TIDMAAZ

RNS Number : 1510Q

Anglo Asian Mining PLC

16 October 2023

16 October 2023

Anglo Asian Mining plc

Q3 and 9M 2023 Production and Operations review

Gedabek set to fully resume operations following environmental inspection

Gross cash of $10.8 million (net cash of $1.6 million) at 30 September 2023

Anglo Asian Mining plc ("Anglo Asian" or the "Company"), the AIM-listed gold, copper and silver producer operating in Azerbaijan, provides a production, sales and operations review for the three and nine months to 30 September 2023 ("Q3 2023" and "9M 2023" respectively).

Operational update

-- Flotation processing and agitation leaching have been suspended since the beginning of August 2023

o Heap leaching continued throughout Q3 2023

o Environmental report by Micon International Co Limited ("Micon") released in September 2023, showing no environmental contamination at Gedabek

o Formal protocol to restart operations now being agreed with the Government of Azerbaijan

   --    Extensive plant maintenance carried out during Q3 2023 

Production update

   --    Q3 2023 production of 5,295 gold equivalent ounces ("GEOs") (Q3 2022: 14,309 GEOs) 
   --    9M 2023 total production of 28,686 GEOs (9M 2022: 43,081 GEOs) 

-- Updated Full Year 2023 ("FY 2023") production guidance of 30,000 to 34,000 GEOs issued with the interim results

o Assumes no flotation and agitation leaching production for the rest of 2023

o Guidance will be updated if flotation and agitation production is restarted before the end of the year

Cash and inventory update

-- Net cash of $1.6 million at 30 September 2023 (30 June 2023: $9.6 million) with the following payments made in Q3 2023

o $4.6 million payment of final dividend for 2022

   --    Gross cash of $10.8 million at 30 September 2023 

o $3.5 million loan drawn down from International Bank of Azerbaijan in early July 2023

o $5.7 million loan drawn down from Access Bank in August 2023

-- $10 million tranche drawn down from the International Bank of Azerbaijan under the Company's revolving credit facility in early October 2023

-- The Company had inventory at market value of $7.0 million at 30 September 2023 (gold and silver bullion of $5.9 million and copper concentrate of $1.1 million)

-- 1,000 ounces of gold bullion sold in Q3 2023 at an average price of $1,959 per ounce under the gold hedging programmes yielding additional sales revenue of $27,075

o Total gold bullion sales in Q3 2023 of 2,900 ounces at an average of $1,949 per ounce

Anglo Asian CEO Reza Vaziri commented:

"This was a challenging quarter for the Company with operations impacted by the environmental inspection that was ordered by the Government of Azerbaijan. Our focus was to fully cooperate with the government and ensure the environmental inspection was carried out properly.

The inspection's findings highlighted areas for improvement regarding Company response systems, resources and protocols. We are now working with the government to ensure these issues are very quickly addressed. Nevertheless, we were pleased that allegations of environmental contamination were proved to be without merit with the report recognising the Company operates within accepted high industry standards and guidelines. We look forward to updating the market in due course regarding the resumption of agitation leaching and flotation processing at Gedabek and progress against our stated growth strategy."

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:

 
 Reza Vaziri        Anglo Asian Mining plc          Tel: +994 12 596 3350 
 Bill Morgan        Anglo Asian Mining plc          Tel: +994 502 910 400 
                   ------------------------------  ---------------------- 
 Stephen Westhead   Anglo Asian Mining plc          Tel: +994 502 916 894 
                   ------------------------------  ---------------------- 
 Ewan Leggat        SP Angel Corporate Finance      Tel: +44 (0) 20 3470 
  Adam Cowl          LLP                             0470 
                     Nominated Adviser and Broker 
                   ------------------------------  ---------------------- 
 Charlie Jack       Hudson Sandler                  Tel: +44(0) 20 7796 
  Harry Griffiths                                    4133 
                   ------------------------------  ---------------------- 
 

Notes:

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 57,618 gold equivalent ounces ("GEOs") for the year ended 31 December 2022.

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.

