Taseko
Reports First Quarter 2024 Operational Performance and $50 Million of Adjusted
EBITDA
This
release should be read with the Company's Financial Statements and
Management Discussion & Analysis ("MD&A"), available at
www.tasekomines.com and filed on
www.sedarplus.com. Except where
otherwise noted, all currency amounts are stated in Canadian
dollars. In March 2024 Taseko acquired the remaining 12.5% interest
and now owns 100% of the Gibraltar Mine, located north of the City
of Williams Lake in south-central British Columbia. Production and
sales volumes stated in this release are on a 100% basis unless
otherwise indicated.
|
VANCOUVER, BC, May 1, 2024 --
Taseko Mines Limited (TSX: TKO) (NYSE American: TGB) (LSE: TKO)
("Taseko" or the "Company") reports first quarter 2024 Adjusted
EBITDA* of $50 million and Earnings
from mining operations before depletion and amortization* of
$53 million, 38% and 29% higher than
the same quarter in 2023. Revenues
for the first quarter were $147
million. Net income for the quarter was $19 million ($0.07
per share) and Adjusted net earnings* were $8 million ($0.03
per share).
In the
first quarter, Gibraltar produced
30 million pounds of copper and 247 thousand pounds of molybdenum.
Mill throughput in the quarter was 7.7 million tons, or 84,400 tons
per day, processing an average grade of 0.24% copper. Total
operating cash costs (C1)* for the quarter were US$2.46 per pound of copper.
Stuart McDonald, President and CEO of Taseko, commented,
"Gibraltar operations performed
generally in line with plan in the first quarter, generating strong
margins on a realized copper sales price of US$3.89 per pound.
The
operating team successfully completed a mill component replacement
in January and following this maintenance downtime, mill throughput
averaged 90,000 tons per day, 6% above the design capacity.
The
gradual transition to the Connector pit will continue over the next
few months, and the in-pit crusher relocation is planned for the
second quarter."
"In late
March we acquired the remaining 12.5% interest in Gibraltar and now own 100% of the
mine.
This
transaction is a real positive for Taseko, providing immediate
cashflow and production growth.
The
acquisition cost is spread out over ten years, with the next
scheduled payment in 2026, which allows us to focus our financial
resources on Florence
development. As
part of the transaction, we also acquired additional concentrate
offtake rights and, with smelter treatment costs at record lows,
the timing could not have been better.
This
additional offtake has now been sold at negative treatment costs,
resulting in cost savings of $10
million in the second half of 2024," continued Mr.
McDonald.
"At
Florence Copper, initial construction and wellfield development
activities are progressing smoothly.
There are
now three drill rigs operating on the commercial facility
wellfield, with a fourth drill to be mobilized in
May.
A total of
ten new production wells have been drilled to
date.
Site
preparation and earthworks for the SX/EW plant area are also
underway and construction of the plant is expected to begin later
this quarter. It
is an exciting time for the Company as we move closer to commercial
operations at Florence.
In April,
we further strengthened our financial position through the
successful refinancing of our senior secured
notes.
The
maturity of the notes has been pushed out to 2030, and the upsizing
provides additional cash proceeds and financial
flexibility.
With the
bond refinancing complete, 100% ownership of Gibraltar, and the copper price today at
US$4.49 per pound, our business is
much improved from just a few months ago." concluded Mr.
McDonald.
*Non-GAAP
performance measure. See end of news release
|
First
Quarter Review
-
First
quarter cash flow from operations was $59.6
million and net income was $18.9
million ($0.07 per share) for
the quarter;
-
Earnings
from mining operations before depletion and amortization* was
$52.8 million, Adjusted EBITDA* was
$49.9 million, and Adjusted net
income* was $7.7 million
($0.03 per share);
-
Gibraltar produced 29.7 million pounds of copper for the
quarter. Average head grades were 0.24% and copper recoveries were
79% for the quarter;
-
Gibraltar sold 31.7 million pounds of copper in the quarter
(100% basis) at an average realized copper price of US$3.89 per pound;
-
Total
operating costs (C1)* for the quarter were US$2.46 per pound produced;
-
On
March 25, 2024, the Company completed
its acquisition of the remaining 12.5% interest in Gibraltar, and now owns 100%. The Company paid
$5 million on closing, with the
remaining amounts payable over a 10-year period with the next
scheduled payment in March
2026;
-
Construction
of the commercial production facility at Florence is advancing with recent site
activities focused on site preparations and earthworks for the
commercial wellfield and plant area. Wellfield drilling commenced
in February and ten new production wells have been drilled to
date;
-
During the
quarter, the Company received the first US$10 million deposit from Mitsui & Co.
(U.S.A.) Inc. ("Mitsui") for its copper stream financing and closed
its US$50 million royalty financing
with Taurus Mining Royalty Fund L.P. ("Taurus"). The Company had a
cash balance of $158 million and has
approximately $239 million of
available liquidity at March 31,
2024; and
-
On
April 23, 2024, the Company completed
an offering of US$500 million
aggregate principal amount of 8.25% Senior Secured Notes due
May 1, 2030. A portion of the
proceeds were used to redeem the outstanding US$400 million 7% Senior Secured Notes due on
February 15, 2026. The remaining
proceeds, net of transaction costs, call premium and accrued
interest, are approximately $110
million.
