KAZ.L

KAZ Minerals Plc
KAZ Minerals PLC - GROUP PRODUCTION REPORT FOR THE FIRST QUARTER
29th April 2021, 06:00
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RNS Number : 9571W
KAZ Minerals PLC
29 April 2021
 

 

29 April 2021

 

KAZ MINERALS GROUP Production Report

for the first quarter Ended 31 march 2021

 

Highlights

§ Group copper production1 of 72.4 kt (Q4 2020: 75.7 kt), on track to achieve annual guidance of 275-295 kt

§ Gold production2 of 39.9 koz (Q4 2020: 35.9 koz) as Bozymchak contributed for the full quarter following the restart of operations in December 2020

§ Net debt of $2,410 million (31 December 2020: $2,601 million) with $62 million of undrawn facilities and gross liquid funds of $1,298 million (31 December 2020: $1,299 million)

Covid-19 update

§ Ensuring the safety, health and wellbeing of employees and contractors remains the Group's priority

§ Comprehensive measures, including testing and isolation, remain in place to protect staff and mitigate the risk of disruption to operations

§ These measures ensured that there was no major impact to the Group's operations in Q1 resulting from

Covid-19, other than minor delays to shipments across the Kazakhstan-China border

Aktogay

§ Q1 copper production1 rose to 33.9 kt (Q4 2020: 31.9 kt) due to increased ore throughput and a higher average recovery rate

§ Copper cathode production from oxide ore decreased to 3.3 kt (Q4 2020: 4.6 kt) due to lower ambient temperatures and maintenance

Bozshakol

§ Copper production2 reduced to 26.3 kt (Q4 2020: 31.3 kt) due to a lower ore throughput as a result of maintenance at the concentrators combined with lower average grades and recovery rate

§ Gold production2 of 26.2 koz (Q4 2020: 31.4 koz) impacted by reduced ore processed volumes and lower average grades and recovery rate

East Region and Bozymchak

§ Copper production2 of 12.2 kt (Q4 2020: 12.5 kt) as lower grade material was processed

§ Gold production2 of 13.7 koz (Q4 2020: 4.5 koz) following the restart of operations at the Bozymchak mine

§ Silver production of 431 koz (Q4 2020: 362 koz) and zinc in concentrate output of 9.6 kt (Q4 2020: 10.2 kt)

 

 

Group production summary3


Q1 2021

Q4 2020

Q1 2020

Copper production1

kt

72.4

75.7

74.9

Aktogay

kt

33.9

31.9

33.3

Bozshakol

kt

26.3

31.3

29.8

East Region & Bozymchak

kt

12.2

12.5

11.8

Gold production2

koz

39.9

35.9

55.4

Silver production2

koz

763

732

793

Zinc in concentrate

kt

9.6

10.2

9.0

1 Payable metal in concentrate and copper cathode from Aktogay oxide ore.

2 Payable metal in concentrate.

3 See appendix for metal production by asset.

 

Andrew Southam, Chief Executive Officer, said: "The Group has delivered another strong quarter, with copper production of 72 kt, and is on track to achieve the full year guidance for all metals."

 

 

 

For further information please contact:

KAZ Minerals PLC



Ed Jack

Investor Relations, London

Tel: +44 20 7901 7882

Anna Mallere

Investor Relations, London

Tel: +44 20 7901 7814

Maksut Zhapabayev

Corporate Communications, Almaty

Tel: +7 727 244 03 53

Brunswick Group



Carole Cable, Charlie Pretzlik


 

Tel: +44 20 7404 5959

 

REGISTERED OFFICE

6th Floor, Cardinal Place, 100 Victoria Street, London SW1E 5JL, United Kingdom.

