Roxgold Produces 133,940 Ounces Exceeding 2020 Guidance, Provides Outlook For 2021
2020 Highlights:
Operations
- Preliminary 2020 gold production of 133,940 ounces exceeded the Company’s annual consolidated production guidance of between 120,000 and 130,000 ounces
- Achieved record annual plant throughput of 512,276 tonnes, exceeding nameplate capacity by 27%
- Reported preliminary gold production of 35,191 ounces in Q4 2020
- Mined a record 149,347 tonnes in Q4 2020
- Continued management and mitigation of COVID-19 to minimize impacts on operations with reduced personnel due to travel restrictions and protection protocols
Financial
- Sold 135,310 ounces of gold for annual gold revenues totalling approximately $240 million
- Generated strong free cashflow (before growth spend)1 of over $47 million increasing our cash balance from $41.8 million to approximately $61.7 million2 as of December 31, 2020
- Strong balance sheet with a net cash position of over $26 million as of December 31, 2020 (cash balance of approximately $61.7 million2 and long-term debt face value balance of $35.6 million2)
Growth
- Received Exploitation (mining) permit and Environmental approvals from the government of Côte d’Ivoire to develop and operate the Séguéla Gold Project (“Séguéla”)
- Expanded Séguéla Project with discovery of the Koula deposit and an updated Mineral Resource estimate outlining total indicated mineral resources of 1,044,000 ounces of gold at 2.5 grams per tonne (“g/t”) and inferred mineral resources of 370,000 ounces at 4.8 g/t
- Initiated early works at Séguéla to enable a rapid ramp up to full construction later this year following completion of the Feasibility Study which is anticipated for completion in the second quarter of this year
2020 Preliminary Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year Key Metrics
| Q1 2020 |
| Q2 2020 |
| Q3 2020 |
| Q4 2020 |
| 2020 | |
Ore mined | 134,472 | 112,523 | 109,767 | 149,347 | 506,109 | |||||
Ore processed (tonnes) | 125,879 | 127,309 | 131,029 | 128,059 | 512,276 | |||||
Ore processed (tpd) | 1,383 | 1,399 | 1,424 | 1,392 | 1,400 | |||||
Head grade (g/t) | 8.7 | 8.2 | 7.7 | 9.3 | 8.5 | |||||
Recovery (%) | 97.9 | 98.0 | 98.2 | 98.2 | 98.1 | |||||
Gold ounces produced | 32,380 | 32,812 | 33,557 | 35,191 | 133,940 | |||||
Gold ounces sold | 30,126 | 36,279 | 30,401 | 38,504 | 135,310 | |||||
Gold sales ($000s) | $48,045 | $62,107 | $57,379 | $72,158 | $239,689 | |||||
Average realized selling price (per ounce) | $1,595 | $1,712 | $1,887 | $1,874 | $1,771 |
“Looking ahead, the pace of progress at Roxgold continues to accelerate, as we announced last month that we broke ground at the Séguéla Gold Project in Côte d’Ivoire, following receipt of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment and Exploitation permits. The goal of pouring first gold from Séguéla next year is within our reach with early works at Séguéla already initiated to enable a rapid ramp up to full construction following completion of the Feasibility Study in the second quarter of this year. We currently have four drills turning at Séguéla and are eager to share with the market the results of the program which has been focusing on extension and infill drilling at Koula and the continued scout testing of the extensive portfolio of targets within our land package.”
2021 Operating Outlook
2021 | |
Production (oz) | 120,000 – 130,000 |
Cash operating cost ($/oz produced)3 | $580 – $640 |
All-in sustaining cost ($/oz sold)3 | $895 – $975 |
|
|
Sustaining capital spend (included in AISC) | $25 - $30 million |
Non-sustaining capital spend | $5 - $10 million |
Growth spend (includes exploration and Séguéla study spend) | $15 - $20 million |
Roxgold anticipates the Yaramoko Mine Complex will produce between 120,000 and 130,000 ounces in 2021 with cash operating costs3 of $580–640/oz and all-in sustaining costs (“AISC”)4 of $895–975/oz.
Sustaining capital is expected to decline this year compared to 2020 due to the completion of decline development at Bagassi South, allowing the operation to focus on stoping operations.
The higher gold price increased the impact of royalties by approximately $30/oz.