*Non-GAAP
performance measure. See end of news release
|
Highlights
Operating
Data (Gibraltar - 100% basis)
|
Three
months ended
March
31,
|
|
2024
|
2023
|
Change
|
Tons mined
(millions)
|
22.8
|
24.1
|
(1.3)
|
Tons milled
(millions)
|
7.7
|
7.1
|
0.6
|
Production
(million pounds Cu)
|
29.7
|
24.9
|
4.8
|
Sales
(million pounds Cu)
|
31.7
|
26.6
|
5.1
|
Financial
Data
|
Three
months ended
March
31,
|
(Cdn$ in
thousands, except for per share amounts)
|
2024
|
2023
|
Change
|
Revenues
|
146,947
|
115,519
|
31,428
|
Cash flows
provided by operations
|
59,574
|
27,999
|
31,575
|
Net income
(GAAP)
|
18,896
|
33,788
|
(14,892)
|
Per share -
basic ("EPS")
|
0.07
|
0.12
|
(0.05)
|
Earnings
from mining operations before depletion and
amortization*
|
52,797
|
41,139
|
11,658
|
Adjusted
EBITDA*
|
49,923
|
36,059
|
13,864
|
Adjusted
net income*
|
7,728
|
5,088
|
2,640
|
Per share -
basic ("Adjusted EPS")
*
|
0.03
|
0.02
|
0.01
|
On
March 15, 2023, the Company increased
its effective interest in Gibraltar from 75% to 87.5% through the
acquisition of a 50% interest in Cariboo Copper Corporation
("Cariboo") from Sojitz Corporation. On March 25, 2024, the Company increased its
effective interest in Gibraltar
from 87.5% to 100% through the acquisition of the remaining 50%
interest in Cariboo from Dowa Metals & Mining Co., Ltd.
("Dowa") and Furukawa Co., Ltd. ("Furukawa").
The
financial results reported in this MD&A include the Company's
87.5% proportionate share of Gibraltar mine income and expenses for the
period March 16, 2023 to March 24, 2024 (prior to March 15, 2023 – 75%) and
100% of
Gibraltar mine income and expenses
for the period March 25, 2024 to
March 31, 2024.
The
Company finalized the accounting for the acquisition of its 50%
interest in Cariboo from Sojitz and the related 12.5% interest in
Gibraltar in the fourth quarter of
2023.
In
accordance with the accounting standards for business combinations,
the comparable financial statements as of March 31, 2023 and for the three months then
ended have been revised to reflect the changes in finalizing the
consideration paid and the allocation of the purchase price to the
assets and liabilities acquired.
*Non-GAAP
performance measure. See end of news release
|
Highlights
Gibraltar
Mine
Operating
data (100% basis)
|
Q1
2024
|
Q4
2023
|
Q3
2023
|
Q2
2023
|
Q1
2023
|
Tons mined
(millions)
|
22.8
|
24.1
|
16.5
|
23.4
|
24.1
|
Tons milled
(millions)
|
7.7
|
7.6
|
8.0
|
7.2
|
7.1
|
Strip
ratio
|
1.7
|
1.5
|
0.4
|
1.5
|
1.9
|
Site
operating cost per ton milled (Cdn$)*
|
$11.73
|
$9.72
|
$12.39
|
$13.17
|
$13.54
|
Copper
concentrate
|
|
|
|
|
|
Head
grade (%)
|
0.24
|
0.27
|
0.26
|
0.24
|
0.22
|
Copper
recovery (%)
|
79.0
|
82.2
|
85.0
|
81.9
|
80.7
|
Production
(million pounds Cu)
|
29.7
|
34.2
|
35.4
|
28.2
|
24.9
|
Sales
(million pounds Cu)
|
31.7
|
35.9
|
32.1
|
26.1
|
26.6
|
Inventory
(million pounds Cu)
|
4.9
|
6.9
|
8.8
|
5.6
|
3.7
|
Molybdenum
concentrate
|
|
|
|
|
|
Production
(thousand pounds Mo)
|
247
|
369
|
369
|
230
|
234
|
Sales
(thousand pounds Mo)
|
258
|
364
|
370
|
231
|
225
|
Per
unit data (US$ per pound produced)*
|
|
|
|
|
|
Site
operating costs*
|
$2.21
|
$1.59
|
$2.10
|
$2.43
|
$2.94
|
By-product
credits*
|
(0.17)
|
(0.13)
|
(0.23)
|
(0.13)
|
(0.37)
|
Site
operating costs, net of by-product credits*
|
$2.04
|
$1.46
|
$1.87
|
$2.30
|
$2.57
|
Off-property
costs
|
0.42
|
0.45
|
0.33
|
0.36
|
0.37
|
Total
operating costs (C1)*
|
$2.46
|
$1.91
|
$2.20
|
$2.66
|
$2.94
|
Operations
Analysis
First
Quarter Review
Gibraltar produced 29.7 million pounds of copper for the
quarter. Copper production and mill throughput in the quarter were
impacted by Concentrator #2 downtime in January for a planned major
component replacement which reduced operating time by ten
days.
Copper
head grades of 0.24% were in line with management expectations.
Copper recoveries in the first quarter were 79%, lower than the
recent quarters due to lower head grades and increased milling of
partially oxidized material.
A total of
22.8 million tons were mined in the first quarter. The strip ratio
of 1.7 was higher than the recent quarters as stripping continues
in the Connector pit, and 2.0 million tons of oxide ore from the
upper benches of the Connector pit were also added to the heap
leach pads in the period. There was 1.1 million tons in mill feed
from ore stockpiles.
