Tharisa
plc
(Incorporated in the Republic of Cyprus with
limited liability)
(Registration number HE223412)
JSE share code: THA
LSE share code: THS
A2X share code: THA
ISIN: CY0103562118
LEI: 213800WW4YWMVVZIJM90
('Tharisa' or the 'Company')
PRODUCTION REPORT FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER
AND YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024
Tharisa, the mining, metals, and innovation
company dual-listed on the Johannesburg and London stock exchanges,
announces its production results for Q4 and financial year ended
2024[1] and cash
balance as at the year end.
Quarter and
full year highlights
‒ Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate
('LTIFR') per 200 000 man hours worked of
‒ 0.00 at Tharisa
Minerals
‒ 0.09 at Karo
Platinum
‒ Annual
output:
‒ PGM production for
the year at 145.1 koz (FY2023: 144.7 koz) with Q4 at 37.1
koz (Q3 FY2024: 36.9 koz)
‒ Chrome production
for the year at 1 702.6 kt (FY2023: 1 580.1 kt) with Q4 at 426.8 kt
(Q3 FY2024 410.2 kt)
‒ Annual chrome
production output highest in the history of the Company
‒ Average annual PGM price
decrease of 28% to US$1 362/oz (FY2023: US$1 893/oz) averaging at
US$1 370/oz for the quarter (Q3 FY2024: US$1 391/oz)
‒ Average annual
metallurgical grade chrome concentrate prices up 13.7% at US$299/t
(FY2023: US$263/t) while averaging at
US$314/t for the quarter (Q3 FY2024: US$309/t)
‒ Group cash on hand of US$217.5
million (30 June 2024: US$189.9 million), and debt of US$108.8
million (30 June 2024: US$97.7 million), resulting in an increased
net cash position of US$108.7 million (30 June 2024: US$92.2
million)
‒ US$5 million share
repurchase completed
‒ Successful delivery
on beneficiation strategy with production of chrome alloy and
testing of upscaled batteries at Redox One
‒ Production guidance
for FY2025 is set at between 140 koz and 160 koz PGMs (6E basis)
and 1.65 Mt to 1.8 Mt of chrome concentrates
Key Operating Numbers
|
|
Quarter ended 30 Sep
2024
|
Quarter ended 30 Jun
2024
|
Quarter on quarter movement
%
|
Quarter ended 30 Sep
2023
|
Year ended 30 Sep
2024
|
Year ended 30 Sep
2023
|
Reef mined
|
kt
|
1 286.5
|
1 261.9
|
1.9
|
1 158.9
|
4 641.9
|
4 177.3
|
Reef milled
|
kt
|
1 394.9
|
1 396.1
|
(0.1)
|
1 310.2
|
5 593.8
|
5 409.8
|
6E PGMs produced (6E)
|
koz
|
37.1
|
36.9
|
0.5
|
30.7
|
145.1
|
144.7
|
Average PGM contained metal
basket price
|
US$/oz
|
1 370
|
1 391
|
(1.5)
|
1
331
|
1 362
|
1
893
|
Chrome concentrates produced
(excluding third party)
|
kt
|
426.8
|
410.2
|
4.0
|
413.4
|
1 702.6
|
1 580.1
|
Average metallurgical grade
chrome concentrate contract price - 42% basis
|
US$/t CIF China
|
314
|
309
|
1.6
|
291
|
299
|
263
|
Phoevos Pouroulis, CEO of Tharisa,
commented:
"A scene
setting operational year underpinned by an excellent safety
performance. With safety a core value, we have seen the success of
record chrome output supported by guidance meeting PGM
production.
For the
coming year we are setting a similar target, with chrome dominating
the operational forecast as we see real demand in China and
beyond.
We have made
great strides in furthering our technical study work on the
underground development at the Tharisa Mine and I know this will be
a welcome addition to our mining flexibility with the open pit
operations being supported by the on-reef underground mine
development.
Our
continuing drive to beneficiate our product saw us successfully
produce chrome alloy from a unique and proprietary process
developed by our research and development business Arxo Metals and
are selling this final alloy to commercial
customers.