NOTES TO EDITORS

KAZ Minerals PLC ("KAZ Minerals" or "the Group") is a high growth copper company focused on large scale, low cost, open pit mining in Kazakhstan, Russia and Kyrgyzstan. It operates the Aktogay and Bozshakol open pit copper mines in the East Region and Pavlodar region of Kazakhstan, three underground mines and associated concentrators in the East Region of Kazakhstan and the Bozymchak copper-gold mine in Kyrgyzstan. In 2020, total copper production was 306 kt with by-products of 196 koz of gold, 3,374 koz of silver and 50 kt of zinc in concentrate. The Group acquired the Baimskaya project in the Chukotka region of Russia in January 2019, one of the world's most significant undeveloped copper assets, with the potential to become a large scale, low cost, open pit copper mine.

The Group's major operations at Aktogay and Bozshakol have delivered industry leading production growth and transformed KAZ Minerals into a company dominated by world class, open pit copper mines.

Aktogay is a large scale, open pit mine with a remaining mine life of around 25 years (including the expansion project) at an average copper grade of 0.27% (oxide) and 0.33% (sulphide). Aktogay commenced production of copper cathode from oxide ore in December 2015 and copper in concentrate from sulphide ore in February 2017. The operating sulphide concentrator has an annual ore processing capacity of 25 million tonnes and the sulphide processing capacity is expected to be doubled to 50 million tonnes with the addition of a second concentrator by the end of 2021. Aktogay is competitively positioned on the global cost curve and is expected to produce an average of 100 kt of copper per year from sulphide ore until 2021, increasing to 170 kt per year from 2022 to 2027, after the second concentrator commences operations. Copper production from oxide ore is expected to be in the region of 20 kt per annum until 2024.

Bozshakol is a first quartile asset on the global cost curve with an annual ore processing capacity of 30 million tonnes and a remaining mine life of c.40 years at an average copper grade of 0.35%. The mine and processing facilities commenced output in 2016 and are expected to produce an average of 100 kt of copper production and 120 koz of gold in concentrate per year over the first 10 years of operations.

The Peschanka deposit within the Baimskaya licence area in Russia has JORC measured, indicated and inferred resources of 9.9 Mt of copper at an average grade of 0.39% and 16.6 Moz of gold at an average grade of 0.21 g/t. The project is located in a region identified by the Russian Government as strategically important for economic development and is expected to benefit from the construction of some state-funded power and transport infrastructure and the provision of tax incentives. The estimated capital budget for construction is close to $8 billion.

KAZ Minerals is listed on the London and Kazakhstan Stock Exchanges and employs around 16,000 people, principally in Kazakhstan. The recommended cash acquisition of KAZ Minerals PLC by Nova Resources B.V. was declared unconditional in all respects on 9 April 2021. The Company has applied to the London Stock Exchange and the Financial Conduct Authority respectively to cancel the admission of its ordinary shares to trading on the London Stock Exchange's Main Market for listed securities and the admission to listing of its ordinary shares on the premium listing segment of the Official List; the Company has also applied to the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange to cancel trading in its ordinary shares and the listing of such shares on the official list of the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange (together the "Delistings"). The Delistings are expected to occur on 11 May 2021 and it is intended that the Company will be re-registered as a private limited company.

 

 



Q1 2021

Q4 2020

Q1 2020

Ore extraction

kt

13,381

12,513

 12,556

Oxide

kt

5,204

5,427

 3,635

Sulphide

kt

8,177

7,086

 8,921






Oxide





Oxide ore to leach pads

kt

5,204

5,427

 3,754

Grade

%

0.34

0.26

 0.28

Copper cathode

kt

3.3

4.6

 6.1






Sulphide





Sulphide ore processed

kt

6,744

6,057

 6,064

Average grade processed

%

0.55

0.56

 0.57

Recovery rate

%

86.4

84.6

 82.7

Copper in concentrate

kt

32.0

28.6

 28.5

Copper production1

kt

30.6

27.3

 27.2






Total copper production

kt

33.9

31.9

 33.3






Gold production1, 2

koz

-

-

 0.6

Silver production1

koz

146

121

 118

1 Payable metal in concentrate.

2 Minimal volume recovered from Aktogay material.

 

Ore extraction of 13,381 kt increased by 7% compared with the previous quarter (Q4 2020: 12,513 kt) as a further 1.6 Mt of lower grade sulphide material was stockpiled for future processing. Ore extraction was 7% higher than the prior year comparative period (Q1 2020: 12,556 kt) mainly due to increased mining of oxide ore as production in the first quarter of 2020 focused on the re-irrigation of previously extracted material.

