Capstone Reports Production & Operating Costs for Q4/09 & Full Year 2009
2009 Production of 90m lbs of Copper in Concentrates at an Estimated Total Cash Cost(1) of US$1.03 per lb of payable copper
"Strong fourth quarter operating results resulted in an adjusted 90 million pounds of copper in concentrates at a total cash cost of US$1.03 per payable pound of copper during 2009, helped by a return to normal operations at both mines in the fourth quarter," said
Capstone Mining - Production Highlights for 2009
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Total 2009
Q1 2009 Q2 2009 Q3 2009 Q4 2009 (Adjusted)
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Copper in
concentrates
(millions of
pounds)
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- Cozamin 9.8 9.9 8.2 8.9 36.1
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- Minto 16.2 13.2 9.5 15.8 53.7
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Total 26.0 23.1 17.7 24.7 89.8
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Total cash
costs of
payable copper(1)
(US$/lb)
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- Cozamin $1.00 $0.81 $0.75 $0.94 $0.90
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- Minto(2) $0.87 $1.09 $1.48 $1.10 $1.12
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Average $0.92 $0.97 $1.14 $1.04 $1.03
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(2) Minto's operating costs are adjusted to exclude mining of ore and
waste not related to concentrate produced in the period, these costs
are capitalized or inventoried in the financial statements, then
expensed when the associated ore is processed.
Both mines realized negative adjustments to previously reported copper production based on the final settlement of copper sales during the year, 1.0 million pounds at Minto and 0.7 million pounds at Cozamin. As these amounts are related to adjustments to shipments made over the full year, the adjustments are only reflected in the year to date column, therefore certain lines will not sum across.
Operational Highlights for the three and twelve months ended
The following is a summary of Capstone's operational highlights for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2009:
- Production of 24.7 million and 90 million pounds of contained copper,
respectively, with the quarterly production reflecting a return to
more typical operating parameters, while the annual numbers reflect
the coincident low production cycles at both mines during Q3/09 and
the negative 1.7 million pound adjustment related to final sales
settlements applicable to shipments over the whole year.
- By-product production of 4.7 million and 15.5 million pounds of zinc,
3.5 and 10.1 million pounds of lead and 476,883 and 1,762,245 ounces
of silver in concentrates, respectively. Lead and zinc production are
higher than would be typical for the mineral reserve as a result of
the Cozamin mine focusing on lower copper, higher lead-zinc areas of
the mine while new, deeper, high grade copper areas were being
developed and while lead and zinc prices remain high. In addition,
access to some of the low copper, higher lead-zinc areas would have
been permanently lost in the normal mining process if not extracted
now, and so were mined while lead and zinc prices make these areas
profitable. Final by-product gold production is not available since
assaying is done off site, but is estimated at 8,790 and
28,579 ounces, respectively.
- Production of 23.9 million pounds of payable copper in the fourth
quarter and 86.6 million pounds of payable copper for the full year
of 2009 after adjustments.
- Total cash cost per pound of payable copper produced(1) of US$1.04
in Q4/09 and US$1.03 for the year versus previously published
guidance of approximately US$1.00 per pound for the year. This
performance reflects good cost containment during the low production
cycles at both mines and the return to higher production levels in
Q4/09. Higher by-product credits at Cozamin and higher throughput at
Minto helped offset the lower copper feed grades.
- Cozamin Mine results for the three and twelve months ended
December 31, 2009, respectively, were:
- Produced 8.9 million and 36.1 million pounds of copper contained
in concentrates, respectively, along with by-products of
4.7 million and 15.5 million pounds of zinc, 3.5 million and
10.1 million pounds of lead and 387,665 and 1,462,478 ounces of
silver;
- Produced 8.6 million and 34.6 million pounds of payable copper at
an estimated total cash cost(1), net of estimated by-product
credits and estimated selling costs, of US$0.94 and $0.90 per
pound of payable copper produced; and
- Tonnes of ore processed during Q4/09 remained below design and
below actual processing capacity as a result of the larger, higher
grade stopes being ramped up to full capacity more slowly than was
previously anticipated as a result of management's decision to add
more ground support in the larger stopes to ensure there are no
future hanging wall stability issues. This shortfall of ore
processed was partially mitigated by bringing back on line some of
the stopes in the upper portions of the mine with higher lead and
zinc grades, taking advantage of the current high prices for these
metals.