*Non-GAAP
performance measure. See end of news release
|
Operations
Analysis - Continued
Total site
costs* at Gibraltar of
$109.5 million (which includes
capitalized stripping of $18.5
million) was comparable to the previous quarter.
Molybdenum
production was 247 thousand pounds in the first quarter. At an
average molybdenum price of US$19.93
per pound, molybdenum generated a by-product credit per pound of
copper produced of US$0.17 in the
first quarter.
Off-property
costs per pound produced* were US$0.42 for
the first quarter reflecting higher copper sales volumes relative
to production volumes and additional trucking costs for concentrate
movements compared to the same quarter in the prior
year.
Total
operating costs per pound produced (C1)* was US$2.46 for the quarter, compared to US$2.94 in the prior year quarter as shown in the
bridge graph below:
Photo
- https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2403120/Taseko_Mines_Limited_Taseko_Reports_First_Quarter_2024_Operation.jpg
Gibraltar
Outlook
The
Gibraltar pit will continue to be
the main source of mill feed for the first half of 2024 before
mining of ore transitions into the Connector pit in the second half
of the year. Stripping activity will continue to be focused in the
Connector pit, and further oxide ore from this pit is expected to
be added to the heap leach pads this year. Management is currently
reviewing the potential to restart Gibraltar's SX/EW facility next
year.
Concentrator
#1 is scheduled for three weeks additional downtime in the second
quarter for the in-pit crusher relocation and other mill
maintenance.
After
taking into account the reduced mill availability for scheduled
down times, total copper production at Gibraltar for 2024 is expected to be
approximately 115 million pounds.
The
estimated remaining capital cost of the crusher relocation project
is $10 million, and no other
significant capital projects are planned for Gibraltar this year.
With the
component replacement in Concentrator #2 completed in January 2024, the Company is finalizing its
insurance claim for associated property damage and business
interruption as a result of the component failure. This insurance
claim is expected to be finalized in the coming months.
The
Company has recently tendered Gibraltar concentrate to various customers for
the remainder of 2024 and for significant tonnages
in 2025 and 2026. In
2023, Treatment and Refining Costs (TCRCs) accounted for
approximately US$0.17 per pound of
off-property costs. With these recently awarded offtake
contracts, the Company expects off-property costs to reduce by
approximately US$0.10 to US$0.20 per pound from the second half of 2024
through 2026 due to these fixed, lower TCRCs.
The
Company has a prudent hedging program in place to protect a minimum
copper price during the Florence
construction period.
Currently,
the Company has copper put contracts to secure a minimum copper
price of US$3.25 per pound for 21
million pounds of copper covering the second quarter of 2024,
copper collar contracts that secure a minimum copper price of
US$3.75 per pound for 42 million
pounds of copper covering the second half of 2024, and copper
collar contracts that secure a minimum copper price of US$4.00 per pound for 108 million pounds of
copper for 2025.
The copper
collar contracts also have ceiling prices between US$5.00 and US$5.40
per pound (refer to the section "Hedging Strategy" for
details).
*Non-GAAP
performance measure. See end of news release
|
Acquisition
of Remaining 12.5% Interest in Gibraltar
On
March 25, 2024, the Company entered
into an agreement to acquire the remaining 12.5% interest in
Gibraltar from Dowa and Furukawa.
Under the terms of the agreement, Taseko will acquire Dowa and
Furukawa's shares in Cariboo and will then own 100% of Cariboo
shares and have an effective 100% interest in Gibraltar.
The
acquisition price consists of a minimum amount of $117 million payable over a period of ten years
and potential contingent payments depending on copper prices and
Gibraltar's cashflow. An initial
$5 million was paid to Dowa and
Furukawa ($2.5 million each) on
closing and the remaining amounts will be settled with annual
payments commencing in March
2026.
The annual
payments will be based on the average LME copper price of the
previous calendar year, subject to an annual cap based on a
percentage of cashflow from Gibraltar.
At copper
prices below US$4.00 per pound, the
annual payment will be $5 million,
increasing pro-rata to a maximum annual payment of $15.25 million at copper prices of US$5.00 per pound or higher.
The annual
payments also can not exceed 6.25% of Gibraltar's annual cashflow for the 2025 to
2028 calendar years, and 10% of Gibraltar's cashflow for the 2029 to 2033
calendar years.
Any
outstanding balance on the minimum acquisition amount of
$117 million will be repayable in a
final balloon payment in March
2034.
Total
consideration is capped at $142
million, limiting the contingent consideration to a maximum
of $25 million.
In
addition, Taseko has the option to settle the full acquisition
price at any time prior to 2029 by making total payments of
$117 million.
The
Company's minimum payment obligations for the acquisition are in
the form of loans from Dowa and Furukawa to
Cariboo.
The loans
are non-interest bearing, are guaranteed by Taseko, and a portion
of the loans are secured by Cariboo's 25% joint venture interest in
Gibraltar. The loans contain
minimum protective covenants including the requirement not to amend
the joint venture agreement for Gibraltar, or sell Cariboo's 25% interest in
the joint venture.
Under the
Cariboo offtake arrangements entered into in 2010, Dowa and
Furukawa were entitled to receive 30% of Gibraltar's copper concentrate offtake for the
life of mine at benchmark terms.
