7 I GOLD FIELDS RESULTS Q1F2009
The forecast for the December quarter is as follows:
· Gold produced – 110,000 ounces
· Total cash costs* – A$740 per ounce (US$630 per ounce)
· Capital expenditure* – A$28 million (US$24 million)
· Notional cash expenditure* – A$990 per ounce (US$840 per ounce)
* Based on A$1 = US$0.85.
The gold production increase is in line with increased production forecast
from the new underground mines at Cave Rocks and Belleisle. Development
of these new underground mines will continue to remain a focus area to
return production to between 115,000 ounces and 120,000 ounces per
quarter from the March quarter. Total cash costs and notional cash
expenditure are forecast to decrease as a consequence. The mine is
positioned to achieve these production levels in the second half of financial
2009.
Agnew
September
2008
June
2008
Gold produced
- 000’ozs
52.2
54.6
Yield
-
g/t
5.3
5.0
Total cash costs
- A$/oz
548
479
-
US$/oz
494
452
Notional cash expenditure
- US$/oz
588
662
Gold production decreased 4 per cent from 54,600 ounces in the June
quarter to 52,200 ounces in the September quarter. A 9 per cent decrease in
processing volumes from 339,000 tons in the June quarter to 308,000 tons in
the September quarter, was partially offset by a 5 per cent increase in yield,
from 5.0 gram per ton to 5.3 gram per ton. The higher yield was due to an
improved performance from the Waroonga underground complex with
increased overall tonnages extracted from the complex. The lower
processing volumes were the result of a planned six day maintenance
shutdown at the plant during July.
Ore mined from underground increased 5 per cent from 165,000 tons in the
June quarter to 173,000 tons in the September quarter. Underground mining
achieved a new quarterly production record with an average of almost 58,000
tons per month, against the previous best of 55,000 tons per month in the
previous quarter.
Main Lode production was increased to replace the production from the
completed Songvang stockpiles. This resulted in a decrease of overall grade
mined for the quarter from 10.6 grams per ton to 8.1 grams per ton.
Operating costs, including gold-in-process movements, increased 7 per cent
from A$27million (R197 million) in the June quarter to A$29 million (R203
million) in the September quarter. The increase in operating cost was mainly
due to the increase in ore mined at lower grade, and a release of gold-in-
process stocks. Total cash costs per ounce increased by 14 per cent from
A$479 per ounce (US$452 per ounce) in the June quarter to A$548 per
ounce (US$494 per ounce) in the September quarter.
Operating profit decreased from A$26 million (R179 million) for the June
quarter to A$23 million (R158 million) in the September quarter.
Capital expenditure decreased from A$13 million (R91 million) in the June
quarter to A$7 million (R49 million) for the September quarter. The higher
expenditure in the June quarter related to payments for single persons
accommodation at Leinster.
Notional cash expenditure decreased from A$702 per ounce (US$662 per
ounce) in the June quarter to A$653 per ounce (US$588 per ounce) in the
September mainly due to the decrease in capital expenditure.
The forecast for the December quarter is as follows:
· Gold produced – 46,000 ounces
· Total cash costs* – A$555 per ounce (US$470 per ounce)
· Capital expenditure* – A$14 million (US$12 million)
· Notional cash expenditure* – A$885 per ounce (US$750 per ounce)
* Based on A$1 = US$0.85.
Gold production for the December quarter is expected to reduce due to the
completion of the Songvang stockpiles. Notional cash expenditure per ounce
is expected to increase by 28 per cent with additional capital expenditure of
A$3 million on upgrading catering facilities at Leinster as part of the new
accommodation agreement and focus on underground development at the
Waroonga complex.
Quarter ended 30 September 2008 compared
with quarter ended 30 September 2007
Group attributable gold production decreased by 19 per cent from 986,000
ounces for the quarter ended September 2007 to 798,000 ounces produced
in the September 2008 quarter. These production results and the results
below exclude the results of Choco 10 sold during financial 2008, as these
results are accounted for under discontinued operations.
