AAZ.L

Anglo Asian Mining Plc
Anglo Asian Mining - Q3 2024 Production and Operations Review
10th October 2024, 06:00
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RNS Number : 6132H
Anglo Asian Mining PLC
10 October 2024
 

 

10 October 2024

 

Anglo Asian Mining plc

Q3 2024 Production and Operations Review

Full year production guidance of 15,000 to 19,500 gold equivalent ounces maintained

 

Anglo Asian Mining plc ("Anglo Asian" or the "Company"), the AIM listed gold, copper and silver producer focused in Azerbaijan, provides the following production, sales and operational review for the three months to 30 September 2024 ("Q3 2024"or the "Quarter") and nine months to 30 September 2024 ("9M 2024").

 

Operational highlights

·    Authorisation to raise the Group's tailing dam wall received on 5 August 2024

o First lift of 2.5 metres on track to be completed in November 2024

·    Production restarted from its agitation leaching plant in September 2024

o 1,369 ounces of gold produced in September 2024 (August 2024: 824 ounces)

·    Maiden JORC Mineral resources estimate for the Garadag deposit published on 24 September 2024 confirming approximately 900,000 tonnes of copper metal hosted in 285 million tonnes of mineralisation with average grades of 0.32 per cent. copper

o Garadag is a considerable asset in delivering the growth strategy of transitioning to a mid-tier producer in the medium term

Q3 and 9M 2024 Production update

·    Total Q3 2024 production of 3,040 gold equivalent ounces ("GEOs") (Q3 2023: 5,295 GEOs)

o Copper production of 11 tonnes (Q3 2023:  250 tonnes)

o Gold production of 2,956 ounces (Q3 2023: 4,156 ounces)

o Silver production of 3,315 ounces (Q3 2023: 5,656 ounces)

·    Total 9M 2024 production of 8,310 GEOs (9M 2023: 28,686 GEOs)

o Copper production of 111 tonnes (9M 2023: 2,120 tonnes)

o Gold production of 7,660 ounces (9M 2023: 18,779 ounces)

o Silver production of 16,061 ounces (9M 2023: 50,352 ounces)

 

Q3 2024 Sales and cash update

·    Total gold bullion sales of 3,220 ounces at an average price of $2,497 per ounce (Q3 2023: 2,900 ounces at an average price of $1,949 per ounce)

·    $3.7 million proceeds of Caterpillar financing received in the Quarter

·    Net debt position of $14.0 million at 30 September 2024 (30 June 2024: $12.0 million) as a result of the partially suspended production during the year

·    Inventory valued at $2.7 million at 30 September 2024 (30 June 2024: $3.6 million)

 

The Company maintains its full year 2024 ("FY 2024") production guidance of 15,000 to 19,500 GEOs.

 

Having restarted regular production from its agitation leaching plant in September 2024, the Group remains on schedule to restart its flotation processing in November 2024 with first production from the Gilar mine in December 2024.

 

Anglo Asian CEO Reza Vaziri commented:

"This quarter has been a turning point for the Company as we move towards fully restarting production after a year of partial shutdown. Our agitation leaching production restarted in September, with only minor snagging, and the effect on our production was felt immediately. Despite only limited agitation leaching production in September, our doré production increased in the month to 1,369 ounces from 824 ounces in August.

 

"The restart of agitation leaching production has generated considerable momentum for the Company. Adding to this momentum is the opening of the flotation plant in November and mining the first ore from Gilar, which remains on track to commence in December. We are also benefiting from the recent increases in the gold price. I look forward to updating everybody on our progress in the months ahead."

 

Note that all references to "$" are to United States dollars.

Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure

Certain information contained in this announcement would have been deemed inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014, which was incorporated into UK law by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, until the release of this announcement.

 

For further information please contact:

 

Anglo Asian Mining plc


Reza Vaziri, Chief Executive Officer

Tel: +994 12 596 3350

Bill Morgan, Chief Financial Officer

Tel: +994 502 910 400

Stephen Westhead, Vice President

Tel: +994 502 916 894



SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP (Nominated Adviser and Broker)

Ewan Leggat

Adam Cowl

Tel: +44 (0) 20 3470 0470



Hudson Sandler (Financial PR)

Charlie Jack

Harry Griffiths

 

Tel: +44 0) 20 7796 4133

 

Notes to editors

 

Anglo Asian Mining plc (AIM:AAZ) is a gold, copper and silver producer with a high-quality portfolio of production and exploration assets in Azerbaijan. The Company produced 31,821 gold equivalent ounces ("GEOs") for the year ended 31 December 2023. 