Upon
closing of this acquisition, the Cariboo offtake agreement was
terminated and Taseko retained full marketing rights for 100% of
Gibraltar's concentrate offtake
going forward.
Florence
Copper
The
Company has all the key permits in place for the commercial
production facility at Florence Copper and construction has
commenced.
All the
major SX/EW plant components are on site and previous work on
detailed engineering and procurement of long-lead items has
de-risked the construction schedule.
First
copper production is expected in the fourth quarter of
2025.
The
Company has a technical report entitled "NI 43-101 Technical Report
Florence Copper Project, Pinal County,
Arizona" dated March 30, 2023
(the "2023 Technical Report") on SEDAR+. The 2023 Technical Report
was prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 and incorporated the
results of testwork from the Production Test Facility ("PTF") as
well as updated capital and operating costs (Q3 2022 basis) for the
commercial production facility.
Florence
Copper - Continued
Project
highlights based on the 2023 Technical Report:
-
Net
present value of US$930 million (at
$US 3.75 copper price, 8% after-tax
discount rate)
-
Internal
rate of return of 47% (after-tax)
-
Payback
period of 2.6 years
-
Operating
costs (C1) of US$1.11 per pound of
copper
-
Annual
production capacity of 85 million pounds of LME grade A cathode
copper
-
22 year
mine life
-
Total life
of mine production of 1.5 billion pounds of copper
-
Remaining
initial capital cost of US$232
million (Q3 2022 basis)
Site
activities in the first quarter of 2024 have focused on site
preparations and earthworks for the commercial wellfield and plant
area, and the hiring of additional personnel for the construction
and operations teams.
Drilling
of the commercial facility wellfield commenced in February and
there are currently three drills operating, with a fourth drill to
be mobilized in May.
At the end
of April, a total of ten new production wells have been drilled,
and a total of 90 new production wells will be drilled during the
construction of the commercial facility.
The
Company has a fixed-price contract with the general contractor for
construction of the SX/EW plant and associated surface
infrastructure.
The
general contractor continues their mobilization.
Plant
earthworks is underway with a focus on bulk excavation of the
various facility ponds and preparations for the initial concrete
pour in the plant area.
Florence
Copper Quarterly Capital Spend
|
Three
months ended
|
(US$ in
thousands)
|
March
31, 2024
|
Site and
PTF operations
|
4,245
|
Commercial
facility construction costs
|
17,998
|
Other
capital costs
|
15,709
|
Total
Florence project expenditures
|
37,952
|
The
estimated remaining capital costs in the 2023 Technical Report for
construction of the commercial facility was US$232 million, of which US$18.0 million has been incurred in the first
quarter of 2024.
Other
capital costs of US$15.7 million
include final payments for delivery of long-lead equipment that was
ordered in 2022, and to bring forward the construction of an
evaporation pond to provide additional water management
flexibility.
Approximately
US$10 million of these other capital
costs remain to be incurred in the next two quarters.
The
Company has closed several Florence project level financings to fund
initial commercial facility construction costs. On January 26, 2024, the Company received the first
US$10 million deposit from the
US$50 million copper stream
transaction with Mitsui. The remaining amounts will be paid on a
quarterly basis. On February 2, 2024,
the Company also closed a US$50
million royalty with Taurus, which was funded in one
lump-sum payment at that time.
The
Company considers that the construction of Florence Copper is now
fully funded, and remaining project costs are expected to be funded
with the Company's available liquidity, remaining instalments from
Mitsui, and cashflow from its 100% ownership interest in
Gibraltar.
Long-term
Growth Strategy
Taseko's
strategy has been to grow the Company by acquiring and developing a
pipeline of projects focused on copper in North America. We continue to believe this
will generate long-term returns for shareholders. Our other
development projects are located in British Columbia, Canada.
Yellowhead
Copper Project
Yellowhead
Mining Inc. ("Yellowhead") has an 817 million tonnes reserve and a
25-year mine life with a pre-tax net present value of $1.3 billion at an 8% discount rate using a
US$3.10 per pound copper price
based on
the Company's 2020 NI 43-101 technical report. Capital costs of the
project were estimated at $1.3
billion over a 2-year construction period. During the first
5 years of operation, the copper equivalent grade will average
0.35% producing an average of 200 million pounds of copper per year
at an average C1* cost, net of by-product credit, of US$1.67 per pound of copper produced. The
Yellowhead copper project contains valuable precious metal
by-products with 440,000 ounces of gold and 19 million ounces of
silver production over the life of mine.
The
Company is preparing to advance into the environmental assessment
process and is undertaking some additional engineering work in
conjunction with ongoing engagement with local communities
including First Nations. The Company is also collecting baseline
data and modeling which will be used to support the environmental
assessment and permitting of the project.
New
Prosperity Gold-Copper Project
In late
2019, the Tŝilhqot'in Nation, as represented by Tŝilhqot'in
National Government, and Taseko Mines Limited entered into a
confidential dialogue, with the involvement of the Province of
British Columbia, seeking a
long-term resolution of the conflict regarding Taseko's proposed
copper-gold mine previously known as New Prosperity, acknowledging
Taseko's commercial interests and the Tŝilhqot'in Nation's
opposition to the project.
This
dialogue has been supported by the parties' agreement, beginning
December 2019, to a series of
standstill agreements on certain outstanding litigation and
regulatory matters relating to Taseko's tenures and the area in the
vicinity of Teẑtan Biny (Fish Lake).