- Minto Mine results for the three and twelve months ended December 31,
2009, respectively, were:
- Produced 15.8 million and 53.7 million pounds of copper contained
in concentrates, along with by-product 89,218 and 299,767 ounces
of silver and gold estimated at 8,790 and 28,579 ounces;
- Produced 15.3 million and 51.9 million pounds of payable copper at
an estimated total cash cost(1), net of estimated by-product
credits and estimated selling costs, was US$1.10 and $1.12 per
pound of payable copper produced;
- Plant throughput in Q4/09 was similar to that in Q3/09 and
primarily reflects commissioning and optimization of the modified
crushing circuit, which has had a dedicated hydra-cone crusher
installed in anticipation of the Phase IV expansion of the mine;
and
- Completion of the Phase IV pre-feasibility study, demonstrating a
longer life for the Minto Mine and opportunities for further
expansions.
- Kutcho Project:
- Based on the results of a preliminary economic assessment for a
smaller tonnage, higher grade, underground mining operation, the
focus in the latter part of 2009 has been on the two most
significant opportunities for enhanced project economics -
improved metallurgical performance and access to lower cost power.
Metallurgical test programs are underway at both SGS Lakefield and
at Capstone's Cozamin mine metallurgical facilities.
Operating Details - Cozamin Mine
Key operating statistics at the Cozamin Mine for 2009 are presented below:
Capstone Mining - Cozamin Mine Production Statistics
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Total 2009
Q1 2009 Q2 2009 Q3 2009 Q4 2009 (Adjusted)(3)
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Production
(contained in
concentrates)(2)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copper (000s)
pounds 9,813 9,881 8,196 8,934 36,121
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- Lead (000s
pounds) 1,157 2,332 3,193 3,452 10,134
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- Zinc (000s
pounds) 2,386 3,324 5,062 4,704 15,476
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- Silver
(ounces) 317,963 390,639 366,210 387,665 1,462,478
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Mine
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- Tonnes of
ore mined 248,507 243,494 236,803 243,795 972,599
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Mill
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Tonnes
processed 248,325 249,975 236,938 240,490 975,728
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- Tonnes
processed per
day 2,759 2,741 2,581 2,614 2,673
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- Copper grade (%) 1.96 1.92 1.73 1.83 1.84
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- Lead grade (%) 0.33 0.61 0.89 0.93 0.69
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- Zinc grade (%) 0.81 1.01 1.51 1.33 1.17
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- Silver grade
(g/t) 56 66 67 69 64
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Recoveries
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- Copper (%) 91.4 93.4 91.3 92.0 91.2
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- Lead (%) 64.8 69.4 67.6 70.0 68.4
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- Zinc (%) 59.3 59.5 63.2 66.7 61.7
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- Silver (%) 71.0 73.6 72.0 73.1 72.5
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Concentrate
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Copper
concentrate
produced (dmt) 18,461 17,595 14,711 16,221 66,977
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- Copper (%) 24.1 25.5 25.3 25.0 24.5
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- Silver (g/t) 463 561 595 569 571
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- Lead concentrate
produced (dmt) 782 1,500 2,060 2,233 6,575
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- Lead (%) 67.1 70.5 70.3 70.2 69.9
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- Silver (g/t) 1,738 1,511 1,282 1,264 1,382
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- Zinc concentrate
produced (dmt) 2,415 3,312 4,782 4,499 15,008
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- Zinc (%) 44.8 45.5 48.0 47.4 46.8
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On site Operating
Costs
($/t milled)(1) $34.97 $34.03 $38.93 $51.60 $39.79
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Payable pounds
of copper
produced
(000s lbs) 9,405 9,493 7,872 8,577 34,645
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Total cash cost
per pound of
payable copper(1) $1.00 $0.81 $0.75 $0.94 $0.90
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(1) The cash cost per pound of payable copper measure shown is an
estimate of the cash cost on a production basis. This is a non-GAAP
performance measure; please see "Non-GAAP Performance Measure" below.
