Holding(s) in Company

Q4 Production Report 2018

KAZ MINERALS GROUP Production Report for twelve months and THE fourth QUARTER Ended 31 december 2018

  • Full year copper production1 increased by 14% to 294.7 kt (FY 2017: 258.5 kt)
    • Copper production1 at upper end of 270-300 kt guidance, mainly due to strong performance from Aktogay
    • Q4 copper production1 of 77.9 kt (Q3 2018: 77.2 kt), driven by Bozshakol and Aktogay
    • Full year gold production2 of 183.4 koz, above guidance range of 160-175 koz (2017: 178.7 koz)
  • Bozshakol
    • Copper production2 increased by 6% to 26.6 kt in Q4 (Q3 2018: 25.2 kt) due to higher grades and recoveries
    • Full year copper output of 101.6 kt (2017: 101.3 kt), in upper half of guidance range of 95-105 kt
    • Q4 gold production2 of 34.1 koz, 9% above previous quarter due to improved recoveries and favourable grades
    • Full year gold output of 127.8 koz, ahead of 115-125 koz guidance
  • Aktogay
    • Q4 copper production1 increased by 3% to 36.0 kt (Q3 2018: 34.9 kt) supported by strong average sulphide grade of 0.63%
    • Full year copper production1 of 131.4 kt (2017: 90.2 kt), exceeded guidance of 110-130 kt
    • Oxide production of 6.8 kt in Q4 and 25.7 kt for the full year, above 20-25 kt guidance
  • East Region and Bozymchak
    • Q4 copper production2 11% lower at 15.3 kt (Q3 2018: 17.1 kt) after stockpiled ore was processed in Q3
    • Full year copper production2 of 61.7 kt (2017: 67.0 kt) against full year guidance of approximately 65 kt
    • Strong full year gold (55.0 koz) and silver (2,356 koz) production2, 10% and 18% ahead of guidance, respectively
    • Low grades continue to impact zinc production as indicated in Q3 production report, with full year output of 49.7 kt, below original guidance of c.60 kt

Group production summary3

 

12m 2018

12m
2017

 

Q4 2018

Q3 2018

Q4 2017

Copper production1

kt

294.7

 258.5

 

77.9

77.2

65.2

   Bozshakol

kt

101.6

  101.3

 

26.6

25.2

22.5

   Aktogay

kt

131.4

90.2

 

36.0

34.9

26.0

   East Region & Bozymchak

kt

61.7

67.0

 

15.3

17.1

16.7

Zinc in concentrate

kt

 49.7

57.6

 

11.4

13.4

11.8

Gold production2

koz

 183.4

178.7

 

48.4

45.2

40.9

Silver production2

koz

 3,511

3,506

 

933

941

798

  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: “KAZ Minerals’ operating assets have delivered another strong year in 2018, with a 14% increase in copper production to 295 kt. Approximately 45% of the Group’s copper production came from the Aktogay mine, commissioned in 2017, which ramped up to produce 131.4 kt of copper, an increase of 46% compared to the prior year. I am particularly proud that 2018 marks the tenth consecutive year in which the Group has achieved its annual copper production guidance, a period which includes the successful ramp up of our two major growth projects in Kazakhstan, Bozshakol and Aktogay.”

For further information please contact:

KAZ Minerals PLC

 

 

Chris Bucknall

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.

Please follow the link to download the full announcement

 

 

 

Holding(s) in Company

Completion of acquisition of the Baimskaya Copper Project

KAZ Minerals announces that following regulatory approval and completion of other conditions precedent under the agreement to acquire the Baimskaya copper project, as announced by the Group on 2 August 2018, Initial Completion of the Transaction has now occurred.

The consideration due on Initial Completion is $436 million1 in cash and the issuance of Initial Equity Consideration comprising 22,344,944 new KAZ Minerals PLC shares. The shares comprising the Initial Equity Consideration have been allotted and issued to the Vendor and are identical in all respects to KAZ Minerals PLC’s existing issued shares. The Initial Equity Consideration is expected to be admitted to listing on the Official List and to trading on the main market of the London Stock Exchange on 24 January 2019 and is subject to a three-year lock-up period ending on the third anniversary of Initial Completion.

Following issuance of the Initial Equity Consideration, the total number of KAZ Minerals PLC shares in issue is 480,723,977, including 10,133,458 shares held in treasury, and the total issued share capital of KAZ Minerals PLC carrying voting rights is 470,590,519.

During 2019 the Group will progress a bankable feasibility study of the Project. Fluor has been appointed as the lead contractor for the feasibility study and work has commenced. The results of the feasibility study, including guidance on the timing of capital expenditure, production volumes, operating costs and sustaining capital expenditure are expected to be announced in the first half of 2020. In parallel with the feasibility study, the Group will continue discussions with banks on financing the construction phase and evaluate the potential for partnering. State funded infrastructure projects to deliver power to the Baimskaya site are progressing in line with expectations. The construction of the 110 kV power line from Bilibino is on schedule to be completed by the end of 2019 and will provide sufficient power for the construction phase of the Project. An existing TASED zone in the Chukotka region has been enlarged to cover the area in which the Baimskaya licence area is located. The Group will proceed with a formal application for TASED status in due course.

