Kaz minerals PLC HALF-YEARLY REPORT

FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 30 June 2017

OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

• Copper output more than doubled to 118 kt in the first half of 2017
• Aktogay ramp up progressing well, Bozshakol expected to achieve full capacity in second half
• By-products on track to meet or exceed 2017 guidance

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

• Gross Revenues¹ increased by 2.3 times, to $837 million (H1 2016: $363 million) on higher volumes and commodity prices
• Revenues of $721 million, excluding pre-commercial sales (H1 2016: $302 million)
• Gross EBITDA¹ of $505 million (H1 2016: $147 million) driven by increased revenues and low operating costs
• EBITDA¹ of $429 million, excluding pre-commercial earnings (H1 2016: $115 million)
• Operating profit of $291 million (H1 2016: $68 million)
• Net cash cost¹ of 64 USc/lb, maintained position amongst the lowest cost copper producers globally
• Bozshakol full year gross cash cost¹ now expected to be 115-135 USc/lb
• Aktogay guidance reduced to 110-130 USc/lb following strong first half performance
• East Region and Bozymchak guidance now set at 205-225 USc/lb

FINANCIAL POSITION

• Net debt¹ reduced to $2,442 million at 30 June 2017 (31 December 2016: $2,669 million), supported by higher operating cash flows, lower capital expenditure and refund of project VAT of $176 million
• Available liquidity of $1,563 million, including $1,223 million of cash and cash equivalents and $340 million available for drawing
• New $600 million PXF facility
• Gearing levels reducing rapidly

OUTLOOK

• Full year copper production target narrowed to 235-260 kt
• Aktogay sulphide to achieve commercial production and Bozshakol to reach design capacity in second half
• KAZ Minerals is delivering copper growth into a tightening market

¹  These metrics, used throughout this document, are non-IFRS measures that the Directors use internally to assess the financial performance of the Group. See glossary for definitions.

² Includes operations during the period prior to commercial production.

³ Reconciliation to operating profit provided in note 4(a)(i) in the financial information.

4   Reconciliation of EPS based on Underlying Profit/(Loss) is found in note 8 in the financial information.

Oleg Novachuk, Chief Executive, said: “I am delighted that the successful delivery of our two growth projects has been reflected in our operating and financial results. We have doubled copper production whilst maintaining our position amongst the lowest cost copper producers globally. This strong performance has resulted in a reduction in our gearing levels, with net debt falling and over half a billion dollars of Gross EBITDA generated in the first half of 2017. We aim to complete the final stages of ramping up Bozshakol this year and Aktogay in 2018, supported by an improved outlook for copper.”

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CHANGE OF VENUE FOR ANALYST PRESENTATION 

KAZ Minerals PLC announced on 3 August 2017 that it would release its half-yearly results for the six months ended 30 June 2017 on Thursday 17 August 2017 at 7.00am (UK time) and that a presentation for analysts would be held at 9:00am (UK time).

The venue for the presentation to analysts has been changed to The Lincoln Centre, 18 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London WC2A 3ED.

The presentation can also be accessed by conference call and the dial-in details are unchanged as follows:

Telephone: +44 (0) 20 3003 2666

Please quote the password: KAZ Minerals (Half-Yearly Results 2017)

A webcast of the presentation will be available on the KAZ Minerals website (www.kazminerals.com).

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NOTICE OF HALF-YEARLY RESULTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 30 JUNE 2017 

KAZ Minerals PLC will announce its half-yearly results for the six months ended 30 June 2017 on Thursday 17 August 2017 at 7.00am (UK time).

A presentation for analysts will be held in the Theatre & Theatre Gallery at the London Stock Exchange, 10 Paternoster Square, London EC4M 7LS on Thursday 17 August 2017 at 9.00am (UK time) 

The presentation for analysts can also be accessed by conference call on Thursday 17 August 2017 at 9.00am (UK time). The dial-in details are as follows:

Telephone: +44(0)20 3003 2666

Please quote the password: KAZ Minerals (KAZ Minerals Half-Yearly Results 2017) 

A webcast of the presentation for analysts will also be available on the KAZ Minerals website (www.kazminerals.com).

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KAZ Minerals PLC (“KAZ Minerals” or “the Group”) today provides information in accordance with DTR4.3A and The Reports on Payments to Governments Regulations 2014 (the “Regulations”) in respect of payments made by the Group for the year ended 31 December 2016.

Payments to Governments

The table below represents the Group’s consolidated report on payments made to governments under the Regulations. The table includes all payments made in excess of £86,000 ($116,000) for activities related to the exploration, prospecting, discovery, development and extraction of minerals by project, government type and country, rounded to the nearest thousand US Dollars.

1. The Mineral Extraction Tax is payable on the value of the mineral resources extracted based on the average price of the minerals on the London Metal Exchange or at the London Precious Metal Exchange. Royalties are paid by the Bozymchak operation once metal is sold with a portion thereof paid to local government.
2. Payments made as required under subsoil use license.
3. Infrastructure and social payments of $7.4 million made in Kazakhstan represent payments made to bodies, associations, trusts and other public interest groups located in the regions in which the Group operates. These payments include the transfer of assets at their book value, which the Group regards as infrastructure and social payments, as these benefit local communities. The infrastructure payments reflected as part of the Bozymchak operation includes a statutory infrastructure development levy which is based on a percentage of revenues. Part of this payment is made to local government.

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KAZ Minerals PLC (“KAZ Minerals” or “the Group”) announces that it has completed an amendment and extension of its pre-export finance loan facility which includes an increase in the facility commitments to $600 million (the “new PXF”).

The new PXF extends the maturity profile of the existing facility by 2.5 years from December 2018 until June 2021. Under the revised repayment profile, principal repayments will commence in July 2018 and then continue in equal monthly instalments over a three-year period until final maturity in June 2021.

The facility amount has been increased to $600 million reflecting strong support from the market during syndication. The balance of the $600 million commitments over the $224 million outstanding under the existing facility as at 31 May 2017 will be available for drawing over a six month availability period until December 2017.

The interest basis of the new PXF is substantially the same as the existing facility, with a variable margin of between 3.0% and 4.5% above US$ LIBOR, dependent on the ratio of net debt to EBITDA¹ which will be tested semi-annually.

Financial covenants have been revised in the new PXF to increase headroom as the Group’s new mines at Bozshakol and Aktogay continue to ramp up production. The Group remains subject to temporary restrictions relating to the Group’s total debt, dividends, acquisitions and capital expenditure outside the scope of existing operating mines and major growth projects for as long as net debt to EBITDA¹ is above 3.5:1.

The refinancing was coordinated by Deutsche Bank AG, ING Bank and Société Générale Corporate and Investment Banking acting as Coordinating Mandated Lead Arrangers and Bookrunners. Other lenders in the facility are ABN AMRO Bank NV, Bank of China Limited, Citibank N.A., Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, ICBC London, JP Morgan Chase Bank N.A., Natixis, Rabobank London and UniCredit S.p.A.. Deutsche Bank AG continues as the agent bank and ING Bank is the security trustee.

Andrew Southam, Chief Financial Officer, said: “We are pleased to announce the signing of the amendment and extension of the PXF facility with an enlarged syndicate of 12 banks participating. The amended facility demonstrates continuing support for the Group from its lenders, with all existing banks maintaining or increasing their participation and four new banks joining the syndicate. The new PXF will enhance our financial flexibility as we complete the ramp up of output from our new mines at Bozshakol and Aktogay.”

1. EBITDA is calculated on broadly the same basis as “Gross EBITDA” as defined in the KAZ Minerals PLC Annual Report 2016

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