Monument Mining Limited (TSX-V: MMY and FSE: D7Q1) “Monument” or
the “Company” today announced its production and financial results
for the third quarter of fiscal 2022 and the nine months ended
March 31, 2022. All amounts are expressed in United States dollars
(“US$”) unless otherwise indicated (refer to www.sedar.com for full
financial results).
President and CEO Cathy Zhai commented: “In the
third quarter our Murchison Gold Project delivered significant
assay results from Phase II RC drilling, these results strengthen
our resolve that the NOA structure is highly prospective with the
potential to expand and upgrade the existing Mineral Resource,
which remains open at depth.”
Cathy Zhai continued, “Q3 gold production was
improved, and operations brought in more cash with a lean profit
margin. It is expected that production continues to be volatile at
the end of oxide life of mine. All in sustaining costs (“AISC”) are
trending higher from cutbacks and pre-striping work to get access
to residual ore to keep milling before completion of the flotation
construction.
“We are focusing on putting the new life of mine
into production to resume our revenue level. The Selinsing
flotation plant construction reached a 49% completion by the end of
Q3 with major progress on the earth works, foundations of reagent
building and other flotation areas during the quarter. A delay
however of delivery for several long lead items is anticipated
primarily due to the Shanghai shut down. Some components are held
up at the manufactory in that region and the Shanghai international
port. Initial estimated delay may round up to three months”.
Third Quarter Highlights:
- Murchison Phase 2 drilling
completed a week after quarter end with significant RC assay
results received;
- Selinsing Flotation Plant
construction 49.47% completed as anticipated on budget;
- Delivery of certain long lead
flotation equipment anticipated be delayed due to Shanghai lockdown
and worsened world supply chain movement;
- Selinsing mining rates adversely
impacted by unexpected monsoon season extension, with surrounding
region being heavily flooded:
- 2,423 ounces (“oz”) of gold produced (Q3, FY2021:
1,977oz);
- 3,270oz of gold sold for $6.16 million (Q3, FY2021: 2,523oz for
$4.40million);
- Average quarterly gold price realized at $1,911/oz (Q3, FY2021:
$1,830/oz);
- Cash cost per ounce sold was $1,835/oz (Q3, FY2021:
$1,315/oz);
- Gross margin decreased by 85% to $0.16 million (Q3, FY2021:
$1.08 million);
- All-in sustaining cost (“AISC”) increased to $2,248/oz (Q3,
FY2021: $1,458/oz) (section 15 “Non-IFRS Performance
Measures”).
Third Quarter and Nine Months Production
and Financial Highlights
|
Three months ended March 31, |
Nine months ended March 31, |
|
2022 |
|
2021 |
|
2022 |
|
2021 |
|
Production |
|
|
|
|
Ore mined (t) |
103,380 |
|
161,805 |
|
263,561 |
|
355,454 |
|
Ore processed (t) |
138,984 |
|
165,361 |
|
424,595 |
|
484,629 |
|
Average mill feed grade
(g/t) |
0.75 |
|
0.72 |
|
0.62 |
|
0.86 |
|
Processing recovery rate
(%) |
69 |
% |
58 |
% |
66 |
% |
60 |
% |
Gold recovery (oz) |
2,308 |
|
2,210 |
|
5,567 |
|
8,113 |
|
Gold production (1) (oz) |
2,423 |
|
1,977 |
|
5,149 |
|
8,444 |
|
Gold sold (oz) |
3,270 |
|
2,523 |
|
7,566 |
|
9,377 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three months ended March 31, |
Nine months ended March 31, |
|
2022 |
|
2021 |
|
2022 |
|
2021 |
|
Financial (expressed in
thousands of US$) |
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
Revenue |
6,160 |
|
4,397 |
|
13,589 |
|
17,151 |
|
Gross margin from mining
operations |
158 |
|
1,079 |
|
353 |
|
6,832 |
|
Income (loss) before other
items |
(1,957 |
) |
(396 |
) |
(4,836 |
) |
2,706 |
|
Net loss |
(2,840 |
) |
(96,104 |
) |
(6,609 |
) |
(96,615 |
) |
Cash flows (used in) provided
by operations |
2,170 |
|
(2,097 |
) |
(1,830 |
) |
(554 |
) |
Working capital |
32,617 |
|
50,638 |
|
32,617 |
|
50,638 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loss
