TIDMCAML
RNS Number : 7970B
Central Asia Metals PLC
15 January 2018
15 January 2018
CENTRAL ASIA METALS PLC
("CAML" or the "Company")
2017 Operations Update
Central Asia Metals plc (AIM: CAML) today provides a Q4 and full
year 2017 operations update for the Kounrad dump leach, solvent
extraction and electro-winning ("SX-EW") copper recovery plant in
Kazakhstan ("Kounrad") and the Sasa zinc-lead mine in Macedonia
("Sasa").
Highlights
- Completion of $402.5 million Lynx Resources acquisition, 6 November 2017
- 2017 Kounrad
o Copper production, 14,103 tonnes
- 2017 Sasa
o Zinc production, 21,585 tonnes
o Lead production, 29,881 tonnes
o CAML attributable zinc and lead metal production from 1
November to 31 December, 3,625 tonnes and 4,951 tonnes
respectively
- 2017 Shuak
o Initial exploration programme completed with encouraging
results
- 2018 production guidance
o Kounrad
-- Copper, 13,000 to 14,000 tonnes
o Sasa
-- Underground ore production, 780,000 to 800,000 tonnes
-- Zinc, 21,000 to 23,000 tonnes
-- Lead, 28,000 to 30,000 tonnes
- Cash in the bank on 31 December 2017, $46 million
CAML production summary
Metal production 2017 CAML Q4 2017 Q4 2016 2017 2016
(tonnes) attributable
------------------ -------------- -------- -------- ------- -------
Copper 14,103 3,234 3,010 14,103 14,020
------------------ -------------- -------- -------- ------- -------
Zinc 3,625 5,347 5,155 21,585 22,515
------------------ -------------- -------- -------- ------- -------
Lead 4,951 7,437 7,320 29,881 28,955
------------------ -------------- -------- -------- ------- -------
Nick Clarke, Executive Chairman, commented:
"Once again, we are able to report annual copper production from
Kounrad at the top end of our guidance range. In addition,
following our $402.5 million acquisition of Lynx Resources, we took
ownership of the Sasa zinc-lead mine on 6 November 2017, and are
pleased that the mine's metal production is also in line with our
expectations.
"We move into 2018 on a solid footing as a diversified base
metals producer, with low cost operations in two highly prospective
jurisdictions.
"Our 2017 annual results are scheduled to be released on 10
April 2018, when our final dividend for 2017 will also be
announced."
Kounrad
Kounrad Q4 copper production of 3,234 tonnes brings total output
for 2017 to 14,103 tonnes. Total Kounrad copper produced since
operations commenced in 2012 is now 68,426 tonnes.
Cumulatively, 5,566 tonnes of copper have now been recovered
from the Western Dumps, which is in line with expectations and
equates to approximately 40% of 2017 production. During Q4 2017,
output from the Western Dumps was approximately 65% of total
production.
Q4 2017 copper cathode sales of 3,516 tonnes brings the 2017
total to 14,181 tonnes. The copper was sold predominantly through
CAML's offtake partner, Traxys.
Sasa
Following the acquisition of Lynx Resources, CAML assumed
economic ownership of Sasa on 1 October 2017 and completed the
acquisition on 6 November 2017. CAML will consolidate the Lynx
Resources Group results for two months in the 2017 financial year
(from 1 November 2017).
Sasa employs approximately 700 people and has an excellent track
record in terms of health and safety, with a record 400 days having
passed without a lost time injury.
In 2017, mined and processed ore was 792,068 tonnes and 793,332
tonnes respectively. The 2017 average head grades were 3.18% zinc
and 3.98% lead.
Sasa produces a zinc concentrate and a separate lead concentrate
that contains silver. In 2017, 43,676 tonnes of concentrate
containing 49.4% zinc and 40,757 tonnes of concentrate containing
73.3% lead were produced.
Sasa typically receives from smelters approximately 85% of the
value of its zinc in concentrate and approximately 95% of the value
of its lead in concentrate. Accordingly, 2017 payable production of
zinc was 18,091 tonnes and of lead was 28,387 tonnes. CAML
attributable payable base metal sales since 1 November 2017 was
2,906 tonnes of zinc and 4,559 tonnes of lead.
During 2017, Sasa sold 375,544 ounces of payable silver. Due to
an existing streaming agreement with Osisko Gold Royalties, CAML
will receive a base of $5 per ounce for its silver production for
the life of the Sasa mine. 2017 payable silver sales since 1
November was 67,485 ounces.
In Q2 2017, the Sasa team commenced construction of Tailings
Storage Facility 4 (TSF4). Construction of this facility is
expected to be completed in H2 2018, and should allow for storage
of tailings for seven years.
