CHICAGO, Oct. 06, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Coeur Mining, Inc. (the "Company" or "Coeur") (NYSE:CDE) today announced preliminary third quarter production of 3.8 million ounces of silver and 85,658 ounces of gold, or 9.0 million silver equivalent1 ounces. Coeur is maintaining its 2015 total production guidance of 33.1 - 35.9 million silver equivalent1 ounces.
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3Q 2015 Operational Results
Third quarter operational highlights for each of the Company's mines are provided below.
| Palmarejo, Mexico | 3Q 2015 | 2Q 2015 | 1Q 2015 | 4Q 2014 | 3Q 2014 | ||||||||||
| Underground Operations: | |||||||||||||||
| Tons mined | 190,399 | 172,730 | 149,150 | 187,729 | 169,656 | ||||||||||
| Average silver grade (oz/t) | 4.11 | 3.90 | 4.34 | 4.49 | 4.92 | ||||||||||
| Average gold grade (oz/t) | 0.10 | 0.09 | 0.07 | 0.06 | 0.10 | ||||||||||
| Surface Operations: | |||||||||||||||
| Tons mined | 247,071 | 257,862 | 281,481 | 320,802 | 343,001 | ||||||||||
| Average silver grade (oz/t) | 3.56 | 3.47 | 3.79 | 2.90 | 3.09 | ||||||||||
| Average gold grade (oz/t) | 0.03 | 0.03 | 0.04 | 0.03 | 0.03 | ||||||||||
| Processing: | |||||||||||||||
| Total tons milled | 427,635 | 435,841 | 451,918 | 510,813 | 518,212 | ||||||||||
| Average recovery rate – Ag | 87.9 | % | 78.5 | % | 78.7 | % | 80.2 | % | 82.7 | % | |||||
| Average recovery rate – Au | 84.7 | % | 76.2 | % | 73.9 | % | 78.7 | % | 86.9 | % | |||||
| Silver production ounces (000's) | 1,422 | 1,247 | 1,354 | 1,444 | 1,533 | ||||||||||
| Gold production ounces | 22,974 | 18,127 | 15,495 | 15,237 | 22,514 | ||||||||||
| Silver-equivalent production ounces (000's) | 2,800 | 2,335 | 2,284 | 2,358 | 2,884 | ||||||||||
- Underground mining rates continue to climb as production transitions to the Guadalupe deposit and - beginning in early 2016 - the nearby Independencia deposit, which was consolidated through the recent acquisition of Paramount Gold and Silver.
- Daily mining rates at Guadalupe averaged more than 1,400 tons per day during the quarter, which is expected to trigger the accelerated payment of the remaining unpaid amount of the $22 million total deposit from an affiliate of Franco-Nevada Corporation under the gold stream agreement entered into in October 2014.
- Third quarter production increased 20% mostly due to higher mining rates at Guadalupe and due to production from higher-grade areas of the open pit and historic underground zones.
- Higher proportions of Guadalupe ore and an increase in sulfide content in open-pit ore contributed to higher recovery rates for both silver and gold. This strong recovery performance is expected to be maintained in the fourth quarter.
| Rochester, Nevada | 3Q 2015 | 2Q 2015 | 1Q 2015 | 4Q 2014 | 3Q 2014 |
| Tons placed | 4,128,868 | 3,859,965 | 4,013,879 | 3,876,944 | 3,892,421 |
| Average silver grade (oz/t) | 0.59 | 0.61 | 0.74 | 0.60 | 0.51 |
| Average gold grade (oz/t) | 0.003 | 0.003 | 0.004 | 0.004 | 0.005 |
| Silver production ounces (000's) | 1,086 | 1,294 | 1,144 | 1,170 | 1,156 |
| Gold production ounces | 10,892 | 16,411 | 13,721 | 15,764 | 11,702 |
| Silver-equivalent production ounces (000's) | 1,740 | 2,279 | 1,967 | 2,116 | 1,858 |
- Silver equivalent production at Rochester declined due to timing of leaching on the Stage III leach pad.