Oleg Novachuk, Chair, said: “We are pleased to announce the completion of the acquisition of Baimskaya, one of the world’s top ten undeveloped copper deposits. KAZ Minerals is ideally positioned to deliver this project due to its similarity to the low cost, open pit mines we recently completed and ramped up in Kazakhstan, on time and on budget. Combined with our expansion project at Aktogay, we have an industry-leading pipeline of near and long term growth in copper, to be delivered over a period when the market is forecast to enter a significant supply deficit. I look forward to updating shareholders on progress as we embark on this new phase of transformational growth.”

For further information please contact:

KAZ Minerals PLC

 

 

Chris Bucknall

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

Notes to editors

KAZ Minerals PLC is a high growth copper company focused on large scale, low cost, open pit mining in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia. It operates the Bozshakol and Aktogay open pit copper mines in the Pavlodar and East Region of Kazakhstan, three underground mines and associated concentrators in the East Region of Kazakhstan and the Bozymchak copper-gold mine in Kyrgyzstan. In 2017, total copper production was 259 kt with by-products of 58 kt of zinc in concentrate, 179 koz of gold and 3,506 koz of silver. The Group’s new operations at Bozshakol and Aktogay have delivered one of the highest growth rates in the industry and transformed KAZ Minerals into a company dominated by world class, open pit copper mines.

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 38 years at an average copper grade of 0.35%. The mine and processing facilities commenced output in 2016 and will produce an average of 100 kt of copper cathode equivalent and 120 koz of gold in concentrate per year over the first 10 years of operations.

Aktogay is a large scale, open pit mine similar to Bozshakol, with a remaining mine life of 27 years at an average copper grade of 0.36% (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 will 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 will produce an average of 90 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 will be in the region of 20 kt per annum until 2025.

In January 2019, the Group acquired the Baimskaya copper project in the Chukotka region of Russia for $900 milllion, payable in a combination of cash and new KAZ Minerals PLC shares. Baimskaya is 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 Peschanka deposit within the Baimskaya licence area has JORC resources of 9.5 Mt of copper at an average grade of 0.43% and 16.5 Moz of gold at an average grade of 0.23 g/t. Average annual production2 over the first ten years of operations is expected to be 250 kt copper and 400 koz gold, or 330 kt Copper Equivalent Production, with a mine life of approximately 25 years and first quartile operating costs. A Pre-feasibility study has been completed by Fluor. The Project is located in a region identified by the Russian Government as strategically important for economic development and will benefit from the construction of state-funded power and transport infrastructure and the provision of tax incentives. The estimated capital budget for the construction of the Project is $5.5 billion3. The Group expects the Project to generate a significant NPV uplift and an attractive IRR at analyst consensus copper prices.

The development of Baimskaya will enable the Group to continue its high growth trajectory, adding a large-scale, long-life asset to the Group’s portfolio. The market for copper is expected to enter a period of significant supply deficit over the medium term as demand from traditional and new sectors continues to grow, against a backdrop of declining production from existing mines due to reserve depletion and grade decline. Globally, large scale copper projects with attractive operating costs are increasingly scarce and many potential projects face a number of significant execution challenges. Baimskaya represents a rare opportunity to deliver value-accretive growth, utilising the proven large-scale copper project development capabilities of KAZ Minerals in the CIS region.

KAZ Minerals is listed on the London Stock Exchange and the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange and employs around 13,000 people, principally in Kazakhstan.

Notes

Defined terms used in this announcement take the same meaning as in the announcement released by the Group on 2 August 2018, entitled “KAZ Minerals Acquires Baimskaya Copper Project”.

  1. $50 million of the $436 million Initial Cash Consideration has been withheld pending the release of a guarantee agreement made by the acquired entity which is the legal owner of the Baimskaya licence. The final cash payment of $50 million is expected to be settled in 2019.
  2. Based on 100% share of production.
  3. In nominal terms, based on 100% share of development capital expenditure, subject to confirmation in feasibility study.

 

Please follow the link to download the full announcement

 

 

Total Voting Rights

 

In conformity with 5.6.1R of the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules (“the Rules”), the Company hereby notifies the market of the following:

At the date of this announcement, the total issued share capital of the Company comprises 458,379,033 ordinary shares.

The Company currently holds 10,146,890 ordinary shares in treasury and therefore the issued share capital of the Company which carries voting rights of one vote per share comprises 448,232,143 ordinary shares (excluding treasury shares).

The above figure of 448,232,143 may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the Company under the Rules.