The
dialogue process has made meaningful progress in recent months but
is not complete. The Tŝilhqot'in Nation and Taseko acknowledge the
constructive nature of discussions, and the opportunity to conclude
a long-term and mutually acceptable resolution of the conflict that
also makes an important contribution to the goals of reconciliation
in Canada.
In
March 2024, Tŝilhqot'in and Taseko
formally reinstated the standstill agreement for a final term, with
the goal of finalizing a resolution before the end of this
year.
Aley
Niobium Project
Environmental
monitoring and product marketing initiatives on the Aley niobium
project continue. The converter pilot test is ongoing and is
providing additional process data to support the design of the
commercial process facilities and will provide final product
samples for marketing purposes. The Company has also initiated a
scoping study to investigate the potential production of niobium
oxide at Aley to supply the growing market for niobium-based
batteries.
The Company
will host a telephone conference call and live webcast on Thursday,
May 2, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time (8:00 a.m. Pacific Time) to
discuss these results.
After
opening remarks by management, there will be a question and answer
session open to analysts and investors.
To join the
conference call without operator assistance, you may pre-register
at https://emportal.ink/3wakEXk
to receive
an instant automated call back just prior to the start of the
conference call. Otherwise, the conference call may be accessed by
dialing 888-390-0546 toll free, 416-764-8688 in Canada, or online
at tasekomines.com/investors/events.
The
conference call will be archived for later playback until May 16,
2024 and can be accessed by dialing
888-390-0541
toll free, 416-764-8677 in Canada, or online at tasekomines.com/investors/events/ and
using the entry code 748928#.
|
Stuart McDonald
President
& CEO
Non-GAAP
Performance Measures
This
document includes certain non-GAAP performance measures that do not
have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS. These measures may
differ from those used by, and may not be comparable to such
measures as reported by, other issuers. The Company believes that
these measures are commonly used by certain investors, in
conjunction with conventional IFRS measures, to enhance their
understanding of the Company's performance. These measures have
been derived from the Company's financial statements and applied on
a consistent basis. The following tables below provide a
reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures to the most directly
comparable IFRS measure.
Total
operating costs and site operating costs, net of by-product
credits
Total
costs of sales include all costs absorbed into inventory, as well
as transportation costs and insurance recoverable. Site operating
costs are calculated by removing net changes in inventory,
depletion and amortization, insurance recoverable, and
transportation costs from cost of sales. Site operating costs, net
of by-product credits is calculated by subtracting by-product
credits from the site operating costs. Site operating costs, net of
by-product credits per pound are calculated by dividing the
aggregate of the applicable costs by copper pounds produced. Total
operating costs per pound is the sum of site operating costs, net
of by-product credits and off-property costs divided by the copper
pounds produced. By-product credits are calculated based on actual
sales of molybdenum (net of treatment costs) and silver during the
period divided by the total pounds of copper produced during the
period. These measures are calculated on a consistent basis for the
periods presented.
(Cdn$ in
thousands, unless otherwise indicated) – 87.5% basis (except for Q1
2023 and Q1 2024)
|
2024
Q11
|
2023
Q41
|
2023
Q31
|
2023
Q21
|
2023
Q11
|
Cost of
sales
|
122,528
|
93,914
|
94,383
|
99,854
|
86,407
|
Less:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Depletion
and amortization
|
(15,024)
|
(13,326)
|
(15,993)
|
(15,594)
|
(12,027)
|
Net change
in inventories of finished goods
|
(20,392)
|
(1,678)
|
4,267
|
3,356
|
(399)
|
Net change
in inventories of ore stockpiles
|
2,719
|
(3,771)
|
12,172
|
2,724
|
5,561
|
Transportation
costs
|
(10,153)
|
(10,294)
|
(7,681)
|
(6,966)
|
(5,104)
|
Site
operating costs
|
79,678
|
64,845
|
87,148
|
83,374
|
74,438
|
Oxide ore
stockpile reclassification from capitalized stripping
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(3,183)
|
3,183
|
Less
by-product credits:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Molybdenum,
net of treatment costs
|
(6,112)
|
(5,441)
|
(9,900)
|
(4,018)
|
(9,208)
|
Silver,
excluding amortization of deferred revenue
|
(137)
|
124
|
290
|
(103)
|
(160)
|
Site
operating costs, net of by-product credits
|
73,429
|
59,528
|
77,538
|
76,070
|
68,253
|
Total
copper produced (thousand pounds)
|
26,694
|
29,883
|
30,978
|
24,640
|
19,491
|
Total costs
per pound produced
|
2.75
|
1.99
|
2.50
|
3.09
|
3.50
|
Average
exchange rate for the period (CAD/USD)
|
1.35
|
1.36
|
1.34
|
1.34
|
1.35
|
Site
operating costs, net of by-product credits (US$ per
pound)
|
2.04
|
1.46
|
1.87
|
2.30
|
2.59
|
Site
operating costs, net of by-product credits
|
73,429
|
59,528
|
77,538
|
76,070
|
68,253
|
Add
off-property costs:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Treatment
and refining costs
|
4,816
|
7,885
|
6,123
|
4,986
|
4,142
|
Transportation
costs
|
10,153
|
10,294
|
7,681
|
6,966
|
5,104
|
Total
operating costs
|
88,398
|
77,707
|
91,342
|
88,022
|
77,499
|
Total
operating costs (C1) (US$ per pound)
|
2.46
|
1.91
|
2.20
|
2.66
|
2.94
|
1 Q1, Q2, Q3
and Q4 2023 includes the impact from the March 15, 2023 acquisition
of Cariboo from Sojitz, which increased the Company's Gibraltar
ownership from 75% to 87.5%. Q1 2024 includes the impact from the
March 25, 2024 acquisition of Cariboo
from Dowa and Furukawa, which increased the Company's Gibraltar
ownership from 87.5% to 100%.
