Provides Preliminary Third Quarter Production and Cost Results
(All figures are in US dollars unless otherwise indicated)
VANCOUVER, Oct. 21, 2013 /CNW/ - New Gold Inc. ("New Gold") (TSX:NGD)
(NYSE MKT:NGD) today announces that its New Afton Mine has successfully
achieved the targeted increase in throughput to 12,000 tonnes per day,
from a design capacity of 11,000 tonnes per day, three months ahead of
schedule. The combination of the increased throughput, and higher
grades and recoveries, resulted in increased production of both gold
and copper during the third quarter at New Afton. As the company is
hosting an analyst tour to New Afton on October 22, 2013, New Gold
today provides preliminary third quarter production and cost results
for New Afton as well as the balance of its portfolio of operating
mines. The preliminary production and cost information provided
reflects approximate figures and may differ slightly from the company's
third quarter earnings, which will be announced on October 29, 2013.
New Afton Update
-
Average mill throughput of 12,396 tonnes per day in September 2013
-
Represents 13% increase over 11,000 tonne per day design capacity
-
Average mill throughput of 11,967 tonnes per day during third quarter of
2013
-
Gold grade continued to reconcile positively against block model
-
80% increase in gold production to 25,220 ounces from 14,014 ounces in
the third quarter of 2012
-
88% increase in copper production to 20.9 million pounds from 11.1
million pounds
-
Operation successfully tested over five-day period at rates of 14,000 to
15,500 tonnes per day
-
Continued positive exploration results at both the C-Zone and East Cave
Extension targets
Consolidated 2013 Third Quarter Production and Cost Summary
-
Lowest cost quarter in the company's history
-
All-in sustaining costs(1) of $779 per ounce
-
Total cash costs(2) of $280 per ounce compared to $443 per ounce in the prior year period
-
Gold production of 94,038 ounces compared to 104,577 ounces in the third
quarter of 2012
-
Copper production increased by 67% to 23.7 million pounds from 14.2
million pounds
-
Cash and cash equivalents of $429 million at September 30, 2013
"The third quarter saw our company deliver on a number of very important
objectives, however, it also brought with it certain challenges,"
stated Randall Oliphant, Executive Chairman. "The combination of
successfully increasing New Afton's throughput and further reducing our
costs positions us well going forward. At the same time, we are
disappointed that the operational challenges we encountered at Cerro
San Pedro and Mesquite have negatively impacted our quarterly and
year-to-date production."
New Gold will provide an update on its production and cost outlook for
the fourth quarter and full year 2013 as part of its third quarter
earnings announcement on October 29, 2013.
New Afton Update
Successfully Achieved Targeted Throughput Increase Ahead of Schedule
New Afton continued to build on its strong first half performance during
the quarter. New Afton achieved records in multiple key operational
categories during the quarter, including: average daily throughput,
gold and copper grades, gold recovery and, most importantly, gold and
copper production. At the beginning of 2013, New Gold's objective was
to steadily increase the throughput at New Afton beyond the 11,000
tonne per day design capacity, with the goal of averaging 12,000 tonnes
per day by the end of the year. Through the dedicated efforts of the
New Afton team, the mine reached this goal three months ahead of
schedule, averaging 12,396 tonnes per day during the month of
September. The combination of this record throughput, robust gold and
copper grades, and steady recoveries resulted in continued increases in
production of both gold and copper at New Afton. Gold grades were 0.82
grams per tonne, up from 0.67 grams per tonne in the prior year quarter
and 0.78 grams per tonne in the second quarter of 2013. Copper grades
were 0.98% compared to 0.72% in the prior year quarter and 0.96% in the
second quarter of 2013. Recoveries were 87% for gold and 88% for
copper, significantly higher than the third quarter of 2012 and
consistent with the second quarter of 2013, despite the impact of the
higher throughput. New Afton produced 25,220 ounces of gold and 20.9
million pounds of copper during the third quarter of 2013. With
year-to-date production of 61,966 ounces of gold and 51.4 million
pounds of copper, New Afton remains well on track to achieve its full
year 2013 production estimates of 75,000 to 85,000 ounces of gold and
66 to 74 million pounds of copper.