 

PLEASE FOLLOW THE LINK TO DOWNLOAD THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT 

Total Voting Rights

In conformity with 5.6.1R of the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules (“the Rules”), the Company hereby notifies the market of the following:

At the date of this announcement, the total issued share capital of the Company comprises 458,379,033 ordinary shares.

The Company currently holds 10,146,890 ordinary shares in treasury and therefore the issued share capital of the Company which carries voting rights of one vote per share comprises 448,232,143 ordinary shares (excluding treasury shares).

The above figure of 448,232,143 may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the Company under the Rules.

PLEASE FOLLOW THE LINK TO DOWNLOAD THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT

Total Voting Rights

In conformity with 5.6.1R of the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules (“the Rules”), the Company hereby notifies the market of the following:

At the date of this announcement, the total issued share capital of the Company comprises 458,379,033 ordinary shares.

The Company currently holds 10,264,022 ordinary shares in treasury and therefore the issued share capital of the Company which carries voting rights of one vote per share comprises 448,115,011 ordinary shares (excluding treasury shares).

The above figure of 448,115,011 may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the Company under the Rules.

PLEASE FOLLOW THE LINK TO DOWNLOAD THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT

 

Q3 Production Report 2018

KAZ MINERALS GROUP Production Report for NINE months and THE THIRD QUARTER Ended 30 SEPTEMBER 2018

  • Operational highlights
    • Copper production1 increased by 7% to 77.2 kt (Q2 2018: 72.3 kt) with higher ore throughput at all assets, well positioned to achieve full year guidance of 270-300 kt
    • Gold production2 in Q3 of 45.1 koz (Q2 2018: 39.9 koz), full year output expected to be at top end of 160-175 koz guidance range
  • Bozshakol
    • Copper production2 of 25.2 kt, an increase of 10% (Q2 2018: 22.9 kt), mainly due to higher ore throughput
    • Ore processed in Q3 was at design throughput capacity (Q2 2018: 90%)
    • On track for full year copper production guidance of 95-105 kt
    • Gold production2 increased by 19% to 31.4 koz (Q2 2018: 26.3 koz) due to continued strong gold grades and increased ore throughput
  • Aktogay
    • Copper production1 increased by 2% to 34.9 kt (Q2 2018: 34.1 kt) mainly due to seasonally higher oxide output
    • Full year copper production1 expected to be in upper half of 110-130 kt guidance range
  • East Region and Bozymchak
    • Copper production2 of 17.1 kt in Q3 (Q2 2018: 15.3 kt), on track for 2018 guidance of around 65 kt
    • Gold production2 of 13.8 koz (Q2 2018: 13.6 koz) results in strong nine-month output of 41.0 koz, now likely to exceed full year guidance of 45-50 koz
    • Low grades continue to impact zinc output, with 13.4 kt produced in Q3 (Q2 2018: 10.7 kt). Full year zinc in concentrate production expected to be 10-15% below guidance of c.60 kt
Group production summary3 9m 2018 9m

2017

Q3 2018 Q3 2018 Q3 2017
Copper production1 kt 216.8 193.3 77.2 72.3 75.3
Bozshakol kt 75.0 78.8 25.2 22.9 26.8
Aktogay kt 95.4 64.2 34.9 34.1 31.2
East Region & Bozymchak kt 46.4 50.3 17.1 15.3 17.3
Zinc in concentrate kt 38.3 45.8 13.4 10.7 13.5
Gold production2 koz 135.0 137.8 45.2 39.9 44.8
Silver production2 koz 2,578 2,708 941 785 952
  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: “In 2018 the Group delivered a smooth ramp up and benefited from high copper grades at its newest mine, Aktogay, with copper output 12% above the same period in 2017. Following a strong third quarter across KAZ Minerals’ assets we are well placed to achieve our full year copper production target and the top end of our gold and silver guidance.”

PLEASE FOLLOW THE LINK TO DOWNLOAD THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT

Total Voting Rights

In conformity with 5.6.1R of the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules (“the Rules”), the Company hereby notifies the market of the following:

At the date of this announcement, the total issued share capital of the Company comprises 458,379,033 ordinary shares.

The Company currently holds 10,273,239 ordinary shares in treasury and therefore the issued share capital of the Company which carries voting rights of one vote per share comprises 448,105,794 ordinary shares (excluding treasury shares).

The above figure of 448,105,794 may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the Company under the Rules.

PLEASE FOLLOW THE LINK TO DOWNLOAD THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT

 

Notification in Accordance with UKLR 9.6.14R

Pursuant to Listing Rule 9.6.14(R) the Company hereby notifies the market that Alison Baker, an independent non-executive director of the Company, has been appointed as an independent non-executive director of Rockhopper Exploration plc, with effect from today, 19 September 2018.

For further information, please contact:

Susanna Freeman
Company Secretary
Tel: + 44 (0)20 7901 7826

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