In our
efforts to reduce our carbon emissions and secure energy
independence, we entered into a 15-year agreement with Etana
Energy, who will be providing up to 44% of the Tharisa Mine's
electricity demand via wheeled renewable energy. In addition, Redox
One has upgraded its facilities for longer duration testing by
commissioning three new larger scale batteries in line with the
development plan.
We remain
optimistic on the fundamentals of the PGM market and have thus
continued to optimise our Karo Platinum project and have progressed
with the plant construction, in line with capital availability, and
we see this strategy continuing until we finalise the funding for
the project.
I wish to
wholeheartedly thank all our employees for their invaluable
commitment over the past year."
Health &
Safety
‒ The health and safety of our
stakeholders remains a core value to the Group and Tharisa
continues to strive for zero harm at its operations
‒ LTIFR per 200 000 man hours
worked of
‒ 0.00 at Tharisa Minerals with
no LTIs recorded in the financial year under review
‒ 0.09 at Karo
Platinum
Market Update
‒ PGM prices continue to be
constrained by the latency of destocking of pipelines, while we see
good demand and general realisation that the supply-demand balance
is shifting given project cutbacks, production output shortcomings
and need for new PGM metal, by various industries. We maintain that
the PGM price over the next 12-24 months will be stronger, fuelled
by the continued evidence that the internal combustion engine will
remain relevant for a much longer time to come, and our firm view
that hybrid drivetrains are an integral part of the transportation
mix
‒ Chrome prices remain strong on
the back of the fundamentals of the chrome market, with real growth
in stainless steel, driven by demand from China and beyond. Inland
logistics continue to be complex, while being professionally
managed by our team
Operational Update
‒ Annual reef mined up 11.1% as
pit remediation and accessibility improved in the second half of
the year, with quarter on quarter reef mining improving by 1.9% to
1 286.5 kt (Q3 FY2024: 1 261.9 kt) while third party purchases
slowed significantly
‒ Reef milled for the year was up
3.4% to 5 593.8 kt and steady quarter on quarter reef milled at 1
394.9 kt (Q3 FY2024: 1 396.1 kt) as throughput shifted more towards
mined ore in line with reduced third party purchases
‒ Quarterly PGM production at
37.1 koz (Q3 FY2024: 36.9 koz)
‒ Rougher feed grade of 1.56 g/t
(Q3 FY2024: 1.57 g/t)
‒ Recovery of 70.6% (Q3 FY2024:
68.5%)
‒ Quarterly chrome production of
426.8 kt (Q3 FY2024: 410.2 kt)
‒ Grade of 18.2%
Cr2O3 (Q3 FY2024: 18.0%)
‒ Recovery at 68.8% (Q3 FY2024:
67.3%)
Cash Balance and Debt
Position
‒ Group cash on hand of US$217.5
million (30 June 2024: US$189.9 million) and debt of US$108.8
million (30 June 2024: US$97.7 million), resulting in an increased
net cash position of US$108.7 million (30 June 2024: US$92.2
million)
Guidance
‒ Production guidance
for FY2025 is set at between 140 koz and 160 koz PGMs (6E basis)
and 1.65 Mt to 1.8 Mt of chrome concentrates
The above forward-looking statements have not
been reported on or reviewed by Tharisa's auditors and is the
responsibility of the directors.