Looking to Unlock Further Value with Additional Throughput Expansion
Opportunity
In parallel with reaching the interim target of the 12,000 tonne per day
throughput rate, the New Afton team has also been looking at
opportunities to further increase the value of the operation by driving
towards an even higher throughput level. During the third quarter, over
a five-day period, the operation was run at rates between 14,000 and
15,500 tonnes per day to better assess which elements of the mining and
milling processes could be further optimized at these higher levels.
The underground mining operations performed well at the higher rates
and demonstrated an ability to readily move well beyond 12,000 tonnes
of ore to surface daily. The combination of 77 completed drawbells and
the excess capacity of the crusher and conveyor system provides
flexibility for the underground operations to move to a sustainably
higher rate. The mill also handled the higher throughput levels,
however, as anticipated, grind size increased and a decrease in
recovery was seen as the mill moved to progressively higher rates.
Currently, the company is evaluating low capital cost alternatives that
should enable the mine to yield recoveries from the high 80% to low 90%
rate, depending on ore type, when operating at higher throughput
levels. Though the trade-offs are still in the process of being
considered, this could include the addition of a tower mill for
tertiary grinding at the back end of the grinding circuit as well as
some additional flotation capacity.
As New Afton generated over 60% of New Gold's earnings from mine
operations in the second quarter of 2013, the company believes that
looking at low incremental capital cost alternatives to increase the
annual production of gold and copper, thus further increasing near-term
cash flow, is one of the most compelling strategies to generate value
for the benefit of New Gold's shareholders.
After achieving the 12,000 tonne per day target ahead of schedule, New
Gold's goal is to now move New Afton toward a sustainable 14,000 tonne
per day operation. The company intends to provide a further update on
the timeline and estimated capital cost to achieve this objective as
part of its annual investor and analyst day in early 2014.
Focused on the Future with Ongoing Exploration
The company's exploration efforts at New Afton continue to focus on two
key areas, the East Cave Extension and the C-Zone. The East Cave
Extension is an area of mineralization that extends laterally from the
main B-Zone reserve and lies beneath the previously mined Afton open
pit. In the second half of 2012, the company successfully delineated
additional resources in this area to extend New Afton's mine life. In
2013, New Gold's exploration team completed an additional 58 holes
totaling 17,775 metres in this area with the goal of, once again,
adding to the mineral reserve base. The results of the East Cave
drilling program will be incorporated into an updated mineral resource
and reserve estimate scheduled for completion at year-end.
The C-Zone resource, which represents the second area of exploration
focus, lies immediately down plunge of the main B-Zone reserve
currently being mined. The C-Zone mineral resource, summarized below,
was last updated on May 1, 2013 and incorporated the results of the
2012 drill program and five holes completed in early 2013.
New Afton C-Zone Mineral Resource Estimate
|
|
May 2013 Mineral Resource
|
|
Tonnes (000's)
|
Gold (g/t)
|
Silver (g/t)
|
Copper (%)
|
Gold (Koz)
|
Silver (Koz)
|
Copper (Mlbs)
|
Measured
Indicated Total Measured & Indicated
|
1,282 11,205 12,486
|
0.75 0.78 0.77
|
1.35 1.52 1.50
|
0.79 0.77 0.77
|
31 280 311
|
56 548 602
|
22 189 211
|
Inferred
|
20,221
|
0.62
|
1.42
|
0.68
|
401
|
923
|
301
|
The 2013 C-Zone exploration program concluded in the third quarter, with
41 holes totaling 26,800 metres having been completed. Highlights of
the 2013 C-Zone exploration program post the May resource update are
shown below:
New Afton 2013 C-Zone Highlights
|
Drill Hole
|
From (metres)
|
To (metres)
|
Interval (metres)
|
Gold (g/t)
|
Copper (%)
|
EA13-031
EA13-032
EA13-034
EA13-036
EA13-037
EA13-045
EA13-046
EA13-054
EA13-056
EA13-076
EA13-088
|
644
478
744
592
566
526
722
504
740
372
514
|
708
622
810
678
652
588
792
628
820
416
596
|
64
144
66
86
86
62
70
124
80
44
82
|
0.86
0.92
0.90
1.51
0.66
0.85
1.13
1.08
0.70
0.54
1.95
|
1.33
1.10
0.93
1.66
1.38
1.13
1.06
1.52
0.48
0.96
2.57
|
Note: All of the C-Zone assay results are available under the company's
profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com as an Appendix to this news release as filed on SEDAR.