(2) Adjustments based on final settlements will be made in future
periods.
(3) Some totals will not sum, due to adjustments on final settlements on
copper sales during the year. These adjustments are only reflected in
the year to date column.
Unit operating costs at the Cozamin mine during Q4/09 were higher than earlier in 2009 as a result of additional development following the design and implementation of a more conservative approach to the ground support and back filling of the very wide, high grade areas of the Cozamin deposit in order to ensure long term stability of this critical mining area. In addition, there were additional costs in the quarter for one time equipment rentals and power generation related to the completion of the 115kV power line, and capital equipment purchases that will be done early in 2010, and an accounting provision for employee benefits and profit sharing related to all of calendar 2009.
As previously disclosed, development of very wide (20-30m) high grade areas of the Cozamin deposit were delayed because the wide mineralization extended deeper and wider than anticipated and this mineralization needs to be extracted from the bottom up in order to ensure geotechnical stability. As a result, development needed to be pushed deeper in order to get to the bottom of the high grade before commencing ore extraction and, in the interim, production came from shallower areas with lower copper but higher lead and zinc content. This affected Q3/09 and, to a lesser extent, Q4/09 production and operating costs.
Development of the wider ore zones was completed at the end of Q3/09 and production drilling and ore extraction has been underway throughout Q4/09. Production from these high grade areas has ramped more slowly than was originally projected as a result of a cautious approach to implementing and extracting ore from these critical areas to ensure long term geotechnical stability. A cable bolting and waste backfill ground support system was implemented to support the hanging wall in the wide ore zone and ensure geotechnical stability and reduce risk of dilution. The resulting lower copper production was been somewhat offset by significantly higher than planned lead production as shallower, high lead-zinc stopes were brought back into production following the rapid rise in lead and zinc prices over the past several months.
Given continued high lead and zinc prices, Cozamin will continue to take a flexible approach to production from higher grade lead and zinc areas in order to crystallize profitability from these areas while maintaining overall operational cash flow.
During the three months ended
Operating Details - Minto Mine
Key operating statistics at the Minto Mine for 2009 are presented below:
Capstone Mining - Minto Mine Production Statistics
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Total 2009
Q1 2009 Q2 2009 Q3 2009 Q4 2009 (Adjusted)(5)
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Production(3)
(contained in
concentrates)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Copper (000s
pounds) 16,228 13,178 9,455 15,772 53,657
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- Gold
(ounces)(2) 8,527 7,564 3,698 8,790 28,579
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- Silver
(ounces) 100,714 64,637 45,198 89,218 299,767
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Mining
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Waste
(tonnes) 2,196,728 2,845,300 3,401,120 2,689,363 11,132,511
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- Ore (tonnes) 292,594 289,010 7,698 561,786 1,151,088
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- Total
material mined
(tonnes) 2,489,322 3,134,310 3,408,818 3,251,149 12,283,599
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Milling
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Tonnes
processed 233,529 267,254 269,411 260,996 1,031,190
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- Tonnes
processed
per day 2,595 2,937 2,870 2,837 2,825
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- Copper grade (%) 3.39 2.41 1.76 2.95 2.55
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- Gold grade
(g/t)(2),(3) 1.57 0.97 0.60 1.14 1.14
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- Silver grade
(g/t) 16.0 9.6 6.7 12.7 11.0
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Recoveries
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Copper (%) 93.0 92.6 91.9 92.4 92.6
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- Gold (%)(2),(3) 72.8 71.9 71.6 83.7 75.3
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- Silver (%) 83.5 79.6 80.0 83.4 81.9
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Concentrate
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Dry tonnes
produced 17,283 14,667 10,834 17,079 59,863
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- Copper grade (%) 42.6 40.8 40.3 41.9 40.7
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- Gold grade
(g/t)(2),(3) 15.5 12.5 10.3 16.0 14.9
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- Silver grade
(g/t) 183 139 133 163 156
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On site Operating
Costs(1)
($/t milled)(4) $47.85 $44.52 $42.72 $55.42 $47.64
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Payable pounds of
copper produced
(000s lbs) 15,700 12,749 9,147 15,252 51,913
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Total cash cost
per pound(1)
of payable
copper(4) $0.87 $1.09 $1.48 $1.10 $1.12
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(1) The cash cost per pound of payable copper measure shown is an
estimate of the cash cost on a production basis. This is a non- GAAP
performance measure; please see "Non-GAAP Performance Measure" below.
