Allied Nevada Reports Q3 2011 Net Income of $14.7 Million ($0.16/Share)
Adjusted Cash Cost(1) of $478 Per Ounce for the Third Quarter of 2011
(firmenpresse) - RENO, NEVADA -- (Marketwire) -- 11/07/11 -- Allied Nevada Gold Corp. ("Allied Nevada" or the "Company") (TSX: ANV)(NYSE Amex: ANV) is pleased to report its financial and operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011. The results presented in this press release should be read in conjunction with the Company's Form 10-Q (quarterly report) filed on SEDAR and EDGAR and posted on Allied Nevada's website at . The financial results are based on United States GAAP and are expressed in U.S. dollars.
Third Quarter Achievements & Milestones:
Third Quarter Financial and Operating Highlights:
Operations Update
Key operating statistics for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011, compared with the same periods in 2010, are as follows:
Gold production in the third quarter of 2011 of 26,339 ounces was below expectation, while silver production of 121,264 ounces for the third quarter continued to exceed expectation. Gold production in the third quarter was impacted by delays in receipt of additional equipment to increase the pumping capacity of solution to upper lifts of the leach pad. This eight-week delay has resulted in the mine being approximately 15,000 ounces behind schedule on gold production. Similarly, year-to-date gold production is below expectation. The mine reported no safety or environmental incidents in the first nine months of 2011 and, as of October 2011, the mine has achieved two full years without a lost time accident.
Hycroft production increased in the third quarter with 8.2 million tons of material mined, including 4.7 million tons of ore at average grades of 0.012 opt gold and 0.256 opt silver. The mining rate steadily increased in the quarter with the addition of the new larger capacity shovels and more efficient production drilling equipment. The strip ratio in the third quarter increased 43% from June to September as the mine moved more waste material from the Cut-5 pit. Average gold grades mined in the third quarter of 2011 were as expected, but lower when compared with the third quarter of 2010 as mining activities continue in a lower grade phase of the Brimstone pit. Average silver grades were significantly better than expected and higher when compared with the same period in 2010. Historical drilling, which makes up a large component of the Brimstone deposit database, had limited silver assay data and thus the model continues to underestimate silver grades. The mine placed approximately 160,478 contained ounces of gold (recoverable - 90,830 ounces) and 3,582,422 ounces of silver (recoverable - 358,242 ounces) on the leach pads in the nine months ended September 30, 2011.
Implementation of the accelerated heap leach mining expansion plan is progressing well. Expansion of the Merrill-Crowe plant to increase solution processing capacity from 3,500 gpm to 5,000 gpm is completed. Completion of the pumping station to increase solution flow up to the higher lifts of the leach pad was completed in October. The Lewis leach pad construction is nearing completion and it is expected that the mine will begin placing ore by early Q1 2012. Construction of the new truck shop capable of servicing the larger mining equipment is on track to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2011. The mine placed into operation two additional 320-ton haul trucks, bringing the total to seven 320-ton trucks and seven 200-ton trucks currently in operation. The mine also placed the first of three Hitachi EX5500 large capacity shovels into operation in the third quarter of 2011, adding to the two Hitachi EX3500 shovels currently in operation.
Adjusted cash costs(1) of $478 was in-line with expectation. Year-to-date 2011, adjusted cash costs(1) of $486 is in-line with stated full year guidance of $450-$490 per ounce and the Company remains on track to meet the higher end of that range. Better than expected silver revenue byproduct credits from the increased silver production have been offset by the increased operating costs resulting from the utilization of smaller loading units. Unit costs are trending down with the introduction of the new mining equipment late in the third quarter, which will provide ongoing operating efficiencies. Mining and processing costs decreased approximately 20% and 8%, respectively, in September when compared with June, 2011, reflecting utilization of the more efficient mining equipment.
Exploration
At Hycroft, the Company completed 20,783 feet of drilling in 76 holes in the third quarter of 2011. The primary focus for the third quarter drill program was to continue infill and engineering drilling in support of detailed engineering for the mill expansion project. Results of the third quarter drill program continue to include long intervals of mineralization at or above average resource grade mineralization. Drilling for the remainder of 2011 will continue to be focused on infill drilling and condemnation drilling related to the mill expansion project with limited step-out drilling to test geophysical anomalies.
At Hasbrouck, the Company drilled 26 holes in the third quarter of 2011 totaling 22,600 feet. Drilling in the third quarter focused on understanding the extent of the mineralization in the high-grade Saddle Zone and following up on suspected higher grade targets. This drilling was successful in expanding the Saddle Zone along strike, while the zone remains open along a northeast-southwest trend and at depth. New higher grade zones of mineralization were also identified through drilling in the second quarter, including the discovery of the Franco Zone to the east (announced in the July 19, 2011, press release). Follow-up drilling has also extended these zones along strike and at depth. Drilling for the remainder of the year will focus on further definition of these zones.
2011 Outlook
Hycroft Operations
In 2011, we expect Hycroft to mine approximately 35.0 million tons of material, including 19.0 million tons of ore at average grades of 0.013 opt gold. The average grades in 2011 are expected to be lower than those mined in 2010 as the mine moves through a lower grade phase of mining of the Brimstone pit.
Delays in receiving mining equipment have negatively impacted production at Hycroft. The first Hitachi shovel went into operation six months behind schedule and the second shovel is expected to be in operation in December of 2011, four months behind schedule. Delays in the delivery of critical pumping equipment required to increase the solution flow to higher lifts of the leach pad have resulted in the mine being approximately 15,000 ounces behind schedule on gold production. Two haul trucks were one month behind schedule due to issues experienced upon commissioning. Reflecting the impact of the delayed equipment delivery, Allied Nevada is revising full year 2011 production guidance to approximately 100,000 ounces.