The 2013 New Afton drilling program has significantly increased the
amount of drill hole data supporting the C-Zone mineral resource, both
extending its limits and adding confidence to the distribution of metal
grades and classification of the resource.
With the benefit of the completion of an updated C-Zone mineral resource
estimate at year-end, the company plans to provide an update on how the
C-Zone may factor into New Afton's longer-term mine plan at its annual
investor and analyst day to be held in early 2014.
Preliminary Production and Cost Results
|
New Gold 2013 Third Quarter Summary Operational Results
|
|
|
Three months ended
|
|
Nine months ended
|
|
|
|
|
September 30,
|
|
September 30,
|
|
|
|
|
2013
|
2012
|
|
2013
|
2012
|
Gold Production (thousand ounces)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
New Afton
|
|
|
|
25.2
|
14.0
|
|
62.0
|
14.0
|
Cerro San Pedro
|
|
|
|
24.0
|
34.5
|
|
80.6
|
105.4
|
Mesquite
|
|
|
|
20.8
|
32.2
|
|
72.1
|
112.8
|
Peak Mines
|
|
|
|
23.9
|
23.9
|
|
76.5
|
66.7
|
Total Gold Production
|
|
|
|
94.0
|
104.6
|
|
291.2
|
299.0
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Gold Sales
|
|
|
|
94.1
|
95.2
|
|
287.3
|
285.8
|
Average realized gold price ($ per ounce)
|
|
|
|
$1,359
|
$1,560
|
|
$1,375
|
$1,540
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Silver Production (thousand ounces)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cerro San Pedro
|
|
|
|
219.4
|
488.3
|
|
1,003.1
|
1,537.2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Silver Sales
|
|
|
|
223.7
|
492.3
|
|
997.2
|
1,506.1
|
Average realized silver price ($ per ounce)
|
|
|
|
$21.31
|
$30.09
|
|
$24.59
|
$30.32
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Copper Production (million pounds)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
New Afton
|
|
|
|
20.9
|
11.1
|
|
51.4
|
11.1
|
Peak Mines
|
|
|
|
2.8
|
3.1
|
|
9.9
|
10.8
|
Total Copper Production
|
|
|
|
23.7
|
14.2
|
|
61.4
|
21.9
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Copper Sales
|
|
|
|
23.5
|
9.2
|
|
58.8
|
15.9
|
Average realized copper price ($ per pound)
|
|
|
|
$3.25
|
$3.69
|
|
$3.24
|
$3.60
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Cash Costs(2) ($ per ounce)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
New Afton
|
|
|
|
($1,310)
|
($955)
|
|
($1,104)
|
($955)
|
Cerro San Pedro
|
|
|
|
723
|
218
|
|
605
|
205
|
Mesquite
|
|
|
|
1,017
|
722
|
|
936
|
664
|
Peak Mines
|
|
|
|
856
|
796
|
|
874
|
772
|
Total Cash Costs(2)
|
|
|
|
$280
|
$443
|
|
$399
|
$486
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
All-in Sustaining Costs(1) ($ per ounce)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
New Afton
|
|
|
|
($365)
|
$1,001
|
|
($191)
|
$1,023
|
Cerro San Pedro
|
|
|
|
771
|
273
|
|
674
|
338
|
Mesquite
|
|
|
|
1,098
|
822
|
|
1,162
|
728
|
Peak Mines
|
|
|
|
1,332
|
1,478
|
|
1,405
|
1,381
|
All-in Sustaining Costs(1)
|
|
|
|
$779
|
$869
|
|
$905
|
$830
|
Gold Production
New Afton - As previously noted, New Afton's third quarter gold production increased
by 80% when compared to the same period of the prior year. The
combination of higher daily throughput, higher gold grades, which
continue to reconcile favourably to the company's plans, and higher
gold recoveries led to the strong production. Collectively, these
positive factors culminated in New Afton's 2013 third quarter also
delivering continued quarter-over-quarter improvement, with production
increasing by 16% over the second quarter of 2013. The third quarter
was the highest gold production quarter for New Afton since it
commenced production in mid-2012.