Units 2017 CAML Q4 2017 Q4 2016 2017 2016
attributable
---------------------------- --------- -------------- -------- -------- -------- --------
Ore mined t 134,063 202,446 200,945 792,068 782,823
---------------------------- --------- -------------- -------- -------- -------- --------
Plant feed t 132,012 200,298 189,885 793,332 779,231
---------------------------- --------- -------------- -------- -------- -------- --------
Lead grade % 3.98 3.93 4.08 3.98 3.95
---------------------------- --------- -------------- -------- -------- -------- --------
Zinc grade % 3.21 3.14 3.25 3.18 3.41
---------------------------- --------- -------------- -------- -------- -------- --------
Lead concentrate t (dry) 6,784 10,161 9,990 40,757 39,507
---------------------------- --------- -------------- -------- -------- -------- --------
* Recovery % 94.2 94.4 94.5 94.6 94.1
---------------------------- --------- -------------- -------- -------- -------- --------
* Grade % 73.0 73.2 73.3 73.3 73.3
---------------------------- --------- -------------- -------- -------- -------- --------
* Contained lead t 4,951 7,437 7,320 29,881 28,955
---------------------------- --------- -------------- -------- -------- -------- --------
Zinc concentrate t (dry) 7,394 10,893 10,456 43,676 45,548
---------------------------- --------- -------------- -------- -------- -------- --------
* Recovery % 85.7 85.2 83.5 85.5 84.6
---------------------------- --------- -------------- -------- -------- -------- --------
* Grade % 49.0 49.1 49.3 49.4 49.4
---------------------------- --------- -------------- -------- -------- -------- --------
* Contained zinc t 3,625 5,347 5,155 21,585 22,515
---------------------------- --------- -------------- -------- -------- -------- --------
Shuak
CAML's 2017 Shuak exploration programme was successfully
completed in October 2017, targeting four areas within the 197km(2)
licence area: Mongol I-II, Mongol V, Mongol North, and Severnoe /
Kyzyl-Sor.
17,530 metres of core hydrotransport (CHT) drilling (1,013
holes) were completed, plus 5,242 metres of diamond drilling (39
holes). 75% of diamond drilling laboratory results have been
returned, with some CHT samples still to be processed.
New areas of oxide mineralisation have been identified at the
Kyzyl-Sor prospect and diamond drilling also returned encouraging
intercepts of copper sulphide mineralisation at the Mongol V and
Mongol I-II prospects, with gold and molybdenum also identified in
some cases.
While CAML's preliminary work is encouraging, the team will
undertake additional drilling and exploration in order to better
understand likely continuity or resource potential of the Shuak
licence.
Much of the winter period has and will be spent compiling assay
data and designing the 2018 exploration programme, which is
expected to commence in June. A key area of focus for 2018 will be
delineating the extent of the oxide mineralisation identified at
Kyzyl-Sor.
2018 production guidance
CAML targets 2018 Kounrad copper production of between 13,000
and 14,000 tonnes of cathode, of which approximately 65% is
expected to be leached from the Western Dumps.
At Sasa, CAML expects underground ore production during 2018 of
between 780,000 and 800,000 tonnes. This should result in zinc
production of between 21,000 and 23,000 tonnes in concentrate and
lead production of between 28,000 and 30,000 tonnes in
concentrate.
Cash
As of 31 December 2017, CAML had cash in the bank of $46
million.
For further information contact:
Central Asia Metals plc Tel: +44 (0) 20 7898 9001
Nick Clarke, Executive Chairman
Nigel Robinson, CFO
Louise Wrathall, Investor Relations
louise.wrathall@centralasiametals.com
Peel Hunt (Nominated Adviser & Joint Broker) Tel: +44 (0) 20 7418 8900
Ross Allister
Richard Crichton
Chris Burrows
Mirabaud Securities (Joint Broker) Tel: +44 (0) 20 3167 7221
Peter Krens
Blytheweigh (PR Advisers) Tel: +44 (0) 20 7138 3204
Tim Blythe
Camilla Horsfall
Megan Ray
Qualified Person Statement:
The technical information contained in this announcement has
been reviewed and approved by Nick Clarke, CAML Executive Chairman,
a qualified Chartered Engineer and member of the Institute of
Materials, Minerals and Mining (MIMMM).
Note to editors:
Central Asia Metals, an AIM-listed UK company based in London,
owns 100% of the Kounrad SX-EW copper project in central Kazakhstan
and 100% of the Sasa zinc-lead mine in Macedonia. The Company also
owns 80% of the Shuak copper exploration property in northern
Kazakhstan. For further information, please visit
www.centralasiametals.com.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END
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