 

On 30 March 2023, the Company published its strategic plan for growth which shows a clearly defined path for the Company to transition to a multi-asset, mid-tier, copper and gold producer by 2028, by which time copper will be the principal product of the Company, with forecast production of around 36,000 copper equivalent tonnes. It plans to achieve this growth by bringing into production four new mines during the period 2024 to 2028 at Zafar, Gilar, Xarxar and Garadag. 

 

https://www.angloasianmining.com/

 

Q3 2024 Production overview

·    Gold production of 2,956 ounces (Q3 2023: 4,156 ounces):

o 2,955 ounces contained within gold doré

§ 2,349 ounces from heap leaching

§ 606 ounces from agitation leaching

o 1 ounce from sulphidisation, acidification, recycling and thickening ("SART") processing

·    Copper production of 11 tonnes from SART processing (Q3 2023: SART processing 43 tonnes and flotation 207 tonnes)

·    Silver production totalled 3,315 ounces (Q3 2023: 5,656 ounces):

o 1,979 ounces contained within gold doré

§ 415 ounces from agitation leaching

§ 1,564 ounces from heap leaching

o 1,336 ounces from SART processing

 

Q3 2024 Sales overview

·    Total gold bullion sales of 3,220 ounces at an average price of $2,497 per ounce (Q3 2023: 2,900 ounces at an average price of $1,949 per ounce)

·    There were no concentrate sales (Q3 2023: 2,358 dmt with a value of $3.1 million)

 

Q3 2024 Financials overview

·    Cash of $8.1 million ($7.9 million at 30 June 2024) including restricted cash

·    Debt of $22.1 million ($19.9 million at 30 June 2024)

·    Net debt of $14.0 million ($12.0 million at 30 June 2024)

·    Unsold gold doré and copper concentrate inventory of $2.7 million at 30 September 2024

 

The Company mined the following ore during FY 2023 and the nine months to 30 September 2024:

 

12 months to

 31 December 2023

6 months to

30 June 2024

3 months to

30 September 2024

Mine

Ore mined

Average

gold grade

Ore mined

Average

gold grade

Ore mined

Average

gold grade

 

(tonnes)

(g/t)

(tonnes)

(g/t)

(tonnes)

(g/t)

Open pit

1,180,695

0.38

287,321

0.78

12,803

0.33

Gadir - u/g

109,320

1.64

94,290

1.78

31,019

1.03

Gedabek - u/g

-

-

-

-

-

-

Total

1,290,015

0.49

381,611

1.03

43,822

0.83

 

The Company processed the following amounts and grades of ore by leaching for FY 2023 and the nine months to 30 September 2024:

 

Quarter ended

Ore processed

Gold grade of ore processed


Heap leach pad crushed ore

(tonnes)

Heap leach pad ROM

ore

(tonnes)

Agitation leaching

plant*

(tonnes)

Heap leach pad crushed ore

(g/t)

Heap leach pad ROM

ore

(g/t)

Agitation leaching

plant*

(g/t)

31 March 2023

94,518

196,595

62,006

0.74

0.49

1.30

30 June 2023

56,522

202,788

105,213

0.75

0.46

1.40

30 September 2023

25,690

34,621

-

0.83

0.45

-

31 December 2023

-

-

-

-

-

-

FY 2023

176,730

434,004

167,219

0.76

0.48

1.40

31 March 2024

120,528

-

-

0.68

-

-

30 June 2024

110,225

9,698

-

0.59

0.52

-

H1 2024

230,753

9,698

-

0.66

0.52

-

30 September 2024

 110,152

-

18,009

0.65

-

2.03

 

* includes previously heap leached ore.

 

The Company processed the following amounts of ore and contained metal by flotation for FY 2023 and the nine months ended 30 September 2024:

Quarter ended

Ore processed

Gold content

Silver content

Copper content

 

(tonnes)

(ounces)

(ounces)

(tonnes)

31 March 2023

192,516

1,487

19,787

1,133

30 June 2023

190,593

1,033

10,380

1,191

30 September 2023

62,369

478

4,358

363

31 December 2023

-

-

-

-

FY 2023

445,478

2,998

34,525

2,687

31 March 2024

-

-

-

-

30 June 2024

-

-

-

-

H1 2024

-

-

-

-

30 September 2024

-

-

-

-

 

 

The following table summarises gold doré production and sales at Gedabek for FY 2023 and the nine months 30 September 2024:

 

Quarter ended

Gold produced*

 

(ounces)

Silver

produced*

(ounces)

Gold sales**

 

(ounces)

Gold Sales price

 