The average grade of sulphide ore processed of 0.55% was marginally lower than the previous quarter (Q4 2020: 0.56%), in line with expectations, and lower grade material is expected to be processed over the remainder of 2021. Processing volumes of 6,744 kt (Q4 2020: 6,057 kt) increased by 11% compared to the previous quarter when scheduled maintenance was performed. The average copper recovery rate improved to 86.4% from the previous quarter (Q4 2020: 84.6%) when there was a temporary variation in the ore feed blend. Copper production from sulphide ore of 30.6 kt was 12% higher than the previous quarter (Q4 2020: 27.3 kt) and 13% higher than the prior year comparative period (Q1 2020: 27.2 kt), which were both impacted by scheduled mill maintenance.

Copper cathode production reduced to 3.3 kt from 4.6 kt in the previous quarter due to lower ambient temperatures and maintenance in January and February. Cathode production was 46% lower than the 6.1 kt produced in Q1 2020, also driven by lower temperatures and maintenance in the current year.

Total copper production of 33.9 kt was 6% higher than the previous quarter (Q4 2020: 31.9 kt) and was supported by increased ore throughput and a higher average recovery rate.

 

BOZSHAKOL

 



Q1 2021

Q4

2020

Q1 2020

Ore extraction

kt

9,230

9,833

 7,705

Sulphide

kt

7,282

6,824

 7,370

Clay

kt

1,948

3,009

 335






Ore processed

kt

7,716

7,867

 8,040






Copper





Average copper grade processed

%

0.46

0.52

 0.48

Copper recovery rate

%

76.8

79.6

 80.1

Copper in concentrate

kt

27.5

32.8

 31.2

Copper production1

kt

26.3

31.3

 29.8






Gold





Average gold grade processed

g/t

0.21

0.24

 0.28

Gold recovery rate

%

55.1

56.0

 62.0

Gold in concentrate

koz

28.0

33.5

 45.2

Gold production1

koz

26.2

31.4

 42.3






Silver production1

koz

186

249

 232

1 Payable metal in concentrate.

 

 

Ore extraction of 9,230 kt reduced by 6% compared with the previous quarter (Q4 2020: 9,833 kt). Clay ore extraction reduced, as expected, by 35% to 1,948 kt (Q4 2020: 3,009 kt) as in the prior quarter additional clay volumes were stripped to access sulphide ore. Sulphide ore extraction increased by 7% to 7,282 kt (Q4 2020: 6,824 kt) with some material stockpiled for future processing. Total ore extraction was 20% higher than the prior year comparative period when a limited amount of clay stripping was required.

The average grade of ore processed in Q1 reduced to 0.46% (Q4 2020: 0.52%), in line with the mine plan. Ore processing volumes reduced by 2% to 7,716 kt (Q4 2020: 7,867 kt) as both the sulphide and clay plants underwent maintenance. The average copper recovery rate reduced to 76.8% (Q4 2020: 79.6%) reflecting higher sulphur content in the main concentrator feed and an increased proportion of oxidised ore from stockpiles processed at the clay plant. Processing volumes were 4% lower than the prior year comparative period (Q1 2020: 8,040 kt) due to the timing of scheduled maintenance.

Copper production decreased by 16% to 26.3 kt compared with the previous quarter (Q4 2020: 31.3 kt) due to reduced ore throughput and lower average grades and recovery rates. Copper production was 12% lower than Q1 2020 due to lower ore throughput, grades and recovery rates.