The Company owns approximately 17.4 per cent. of Libero Copper & Gold Corporation ("Libero"). Libero is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange in Canada and owns, or has the option to acquire, several copper exploration properties in North and South America, including Mocoa in Colombia, one of the world's largest undeveloped copper-molybdenum resources.

https://www.angloasianmining.com/

Production overview

Q3 2023

   --    Total production of 5,295 GEOs (Q3 2022: 14,309 GEOs) 
   --    Gold production of 4,163 ounces (Q3 2022: 11,087 ounces): 

o 4,008 ounces contained within gold doré

o 4 ounces from sulfidisation, acidification, recycling and thickening ("SART") processing

o 151 ounces from flotation processing

   --    Copper production totalled 251 tonnes (Q3 2022: 609 tonnes): 

o 44 tonnes from SART processing

o 207 tonnes from flotation processing

   --    Silver production totalled 5,696 ounces (Q3 2022: 45,063 ounces): 

o 1,490 ounces contained within gold doré

o 2,232 ounces from SART processing

o 1,974 ounces from flotation processing

9M 2023

   --    Total production of 28,686 GEOs (9M 2022: 43,081 GEOs) 
   --    Gold production of 18,771 ounces (9M 2022: 31,993 ounces) 
   --    Copper production totalled 2,111 tonnes (9M 2022: 1,892 tonnes) 
   --    Silver production totalled 50,272 ounces (9M 2022: 144,562 ounces) 

Sales

-- Q3 2023 gold bullion sales of 2,900 ounces at an average of $1,949 per ounce (Q3 2022: 10,000 ounces sold at an average of $1,727 per ounce)

-- Q3 2023 copper concentrate shipments totalled 2,358 dry metric tonnes ("dmt") with a sales value of $3.1 million (excluding Government of Azerbaijan profit share) (Q3 2022: 1,718 dmt with a sales value of $3.4 million)

Company financials

-- The Company had net cash of $1.6 million at 30 September 2023 ($9.6 million at 30 June 2023). The Company made the following payments in Q3 2022

o Final dividend for 2022: $4.6 million

Gedabek - mining, detailed production and sales

The Company mined the following amounts and grades of ore in the nine months to 30 September 2023:

 
                    6 months to           3 months to            9 months to 
                    30 June 2023        30 September 2023      30 September 2023 
                            Average                Average                Average 
                               gold                   gold                   gold 
 Mine           Ore mined     grade    Ore mined     grade    Ore mined     grade 
                 (tonnes)     (g/t)     (tonnes)     (g/t)     (tonnes)     (g/t) 
               ----------  --------  -----------  --------  -----------  -------- 
 Open pit       1,006,483      0.35       72,819      0.32    1,079,302      0.35 
 Gadir - u/g       85,201      1.59        8,424      2.34       93,625      1.65 
 Total          1,091,684      0.45       81,243      0.53    1,172,927      0.45 
-------------  ----------  --------  -----------  --------  -----------  -------- 
 

* There have been some minor changes to the previously reported figures following the reconciliation of ore stockpiles.

The Company processed the following amounts and grades of ore by leaching for FY 2022 and Q1 to Q3 2023:

 
 Quarter ended                  Ore processed                   Gold grade of ore processed 
                    -------------------------------------  ------------------------------------ 
                         Heap         Heap                      Heap         Heap 
                         leach        leach     Agitation       leach        leach    Agitation 
                      pad crushed    pad ROM     leaching    pad crushed    pad ROM    leaching 
                          ore          ore        plant*         ore          ore       plant* 
                       (tonnes)      (tonnes)    (tonnes)       (g/t)        (g/t)      (g/t) 
                    -------------                          -------------  ---------  ---------- 
 31 March 2022         115,173       273,577     144,275        0.75         0.48       1.63 
 30 June 2022           82,814       299,762     162,239        0.78         0.53       1.40 
 30 September 
  2022                  92,398       302,714     162,669        0.81         0.57       1.42 
 31 December 2022       24,606       213,120     156,285        0.72         0.56       1.42 
                    -------------  ----------  ----------  -------------  ---------  ---------- 
 FY 2022               314,991      1,089,173    625,468        0.77         0.56       1.43 
------------------  -------------  ----------  ----------  -------------  ---------  ---------- 
 31 March 2023          94,518       196,595     62,006         0.74         0.49        1.3 
 30 June 2023           56,522       202,788     105,213        0.75         0.46        1.4 
                    -------------  ----------  ----------  -------------  ---------  ---------- 
 H1 2023               151,040       399,383     167,219        0.75         0.49        1.4 
                    -------------  ----------  ----------  -------------  ---------  ---------- 
 30 September 
  2023                  25,690       34,621         -           0.83         0.45         - 
------------------  -------------  ----------  ----------  -------------  ---------  ---------- 
 

* includes previously heap leached ore.