- Fourth quarter production is expected to rebound, with full-year silver equivalent production remaining on track to increase 15% - 30% compared to 2014.
| Kensington, Alaska | 3Q 2015 | 2Q 2015 | 1Q 2015 | 4Q 2014 | 3Q 2014 | ||||||||||
| Tons milled | 165,198 | 170,649 | 164,951 | 167,417 | 145,097 | ||||||||||
| Average gold grade (oz/t) | 0.19 | 0.18 | 0.24 | 0.21 | 0.23 | ||||||||||
| Average recovery rate | 93.6 | % | 94.9 | % | 94.8 | % | 94.2 | % | 93.0 | % | |||||
| Gold production ounces | 28,688 | 29,845 | 33,909 | 33,533 | 30,773 | ||||||||||
- Production declined 4% in the third quarter due to lower recovery rates and mill throughput, partially offset by a slight increase in head grades.
- Development of the decline into the high-grade Jualin deposit commenced during the quarter. Underground drilling of Jualin is expected to begin during the first quarter of 2016.
| Wharf, South Dakota | 3Q 2015 | 2Q 2015 | 1Q 2015 | 4Q 2014 | 3Q 2014 |
| Tons placed | 1,149,744 | 887,409 | 415,996 | — | — |
| Average gold equivalent grade (oz/t) | 0.035 | 0.025 | 0.020 | — | — |
| Gold equivalent production ounces | 23,427 | 16,794 | 6,609 | — | — |
- Gold equivalent production increased 40% in the third quarter mainly due to resumed mining in the higher-grade Golden Reward pit.
- Fourth quarter gold equivalent production is expected to exceed the third quarter.
| San Bartolomé, Bolivia | 3Q 2015 | 2Q 2015 | 1Q 2015 | 4Q 2014 | 3Q 2014 | ||||||||||
| Tons milled | 373,201 | 457,232 | 406,951 | 454,136 | 471,938 | ||||||||||
| Average silver grade (oz/t) | 3.76 | 3.73 | 3.65 | 3.77 | 3.70 | ||||||||||
| Average recovery rate | 84.0 | % | 87.6 | % | 81.6 | % | 88.0 | % | 86.5 | % | |||||
| Silver production ounces (000's) | 1,178 | 1,495 | 1,213 | 1,506 | 1,509 | ||||||||||
- Third quarter production declined due to a three-week cessation of mining activity in July caused by political protests in Potosi, Bolivia.
- Fourth quarter tons milled and production are expected to rebound to levels consistent with the second quarter.
| Endeavor, Australia | 3Q 2015 | 2Q 2015 | 1Q 2015 | 4Q 2014 | 3Q 2014 |
| Silver production ounces (000's) | 121 | 204 | 133 | 191 | 141 |
- Silver production received from the Company's silver stream from the Endeavor mine in Australia decreased by 41% in the third quarter.
2015 Production Outlook
Coeur's 2015 total silver and gold production guidance is unchanged as shown below.
| (silver and silver equivalent ounces in thousands) | Silver | Gold | Silver Equivalent |
| Palmarejo | 4,200 - 4,700 | 62,000 - 67,000 | 7,920 - 8,720 |
| San Bartolomé | 5,300 - 5,500 | — | 5,300 - 5,500 |
| Rochester | 4,700 - 5,000 | 55,000 - 65,000 | 8,000 - 8,900 |
| Endeavor | 500 - 600 | — | 500 - 600 |
| Kensington | — | 115,000 - 125,000 | 6,900 - 7,500 |
| Wharf | — | 74,000 - 78,000 | 4,440 - 4,680 |
| Total | 14,700 - 15,800 | 306,000 - 335,000 | 33,060 - 35,900 |
Financial Results and Conference Call
Coeur will report its full operational and financial results for the third quarter 2015 on November 2, 2015 after the New York Stock Exchange closes for trading. There will be a conference call on November 3, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time.
| Dial-In Numbers: | (855) 560-2581 (US) |
| (855) 669-9657 (Canada) | |
| (412) 542-4166 (International) | |
| Conference ID: | Coeur Mining, Inc. |
The conference call and presentation will also be webcast on the Company’s website www.coeur.com.
