TORONTO, Aug. 01, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd. (TSX: WDO) (“Wesdome” or the “Company”) today announces second quarter (“Q2 2018”) financial results. All figures are stated in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted.
Mr. Duncan Middlemiss, President and CEO, commented, “The Eagle River Complex continues to outperform. 2018 production guidance was originally forecast to range between 62,000 – 68,000 ounces of gold. With gold production in Q2 at 16,628 ounces, this brings our H1 2018 total gold production to 34,576 ounces, which is ahead of our internal expectations by 15%. As a result, we are raising 2018 production guidance to 70,000 – 75,000 ounces. Production in the second half the year is expected to be bolstered by the commencement of stope production in the high grade 303 lens. Operating and all-in sustaining costs (“AISC”) for Q2 of $886 per ounce and $1,242 per ounce were 7% and 11% below the low end of our cost guidance, respectively. Accordingly, we are lowering operating cost guidance to $925 – $1,000 per ounce (US$720 – $770) and All-in Sustaining Costs to $1,350 – $1,425 per ounce (US$1,050 – 1,100). Free cash flow generation during Q2, after incurring $5.1 million of exploration expenditures at Kiena, was $2.0 million, the third consecutive quarter of free cash flow generation.”
“At Kiena, drilling continues to return high grade results at economic widths, and we intend to release a resource update by the end of the year. As previously announced, we have also decided to immediately extend four drill drifts located off of the exploration ramp by a total of 450 metres in order to effectively test the size of this deposit and complete infill drilling more quickly. Additionally, this development could be useful for production purposes in a restart scenario. With a current cash balance of $26.7M, we are well positioned to continue our development plans for both the Eagle River Complex and Kiena Mine.”
Key operating and financial highlights in Q2 2018 include:
- Gold production of 16,628 ounces from the Eagle River Complex, a 33% increase over the same period in the previous year (Q2 2017: 12,529 ounces):
- Eagle River Underground – 43,378 tonnes at a head grade of 11.0 grams per tonne (“g/t Au”) for 14,767 ounces produced, a 39% increase over the previous year (Q2 2017: 10,597 ounces).
- Mishi Open Pit – 25,233 tonnes at a head grade of 2.7 g/t Au for 1,860 ounces produced (Q2 2017: 1,932 ounces).
- Revenue of $31.4 million, a 35% increase over the previous year (Q2 2017: $23.2 million).
- Ounces sold 18,573 at an average sales price of $1,692/oz (Q2 2017: 13,030 ounces at an average price of $1,715/oz).
- Cash costs1 of $886/oz or US$686/oz, a 30% decrease over the same period in 2017 (Q2 2017: $1,264/oz or US$940/oz).
- AISC 1 of $1,242/oz or US$962/oz, a 28% decrease over the same period
- Earned mine profit1 of $15.0 million, a 2.5 times increase over Q2 2017 (Q2 2017 – $5.9 million).
- Operating cash flow of $12.4 million or $0.09 per share1, a 2.1 times increase over the previous year (Q2 2017: $5.9 million or $0.04 per share).
- Free cash flow of $2.0 million or $0.01 per share1 (Q2 2017: outflow of $4.6 million or ($0.03) per share).
- Net income of $5.7 million or $0.04 per share (Q2 2017: $0.9 million or $0.01 per share). Net income (adjusted) 1 for Q2 2018 was also $5.7 million or $0.04 per share.
- Cash position of $26.7 million.
- Refer to the Company’s 2018 Interim Management Discussion and Analysis for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018, section entitled “Non-IFRS Performance Measures” for the reconciliation of these non-IFRS measurements to the financial statements.
| Exploration Highlights for Q2 2018 |
Eagle River
|
Kiena
|
Technical Disclosure
The technical content of this release has been compiled, reviewed and approved by Marc-Andre Pelletier, P. Eng, Chief Operating Officer, and Michael Michaud, P.Geo., Vice President, Exploration of the Company and each a “Qualified Person” as defined in National Instrument 43-101 –Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.
Cautionary Note to United States Investors Concerning Estimates of Reserves and Resources
The mineral reserve and resource estimates reported in this news release were prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”) as required by Canadian securities regulatory authorities. The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) applies different standards in order to classify and report mineralization. This news release uses the terms “measured”, “indicated” and “inferred” mineral resources, as required by NI 43-101. Readers are advised that although such terms are recognized and required by Canadian securities regulations, the SEC does not recognize such terms. Canadian standards differ significantly from the requirements of the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of the mineral deposits in these categories constitute or will ever be converted into mineral reserves. In addition, “inferred” mineral resources have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource exists, is economically or legally mineable or will ever be upgraded to a higher category of mineral resource.
2018 Second Quarter Financial Results Conference Call:
The Company’s 2018 Second Quarter Financial Results conference call will take place on August 2, 2018 at 10:00 am. ET. Conference details are found below.
North American Toll Free: + 1 (844) 202-7109
International Dial-In Number: +1 (703) 639-1272
Conference ID: 2380168
Webcast link: https://edge.media-server.com/m6/p/9pgj77gj
A webcast of the earnings call can also be accessed under the News and Events section of the Company’s website (www.wesdome.com)
Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd.