Gold production of 26.2 koz (Q4 2020: 31.4 koz) was impacted by the lower volume of ore processed as well as lower grades and recoveries of 0.21 g/t (Q4 2020: 0.24 g/t) and 55.1% (Q4 2020: 56.0%) respectively. Average gold recovery rates were negatively impacted by the lower average gold grade as well as a high sulphur content in the sulphide ore feed and the processing of oxidised ore at the clay plant. As a result, gold production was 38% lower than the prior year comparative period (Q1 2020: 42.3 koz).

Silver production of 186 koz was 25% lower than the previous quarter (Q4 2020: 249 koz).

 

 

 



Q1 2021

Q4 2020

Q1 2020

Ore extraction

kt

976

690

 1,007






Ore processed

kt

852

705

 808






Copper





Average grade processed

%

1.67

2.07

 1.69

Orlovsky concentrator

%

3.36

3.26

 3.15

Nikolayevsky concentrator

%

1.45

1.54

 1.35

Bozymchak concentrator

%

0.69

0.82

 0.75

Average recovery rate

%

90.2

91.0

 91.2

East Region

%

90.6

91.0

 91.7

Bozymchak

%

87.2

89.5

 87.9

Copper in concentrate

kt

12.9

13.2

 12.4

Orlovsky concentrator

kt

6.4

6.8

 6.8

Nikolayevsky concentrator

kt

4.8

6.1

 3.9

Bozymchak concentrator

kt

1.7

0.3

 1.7

Copper production1

kt

12.2

12.5

 11.8

East Region

kt

10.6

12.2

 10.2

Bozymchak

kt

1.6

0.3

 1.6






Gold production1

koz

13.7

4.5

 12.5

Silver production1

koz

431

362

 443

Zinc in concentrate

kt

9.6

10.2

9.0

1 Payable metal in concentrate.

 

Ore extraction volumes of 976 kt increased by 41% versus the previous quarter (Q4 2020: 690 kt) following the recommencement of operations at the Bozymchak mine from 26 December 2020. Operations at the mine were suspended from 7 October 2020 to ensure employee safety during a period of political instability in Kyrgyzstan. Ore extraction was 3% lower than the prior year comparative period with less material extracted at all East Region mines.

Ore processing volumes increased to 852 kt from 705 kt in Q4 2020 due to the restart of operations at Bozymchak, but were below the mined volumes as throughput at the Orlovsky concentrator in January was impacted by challenging weather conditions. Throughput at the Nikolayevsky concentrator was restricted during commissioning works supporting the transition to the in-pit tailings facility with some unprocessed ore from the Artemyevsky and Irtyshsky mines stockpiled in the quarter for processing over the remainder of the year. Processing volumes were 5% higher in Q1 2021 than the prior year comparative period (Q1 2020: 808 kt) when the Nikolayevsky concentrator was idled for the whole of January.

Copper production of 12.2 kt (Q4 2020: 12.5 kt) was 2% below the previous quarter as a result of lower copper grades, as higher grades at Orlovsky were offset by lower grades at Nikolayevsky. Copper production was 3% higher than the prior year comparative period (Q1 2020: 11.8 kt), when the Nikolayevsky concentrator was idled for a longer period.

Gold production of 13.7 koz (Q4 2020: 4.5 koz) was significantly higher than the previous quarter as Bozymchak operations were sustained throughout the period with output in Q1 2021 of 11.0 koz (Q4 2020: 1.5 koz).

Silver production increased to 431 koz (Q4 2020: 362 koz), in line with higher processing volumes, and was 3% lower than the prior year comparative period (Q1 2020: 443 koz).

Zinc in concentrate output of 9.6 kt declined by 6% compared with the previous quarter mainly due to the processing of lower grade Nikolayevsky ore of 1.37% (Q4 2020: 1.40%) which more than offset higher average grades at Orlovsky of 4.43% (Q4 2020: 4.14%).

