🕐29.10.14 - 09:27 Uhr

ANTOFAGASTA PLC ALERT SERVICE



Q3 2014 PRODUCTION REPORT

Q3 2014 Production Report

Full year guidance remains unchanged

HIGHLIGHTS

PRODUCTION

  • Copper production in Q3 2014 was 169,200 tonnes, a 5.0% decrease compared with the previous quarter, principally due to lower throughput at Los Pelambres and Centinela concentrates
  • Copper production in the first nine months of the year was 3.9% lower than in the same period last year primarily due to lower grades
  • Gold production was 64,700 ounces in Q3 2014, a 3.4% decrease on Q2 2014 due to lower throughput at Centinela concentrates as a result of planned maintenance, which was partly offset by higher grades
  • Molybdenum production at Los Pelambres was 2,300 tonnes in Q3 2014, compared with 1,600 tonnes in the previous quarter, principally due to higher grades

CASH COSTS

  • Cash costs before by-product credits in Q3 2014 were $1.85/lb, a 2.6% decrease compared with Q2 2014.

    This decrease mainly related to lower energy costs at Los Pelambres and the one-off signing bonus between Centinela concentrates and its labour unions that was paid in Q2 2014
  • Cash costs before by-product credits for the first nine months of the year at $1.86/lb were 3.9% higher than in the corresponding period last year due to the one-off signing bonuses paid this year at Los Pelambres and Centinela concentrates and the completion of mining activities at the lower cash cost Mirador pit by Centinela cathodes in 2013
  • Net cash costs for the first nine months of 2014 were $1.44/lb, 8.3% higher than the same period last year primarily due to higher cash costs before by-product credits and lower realised gold prices

GUIDANCE

  • The Group remains on track to meet its full year guidance of 700,000 tonnes of copper, 270,000 ounces of gold and 7,500 tonnes of molybdenum and net cash costs of $1.45/lb

OTHER

  • As part of the programme to reduce power costs, the El Arrayán wind farm was commissioned in July and now provides Los Pelambres with some 20% of its power needs.

    Following this, in September 2014, Los Pelambres signed Power Purchase Agreements with two solar power providers for a total of 50MW of power
GROUP PRODUCTION AND CASH COSTS Q3 Q2   YTD
  2014 2014 % 2014 2013 %
Copper production kt 169.2 178.8 (5.0) 517.3 538.3 (3.9)
Gold production koz 64.7 67.0 (3.4) 188.5 230.6 (18.3)
Molybdenum production kt 2.3 1.6 43.8 5.5 6.7 (17.9)
Cash costs before by-product credits $/lb 1.85 1.90 (2.6) 1.86 1.79 3.9
Net cash costs $/lb 1.42 1.45 (2.1) 1.44 1.33 8.3



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