The Company processed the following amounts of ore and contained metal by flotation for FY 2022 and Q1 to Q3 2023 :

 
 Quarter ended       Ore processed   Gold content   Silver content   Copper content 
                       (tonnes)        (ounces)        (ounces)         (tonnes) 
                    --------------  -------------  ---------------  --------------- 
 31 March 2022          104,475         1,921           33,522            577 
 30 June 2022           114,099         1,293           24,209            745 
 30 September 
  2022                  143,838         1,314           24,582            724 
 31 December 2022       119,819         1,389           18,003            670 
                    --------------  -------------  ---------------  --------------- 
 FY 2022                482,231         5,917          100,316           2,716 
                    --------------  -------------  ---------------  --------------- 
 31 March 2023          192,516         1,487           19,787           1,133 
 30 June 2023           190,593         1,033           10,380           1,191 
                    --------------  -------------  ---------------  --------------- 
 H1 2023                383,109         2,520           30,167           2,324 
                    --------------  -------------  ---------------  --------------- 
 30 September 
  2023                  62,369           478            4,358             363 
------------------  --------------  -------------  ---------------  --------------- 
 

The following table summarises gold doré production and sales at Gedabek for FY 2022 and Q1 to Q3 2023:

 
 Quarter ended   Gold produced*     Silver     Gold sales**  Gold Sales 
                     (ounces)       produced*     (ounces)       price 
                                    (ounces)                   ($/ounce) 
  31 March 2022       8,963          7,574         7,519        1,904 
  30 June 2022        10,137         7,620         3,754        1,895 
  30 September 
   2022               10,473         6,949         10,000       1,727 
  31 December 
   2022               10,437         4,820         13,645       1,727 
                  --------------  -----------  -------------  ---------- 
  FY 2022             40,010         26,963        34,918       1,783 
  --------------  --------------  -----------  -------------  ---------- 
  31 March 2023       5,965          2,841         5,719        1,895 
  30 June 2023        7,375          3,593         4,787        1,992 
                  --------------  -----------  -------------  ---------- 
  H1 2023             13,340         6,434         10,506       1,939 
                  --------------  -----------  -------------  ---------- 
  30 September 
   2023               4,008          1,490         2,900        1,949 
  --------------  --------------  -----------  -------------  ---------- 
 
  Notes 
 

* including Government of Azerbaijan's share

** excluding Government of Azerbaijan's share

The gold and silver production from agitation and heap leaching for FY 2022 Q1 to Q3 2023 is as follows:

 
 Quarter                        Gold                               Silver 
  ended 
                  Agitation     Heap        Total     Agitation     Heap        Total 
                   leaching    leaching                leaching    leaching 
                   (ounces)    (ounces)    (ounces)    (ounces)    (ounces)    (ounces) 
                 ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------  ---------- 
 31 March 2022      5,674       3,289       8,963       4,803       2,771       7,574 
 30 June 2022       6,196       3,941      10,137       4,654       2,966       7,620 
 30 Sept 2022       5,517       4,956      10,473       3,673       3,276       6,949 
 31 Dec 2022        5,831       4,606      10,437       2,684       2,136       4,820 
                 ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------  ---------- 
 FY 2022           23,218      16,792      40,010      15,814      11,139      26,963 
---------------  ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------  ---------- 
 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 
                 ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------  ---------- 
 H1 2023            5,568       7,772      13,340       2,812       3,622       6,434 
                 ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------  ---------- 
 30 Sept 2023         -         4,008       4,008         -         1,490       1,490 
---------------  ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------  ---------- 
 