Cerro San Pedro - Production at Cerro San Pedro was below that of the prior year periods
due to a combination of lower ore tonnes placed on the leach pad and
lower recoveries. The placement of lower ore tonnes was primarily
driven by the impact of the previously announced pit wall movement. As
noted in New Gold's August 28, 2013 news release regarding the pit wall
movement, the company anticipated approximately 15,000 ounces of Cerro
San Pedro's 2013 gold production would be deferred to future periods if
the area immediately below the wedge of displaced material could not be
accessed during the current phase of mining. The area impacted by the
pit wall movement is now planned to be mined during the next phase of
mining in 2014 and 2015.
As part of the same August news release, the company indicated that
recoveries from the leach pad had been below expectations. The
continuation of these lower recoveries also contributed to the lower
production in the third quarter. Over the course of the quarter, the
metallurgical team adjusted the leach solution by increasing cyanide
and sodium hydroxide levels as well as adding more lime to the ore
trucks. The goal of these adjustments is to optimize the leach solution
in an effort to maximize the recoveries from the multiple ore types at
Cerro San Pedro over time. At the same time, as a result of the above
noted pit wall movement, the company had to shift its mining efforts
further towards the bottom of the open pit, where the ore is more
sulphidic and thus has lower recoveries, earlier than planned. Mining
is scheduled to remain in this lower area through early 2014 after
which the next phase of mining will move back to the top of the ore
body where the material is more oxidized and should have recoveries
more consistent with historical levels.
As previously disclosed, the combination of the pit wall movement and
lower recoveries will result in Cerro San Pedro's 2013 gold production
being below the previous expectation of 140,000 to 150,000 ounces.
Mesquite - Mesquite's production in both the three and nine month periods ended
September 30, 2013 was below that of the prior year periods primarily
due to mining of ore below both reserve grade and grades mined in the
first nine months of 2012. The planned mining of lower grade ore was
further impacted by a negative variance between realized and planned
grades in the area of the pit that was mined during the third quarter.
Per the mine plan, mining has since moved to a different area of the
mine. As noted in the company's second quarter earnings results, due to
the lower year-to-date production, Mesquite's 2013 gold production
outlook will be below its guidance range of 130,000 to 140,000 ounces.
Mesquite is, however, still expected to have its strongest quarter of
the year in the fourth quarter.
Peak Mines - Gold production at the Peak Mines was in line with the prior year
quarter. For the nine month period ended September 30, 2013, all of the
key production drivers, tonnes processed, gold grades and recoveries
increased, resulting in a 15% increase in gold production when compared
to the same period of the prior year. With its strong year-to-date
performance, Peak Mines' full year gold production target remains in
line with the original guidance range of 95,000 to 105,000 ounces.
Copper Production
Copper production increased by 67% when compared to the third quarter of
2012, driven by New Afton's strong contribution. The continued
throughput increases at New Afton, coupled with higher grades and
steady recoveries, led to a 12% increase in copper production compared
to the second quarter of 2013. At the Peak Mines, copper production was
consistent with the prior year periods as increased tonnes processed
largely offset the planned mining of lower copper grades. 2013 full
year copper production remains in line with the company's guidance of
78 to 88 million pounds.
Silver Production
Silver production in both the three and nine month periods ended
September 30, 2013 was below that of the prior year periods for reasons
consistent with those noted above regarding Cerro San Pedro's gold
production.
All-in Sustaining Costs(1) and Total Cash Costs(2)
On a consolidated basis, during the third quarter, both the all-in
sustaining costs(1) and total cash costs(2) were the lowest in New Gold's history. All-in sustaining costs(1), which was formally adopted as the new industry cost standard earlier
this year, decreased by $90 per ounce compared to the prior year
quarter and $152 per ounce when compared to the second quarter of 2013.
Total cash costs(2) decreased by $163 per ounce compared to the prior year quarter and $150
per ounce compared to the second quarter of 2013. The decreases in both
cost measures were attributable to the significant contribution of the
low cost New Afton Mine and the company's dedicated focus on
maintaining its position as one of the industry's lowest cost
producers.
New Afton - Costs decreased when compared to the third quarter of 2012 as a result
of the mine's strong operating performance. The increase in copper
production at New Afton more than offset the decrease in the average
realized copper price when compared to the third quarter of the prior
year. New Afton's robust copper revenue positions the operation well to
continue being a high margin contributor to New Gold's portfolio going
forward.