|
Non-GAAP
Performance Measures - Continued
Total
Site Costs
Total site
costs are comprised of the site operating costs charged to cost of
sales as well as mining costs capitalized to property, plant and
equipment in the period. This measure is intended to capture
Taseko's share of the total site operating costs incurred in the
quarter at Gibraltar calculated on
a consistent basis for the periods presented.
(Cdn$ in
thousands, unless otherwise indicated) –
87.5% basis
(except for Q1 2023 and Q1 2024)
|
2024
Q11
|
2023
Q41
|
2023
Q31
|
2023
Q21
|
2023
Q11
|
Site
operating costs
|
79,678
|
64,845
|
87,148
|
83,374
|
74,438
|
Add:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capitalized
stripping costs
|
16,152
|
31,916
|
2,083
|
8,832
|
12,721
|
Total
site costs – Taseko share
|
95,830
|
96,761
|
89,231
|
92,206
|
87,159
|
Total
site costs – 100% basis
|
109,520
|
110,584
|
101,978
|
105,378
|
112,799
|
1 Q1,
Q2, Q3 and Q4 2023 includes the impact from the March 15, 2023
acquisition of Cariboo from Sojitz, which increased the Company's
Gibraltar ownership from 75% to 87.5%. Q1 2024 includes the impact
from the March 25, 2024 acquisition of Cariboo
from Dowa and Furukawa, which increased the Company's Gibraltar
ownership from 87.5% to 100%.
|
Adjusted
net income (loss) and Adjusted EPS
Adjusted
net income (loss) removes the effect of the following transactions
from net income as reported under IFRS:
-
Unrealized
foreign currency gains/losses;
-
Unrealized
gain/loss on derivatives;
-
Gain on
Cariboo acquisition;
-
Gain on
acquisition of control of Gibraltar;
-
Realized
gain on sale of inventory; and
-
Finance
and other non-recurring costs.
Management
believes these transactions do not reflect the underlying operating
performance of our core mining business and are not necessarily
indicative of future operating results. Furthermore, unrealized
gains/losses on derivative instruments, changes in the fair value
of financial instruments, and unrealized foreign currency
gains/losses are not necessarily reflective of the underlying
operating results for the reporting periods presented.
Non-GAAP
Performance Measures - Continued
(Cdn$ in
thousands, except per share amounts)
|
2024
Q1
|
2023
Q4
|
2023
Q3
|
2023
Q2
|
Net
income
|
18,896
|
38,076
|
871
|
9,991
|
Unrealized
foreign exchange loss (gain)
|
13,688
|
(14,541)
|
14,582
|
(10,966)
|
Unrealized
loss (gain) on derivatives
|
3,519
|
1,636
|
4,518
|
(6,470)
|
Gain on
Cariboo acquisition
|
(47,426)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Gain on
acquisition of control of Gibraltar**
|
(14,982)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Realized
gain on sale of inventory**
|
13,354
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Accretion
and fair value adjustment on Florence royalty obligation
|
3,416
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Accretion
and fair value adjustment on consideration payable to
Cariboo
|
1,555
|
(916)
|
1,244
|
1,451
|
Non-recurring
other expenses
|
138
|
-
|
-
|
263
|
Estimated
tax effect of adjustments
|
15,570
|
(195)
|
(1,556)
|
1,355
|
Adjusted
net income (loss)
|
7,728
|
24,060
|
19,659
|
(4,376)
|
Adjusted
EPS
|
0.03
|
0.08
|
0.07
|
(0.02)
|
(Cdn$ in
thousands, except per share amounts)
|
2023
Q1
|
2022
Q4
|
2022
Q3
|
2022
Q2
|
Net
(loss) income
|
33,788
|
(2,275)
|
(23,517)
|
(5,274)
|
Unrealized
foreign exchange (gain) loss
|
(950)
|
(5,279)
|
28,083
|
11,621
|
Unrealized
loss (gain) on derivatives
|
2,190
|
20,137
|
(72)
|
(30,747)
|
Gain on
Cariboo acquisition
|
(46,212)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Estimated
tax effect of adjustments
|
16,272
|
(5,437)
|
19
|
8,302
|
Adjusted
net income (loss)
|
5,088
|
7,146
|
4,513
|
(16,098)
|
Adjusted
EPS
|
0.02
|
0.02
|
0.02
|
(0.06)
|
**The $15.0
million gain on acquisition of control of Gibraltar relates to the
write-up of finished copper concentrate inventory to its fair value
at March 25, 2024.
Of this
amount, $13.4 million was actually realized through the sale of
concentrate inventory between March 26 and March 31,
2024.
This
realized portion of the gain has been included in Adjusted net
income.
|
Adjusted
EBITDA
Adjusted
EBITDA is presented as a supplemental measure of the Company's
performance and ability to service debt. Adjusted EBITDA is
frequently used by securities analysts, investors and other
interested parties in the evaluation of companies in the industry,
many of which present Adjusted EBITDA when reporting their results.
