounces)
|
36.8
|
|
57.9
|
|
75.4
|
|
170.1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Molybdenum
Sold
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Company
Mines
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Molybdenum sold
(million lbs)
|
2.5
|
|
0.6
|
|
0.6
|
|
3.7
|
|
Third-Party
Sourced
|
1.8
|
|
1.6
|
|
2.4
|
|
5.8
|
|
|
Total Molybdenum Sold
(million lbs)
|
4.3
|
|
2.2
|
|
3.0
|
|
9.5
|
For the third quarter of 2015, daily mill throughput averaged
44,077 tonnes and mill availability averaged 90.2%.
Recoveries averaged 76.1% for copper and 67.3% for gold. A
significant amount of oxidized material was processed during the
third quarter which, as expected, adversely impacted
recoveries.
Throughput was constrained during the third quarter as a result
of SAG screen deck failures due to overloading and associated
recirculation issues, together with reduced mill availability
caused by scheduled and unscheduled mill shutdowns. In
addition to the unscheduled shutdowns to remediate the screen deck
failures and other mechanical repairs, mill availability was
impacted by scheduled shutdowns to complete maintenance on the
primary crusher, reline the ball mills, and perform the annual
inspection of the SAG mill motor.
Jacques Perron, President and
Chief Executive Officer of Thompson Creek, said, "During the third
quarter, our ability to improve throughput continued to be limited
by the SAG screen deck. As we attempted to push throughput, we had
unexpected issues with the single SAG screen deck, which caused
recirculation issues and required us to shut down the mill on
several occasions. These issues have been remedied, and as
previously disclosed, we plan to install a second SAG discharge
screen deck in October, which we believe, will allow us to increase
throughput without significant issues. We believe that with
these improvements, together with the continuation of secondary
crushing of material from our temporary crushing facility,
throughput will improve in November and December and it is still
our objective to achieve design mill throughput by year-end."
During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015, respectively, the Company
completed five and twelve shipments of copper and gold concentrate
and recognized five and twelve sales, respectively.
About Thompson Creek Metals Company Inc.
Thompson Creek Metals Company Inc. is a North American mining
company. The Company's principal operating property is its
100%-owned Mount Milligan mine, an open-pit copper and gold mine
and concentrator in British
Columbia. The Company's molybdenum assets consist of its
100%-owned Thompson Creek Mine, an open-pit molybdenum mine and
concentrator in Idaho, its 75%
joint venture interest in the Endako Mine, an open-pit molybdenum
mine, concentrator and roaster in British
Columbia, and its Langeloth Metallurgical Facility in
Pennsylvania. The Company's development project is the Berg
property, a copper, molybdenum, and silver exploration property
located in British Columbia. The
Company's principal executive office is located in Denver, Colorado. More information is
available at www.thompsoncreekmetals.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains ''forward-looking statements'' within
the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995 Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933,
Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and applicable
Canadian securities legislation. These forward-looking statements
generally are identified by the words "believe," "project,"
"expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "future," "plan,"
"may," "should," "will," "would," "will be," "will continue," "will
likely result," and similar expressions. Our forward-looking
statements include, without limitation, statements with respect to:
future financial or operating performance of the Company or its
subsidiaries and its projects; future production, sales, payments
from customers, cash costs, capital expenditures and exploration
expenditures; future earnings and operating results; expected
concentrate and recovery grades; statements as to the projected
ramp-up of Mount Milligan and other projects, including expected
throughput, achievement of design capacities, and timing of the
installation of the second SAG screen deck and maintenance
shutdowns; and future operating plans and goals.
Where we express an expectation or belief as to future events or
results, such expectation or belief is expressed in good faith and
believed to have a reasonable basis. However, our forward-looking
statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that
are subject to risks and uncertainties which may cause actual
results to differ materially from future results expressed,
projected or implied by those forward-looking statements. Important
factors that could cause actual results and events to differ from
those described in such forward-looking statements can be found in
the section entitled "Risk Factors" in Thompson Creek's Annual
Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other
documents filed on EDGAR at www.sec.gov and on SEDAR at
www.sedar.com. Although we have attempted to identify those
material factors that could cause actual results or events to
differ from those described in such forward-looking statements,
there may be other factors, currently unknown to us or deemed
immaterial at the present time that could cause results or events
to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Many of
these factors are beyond our ability to control or predict. Given
these uncertainties, the reader is cautioned not to place undue
reliance on our forward-looking statements. We undertake no
obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events,
or otherwise.
SOURCE Thompson Creek Metals Company Inc.