Hosting the call will be Mitchell J. Krebs, President and Chief Executive Officer of Coeur, who will be joined by Peter C. Mitchell, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Frank L. Hanagarne, Jr., Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Hans Rasmussen, Vice President of Exploration, and other members of management.
A replay of the call will be available through November 17, 2015.
| Replay numbers: | (877) 344-7529 (US) |
| (855) 669-9658 (Canada) | |
| (412) 317-0088 (International) | |
| Conference ID: | 100 73 689 |
About Coeur
Coeur Mining is the largest U.S.-based primary silver producer and a significant gold producer with five precious metals mines in the Americas employing approximately 2,100 people. Coeur produces from its wholly owned operations: the Palmarejo silver-gold mine in Mexico, the San Bartolomé silver mine in Bolivia, the Rochester silver-gold mine in Nevada, the Kensington gold mine in Alaska, and the Wharf gold mine in South Dakota. The Company also has a non-operating interest in the Endeavor mine in Australia in addition to royalties on the Cerro Bayo mine in Chile, the El Gallo complex in Mexico, the Zaruma mine in Ecuador, and the Correnso mine in New Zealand. In addition, the Company has two silver-gold exploration projects - the La Preciosa project in Mexico and the Joaquin project in Argentina. The Company also conducts ongoing exploration activities in Alaska, Argentina, Bolivia, Mexico, and Nevada. The Company owns strategic investment positions in several silver and gold development companies with projects in North and South America.
Cautionary Statement
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of securities legislation in the United States and Canada, including statements regarding anticipated production, tons milled, grades, margins, recovery rates, operations at Palmarejo, and development efforts. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause Coeur's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the risk that anticipated production levels are not attained, the risks and hazards inherent in the mining business (including risks inherent in developing large-scale mining projects, environmental hazards, industrial accidents, weather or geologically related conditions), changes in the market prices of gold and silver and a sustained lower price environment, the uncertainties inherent in Coeur's production, exploratory and developmental activities, including risks relating to permitting and regulatory delays, ground conditions, grade variability, any future labor disputes or work stoppages, the uncertainties inherent in the estimation of gold and silver reserves, changes that could result from Coeur's future acquisition of new mining properties or businesses, reliance on third parties to operate certain mines where Coeur owns silver production and reserves and the absence of control over mining operations in which Coeur or its subsidiaries hold royalty or streaming interests and risks related to these mining operations including results of mining and exploration activities, environmental, economic and political risks of the jurisdiction in which the mining operations are located, the loss of any third-party smelter to which Coeur markets silver and gold, the effects of environmental and other governmental regulations, the risks inherent in the ownership or operation of or investment in mining properties or businesses in foreign countries, Coeur's ability to raise additional financing necessary to conduct its business, make payments or refinance its debt, as well as other uncertainties and risk factors set out in filings made from time to time with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Canadian securities regulators, including, without limitation, Coeur's most recent reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q. Actual results, developments and timetables could vary significantly from the estimates presented. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Coeur disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additionally, Coeur undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of Coeur, its financial or operating results or its securities.
Dana Willis, Coeur's Director, Resource Geology and a qualified person under Canadian National Instrument 43-101, supervised the preparation of the scientific and technical information concerning Coeur's mineral projects in this news release. For a description of the key assumptions, parameters and methods used to estimate mineral reserves and resources, as well as data verification procedures and a general discussion of the extent to which the estimates may be affected by any known environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing or other relevant factors, Canadian investors should refer to the Technical Reports for each of Coeur's properties as filed on SEDAR at sedar.com.
Silver and gold equivalence calculated using a 60:1 silver to gold ratio.