Issuers of "high yield" securities also present Adjusted EBITDA
because investors, analysts and rating agencies consider it useful
in measuring the ability of those issuers to meet debt service
obligations.
Adjusted
EBITDA represents net income before interest, income taxes, and
depreciation and also eliminates the impact of a number of items
that are not considered indicative of ongoing operating
performance. Certain items of expense are added and certain items
of income are deducted from net income that are not likely to recur
or are not indicative of the Company's underlying operating results
for the reporting periods presented or for future operating
performance and consist of:
-
Unrealized
foreign exchange gains/losses;
-
Unrealized
gain/loss on derivatives;
-
Amortization
of share-based compensation expense;
-
Gain on
Cariboo acquisition;
-
Gain on
acquisition of control of Gibraltar;
-
Realized
gain on sale of inventory; and
-
Non-recurring
other expenses.
Non-GAAP
Performance Measures - Continued
(Cdn$ in
thousands)
|
2024
Q1
|
2023
Q4
|
2023
Q3
|
2023
Q2
|
Net
income
|
18,896
|
38,076
|
871
|
9,991
|
Add:
|
|
|
|
|
Depletion
and amortization
|
15,024
|
13,326
|
15,993
|
15,594
|
Finance
expense
|
19,849
|
12,804
|
14,285
|
13,468
|
Finance
income
|
(1,086)
|
(972)
|
(322)
|
(757)
|
Income tax
expense
|
23,282
|
17,205
|
12,041
|
678
|
Unrealized
foreign exchange loss (gain)
|
13,688
|
(14,541)
|
14,582
|
(10,966)
|
Unrealized
loss (gain) on derivatives
|
3,519
|
1,636
|
4,518
|
(6,470)
|
Amortization
of share-based compensation expense
|
5,667
|
1,573
|
727
|
417
|
Gain on
Cariboo acquisition
|
(47,426)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Gain on
acquisition of control of Gibraltar**
|
(14,982)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Realized
gain on sale of inventory**
|
13,354
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Non-recurring
other expenses
|
138
|
-
|
-
|
263
|
Adjusted
EBITDA
|
49,923
|
69,107
|
62,695
|
22,218
|
(Cdn$ in
thousands)
|
2023
Q1
|
2022
Q4
|
2022
Q3
|
2022
Q2
|
Net
(loss) income
|
33,788
|
(2,275)
|
(23,517)
|
(5,274)
|
Add:
|
|
|
|
|
Depletion
and amortization
|
12,027
|
10,147
|
13,060
|
15,269
|
Finance
expense
|
12,309
|
10,135
|
12,481
|
12,236
|
Finance
income
|
(921)
|
(700)
|
(650)
|
(282)
|
Income tax
expense
|
20,219
|
1,222
|
3,500
|
922
|
Unrealized
foreign exchange (gain) loss
|
(950)
|
(5,279)
|
28,083
|
11,621
|
Unrealized
loss (gain) on derivatives
|
2,190
|
20,137
|
(72)
|
(30,747)
|
Amortization
of share-based compensation expense (recovery)
|
3,609
|
1,794
|
1,146
|
(2,061)
|
Gain on
Cariboo acquisition
|
(46,212)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Adjusted
EBITDA
|
36,059
|
35,181
|
34,031
|
1,684
|
**The $15.0
million gain on acquisition of control of Gibraltar relates to the
write-up of finished copper concentrate inventory to its fair value
at March 25, 2024.
Of this
amount, $13.4 million was actually realized through the sale of
concentrate inventory between March 26 and March 31,
2024.
This
realized portion of the gain has been included in Adjusted
EBITDA.
|
Earnings
from mining operations before depletion and
amortization
Earnings
from mining operations before depletion and amortization is
earnings from mining operations with depletion and amortization,
also any items that are not considered indicative of ongoing
operating performance are added back. The Company discloses this
measure, which has been derived from our financial statements and
applied on a consistent basis, to provide assistance in
understanding the results of the Company's operations and financial
position and it is meant to provide further information about the
financial results to investors.
Non-GAAP
Performance Measures - Continued
|
Three
months ended March 31,
|
(Cdn$ in
thousands)
|
2024
|
2023
|
Earnings
from mining operations
|
24,419
|
29,112
|
Add:
|
|
|
Depletion
and amortization
|
15,024
|
12,027
|
Realized
gain on sale of inventory
|
13,354
|
-
|
Earnings
from mining operations before depletion and
amortization
|
52,797
|
41,139
|
During the
three months ended March 31, 2024,
the realized gain on sale of inventory of $13.4 million relates to concentrate inventory
held at March 25, 2024 that was
written up from book value to net realizable value and subsequently
sold between March 26 and March 31,
2024.
Site
operating costs per ton milled
The
Company discloses this measure, which has been derived from our
financial statements and applied on a consistent basis, to provide
assistance in understanding the Company's site operations on a tons
milled basis.