At the South African operations gold production decreased from 689,000
ounces to 492,000 ounces. Driefontein’s gold production decreased from
260,000 ounces to 207,000 ounces due to the stopping of 6 and 7 shafts
following the Eskom power rationing, the stoppage of 10 shaft due to
increased seismicity, reduced pillar mining for safety reasons, reduced
surface grades and reduced mining due to the focus on backlog secondary
support during the September quarter.
Kloof’s gold production decreased from 235,000 ounces to 157,000 ounces
due to the Main Shaft rehabilitation, normalisation of underground yields at 7
shaft, lower production at 3 shaft following the Eskom power rationing and
reduced pillar mining for safety reasons. Beatrix’s gold production decreased
from 119,000 ounces to 101,000 ounces due to reduced mining volumes and
a lower mine call factor. South Deep’s gold production decreased from
74,000 ounces to 27,000 ounces due to the termination of conventional VCR
mining and the stoppage of the 95 2 West and 3 West projects for
rehabilitation of the main access ramps.
At the international operations total managed gold production increased from
355,000 ounces in September 2007 to 366,000 ounces in September 2008,
including 12,400 equivalent ounces from Cerro Corona. In Ghana, Damang’s
gold production decreased 7 per cent to 44,000 ounces due to a decrease in
mining grade as a result of the failure of the pebble crusher during the
quarter. Tarkwa was marginally higher at 156,000 ounces mainly due to an
increase of available fresh ore tonnage mined and processed. In Australia,
St Ives decreased marginally to 101,000 ounces. The decrease at St Ives
was due to a decrease in head grade (2.04 grams per ton versus 2.12 grams
per ton). Production at Agnew increased by 2 per cent to 52,000 ounces due
to an increase in high grade ore mined from Waroonga underground, partially
offset by lower grade from open pit stock.
Revenue increased by 14 per cent in rand terms (increased 17 per cent in US
dollar terms) from R5,018 million (US$707 million) to R5,724 million (US$740
million). The 40 per cent higher average gold price of R217,586 per kilogram
(US$874 per ounce) compared with R155,333 per kilogram (US$816 per
ounce) achieved in the September 2007 quarter, more than offset the lower
production. The US dollar weakened from US$1 = R7.10 to US$1 = R7.74,
or 9 per cent, while the rand/Australian dollar weakened from A$1 = R6.02 to
R6.97, or 16 per cent, quarter on quarter.
Operating costs, including gold-in-process movements, increased from
R3,302 million (US$465 million) to R4,150 million (US$536 million), an
increase of R848 million (US$71 million) or 26 per cent in rand terms. The
increase in costs was due to wage increases, above inflation price increases
on fuel, steel and cyanide at all the operations and increased power costs in
Ghana and South Africa. Total cash costs for the Group in rand terms,
increased from R98,465 per kilogram (US$431 per ounce) to R153,458 per
kilogram (US$617 per ounce) due to the above factors.
At the South African operations operating costs increased by 17 per cent
from R2,114 million to R2,468 million for the year. This was due to the wage
increases and the increase in certain input costs such as steel, timber,
chemicals, food and power costs, partially offset by the cost saving initiatives
implemented over the year. Unit cash costs at the South African operations
increased from R94,248 per kilogram to R153,581 per kilogram (US$413 per
ounce to US$617 per ounce) as a result of the above cost increases and the
lower production due to a decrease of 6 per cent in underground yield and
the rehabilitation programmes currently underway.
At the international operations, net operating cost increased from R1,188
million (US$167 million) in the June quarter to R1,682 million (US$217
million) in the September quarter, of which R107 million (US$15 million) was
as a result of changes in the exchange rate. In Ghana, the increase in costs
was mainly due to the power increase effective from 1 July 2008 and the
increase in diesel and imported commodities such as cyanide and steel.
Increased costs at St Ives were due to increased production volumes, higher
haulage costs at Cave Rocks and the increased third party royalty charge. At
Agnew, costs increased due to increased underground mining and increased
environmental costs. Unit cash costs increased from US$468 per ounce to
US$616 per ounce.