per share – basic and diluted (US$/share) |
(0.01 |
) |
(0.30 |
) |
(0.02 |
) |
(0.30 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
Other |
US$/oz |
|
US$/oz |
|
US$/oz |
|
US$/oz |
|
Average realized gold price
per ounce sold (2) |
1,911 |
|
1,830 |
|
1,868 |
|
1,884 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash cost per ounce sold: |
|
|
|
|
Mining |
762 |
|
458 |
|
704 |
|
360 |
|
Processing |
900 |
|
673 |
|
865 |
|
561 |
|
Royalties |
166 |
|
174 |
|
166 |
|
169 |
|
Operations, net of silver
recovery |
7 |
|
10 |
|
15 |
|
10 |
|
Total cash cost per
ounce sold |
1,835 |
|
1,315 |
|
1,750 |
|
1,100 |
|
By-product silver recovery |
0 |
|
1 |
|
0 |
|
1 |
|
Operation expenses |
0 |
|
0 |
|
6 |
|
19 |
|
Corporate expenses |
8 |
|
6 |
|
7 |
|
7 |
|
Accretion of asset retirement obligation |
12 |
|
12 |
|
14 |
|
11 |
|
Exploration and evaluation expenditures |
37 |
|
37 |
|
36 |
|
21 |
|
Sustaining capital expenditures |
356 |
|
87 |
|
359 |
|
183 |
|
Total all-in sustaining costs per ounce sold |
2,248 |
|
1,458 |
|
2,173 |
|
1,342 |
|
- Defined as good delivery gold
bullion according to London Bullion Market Association (“LBMA”),
net of gold doŕe in transit and refinery adjustment.
- Monument realized US$1,911/oz for
the three months ended March 31, 2022 which excludes gold prepaid
delivered of 241oz for comparison purposes.
- Total cash cost per ounce includes
production costs such as mining, processing, tailing facility
maintenance and camp administration, royalties and operating costs
such as storage, temporary mine production closure, community
development cost and property fees, net of by-product credits. Cash
cost excludes amortization, depletion, accretion expenses, idle
production costs, capital costs, exploration costs and corporate
administration costs. Readers should refer to section 15 “Non-GAAP
Performance Measures” of Q3 MD&A.
- All-in sustaining cost per ounce
includes total cash costs and adds sustaining capital expenditures,
corporate administrative expenses for the Selinsing Gold Mine
including share-based compensation, exploration and evaluation
costs, and accretion of asset retirement obligations. Certain other
cash expenditures, including tax payments and acquisition costs,
are not included. Readers should refer to section 15 “Non-GAAP
Performance Measures” of Q3 MD&A.
Q3 FY2022 Production
Analysis
- Q3 FY2022 gold production was
2,423oz, a 23% increase as compared to 1,977oz for Q3 FY2021. The
increase resulted from a higher process recovery and higher ore
head grade realized.
- Q3 FY2022 ore processed decreased
to 138,984t from 165,361t for Q3 FY2021. The decreased mill feed
was mainly due to less oxide ore availability due to lower mining
rates.
- Average mill feed grade was 0.75g/t
Au in Q3 FY2022 as compared to 0.72g/t Au of Q3 FY2021. Q3 FY2022
processing recovery rate increased to 69.1% from 57.5% for Q3
FY2021. The increase in processing recovery rate was mainly due to
significant increase in Peranggih oxide materials being
processed.
- Q3 FY2022 cash cost per ounce
increased by 40% to $1,835/oz from $1,315/oz for Q3 FY2021. This
increase was primarily due to additional mining costs incurred
during the rainy season and additional processing costs due to
significantly more low-grade leachable sulphide ore and low-grade
Peranggih materials being processed.
- Ore stockpile has reduced mainly as
a result of lower mining rate primarily due to heavy rainfall and
the impact of Covid-19 restrictions.
Q3 FY2022 Financial
Analysis
- Q3 FY2022 gold sales generated
revenue was $6.16 million as compared to $4.40 million from Q3
FY2021. Gold sales revenue was derived from the sale of 3,029oz (Q3
FY2021: 1,800oz) of gold at an average realized gold price of
$1,911 per ounce (Q3 FY2021: $1,830 per ounce) and the delivery of
241oz (Q3 FY2021: 723 oz at $1,525 per ounce gold equivalent) in
fulfilling gold prepaid sale obligations.