(Cdn$ in
thousands, except per ton milled amounts)
|
2024
Q11
|
2023
Q41
|
2023
Q31
|
2023
Q21
|
2023
Q11
|
Site
operating costs (included in cost of
sales)
– Taseko share
|
79,678
|
64,845
|
87,148
|
83,374
|
74,438
|
Site
operating costs – 100% basis
|
90,040
|
74,109
|
99,598
|
95,285
|
95,838
|
Tons milled
(thousands)
|
7,677
|
7,626
|
8,041
|
7,234
|
7,093
|
Site
operating costs per ton milled
|
$11.73
|
$9.72
|
$12.39
|
$13.17
|
$13.54
|
1 Q1,
Q2, Q3 and Q4 2023 includes the impact from the March 15, 2023
acquisition of Cariboo from Sojitz, which increased the Company's
Gibraltar ownership from 75% to 87.5%. Q1 2024 includes the impact
from the March 25, 2024 acquisition of Cariboo
from Dowa and Furukawa, which increased the Company's Gibraltar
ownership from 87.5% to 100%.
|
Technical
Information
The
technical information contained in this news release related to the
Florence Copper Project is based upon the report entitled: "NI
43-101 Technical Report – Florence Copper Project, Pinal County, Arizona" issued March 30, 2023 with an effective date of
March 15, 2023 which is available on
SEDAR+. The Florence Copper Project Technical Report was prepared
under the supervision of Richard
Tremblay, P.Eng., MBA, Richard
Weymark, P.Eng., MBA, and Robert
Rotzinger, P.Eng. Mr. Tremblay is employed by the Company as
Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Weymark is Vice President Engineering,
and Robert Rotzinger is Vice
President Capital Projects. All three are Qualified Persons as
defined by NI 43–101.
No
regulatory authority has approved or disapproved of the information
in this news release.
Caution
Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This
document contains "forward-looking statements" that were based on
Taseko's expectations, estimates and projections as of the dates as
of which those statements were made. Generally, these
forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of
forward-looking terminology such as "outlook", "anticipate",
"project", "target", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend",
"should" and similar expressions.
Forward-looking
statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties
and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results,
level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially
different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking
statements. These included but are not limited to:
-
uncertainties
about the effect of COVID-19 and the response of local, provincial,
federal and international governments to the threat of COVID-19 on
our operations (including our suppliers, customers, supply chain,
employees and contractors) and economic conditions generally and in
particular with respect to the demand for copper and other metals
we produce;
-
uncertainties
and costs related to the Company's exploration and development
activities, such as those associated with continuity of
mineralization or determining whether mineral resources or reserves
exist on a property;
-
uncertainties
related to the accuracy of our estimates of mineral reserves,
mineral resources, production rates and timing of production,
future production and future cash and total costs of production and
milling;
-
uncertainties
related to feasibility studies that provide estimates of expected
or anticipated costs, expenditures and economic returns from a
mining project;
-
uncertainties
related to the ability to obtain necessary licenses permits for
development projects and project delays due to third party
opposition;
-
uncertainties
related to unexpected judicial or regulatory
proceedings;
-
changes
in, and the effects of, the laws, regulations and government
policies affecting our exploration and development activities and
mining operations, particularly laws, regulations and
policies;
-
changes in
general economic conditions, the financial markets and in the
demand and market price for copper, gold and other minerals and
commodities, such as diesel fuel, steel, concrete, electricity and
other forms of energy, mining equipment, and fluctuations in
exchange rates, particularly with respect to the value of the U.S.
dollar and Canadian dollar, and the continued availability of
capital and financing;
-
the
effects of forward selling instruments to protect against
fluctuations in copper prices and exchange rate movements and the
risks of counterparty defaults, and mark to market
risk;
-
the risk
of inadequate insurance or inability to obtain insurance to cover
mining risks;
-
the risk
of loss of key employees; the risk of changes in accounting
policies and methods we use to report our financial condition,
including uncertainties associated with critical accounting
assumptions and estimates;
-
environmental
issues and liabilities associated with mining including processing
and stock piling ore; and
-
labour
strikes, work stoppages, or other interruptions to, or difficulties
in, the employment of labour in markets in which we operate mines,
or environmental hazards, industrial accidents or other events or
occurrences, including third party interference that interrupt the
production of minerals in our mines.
For
further information on Taseko, investors should review the
Company's annual Form 40-F filing with the United States Securities
and Exchange Commission www.sec.gov
and home
jurisdiction filings that are available at www.sedar.com.
Cautionary
Statement on Forward-Looking Information
This
discussion includes certain statements that may be deemed
"forward-looking statements".
All
statements in this discussion, other than statements of historical
facts, that address future production, reserve potential,
exploration drilling, exploitation activities, and events or
developments that the Company expects are forward-looking
statements.
Although
we believe the expectations expressed in such forward-looking
statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are
not guarantees of future performance and actual results or
developments may differ materially from those in the
forward-looking statements.
Factors
that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in
forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and
exploration successes, continued availability of capital and
financing and general economic, market or business
conditions.
Investors
are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future
performance and actual results or developments may differ
materially from those projected in the forward-looking
statements.
All of the
forward-looking statements made in this MD&A are qualified by
these cautionary statements.
We
disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by
applicable law.
Further
information concerning risks and uncertainties associated with
these forward-looking statements and our business may be found in
our most recent Form 40-F/Annual Information Form on file with the
SEC and Canadian provincial securities regulatory
authorities.
For
further information on Taseko, please see the Company's website at
www.tasekomines.com or contact: Brian
Bergot, Vice President, Investor Relations – 778-373-4554,
toll free 1-800-667-2114
SOURCE
Taseko Mines Limited