Centamin PLC Announces Q3 2024 Report

ACCESSWIRE · Centamin PLC

In This Article:

PERTH, AUSTRALIA / ACCESSWIRE / October 17, 2024 / Centamin plc ("Centamin", "Group" or "the Company") (LSE:CEY)(TSX:CEE)

QUARTERLY REPORT
for the three months ended 30 September 2024 ("Q3")

MARTIN HORGAN, CEO, commented: "The performance at Sukari disclosed in our August trading update has been maintained through the remainder of Q3, building on the operational momentum from Q2 2024. This strong performance follows our significant investment in operational improvements which positioned us to capitalise on the current record gold price. The improved production and continued cost discipline, resulted in US$103 million in free cash flow in Q3, 730% higher year-on-year ("YoY"). We expect the Q3 gold production rate to be sustained for the rest of the year and reaffirm our 2024 production and cost guidance ranges.

At the same time, we continue to advance organic growth opportunities within our portfolio. We are actively following up on the recent exploration successes from our Eastern Desert Exploration ("EDX") drilling programme, with the second phase of drilling nearing completion. We are also making good progress with our mining license application for the Doropo project in Cote d'Ivoire, which we expect to be granted by the end of 2024, ahead of a final investment decision."

Q3 2024 HIGHLIGHTS

Gold production of 131,726 ounces ("oz"), up 30% YoY , and gold sales of 149,659 oz, up 44% YoY, from the Sukari Gold Mine ("Sukari"). Total gold production for the nine months of the year ("YTD") is 356,465 oz.

Cash costs of US$766/oz produced, and All-in sustaining costs ("AISC") of US$1,256/oz sold.

Capital expenditure ("capex") of US$67 million, including raising TSF2, open pit and underground fleet purchases, equipment rebuilds, and underground infrastructure.

Capital Ltd successfully completed additional waste mining operations in Q3 and has begun to demobilise its earthmoving fleet. This will result in normalised mining volumes from the open pit and reduction in overall open pit mining unit costs going forwards.

US$103 million in free cash flow, a YoY increase of 730%, after Sukari profit share distribution, Group exploration expenditure and corporate investing activities, YTD we have generated US$145 million.

Robust balance sheet: cash and liquid assets of US$242 million, as at 30 September 2024 and total liquidity of US$392 million including the undrawn US$150 million sustainability-linked revolving credit facility.

GROUP OPERATIONAL SUMMARY

Q3-24

Q3-23

% Δ

Q2-24

% Δ

YTD

SAFETY

LTIFR (1m hours)

0.65

0.00

n/a

0.33

97

%

0.43

TRIFR (1m hours)

1.96

3.83

-49

%

1.45

35

%

1.51

OPEN PIT

Material mined (kt)

29,922

31,655

-5

%

32,312

-7

%

94,006

Ore mined (kt)

5,930

4,501

32

%

7,465

-21

%

19,626

Ore mined grade (g/t Au)

0.83

0.74

12

%

0.67

24

%

0.71

UNDERGROUND

Ore mined (kt)

254

245

4

%

278

-9

%

762

Ore mined grade (g/t Au)

3.86

4.61

-16

%

3.33

16

%

3.46

PROCESSING

Ore processed (kt)

3,013

2,786

8

%

3,339

-10

%

9,417

Feed grade (g/t Au)

1.43

1.25

14

%

1.19

20

%

1.24

Gold recovery (%)

89.1

88.5

1

%

87.8

2

%

88.2

Gold produced (oz)

131,726

101,370

30

%

119,917

10

%

356,465

GROUP FINANCIAL SUMMARY

Q3-24

Q3-23

% Δ

Q2-24

% Δ

YTD

COST & SALES

Gold sold (oz)

149,659

103,807

44

%

116,776

28

%

358,928

Cash costs (US$/oz produced)

766

882

-13

%

879

-13

%

899

AISC (US$/oz sold) 1

1,256

1,266

-1

%

1,273

-1

%

1,329

Avg. realised gold price (US$/oz)

2,459

1,927

28

%

2,341

5

%

2,318

FINANCIALS

Revenue (US$000)

368,620

200,404

84

%

274,111

34

%

833,715

Capital expenditure (US$'000)

66,916

59,089

13

%

43,413

54

%

156,369

Adj. free cash flow 1 (US$'000)

103,156

12,422

730

%

32,400

218

%

145,899

OUTLOOK -Guidance unchanged

Production

Gold production guidance range of 470,000 to 500,000 oz per annum

o Production is weighted towards H2, as previously guided

o Production performance is tracking towards the mid-point of guidance

Costs

Cash cost guidance range of US$700-850/oz produced:

o We expect cash costs to be towards the upper end of the guidance range as a result of the cost of tonnes planned to be mined as waste being reclassified as ore. The waste to ore conversion has resulted in a lower strip ratio and as a result the waste stripping costs that were expected to be allocated to sustaining capex have been reported in cash costs. AISC is unaffected by the reallocation of costs.

AISC guidance range of US$1,200-1,350/oz sold:

The cost guidance reflects a range of diesel prices from 75-90 US cents per litre. The average realised price YTD is 79 US cents per litre.

Capex

Adjusted capex guidance of US$215 million is maintained, including:

o US$112 million of sustaining capex

o US$103 million of non-sustaining capex, of which US$58 million is allocated to growth projects that are funded from Centamin treasury and cost recovered over three years

o Adjusted capex guidance for the full year excluded US$91 million of sustaining deferred stripping reclassified from operating costs as per IFRIC 20. As a result of the reduction in the strip ratio, these costs were reported in cash costs and were not capitalised as originally planned. We now budget up to US$25 million of sustaining deferred stripping in Q4 2024, with none capitalised YTD.

KEY MILESTONES

Doropo Project DFS, Cote d'Ivoire (Completed) - Link to announcement ( here )

Accelerated waste-stripping programme (Completed) - Link to announcement ( here )

Eastern Desert Exploration ("EDX") drilling update (H2 2024)

Completion of Solar Expansion Study (H2 2024)

Sukari 50MW grid connection project completion (H2 2025)

Doropo final investment decision (H1 2025)

WEBCAST

The Company will host a webcast today, Thursday, 17 October at 08.30 BST where the senior executives will discuss the results, followed by an opportunity to ask questions.