Cerro San Pedro - The increase in cash costs when compared to the prior periods is
attributable to a combination of lower silver by-product revenue and
the fixed portion of the operation's costs being attributed to a lower
gold production base. Cerro San Pedro generated $10 million, or
approximately $205 per ounce, less silver by-product revenue when
compared to the third quarter of the prior year due to a combination of
lower silver by-product sales volumes and lower average realized silver
prices. Cerro San Pedro's all-in sustaining costs(1) of $771 per ounce continue to be well below the industry average.
Mesquite - Costs at Mesquite were higher than the prior year periods due to mining
of lower grade ore, resulting in a lower production base. The impact of
the lower production was partially offset by a decrease in the mine's
gross operating costs during both the three and nine month periods
ended September 30, 2013. Mesquite's all-in sustaining costs(1) decreased by $272 per ounce when compared to the second quarter of
2013.
Peak Mines - The change in total cash costs(2) at the Peak Mines during the quarter and year-to-date period was
attributable to a combination of lower copper by-product revenue and
increased mining costs from mining deeper portions of the Peak ore
bodies. This was partially offset by the depreciation of the Australian
dollar and the higher gold production base. As anticipated, total cash
costs(2) decreased by $92 per ounce and all-in sustaining costs(1) decreased by $170 per ounce when compared to the second quarter of
2013.
Consistent with the World Gold Council's all-in sustaining costs(1) guidance announced on June 27, 2013, New Gold will report this new cost
metric going forward. This new non-GAAP measure is intended to provide
further transparency into costs associated with producing gold. For a
period of time, New Gold will also continue to show its total cash
costs(2) for purposes of comparability to the company's prior year periods.
New Gold's third quarter all-in sustaining costs(1) were $779 per ounce, demonstrating a steady and meaningful decrease
from $1,004 per ounce in the first quarter of 2013 and $931 per ounce
in the second quarter. The company continues to further establish
itself as one of the lowest cost producers in the industry.
"Two of our four operations, Peak Mines and particularly New Afton, had
strong quarters, while Cerro San Pedro and Mesquite faced challenges,"
stated Robert Gallagher, President and Chief Executive Officer. "We are
very focused on improving the performance of our two open pit mines,
while also ensuring New Afton and Peak Mines finish the year strongly."
Balance Sheet
At September 30, 2013, the key components of New Gold's consolidated
statements of financial position included $429 million in cash and cash
equivalents and $860 million in long-term debt. The components of the
long-term debt are: $300 million of 7.00% face value senior unsecured
notes due in April 2020, $500 million of 6.25% face value senior
unsecured notes due in November 2022 and $76 million in El Morro
funding loans, repayable out of a portion of New Gold's share of El
Morro cash flow upon the start of production.
Webcast and Conference Call
New Gold plans to announce its third quarter financial results,
including an update on its 2013 outlook, prior to the market opening on
Tuesday, October 29, 2013. A webcast and conference call will be held
on October 29th at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss the results. Participants may
listen to the webcast by registering on our website at www.newgold.com. You may also listen to the conference by calling toll-free
1-888-231-8191 or 1-647-427-7450 outside of Canada and the U.S. To
listen to a recorded playback of the call after the event, please call
toll-free 1-855-859-2056 or 1-416-849-0833 outside of Canada and the
U.S. - Passcode 87299582. An archived webcast will also be available at
www.newgold.com following the event.
About New Gold Inc.
New Gold is an intermediate gold mining company. The company has a
portfolio of four producing assets and three significant development
projects. The New Afton Mine in Canada, the Cerro San Pedro Mine in
Mexico, the Mesquite Mine in the United States and the Peak Mines in
Australia provide the company with its current production base. In
addition, New Gold owns 100% of the Blackwater and Rainy River
projects, both in Canada, as well as 30% of the El Morro project
located in Chile. New Gold's objective is to continue to establish
itself as a leading intermediate producer, focused on the environment
and sustainability. For further information on the company, please
visit www.newgold.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain information contained in this news release, including any
information relating to New Gold Inc.'s ("New Gold) future financial or
operating performance as well as information respecting its assets, may
be deemed "forward looking". All statements in this news release, other
than statements of historical fact that address events or developments
that New Gold expects to occur, are "forward-looking statements".
Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts
and are generally, but not always, identified by the use of
forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects", "is expected",
"budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends",
"anticipates", "projects", "potential", "believes" or variations of
such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or
results "may", "could", "would", "should", "might" or "will be taken",
"occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connotation. Without limiting
the foregoing, examples of forward-looking information in this news
release include, among others, statements with respect to: New Gold's
guidance for production, planned modifications to operations (and the
cost of any such modifications) and potential opportunities to increase
recovery rates, throughput rates and value, the expected impact on
recoveries of adjustments to the leach solution at Cerro San Pedro, the
estimation of mineral reserves and resources and the realization of
mineral reserves and resources (including grades), expected future
mining activities, grades and recovery rates and the timing and amount
of estimated future production (including mining and milling rates),
the expected life of New Gold's mines,, exploration potential and the
result of future exploration activities.
All such forward-looking statements are based on the reasonable opinions
and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and
are subject to important risk factors and uncertainties, many of which
are beyond New Gold's ability to control or predict. Forward-looking
statements are necessarily based on estimates and assumptions. In
addition to assumptions specifically identified in this news release,
the key assumptions and estimates are discussed in New Gold's most
recent interim management discussion and analysis and technical reports
filed at www.sedar.com. The estimates and assumptions upon which the forward-looking
statements in this news release are based are inherently subject to
known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause
actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be
materially different from those expressed or implied by such
forward-looking statements. Such factors include, without limitation:
significant capital requirements; price volatility in the spot and
forward markets for commodities; fluctuations in the international
currency markets and in the rates of exchange of the currencies of
Canada, the United States, Australia and Mexico; discrepancies between
actual and estimated production, between actual and estimated Reserves
and Resources and between actual and estimated metallurgical
recoveries; changes in national and local legislation or regulation, or
political or economic developments, in Canada, the United States,
Australia and Mexico; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and
development, including the risks of obtaining and maintaining the
validity and enforceability of the necessary licences and permits and
complying with the permitting requirements of each jurisdiction in
which New Gold operates, including, but not limited to in Mexico, where
Cerro San Pedro has a history of ongoing legal challenges related to
New Gold's environmental authorization (EIS);; the lack of certainty
with respect to foreign legal systems, which may not be immune from the
influence of political pressure, corruption or other factors that are
inconsistent with the rule of law; diminishing quantities or grades of
Reserves; loss of key employees; additional funding requirements;
rising costs of labour, supplies, fuel and equipment; actual results of
current exploration or reclamation activities; uncertainties inherent
to mining economic studies; changes in parameters as plans continue to
be refined; accidents; labour disputes; defective title to mineral
claims or property or contests over claims to mineral properties; and
unexpected delays and costs inherent to consulting and accommodating
rights of First Nations. In addition, there are risks and hazards
associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and
mining, including environmental events and hazards, industrial
accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins,
flooding and gold bullion losses (and the risk of inadequate insurance
or inability to obtain insurance to cover these risks) as well as "Risk
Factors" included in New Gold's (and, in respect to information related
to the acquisition of Rainy River and/or the Rainy River Gold Project,
in Rainy River's) disclosure documents filed on and available at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance,
and actual results and future events could materially differ from those
anticipated in such statements. All of the forward-looking statements
contained in this news release are qualified by these cautionary
statements. New Gold expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to
update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of
new information, events or otherwise, except in accordance with
applicable securities laws.
Cautionary Note to U.S. Readers Concerning Estimates of Measured,
Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources
Information concerning the properties and operations of New Gold has
been prepared in accordance with Canadian standards under applicable
Canadian securities laws, and may not be comparable to similar
information for United States companies. The terms "Mineral Resource",
"Measured Mineral Resource", "Indicated Mineral Resource" and "Inferred
Mineral Resource" used in this news release are Canadian mining terms
as defined in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101")
under guidelines set out in the Canadian Institute of Mining,
Metallurgy and Petroleum ("CIM") Standards on Mineral Resources and
Mineral Reserves adopted by the CIM Council on November 27, 2010. While
the terms "Mineral Resource", "Measured Mineral Resource", "Indicated
Mineral Resource" and "Inferred Mineral Resource" are recognized and
required by Canadian securities regulations, they are not defined terms
under standards of the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission. Under United States standards, mineralization may not be
classified as a "Reserve" unless the determination has been made that
the mineralization could be economically and legally produced or
extracted at the time the Reserve calculation is made. As such, certain
information contained in this news release concerning descriptions of
mineralization and resources under Canadian standards is not comparable
to similar information made public by United States companies subject
to the reporting and disclosure requirements of the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission. An "Inferred Mineral Resource" has
a great amount of uncertainty as to its existence and as to its
economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any
part of an "Inferred Mineral Resource" will ever be upgraded to a
higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of Inferred Mineral
Resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility
studies. Readers are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of
Measured or Indicated Resources will ever be converted into Mineral
Reserves. Readers are also cautioned not to assume that all or any part
of an "Inferred Mineral Resource" exists, or is economically or legally
mineable. In addition, the definitions of "Proven Mineral Reserves" and
"Probable Mineral Reserves" under CIM standards differ in certain
respects from the standards of the United States Securities and
Exchange Commission.