Adjusted cash costs(1) for 2011 are expected to be at the higher end of the previously stated range of $450-$490 per ounce. Unit costs are trending down with the introduction of the new mining equipment which provides additional operating efficiencies. Adjusted cash costs(1) in the fourth quarter are expected to continue to benefit from these ongoing improvements.
Production has been increasing steadily with the addition of the first large Hitachi EX5500 shovel and is expected to continue increasing through the remainder of the year. Adjusted cash cost(1) per ounce is expected to be higher in 2011 as compared to 2010 due to higher commodity price expectations, a lower grade mining phase and an increased waste mining rate as the mine continues to ramp up the oxide expansion.
Major Capital Programs
Capital additions in 2011 are expected to total approximately $110 million. Significant capital projects include the following: expansion of the mobile equipment fleet at Hycroft with additional 320-ton haul trucks and larger capacity shovels ($53 million); support building improvements, increased process plant capacity modifications and ongoing leach pad expansion at Hycroft ($22 million); capitalized stripping and drilling ($9 million); and other capitalized spending of $26 million. As announced in October 2011, a significant portion of the mobile equipment has been financed through capital leases. As of September 30, 2011, approximately $87.2 million of the 2011 capital program associated with the Hycroft accelerated heap leach project has been spent or committed, inclusive of the capital leases for mobile mining equipment.
The Company continues to implement near and long-term opportunities to increase production, reduce costs, and extend the life of the Hycroft mine. These initiatives include:
Conference Call Information
Allied Nevada will host a conference call to discuss these results on Monday, November 7, 2011, at 8:00 am PT (11:00 am ET), which will be followed by a question and answer session.
An audio recording of the call will be archived on our website at .
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Information
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 and the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and the equivalent under Canadian securities laws), that are intended to be covered by the safe harbor created by such sections. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the Company's expectations concerning its development and the timing, results and benefits of exploration, operations, drill programs, Hycroft expansion, construction activities and economics and engineering assessments and feasibility studies; expectations regarding the expected timing, cost and financing of exploration spending and equipment and the anticipated benefits of such items; potential growth and optimization opportunities; the completion, costs and benefits of expansions at Hycroft; the potential for confirming, upgrading and expanding oxide gold and silver mineralized material at Hycroft; mineral reserve and resource estimates; cost and expense estimates, estimates of gold and silver grades and waste mined; the overall strip ratio; the silver to gold production ratio; estimates of recovery rates; the life of the Hycroft mine and the cash flow generated by the property; the amount and timing of future gold and silver production and sales from the Hycroft mine and the associated cost of sales and adjusted cash costs; commodity prices; the sufficiency of current oxide reserves; expectations regarding the Company's future capital requirements and expenditures and the sources and adequacy of liquidity available to the Company; and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements address activities, events or developments that Allied Nevada expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, and are based on current expectations and assumptions.
Although Allied Nevada management believes that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that these expectations will prove correct. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, among others, risks relating to Allied Nevada's lack of operating history; risks that Allied Nevada's acquisition, exploration and property advancement efforts will not be successful; risks relating to fluctuations in the price of gold and silver; the inherently hazardous nature of mining-related activities; uncertainties concerning mineral reserve and resource estimates; availability of outside contractors in connection with Hycroft and other activities; uncertainties relating to obtaining approvals and permits from governmental regulatory authorities; and availability and timing of capital for financing the Company's exploration and development activities, including uncertainty of being able to raise capital on favorable terms or at all; as well as those factors discussed in Allied Nevada's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") including Allied Nevada's latest Annual Report on Form 10-K and its other SEC filings (and Canadian filings) including, without limitation, its latest Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. The Company does not intend to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.
Non-GAAP Measures
Adjusted cash costs is a non-GAAP measure, calculated on a per ounce of gold sold basis, and includes all normal direct and indirect operating cash costs related directly to the physical activities of producing gold, including mining, processing, third party refining expenses, on-site administrative and support costs, royalties, and mining production taxes, net of by-product revenue earned from silver sales. Adjusted cash costs provides management and investors with a measure to assess the Company's performance against other precious metals companies and performance of the mining operations over multiple periods. Non-GAAP measures do not have any standardized meaning prescribed by GAAP and, therefore, may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. Accordingly, the above measures are intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with GAAP. For further information, see our audited financial statements filed with our annual report on Form 10-K/A.
The table below presents a reconciliation between non-GAAP adjusted cash costs to costs of sales (GAAP) for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2011, (in thousands, except ounces sold):
Consent of Qualified Person
Mr. David C. Flint, Vice President, Exploration for Allied Nevada and AIPG Certified Professional Geologist #10360, is Allied Nevada's Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101. He has supervised the preparation of the technical information and has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release.
(1) Allied Nevada uses the non-GAAP financial measures "adjusted cash cost" in this document. Please see the section titled "Non-GAAP Measures" for further information regarding these measures.
(2) See "Technical Report - Allied Nevada Gold Corp., Hycroft Mine, Winnemucca, Nevada, USA" dated October 5, 2011, and filed on SEDAR and posted on Allied Nevada's website.
Contacts:
Allied Nevada Gold Corp.
Scott Caldwell
President & CEO
(775) 358-4455
Allied Nevada Gold Corp.
Tracey Thom
Vice President, Investor Relations
(775) 789-0119
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Datum: 07.11.2011 - 12:00 Uhr
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