Summarized Operating and Financial Data
(Unaudited, expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars, except per share and per unit amounts and otherwise indicated)
| Three Months Ended | Six Months Ended | |||||||||
| June 30, | Jun 30, | |||||||||
| 2018 | 2017 | 2018 | 2017 | |||||||
| Operating data | ||||||||||
| Milling (tonnes) | ||||||||||
| Eagle River | 43,378 | 34,960 | 87,858 | 73,538 | ||||||
| Mishi | 25,233 | 39,117 | 58,079 | 75,758 | ||||||
| Throughput 2 | 68,610 | 74,077 | 145,937 | 149,296 | ||||||
| Head grades (g/t) | ||||||||||
| Eagle River | 11.0 | 9.8 | 11.5 | 10.7 | ||||||
| Mishi | 2.7 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 1.8 | ||||||
| Recovery (%) | ||||||||||
| Eagle River | 96.2 | 96.3 | 95.8 | 95.7 | ||||||
| Mishi | 83.6 | 83.1 | 82.7 | 82.1 | ||||||
| Production (ounces) | ||||||||||
| Eagle River | 14,767 | 10,597 | 31,166 | 24,185 | ||||||
| Mishi | 1,860 | 1,932 | 3,411 | 3,506 | ||||||
| Total gold produced 2 | 16,628 | 12,529 | 34,576 | 27,691 | ||||||
| Total gold sales (ounces) | 18,573 | 13,030 | 34,003 | 25,350 | ||||||
| Eagle River Complex (per ounce of gold sold) 1 | ||||||||||
| Average realized price | $ | 1,692 | $ | 1,715 | $ | 1,694 | $ | 1,674 | ||
| Cash costs | 886 | 1,264 | 937 | 1,201 | ||||||
| Cash margin | $ | 806 | $ | 451 | $ | 757 | $ | 473 | ||
| All-in Sustaining Costs 1 | $ | 1,242 | $ | 1,718 | $ | 1,288 | $ | 1,667 | ||
| Mine operating costs/tonne milled 1 | $ | 225 | $ | 215 | $ | 216 | $ | 214 | ||
| Average 1 USD ? CAD exchange rate | 1.2911 | 1.3449 | 1.2781 | 1.3351 | ||||||
| Cash costs per ounce of gold sold (US$) 1 | $ | 686 | $ | 940 | $ | 733 | $ | 899 | ||
| All-in Sustaining Costs (US$) 1 | $ | 962 | $ | 1,277 | $ | 1,007 | $ | 1,249 | ||
| Financial Data | ||||||||||
| Mine profit 1 | $ | 14,957 | $ | 5,883 | $ | 25,731 | $ | 12,010 | ||
| Net income | $ | 5,725 | $ | 863 | $ | 8,584 | $ | 1,558 | ||
| Net income adjusted 1 | $ | 5,725 | $ | 863 | $ | 8,584 | $ | 1,558 | ||
| Operating cash flow | $ | 12,422 | $ | 5,898 | $ | 24,845 | $ | 10,216 | ||
| Free cash flow | $ | 1,962 | $ | (4,619 | ) | $ | 5,178 | $ | (10,561 | ) |
| Per share data | ||||||||||
| Net income | $ | 0.04 | $ | 0.01 | $ | 0.06 | $ | 0.01 | ||
| Adjusted net earnings 1 | $ | 0.04 | $ | 0.01 | $ | 0.06 | $ | 0.01 | ||
| Operating cash flow | $ | 0.09 | $ | 0.04 | $ | 0.19 | $ | 0.08 | ||
| Free cash flow 1 | $ | 0.01 | $ | (0.03 | ) | $ | 0.04 | $ | (0.08 | ) |
Notes
- Refer to the Company’s Interim Management Discussion and Analysis for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2018, section entitled “Non-IFRS Performance Measures” for the reconciliation of these non-IFRS measurements to the financial statements.
- Totals for tonnage and gold ounces information may not add due to rounding.
Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd.
Consolidated Statements of Financial Position (Unaudited)
(Expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)
| June 30, 2018 | December 31, 2017 | ||||||
| Assets | |||||||
| Current | |||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 26,719 | $ | 22,092 | |||
| Receivables and prepaids | 444 | 3,821 | |||||
| Tax receivable | 2,000 | 1,932 | |||||
| Inventories | 6,374 | 5,314 | |||||
| Total current assets | 35,537 | 33,159 | |||||
| Deferred income tax assets | 1,855 | 5,450 | |||||
| Mining properties, plant and equipment | 85,635 | 81,375 | |||||
| Exploration properties | 69,992 | 59,929 | |||||
| Total assets | $ | 193,019 | $ | 179,913 | |||
| Liabilities | |||||||
| Current | |||||||
| Payables and accruals | $ | 16,238 | $ | 17,003 | |||
| Mining and income taxes payable | 1,185 | 671 | |||||
| Current portion of obligations under finance leases | 3,593 | 2,541 | |||||
| Total current liabilities | 21,016 | 20,215 | |||||
| Obligations under finance leases | 4,826 | 3,983 | |||||
| Deferred mining tax liability | 6,830 | 6,300 | |||||
| Decommissioning provisions | 11,400 | 11,192 | |||||
| Total liabilities | 44,072 | 41,690 | |||||
| Equity | |||||||
| Equity attributable to owners of the Company | |||||||
| Capital stock | |||||||