The following table summarises copper concentrate production from both the Company's SART and flotation plants at Gedabek for FY 2022 and Q1 to Q3 2023 :

 
                              Concentrate    Copper      Gold      Silver 
                              production*   content*   content*   content* 
                                 (dmt)      (tonnes)   (ounces)   (ounces) 
                             ------------  ---------  ---------  --------- 
 2022 
 Quarter ended 31 March 
 SART processing                  330         188         12       25,114 
 Flotation                       2,586        380       1,065      17,986 
                             ------------  ---------  ---------  --------- 
 Total                           2,916        568       1,077      43,100 
                             ------------  ---------  ---------  --------- 
 Quarter ended 30 June 
 SART processing                  316         168         14       25,582 
 Flotation                       3,811        547        715       15,672 
                             ------------  ---------  ---------  --------- 
 Total                           4,127        715        729       41,254 
                             ------------  ---------  ---------  --------- 
 Quarter ended 30 September 
 SART processing                  367         208         33       24,077 
 Flotation                       2,805        401        581       14,094 
                             ------------  ---------  ---------  --------- 
 Total                           3,172        609        614       38,171 
                             ------------  ---------  ---------  --------- 
 Quarter ended 31 December 
 SART processing                  438         244         39       20,833 
 Flotation                       2,648        380        645       11,725 
                             ------------  ---------  ---------  --------- 
 Total                           3,086        624        684       32,558 
                             ------------  ---------  ---------  --------- 
 2023 
 Quarter ended 31 March 
 SART processing                  364         190         25       8,750 
 Flotation                       4,544        657        751       10,975 
                             ------------  ---------  ---------  --------- 
 Total                           4,908        847        776       19,725 
                             ------------  ---------  ---------  --------- 
 Quarter ended 30 June 
 SART processing                  272         146         16       10,348 
 Flotation                       5,613        867        476       8,069 
                             ------------  ---------  ---------  --------- 
 Total                           5,885       1,013       492       18,417 
                             ------------  ---------  ---------  --------- 
 Quarter ended 30 September 
 SART processing                  85           44         4        2,232 
 Flotation                       1,316        207        151       1,974 
                             ------------  ---------  ---------  --------- 
 Total                           1,401        251        155       4,206 
                             ------------  ---------  ---------  --------- 
 

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 2022 and Q1 to Q3 2023. 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 2022       2,916        568       1,077      43,100       1,477          3,248 
 30 June 2022        4,127        715        729       41,254       4,642          8,127 
 30 September 
  2022               3,172        609        614       38,171       1,718          3,378 
 31 December 
  2022               3,086        624        684       32,558       4,606          7,487 
                 ------------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ------------  -------------- 
 FY 2022            13,301       2,516      3,104     155,083      12,443         22,240 
---------------  ------------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ------------  -------------- 
 31 March 2023       4,908        847        776       19,725       1,147          2,743 
 30 June 2023        5,885       1,013       492       18,417       5,501          7,678 
                 ------------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ------------  -------------- 
 H1 2023            10,793       1,860      1,268      38,142       6,648         10,421 
                 ------------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ------------  -------------- 
 30 September 
  2023               1,401        251        155       4,206        2,358          3,066 
---------------  ------------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ------------  -------------- 
 

Notes

* including Government of Azerbaijan's share

** excludes Government of Azerbaijan's share

**ENDS**

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.

RNS may use your IP address to confirm compliance with the terms and conditions, to analyse how you engage with the information contained in this communication, and to share such analysis on an anonymised basis with others as part of our commercial services. For further information about how RNS and the London Stock Exchange use the personal data you provide us, please see our Privacy Policy.

END

UPDZZMMGGKKGFZZ

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

October 16, 2023 02:00 ET (06:00 GMT)

Anglo Asian (AQSE:AAZ.GB)
Graphique Historique de l'Action
De Oct 2024 à Nov 2024 Plus de graphiques de la Bourse Anglo Asian
Anglo Asian (AQSE:AAZ.GB)
Graphique Historique de l'Action
De Nov 2023 à Nov 2024 Plus de graphiques de la Bourse Anglo Asian