Porgera Gold Mine Set to Restart Production This Month
11 December 2023 - 2:00PM
Barrick Gold Corporation (NYSE:GOLD)(TSX:ABX) announced today that
the Porgera mine in Papua New Guinea (PNG) is set to resume
operations later this month and is expected to start pouring gold
again in the first quarter of 2024.
This follows the satisfaction of the conditions to
the Porgera Project Commencement Agreement, in which a new
ownership structure was agreed.
Barrick president and chief executive Mark Bristow
said the reopening of the mine represented another victory for the
company’s host-country partnership model which had been very
successful in Tanzania and had also been adopted for its new Reko
Diq copper and gold project in Pakistan.
“It’s been a long journey but in the process we
have secured the buy-in of all the stakeholders and we look forward
to steering the mine back to world-class production. It undoubtedly
has the potential to join our Tier One1 gold mine portfolio, the
largest of its kind in the industry,” he said.
The equity in New Porgera is shared 51% by PNG
stakeholders, including local landowners and the Enga provincial
government, and 49% by Barrick Niugini Limited (BNL), a joint
venture between Barrick and Zijin of China. BNL will operate the
mine. The PNG shareholders will receive 53% of Porgera’s overall
economic benefits. At an assumed gold price of $1,800 per ounce,
this is expected to amount to more than $7 billion over the mine’s
projected 20-year life.
Speaking at the PNG Resources & Energy
Investment Conference in Sydney, Australia, today, prime minister
James Marape hailed the revival of a major contributor to the
country’s economy. The partnership structure gives PNG stakeholders
a majority interest in a key resource for the first time.
Enquiries:
Investor and Media RelationsKathy du Plessis+44 20
7557 7738Email: barrick@dpapr.com
Website: www.barrick.com
Endnote:
- A Tier One Gold Asset is an asset with
a $1,300/oz reserve potential to deliver a minimum 10-year life,
annual production of at least 500,000 ounces of gold and with
all-in sustaining costs per ounce in the lower half of the industry
cost curve.
Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking
Information
Certain information contained or incorporated by
reference in this press release, including any information as to
our strategy, projects, plans or future financial or operating
performance, constitutes “forward-looking statements”. All
statements, other than statements of historical fact, are
forward-looking statements. The words “set”, “expect”, “follows”,
“potential”, “secure”, “steer”, “will”, “create”, “project”, “look
forward” and similar expressions identify forward-looking
statements. In particular, this press release contains
forward-looking statements including, without limitation, with
respect to: progress toward the resumption of operations at the
Porgera mine under the Porgera Project Commencement Agreement and
the potential to resume operations at Porgera by the end of 2023
and pour gold by the first quarter of 2024; the potential for
Porgera to achieve Tier One status in Barrick’s gold mine
portfolio; forecasted production from the Porgera mine and the
sharing of projected economic benefits from Porgera with PNG
stakeholders under the new equity ownership structure; the success
of Barrick’s host-country partnership model in Papua New Guinea;
Barrick’s future plans, growth potential, financial strength,
investments and overall strategy; and expectations regarding future
price assumptions, financial performance, shareholder returns, life
of mine and other outlook or guidance.
Forward-looking statements are necessarily based
upon a number of estimates and assumptions including material
estimates and assumptions related to the factors set forth below
that, while considered reasonable by the Company as at the date of
this press release in light of management’s experience and
perception of current conditions and expected developments, are
inherently subject to significant business, economic and
competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Known and unknown
factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those
projected in the forward-looking statements and undue reliance
should not be placed on such statements and information. Such
factors include, but are not limited to: fluctuations in the spot
and forward price of gold, copper or certain other commodities
(such as silver, diesel fuel, natural gas and electricity); risks
associated with projects in the early stages of evaluation and for
which additional engineering and other analysis is required; the
timeline to implement the Commencement Agreement between Papua New
Guinea and BNL; the duration of the temporary suspension of
operations at Porgera, the conditions for the reopening of the mine
and the timeline to recommence operations; risks related to the
possibility that future exploration results will not be consistent
with the Company’s expectations, that quantities or grades of
reserves will be diminished, and that resources may not be
converted to reserves; changes in mineral production performance,
exploitation and exploration successes; risks that exploration data
may be incomplete and considerable additional work may be required
to complete further evaluation, including but not limited to
drilling, engineering and socioeconomic studies and investment;
lack of certainty with respect to foreign legal systems, corruption
and other factors that are inconsistent with the rule of law in
Papua New Guinea; changes in national and local government
legislation, taxation, controls or regulations and/or changes in
the administration of laws, policies and practices; expropriation
or nationalization of property and political or economic
developments in Papua New Guinea or other countries in which
Barrick does or may carry on business in the future; non-renewal of
key licenses by governmental authorities; failure to comply with
environmental and health and safety laws and regulations; contests
over title to properties, particularly title to undeveloped
properties, or over access to water, power and other required
infrastructure; the liability associated with risks and hazards in
the mining industry, and the ability to maintain insurance to cover
such losses; increased costs and physical risks, including extreme
weather events and resource shortages, related to climate change;
damage to the Company’s reputation due to the actual or perceived
occurrence of any number of events, including negative publicity
with respect to the Company’s handling of environmental matters or
dealings with community groups, whether true or not; litigation and
legal and administrative proceedings; operating or technical
difficulties in connection with mining or development activities,
including geotechnical challenges, tailings dam and storage
facilities failures, and disruptions in the maintenance or
provision of required infrastructure and information technology
systems; increased costs, delays, suspensions and technical
challenges associated with the construction of capital projects;
risks associated with working with partners in jointly controlled
assets; risks related to disruption of supply routes which may
cause delays in construction and mining activities, including
disruptions in the supply of key mining inputs due to the invasion
of Ukraine by Russia; risk of loss due to acts of war, terrorism,
sabotage and civil disturbances; risks associated with artisanal
and illegal mining; risks associated with Barrick’s infrastructure,
information technology systems and the implementation of Barrick’s
technological initiatives; the impact of inflation, including
global inflationary pressures driven by supply chain disruptions
caused by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and global energy cost
increases following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia; the ability
of management to implement its business strategy and enhanced
political risk in certain jurisdictions; uncertainty whether some
or all of Barrick's targeted investments and projects will meet the
Company’s capital allocation objectives and internal hurdle rate;
employee relations including loss of key employees; availability
and increased costs associated with mining inputs and labor; and
risks associated with diseases, epidemics and pandemics, including
the effects and potential effects of the global Covid-19
pandemic.
Many of these uncertainties and contingencies can
affect our actual results and could cause actual results to differ
materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking
statements made by, or on behalf of, us. Readers are cautioned that
forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future
performance. All of the forward-looking statements made in this
press release are qualified by these cautionary statements.
Specific reference is made to the most recent Form 40-F/Annual
Information Form on file with the SEC and Canadian provincial
securities regulatory authorities for a more detailed discussion of
some of the factors underlying forward-looking statements and the
risks that may affect Barrick’s ability to achieve the expectations
set forth in the forward-looking statements contained in this press
release.
We disclaim any intention or obligation to update
or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise, except as required by
applicable law.
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