Technical Information
The scientific and technical information in this news release has been
reviewed and approved by Mark Petersen, a Qualified Person under
National Instrument 43-101 and officer of New Gold. For additional
information regarding such scientific and technical information, refer
to New Gold's annual information form dated March 27, 2013, as well as
the company's press release entitled "New Gold Announces 2013 First
Quarter Results - Increases Gold and Copper Resources at New Afton
C-Zone by Over 300 Percent" dated May 1, 2013.
All New Gold exploration drill hole samples are analyzed by independent
analytical laboratories. Gold and copper analyses for the New Afton
exploration project are done via fire assay with AA finish for gold and
induction coupled plasma spectrophotometry for copper. The company
maintains a strict Quality Assurance / Quality Control ("QA/QC")
program using industry best practices that are consistent with the
QA/QC protocols in use at all of its exploration and development
projects. Key elements of New Gold's QA/QC program include verifiable
chain of custody of samples, regular insertion of certified reference
standards and blanks, and duplicate check and independent umpire
assays. Industry standard 63.5 millimetre diameter diamond drill core
is sampled at regular 2 metre intervals, halved and shipped in sealed
bags to Activation Laboratories in Kamloops, British Columbia.
Independent umpire check analyses are completed by SGS Laboratories,
Vancouver, British Columbia.
Non-GAAP Measures
(1) ALL-IN SUSTAINING COSTS
Consistent with the guidance announced earlier in 2013 from the World
Gold Council, an association of various gold mining companies from
around the world of which New Gold is a member, New Gold defines
"all-in sustaining costs" as the sum of total cash costs, sustaining
capital expenditures, corporate general & administrative costs,
capitalized and expensed exploration that is sustaining in nature and
environmental reclamation costs. New Gold believes this non-GAAP
measure provides further transparency into costs associated with
producing gold and will assist analysts, investors and other
stakeholders of the company in assessing its operating performance, its
ability to generate free cash flow from current operations and its
overall value. All-in sustaining costs constitute a non-GAAP measure
and are intended to provide additional information only and do not have
any standardized meaning under IFRS. They should not be considered in
isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in
accordance with IFRS. Other companies may calculate these measures
differently. A reconciliation to the nearest IFRS measure will be
provided in the MD&A accompanying the quarterly financial statements.
(2) TOTAL CASH COSTS
"Total cash costs" per ounce figures are non-GAAP measures which are
calculated in accordance with a standard developed by The Gold
Institute, which was a worldwide association of suppliers of gold and
gold products and included leading North American gold producers. The
Gold Institute ceased operations in 2002, but the standard is widely
accepted as the standard of reporting cash costs of production in North
America. Adoption of the standard is voluntary and the cost measures
presented may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of
other companies. New Gold reports total cash costs on a sales basis.
Total cash costs include mine site operating costs such as mining,
processing, administration, royalties and production taxes, but are
exclusive of amortization, reclamation, capital and exploration costs.
Total cash costs are reduced by any by-product revenue and is then
divided by ounces sold to arrive at the total by-product cash cost of
sales. The measure, along with sales, is considered to be a key
indicator of a company's ability to generate operating earnings and
cash flow from its mining operations. This data is furnished to provide
additional information and is a non-IFRS measure. Total cash costs
presented do not have a standardized meaning under IFRS and may not be
comparable to similar measures presented by other mining companies. It
should not be considered in isolation as a substitute for measures of
performance prepared in accordance with IFRS and is not necessarily
indicative of operating costs presented under IFRS. A reconciliation to
the nearest IFRS measure will be provided in the MD&A accompanying the
quarterly financial statements.
SOURCE New Gold Inc.