Production
Numbers
|
|
Quarter ended 30 Sep
2024
|
Quarter ended 30 Jun
2024
|
Quarter on quarter movement
%
|
Quarter ended 30 Sep
2023
|
Year ended 30 Sep
2024
|
Year ended 30 Sep
2023
|
Reef mined
|
kt
|
1 286.5
|
1 261.9
|
1.9
|
1 158.9
|
4 641.9
|
4 177.3
|
Stripping ratio
|
m3:
m3
|
11.3
|
12.7
|
(11.0)
|
14.0
|
12.5
|
12.8
|
Reef milled
|
kt
|
1 394.9
|
1 396.1
|
(0.1)
|
1 310.2
|
5 593.8
|
5 409.8
|
PGM flotation feed
|
kt
|
1 049.6
|
1 064.9
|
(1.4)
|
970.6
|
4 218.0
|
4 122.0
|
PGM rougher feed grade
|
g/t
|
1.56
|
1.57
|
(0.6)
|
1.57
|
1.60
|
1.64
|
PGM recovery
|
%
|
70.6
|
68.5
|
3.1
|
62.7
|
67.0
|
66.5
|
6E PGMs produced
|
koz
|
37.1
|
36.9
|
0.5
|
30.7
|
145.1
|
144.7
|
Platinum
|
koz
|
22.3
|
19.4
|
14.9
|
17.3
|
81.6
|
80.3
|
Palladium
|
koz
|
6.0
|
5.8
|
3.4
|
5.2
|
23.4
|
24.8
|
Rhodium
|
koz
|
3.9
|
3.3
|
18.2
|
3.0
|
13.8
|
13.5
|
Average PGM contained metal
basket price
|
US$/oz
|
1 370
|
1 391
|
(1.5)
|
1
331
|
1 362
|
1
893
|
Platinum
|
US$/oz
|
963
|
981
|
(1.8)
|
940
|
942
|
981
|
Palladium
|
US$/oz
|
970
|
973
|
(0.3)
|
1
227
|
1 002
|
1
594
|
Rhodium
|
US$/oz
|
4 616
|
4 638
|
(0.5)
|
3
841
|
4 467
|
8
992
|
Cr2O3
ROM grade
|
%
|
18.2
|
18.0
|
1.1
|
18.7
|
18.4
|
17.9
|
Chrome recovery
|
%
|
68.8
|
67.3
|
2.2
|
70.0
|
68.3
|
67.6
|
Chrome yield
|
%
|
30.6
|
29.4
|
4.1
|
31.6
|
30.4
|
29.2
|
Chrome concentrates produced
(excluding third party)
|
kt
|
426.8
|
410.2
|
4.0
|
413.4
|
1 702.6
|
1 580.1
|
Metallurgical grade
|
kt
|
355.8
|
336.0
|
5.9
|
338.4
|
1 421.2
|
1 356.9
|
Specialty grades
|
kt
|
71.0
|
74.2
|
(4.3)
|
75.0
|
281.4
|
223.2
|
Third party chrome
production
|
kt
|
53.2
|
49.6
|
7.3
|
58.9
|
193.3
|
201.9
|
Average metallurgical grade
chrome concentrate contract price - 42% basis
|
US$/t CIF China
|
314
|
309
|
1.6
|
291
|
299
|
263
|
Average exchange rate
|
ZAR:US$
|
18.0
|
18.6
|
(3.2)
|
18.7
|
18.2
|
18.2
|
Paphos, Cyprus
10 October 2024
JSE
Sponsor
Investec Bank Limited
Connect with us on
LinkedIn to get further news and updates
about our business.
Investor
Relations Contacts:
Ilja Graulich (Head of Investor
Relations and Communications)
+27 11 996 3500
+27 83 604 0820
igraulich@tharisa.com
Broker
Contacts:
Peel Hunt LLP (UK Joint Broker)
Ross Allister / Georgia
Langoulant
+44 207 418 8900
BMO Capital Markets Limited (UK Joint
Broker)
Thomas Rider / Nick
Macann
+44 207 236 1010
Berenberg (UK Joint Broker)
Matthew Armitt / Jennifer Lee /
Detlir Elezi
+44 203 207 7800
About Tharisa
Tharisa is an integrated resource
group critical to the energy transition and decarbonisation of
economies. It incorporates exploration, mining, processing and the
beneficiation, marketing, sales, and logistics of PGMs and chrome
concentrates, using innovation and technology as enablers. Its
principal operating asset is the Tharisa Mine, located in the
south-western limb of the Bushveld Complex, South Africa. The mine
has a 13-year open pit life and is strategically accelerating
access to the vast underground resource which extends for over 60
years. Tharisa is developing the Karo Platinum Project, a low-cost,
open-pit PGM asset located on the Great Dyke in Zimbabwe. The
Company is committed to reducing its carbon emissions by 30% by
2030 and the development of a roadmap to become net carbon neutral
by 2050. As part of this energy transition, the 40 MW solar project
adjacent to the Tharisa Mine is well advanced. Redox One is
accelerating the development of a proprietary iron chromium redox
flow long duration battery utilising the commodities we mine.
Tharisa plc is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE: THA)
and the Main Board of the London Stock Exchange (LSE:
THS).