- Q3 FY2022 total production costs
increased by 81% to $6.00 million as compared to $3.32 million from
Q3 FY2021. Cash cost per ounce increased by 40% to $1,835/oz as
compared to $1,315/oz of the same period last year. This increase
was primarily due to additional mining costs incurred during the
rainy season and additional processing costs due to significantly
more low-grade leachable sulphide ore and low-grade Peranggih
materials being processed.
- Gross margin for Q3 FY2022 was
positive $0.158 million before operation expenses and non-cash
amortization and accretion. That represented an 683% decrease as
compared to $1.079 million from Q3 FY2021. The decrease in gross
margin was attributable to increased cash costs due to increases in
mining and processing operational costs.
- Net loss for Q3 FY2022 was $2.84
million, or ($0.01) per share as compared to net loss of $96.10
million or ($0.30) per share from Q3 FY2021. The net loss was
mainly caused by low operating margins impacted by both higher
mining and increased processing costs and an increase in
depreciation following capital expenditure on exploration and the
flotation project.
- Cash and cash equivalents balance
as at March 31, 2022 was $26.02 million, a decrease of $12.60
million from the balance at June 30, 2021 of $38.62 million due to
$1.83 million used in operation activities, $8.83 million
development cost in Selinsing including $5.84 million spent in
sulphide project development, and $1.92 million spent in Murchison
exploration and maintenance activities. As at March 31, 2022, the
Company had positive working capital of $32.62 million as compared
to that at June 30, 2021 of $48.54 million.
Development
Selinsing Gold Mine
Fiscal Q3 2022 focus was on the completion of
the Phase 1 Sulphide Project development at Selinsing, including
flotation plant construction and mine development, aimed to produce
saleable sulphide gold concentrates. The flotation plant
construction includes project management, project validation,
flotation design and engineering, procurement, construction and
commissioning. Mine development includes upgrading of tailing
storage facilities, pit push backs, river diversion, and
pre-stripping.
As of March 31, 2022, 49.47% of overall project
has been completed: The retaining wall extension in the flotation
area was completed, the concrete foundations and floor slab for the
reagents building were poured and a start was made on the flotation
concentrate / filter press feed tank foundations. Lean concrete was
poured, and rebar was placed for the first slab in the flotation
floor area. Structural steel for the reagents building was
delivered and erected; reagent mixing, and storage tanks were also
delivered and installed.
During the quarter contracts were awarded for
the supply of power and instrumentation cables, the motor control
centre and the flotation plant automation / SCADA system. The
flotation pilot plant has been setup and has been running
successfully at the Selinsing laboratory.
The flotation cells arrived at the Port Klang on
March 30, 2022 and were delivered to the Selinsing Site
subsequently. The reagent and conditioner agitators arrived in
Klang in April 2022, after fiscal Q3, and the majority have been
installed. Fabrication of major mechanical equipment, including the
thickeners and concentrate filter have been largely completed as
anticipated for assembling and testing, except certain electronic
items due to supply shortage caused by the covid pandemic. Major
delay is foreseen since some components manufactured or delivered
to Shanghai were held up at the factory and the Shanghai
international port. It will significantly delay assembling and test
working schedule with an initial estimation of three months. The
production of flotation concentrate is expected to commence in
early October 2022 as soon as the flotation cells, concentrate
thickener and filter press are under commissioning stage.
Murchison Gold Project
No mine development was planned during the third
quarter of fiscal year 2022, with the focus on exploration at
Murchison. The Company continues to maintain the processing plant
and other facilities to the extent they are ready for efficient
commissioning when production is restarted. Site accommodations and
catering are fully functional to host administrative, exploration
and mining activities.
Exploration Progress
Malaysia
At Selinsing, Peranggih was the focus for
identifying additional mineable material to extend production from
the oxide plant. Exploration in the third quarter FY2022 comprised
287 channel samples and 87 grab/float samples, which tested
extensions to known mineralization at Peranggih.