 

 

Sales volumes

The following table sets out the sales volumes of the Group's major products, compared with production.

 



Q1

 2021

Q1

2021

Q1

 2020

Q1

2020



Sales

Production

Sales

Production

Copper

kt

67.8

72.4

69.0

74.9

    Copper cathode1

kt

26.6

22.4

28.0

30.9

    Copper in concentrate2

kt

41.2

50.0

41.0

44.0

Gold3

koz

32.5

39.9

54.4

55.4

Silver3

koz

641

763

846

793

Zinc in concentrate

kt

8.3

9.6

8.2

9.0

1  Copper cathode from Aktogay oxide ore and toll processed metal.

2 Payable metal in concentrate, excluding material sent for toll processing.

3 Payable metal in concentrate and toll processed metal.

 

Total copper sales volumes of 67.8 kt were below production of 72.4 kt due to the timing of copper in concentrate shipments, with delays due to Covid-19 restrictions at the China-Kazakhstan border. Copper cathode sales of 26.6 kt were above production of 22.4 kt due to sales from inventories. Gold sales volumes of 32.5 koz were also below production of 39.9 koz due to the timing of shipments.

Provisionally priced copper in concentrate

At 31 March 2021, the Group's provisionally priced copper in concentrate volumes were 20.5 kt at an average provisional price of $7,915/t. There were no copper cathodes provisionally priced at 31 March 2021. The copper in concentrate provisional prices are below LME quoted prices due to the deduction of treatment and refining charges. For further details on the Group's provisional pricing arrangements please refer to Note 4(b) of the 2020 Annual Report and Accounts.

Commodity hedging

At 31 March 2021, there were no commodity price hedges in place.

Net debt

Net debt decreased to $2,410 million at 31 March 2021 from $2,601 million at 31 December 2021 as higher commodity prices led to strong operating cash flows. This was partly offset by capital expenditure mainly on the Aktogay expansion and Baimskaya copper projects and semi-annual interest payments on the Group's CDB debt facilities and monthly interest payments on the PXF totalling $55 million. MET and royalties and income tax payments in the first quarter were $48 million, lower than the cost incurred, as a portion of the amount due was offset against VAT receivable.

Total cash and cash equivalents and current investments at 31 March 2021 amounted to $1,298 million, with gross debt of $3,708 million. At 31 March 2021, $62 million remained undrawn against the DBK Aktogay II ($51 million) and CAT ($11 million) facilities which are intended to be drawn as the Aktogay expansion project progresses and additional equipment deliveries are received from Caterpillar.

 

 

 



Q1 2021

Q4 2020

Q1 2020

Copper production1

kt

72.4

75.7

    74.9

Aktogay

kt

33.9

31.9

    33.3

Bozshakol

kt

26.3

31.3

     29.8

East Region

kt

10.6

12.2

     10.2

Bozymchak

kt

1.6

0.3

       1.6

Gold production2

koz

39.9

35.9

     55.4

Aktogay

koz

-

-

0.6     

     Bozshakol

koz

26.2

31.4

     42.3 

East Region

koz

2.7

3.0

       3.0

Bozymchak

koz

11.0

1.5

       9.5

Silver production2

koz

763

732

      793

Aktogay

koz

146

121

118     

     Bozshakol

koz

186

249

232      

East Region

koz

361

353

      379

Bozymchak

koz

70

9

        64

Zinc in concentrate

kt

9.6

10.2

       9.0

East Region

kt

9.6

10.2

       9.0

Molybdenum in concentrate

t

125

103

97

Aktogay

t

95

55

55

Bozshakol

t

30

48

42

1 Payable metal in concentrate and copper cathode from Aktogay oxide ore.

2 Payable metal in concentrate.

 

TOLL PROCESSING & FINISHED METALS

 

 