($/ounce)

31 March 2023

5,965

2,841

5,719

1,895

30 June 2023

7,375

3,593

4,787

1,992

30 September 2023

4,001

1,488

2,900

1,949

31 December 2023

2,975

1,610

2,416

2,004

FY 2023

20,316

9,532

15,822

1,951

31 March 2024

2,259

1,512

3,925

2,080

30 June 2024

2,433

1,532

2,075

2,350

H1 2024

4,692

3,044

6,000

2,174

30 September 2024

2,955

1,979

3,220

2,497

Note

* including Government of Azerbaijan's share

** excluding Government of Azerbaijan's share

 

The gold and silver production from agitation and heap leaching for FY 2023 and the nine months ended 30 September 2024 is as follows:

 

Quarter

ended

Gold

Silver

Agitation

leaching

(ounces)

Heap

leaching

(ounces)

Total

 

(ounces)

Agitation

leaching

(ounces)

Heap

leaching

(ounces)

Total

 

(ounces)

31 March 2023

2,105

3,860

5,965

1,077

1,764

2,841

30 June 2023

3,463

3,912

7,375

1,735

1,858

3,593

30 Sept 2023

-

4,001

4,001

-

1,488

1,488

31 Dec 2023

-

2,975

2,975

-

1,610

1,610

FY 2023

5,568

14,748

20,316

2,812

6,720

9,532

31 March 2024

-

2,259

2,259

-

1,512

1,512

30 June 2024

-

2,433

2,433

-

1,532

1,532

H1 2024

-

4,692

4,692

-

3,044

3,044

30 Sept 2024

606

2,349

2,955

415

1,564

1,979

 

The following table summarises copper concentrate production from both the Company's SART and flotation plants at Gedabek for FY 2023 and the nine months ended 30 September 2024:

 

Concentrate

Copper

Gold

Silver

 

production*

content*

content*

content*

 

(dmt)

(tonnes)

(ounces)

(ounces)

2023

 

 

 

 

Quarter ended 31 March

 

 

 

 

SART processing

364

191

26

8,750

Flotation

4,544

665

762

11,095

Total

4,908

856

788

19,845

Quarter ended 30 June

 

 

 

 

SART processing

272

145

16

10,316

Flotation

5,613

869

479

8,101

Total

5,885

1,014

495

18,417

Quarter ended 30 September

 

 

 

 

SART processing

85

43

4

2,194

Flotation

1,316

207

151

1,974

Total

1,401

250

155

4,168

Quarter ended 31 December





SART processing

29

18

4

1,264

Flotation

-

-

-

-

Total

29

18

4

1,264

2024

 

 

 

 

Quarter ended 31 March

 

 

 

 

SART processing

89

54

7

4,893

Flotation

-

-

-

-

Total

89

54

7

4,893

Quarter ended 30 June

 

 

 

 

SART processing

77

46

5

4,809

Flotation

-

-

-

-

Total

77

46

5

4,809

Quarter ended 30 September

 

 

 

 

SART processing

19

11

1

1,336

Flotation

-

-

-

-

Total

19

11

1

1,336

Note

* including Government of Azerbaijan's share.

Certain amounts for SART and flotation production may differ to those previously disclosed due to final reconciliation of production.

 

The following table summarises total copper concentrate production and sales for FY 2023 and nine months to 30 September 2024. Note that sales of concentrates are initially recorded at provisional amounts until agreement of final assay:

 

Concentrate

Copper

Gold

Silver

Concentrate

 

Concentrate

 

production*

content*

content*

content*

sales**

sales**

 

(dmt)

(tonnes)

(ounces)

(ounces)

(dmt)

($000)

Quarter ended

 

 

 

 

 

 

31 March 2023

4,908

856

788

19,845

1,147

2,743

30 June 2023

5,885

1,014

495

18,417

5,501

7,678

30 September 2023

1,401

250

155

4,168

2,358

3,066

31 December 2023

29

18

4

1,264

2,186

2,306

FY 2023

12,223

2,138

1,442

43,694

11,192

15,793

31 March 2024

89

54

7

4,893

71

295

30 June 2024

77

46

5

4,809

260

1,002

H1 2024

166

100

12

9,702

331

1,297

30 September 2024

19

11

1

1,336

-

-

* including Government of Azerbaijan's share

** excludes Government of Azerbaijan's share

 

9M 2024 Financial review

The Company's net debt increased from $10.2 million at 1 January 2024 to $14.0 million at 30 September 2024 as follows:

 

 

Note the $3.0 million advance from Trafigura has been treated as a prepayment and not included in net debt.

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