Western Australia
Monument continued the phase 2 drilling
activities of its 2-year exploration program at the Murchison Gold
Project in Q3 FY2022, with the aim of discovering significant
additional resources and thereby establishing Murchison as a
cornerstone project for the Company.
The Phase 2 RC and diamond drill (“DD”) program
commenced November 2021 and was targeting the down-dip and down
plunge extensions of high-grade mineralisation along the North of
Alliance (NOA) mineralised structure. A total of additional 13
holes totalling 2,437m comprising 6 RC holes for 1,582m and 7 DD
holes for 855m were completed in Q3 2022. The Phase 2 RC drill
program was concluded in February 2022 while the remaining DD
drilling was completed in April 2022, after the quarter end.
During the period, a total of 634 RC samples
(inclusive QAQC samples) were submitted for analysis at ALS
Geochemistry laboratory in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, and DD
samples were dispatched to the laboratory, subsequent to quarter
end. A total of 1,631 RC drill assay results were received during
the period for the Phase 2 program.
Assays from RC portion of the Phase 2 drilling
were received after the quarter end. Highlights of significant
intercepts include: 8m at 17.9g/t Au from 216m (21BNRC050), 2m at
5.3g/t Au from 140m (21BNRC047), 1m at 4.3g/t Au from 190m and 1m
at 1.7g/t Au from 184m (21BNRC048), 1m at 4.3g/t Au from 246m and
1m at 1.5g/t Au from 243m (21BNRC052), 1m at 2.8g/t Au from 116m
(21BNRC054), 1m at 1.2g/t Au from 240m (21BNRC049), 1m at 1.1g/t Au
from 247m (21BNRC050).
About Monument
Monument Mining Limited (TSX-V: MMY, FSE: D7Q1)
is an established Canadian gold producer that 100% owns and
operates the Selinsing Gold Mine in Malaysia and the Murchison Gold
Project in the Murchison area of Western Australia. It has 20%
interest in Tuckanarra Gold Project jointly owned with Odyssey Gold
Ltd in the same region. The Company employs approximately 200
people in both regions and is committed to the highest standards of
environmental management, social responsibility, and health and
safety for its employees and neighboring communities.
Cathy Zhai, President and CEOMonument Mining
LimitedSuite 1580 -1100 Melville StreetVancouver, BC V6E 4A6
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION visit the company web
site at www.monumentmining.com or contact:
Richard Cushing, MMY Vancouver T:
+1-604-638-1661 x102 rcushing@monumentmining.com
"Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation
Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the
TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this release."
Forward-Looking Statement
This news release includes statements containing
forward-looking information about Monument, its business and future
plans ("forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements
are statements that involve expectations, plans, objectives or
future events that are not historical facts and include the
Company's plans with respect to its mineral projects and the timing
and results of proposed programs and events referred to in this
news release. Generally, forward-looking information can be
identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as
"plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget",
"scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or
"does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words
and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may",
"could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be
achieved". The forward-looking statements in this news release are
subject to various risks, uncertainties and other factors that
could cause actual results or achievements to differ materially
from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.
These risks and certain other factors include, without limitation:
risks related to general business, economic, competitive,
geopolitical and social uncertainties; uncertainties regarding the
results of current exploration activities; uncertainties in the
progress and timing of development activities; foreign operations
risks; other risks inherent in the mining industry and other risks
described in the management discussion and analysis of the Company
and the technical reports on the Company's projects, all of which
are available under the profile of the Company on SEDAR at
www.sedar.com. Material factors and assumptions used to develop
forward-looking statements in this news release include:
expectations regarding the estimated cash cost per ounce of gold
production and the estimated cash flows which may be generated from
the operations, general economic factors and other factors that may
be beyond the control of Monument; assumptions and expectations
regarding the results of exploration on the Company's projects;
assumptions regarding the future price of gold of other minerals;
the timing and amount of estimated future production; the expected
timing and results of development and exploration activities; costs
of future activities; capital and operating expenditures; success
of exploration activities; mining or processing issues; exchange
rates; and all of the factors and assumptions described in the
management discussion and analysis of the Company and the technical
reports on the Company's projects, all of which are available under
the profile of the Company on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the
Company has attempted to identify important factors that could
cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in
forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause
results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can
be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as
actual results and future events could differ materially from those
anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not
place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company
does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, except
in accordance with applicable securities laws.
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