(2) Gold is not assayed on site, resulting in a significant lag in
receiving this data.
(3) Adjustments based on final settlements will be made in future
periods.
(4) Minto's operating costs are adjusted to exclude mining of ore and
waste not related to concentrate produced in the period, these costs
are capitalized or inventoried in the financial statements, then
expensed when the associated ore is processed.
(5) Some totals will not sum, due to adjustments on final settlements on
copper sales during the year. These adjustments are only reflected in
the year to date column.
The Minto Mine made excellent progress in recovering from the production shortfalls encountered in Q3/09 related to excess water diverted into the open pit and subsequently treated and discharged. While mill throughput remained strong at levels seen in the prior two quarters, the installation and commissioning of a new hydra-cone crusher to provide secondary crushing ahead of the SAG mill, in line with the Phase IV expansion study recommendation limited overall net mill throughput for the period and this set up is still being optimized in Q1/10.
Unit operating costs for the Minto Mine in Q4/09 were higher than in prior quarters due to impact of Capstone's decision to accelerate mining with extended shift schedules in order to ensure maximum ore extraction from the pit prior to freshet in 2010 so that any resulting impact on production can be avoided or minimized. As a result of this decision, accelerated extraction of ore and waste from the Phase 4 push back in the pit, with the higher strip ratio related to the Phase 4 push back, increased operating costs, even after adjustments for stockpiling and inventory adjustments. In addition, on an annual basis, the strengthening of the Canadian dollar relative to the US$ (up 15.9%) affects Minto's operating costs, which are reported in US$ but mostly incurred in Canadian dollars.
During the three months ended
Minto PFS
As announced
Outlook
The production guidance for 2010 was provided in a news release dated
2009 Financial Results Timing
Capstone will report its 2009 financial results after market close on
Conference call and webcast details are as follows:
Date: Thursday, March 25, 2010
Time: 8:00 AM Pacific Time (11:00 AM Eastern Time)
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The TSX does not accept any responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.
(1) These are non-GAAP performance measures and readers should refer to
Non-GAAP Performance Measures note at the end of this news release
for further details.
Forward-Looking Information
This document may contain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the
Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect Company management's expectations or beliefs regarding future events and include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the estimation of mineral reserves and resources, the realization of mineral reserve estimates, the timing and amount of estimated future production, costs of production, capital expenditures, success of mining operations, environmental risks, unanticipated reclamation expenses, title disputes or claims and limitations on insurance coverage. In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative of these terms or comparable terminology. By their very nature forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, risks related to actual results of current exploration activities; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; future prices of resources; possible variations in ore reserves, grade or recovery rates; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities; as well as those factors detailed from time to time in the Company's interim and annual financial statements and management's discussion and analysis of those statements, all of which are filed and available for review on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.
Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements.
43-101 Compliance
Unless otherwise indicated, Capstone has prepared the technical information in this news release ("Technical Information") based on information contained in the technical reports and news releases (collectively the "Disclosure Documents") available under Capstone Mining Corp.'s and
The following employees of Capstone, each a Qualified Person, reviewed Technical Information contained in this news release:
(1) Non-GAAP Performance Measures
"Total Cash Cost per Pound of Payable Copper" and "On site operating costs per tonne milled" are Non-GAAP Performance Measures. These performance measures are included because these statistics are key performance measures that management uses to monitor performance. Management uses these statistics to assess how the Company is performing to plan and to assess the overall effectiveness and efficiency of mining operations. These performance measures do not have a meaning within GAAP and, therefore, amounts presented may not be comparable to similar data presented by other mining companies. These performance measures should not be considered in isolation as a substitute for measures of performance in accordance with GAAP.
For further information: about Capstone, please contact: Darren Pylot, Vice Chairman & CEO or Stephen Quin, President & COO Or Jason Howe, VP, Investor Relations, at (604) 684-8894 or toll free at (866) 684-8894, [email protected]
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