Q1 2021

Q4 2020

Q1 2020

Copper cathodes

kt

22.4

27.0

     30.9

Aktogay sulphide (toll processed)

kt

5.6

6.9

10.0

Aktogay oxide

kt

3.3

4.6

6.1

Bozshakol (toll processed)

kt

4.2

2.8

       5.7

East Region (toll processed)

kt

8.8

11.5

       7.5

Bozymchak (toll processed)

kt

0.5

1.2

       1.6






Gold bar produced (toll processed)

koz

7.2

16.7

     18.3

Silver bar produced (toll processed)

koz

299

592

      379

 

 

 



Q1 2021

Q4 2020

Q1 2020

Ore extraction

kt

976

690

   1,007

Orlovsky

kt

228

233

      237

Artemyevsky

kt

294

298

      309

Irtyshsky

kt

124

128

      131

Bozymchak

kt

330

31

      330

Ore processed

kt

852

705

      808

Orlovsky concentrator

kt

211

233

     236

Nikolayevsky concentrator

kt

360

435

     319

Bozymchak concentrator

kt

281

37

     253






Gold





Average grade processed

 g/t

    0.82

0.50

0.83

East Region

 g/t

     0.47

0.44

0.51

Bozymchak

 g/t

1.54

1.57

1.52

Average recovery rate

%

64.7

43.2

62.0

     East Region

%

33.1

34.8

  35.2

Bozymchak

%

84.2

84.8

81.7

Gold in concentrate

koz

14.6

4.9

    13.3

East Region

koz

2.9

3.3

      3.2

     Bozymchak

koz

11.7

1.6

10.1

Gold production1

koz

13.7

4.5

   12.5

East Region

koz

2.7

3.0

     3.0

Bozymchak

koz

11.0

1.5

9.5






Silver





Average grade processed

g/t

29.9

31.5

31.9

East Region

 g/t

39.7

32.7

41.8

Bozymchak

 g/t

10.0

9.7

  10.3

Average recovery rate

%

57.8

55.7

    58.6

East Region

%

54.4

55.2

    55.8

Bozymchak

%

84.9

85.2

    83.6

Silver in concentrate

koz

473

397

     487

East Region

koz

396

388

     417

Bozymchak

koz

77

9

       70

Silver production1

koz

431

362

     443

East Region

koz

361

353

      379

Bozymchak

koz

70

9

       64






Zinc





Average grade processed

 %

2.50

2.35

    2.36

Orlovsky concentrator

%

4.43

4.14

     3.32

Nikolayevsky concentrator

 %

1.37

1.40

     1.64

Average recovery rate

%

67.1

65.4

  68.7

Orlovsky concentrator

%

69.9

71.7

    69.5

     Nikolayevsky concentrator

%

61.8

55.5

     67.8

Zinc in concentrate

kt

9.6

10.2

      9.0

     Orlovsky concentrator

kt

6.5

6.9

      5.5

Nikolayevsky concentrator

kt

3.1

3.3

      3.5

1 Payable metal in concentrate.

 

 

 

CAT or Caterpillar

Caterpillar Financial Services (UK) Limited, a subsidiary of Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation and Caterpillar Inc.

CAT facility

credit facility agreement with CAT

CDB or China Development Bank

China Development Bank Corporation

DBK

Development Bank of Kazakhstan

DBK Aktogay II facility

credit facility agreement with DBK relating to the Aktogay expansion project

gross liquid funds

the aggregate amount of cash and cash equivalents and current investments less restricted cash

the Group

KAZ Minerals PLC and its subsidiary companies

koz

thousand ounces

kt

thousand metric tonnes

LME

London Metal Exchange

MET

mineral extraction tax

Mt

million metric tonnes

net debt

the excess of current and non-current borrowings over gross liquid funds

ounce or oz

a troy ounce, which equates to 31.1035 grammes

PXF

pre-export finance debt facility

SX/EW

solvent extraction and electrowinning, a two-stage metallurgy process used for the extraction of copper

t

metric tonnes

TC/RCs

treatment charges and refining charges for smelting and refining services

 

 

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