DENVER, Jan. 14, 2016 /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 twelve months ended December
31, 2015. Total concentrate production for Mount
Milligan for the three months ended December
31, 2015 was 39.1 thousand dry tonnes, with 19.5 million
pounds of payable copper and 58.3 thousand ounces of payable gold,
which represents an increase of approximately 8% and 42%,
respectively, from payable copper and gold production for the three
months ended December 31, 2014.
Total concentrate production for Mount Milligan for the twelve
months ended December 31, 2015 was
140.7 thousand dry tonnes, with 71.4 million pounds of payable
copper and 218.1 thousand ounces of payable gold, which represents
increases of approximately 11% and 23%, respectively, from payable
copper and gold production for the twelve months ended December 31, 2014.
During the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2015, the Company completed three
and fifteen shipments of copper and gold concentrate, respectively,
and recognized three and fifteen sales, respectively.
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Q1
2015
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Q2
2015
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Q3
2015
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Q4
2015
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Fiscal
Year
2015
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Copper and
Gold
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Mount Milligan
Mine
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Average Daily Mill
Throughput (tonnes)
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39,569
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44,940
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44,077
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48,176
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44,214
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Mill Availability
(%)
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87.3%
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91.2%
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90.2%
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90.6%
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89.8%
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Copper ore grade
(%)
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0.26%
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0.28%
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0.25%
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0.27%
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0.26%
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Copper recovery
(%)
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79.3%
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85.5%
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76.1%
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79.3%
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80.2%
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Copper payable
production (million lbs)
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15.4
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20.2
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16.3
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19.5
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71.4
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Copper sold (million
lbs)
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14.8
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21.2
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24.4
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16.1
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76.5
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Gold ore grade (g per
tonne)
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0.63
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0.65
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0.64
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0.63
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0.64
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Gold recovery
(%)
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66.7%
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72.7%
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67.3%
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67.3%
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68.6%
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Gold payable
production (000's ounces)
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46.1
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59.9
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53.8
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58.3
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218.1
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Gold sold (000's
ounces)
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36.8
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57.9
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75.4
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51.8
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221.9
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Molybdenum
Sold
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Company
Mines
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Molybdenum sold
(million lbs)
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2.5
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0.6
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0.6
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0.2
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3.9
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Third-Party
Sourced
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1.8
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1.6
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2.4
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2.4
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8.2
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Total Molybdenum Sold
(million lbs)
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4.3
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2.2
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3.0
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2.6
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12.1
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"We are very pleased with our 2015 achievements, including our
company-wide safety performance and operational performance at the
Mount Milligan Mine," said Jacques
Perron, President and Chief Executive Officer of Thompson
Creek. "Our safety performance improved tremendously compared
to previous years, which is directly attributable to the hard work
and dedication of our employees. We praise all of our
employees as they have embraced our objective to make Thompson
Creek one of the safest mining companies in the industry."
During December, average daily mill throughput at the Mount
Milligan Mine was 51,677 tonnes, with an average of 45,097 tonnes
during the first half of the month and 57,847 tonnes during the
second half of the month. Additionally, average daily mill
throughput for the last week of December was 61,212 tonnes, with
the highest day in December of 64,478 tonnes. To date in January,
daily mill throughput has averaged 59,862 tonnes. The Company
expects mill throughput to fluctuate from time to time due to
maintenance shutdowns and other operational matters, and results
for any period are not necessarily indicative of future
results.
"At the Mount Milligan Mine, we achieved our goal and completed
the ramp up process at year-end 2015 with average daily mill
throughput above 60,000 tonnes," said Mr. Perron. "This is a
great achievement and we thank all of our employees for their
tenacity during this two-year endeavor. We look forward to
continuing to optimize the operation and expect to make a decision
on the construction of the permanent secondary crusher during the
first quarter of 2016."
Mr. Perron continued, "We expect to announce our 2015 financial
results in late February, and anticipate our 2015 unit cash cost at
the Mount Milligan Mine on a by-product basis to be at the low end
of guidance."
The table below reflects the Company's production and cost
guidance for fiscal year 2016. The payable production estimates are
based on the 2016 mine plan at the Mount Milligan Mine. Based
on recent and continuing weakness in the copper price and the
relative strength of the gold price, together with management's
expectations of metals prices in 2016, the mine plan will emphasize
production from zones with a higher gold grade.
2016 Production
and Cash Cost Guidance (1) (2)
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Year
Ending
December 31,
2016
(Estimated)
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Mount Milligan
Mine Copper and Gold
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Concentrate
production (000's dry tonnes)
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125 - 135
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Copper payable
production (000's lb)
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55,000 -
65,000
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Gold payable
production (000's oz)
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240 - 270
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Unit cash cost -
By-product ($/payable lb copper produced):
(3)
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$0.25 -
$0.70
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Cash Capital
Expenditures ($ in millions, plus or minus 10%):
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Mount Milligan
operations
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$5
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Mount Milligan
tailings dam
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$20
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Mount Milligan
secondary crusher (4)
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$27
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Total capital
expenditures
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$52
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(1)
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Estimates for cash
costs and capital expenditures assume an average foreign exchange
rate of US$1.00 = C$1.35 for 2016.
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(2)
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The Company's
molybdenum business is assumed to be at or near cash neutral,
including capital expenditures.
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(3)
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Assumes gold
by-product credits at a weighted average gold price of $750/oz,
which takes into account the $435/oz under the Royal Gold
Agreement.
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(4)
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If the Company moves
forward with the construction of the permanent secondary crusher in
2016, this amount is expected to increase by approximately $20
million.
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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
Certain statements in this news release, other than purely
historical information are "forward-looking statements" within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995,
Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and applicable Canadian securities
legislation and are intended to be covered by the safe harbor
provided by these regulations. These forward-looking statements
can, in some cases, be identified by the use of such terms as
"believe," "project," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend,"
"strategy," "future," "opportunity," "plan," "may," "should,"
"will," "would," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result,"
and similar expressions. Our forward-looking statements may
include, without limitation, statements with respect to: future
financial or operating performance of the Company or its
subsidiaries and its projects; future liquidity; future safety
performance; future production, sales, cash costs, and capital
expenditures; future earnings and operating results; future prices
of gold and copper; expected financial and operating results of the
molybdenum business; expected unit cash costs, as compared to
previously issued guidance; and expectations regarding the
optimization of Mount Milligan Mine and timing of a decision
regarding construction of a permanent secondary crusher.
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 our 2014 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.