Coeur Reports Healthy Increases in Combined Reserves and Measured and Indicated Resources
Coeur Reports Healthy Increases in Combined Reserves and Measured and
Indicated Resources
Business Wire
COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho -- February 15, 2013
Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation (NYSE:CDE) (TSX:CDM) today announced that the
Company increased its total combined proven and probable reserves and measured
and indicated resources of silver and gold by 17% and 12%, respectively,
resulting in the addition of 85.2 million silver ounces and 462,000 gold
ounces at year-end 2012 over 2011. These gains exclude the 18.0 million ounces
of silver and 226,486 ounces of gold produced during 2012.
The Company’s Rochester mine in Nevada increased silver and gold reserves by
52% and 25%, respectively, over 2011 after producing 2.8 million silver ounces
and 38,071 gold ounces in 2012. As described in the Company’s January 17, 2013
news release, Rochester expects to increase production by 35 - 50% over 2012
based on continued processing of historic stockpiles. These historic
stockpiles contributed to the increases in silver and gold reserves.
At the Palmarejo mine in Mexico, silver and gold measured and indicated
resources grew 169% from 17.0 million to 45.7 million ounces of silver and
370% from 205,000 to 964,000 ounces of gold from 2011 to 2012.
Highlights:
(All comparisons below refer to year-end 2012 compared with year-end 2011)
Company Total Consolidated Silver Mineral Reserves and Measured and Indicated
Resources:
* Proven and probable silver reserves increased 2% from 216.3 million ounces
to 220.4 million ounces
* 36% increase in additional measured and indicated silver resources from
223.9 million ounces to 305.0 million ounces
Company Total Consolidated Gold Mineral Reserves and Measured and Indicated
Resources:
* Proven and probable gold reserves declined 13% from 2.3 million ounces to
2.0 million ounces
* 45% increase in measured and indicated gold resources from 1.7 million
ounces to 2.4 million ounces
Rochester:
* Proven and probable silver reserves increased 52% from 29.6 million ounces
to 44.9 million ounces
* Proven and probable gold reserves increased 25% from 247,000 ounces to
308,000 ounces
Palmarejo:
* Consolidated proven and probable silver reserves declined 7% from 56.8
million ounces to 53.1 million ounces
* Consolidated proven and probable gold reserves declined 3% from 688,000
ounces to 665,000 ounces
* Consolidated measured and indicated silver resources increased 169% from
17.0 million ounces to 45.7 million ounces
* Consolidated measured and indicated gold resources increased 370% from
205,000 ounces to 964,000 ounces
* Guadalupe’s measured and indicated silver resources increased 42% and
measured and indicated gold resources increased 31%
* Initial indicated resources at La Patria of 9.8 million silver ounces
and 0.5 million gold ounces
Kensington:
* Proven and probable reserves declined 24% from 1.3 million gold ounces to
1.0 million gold ounces
* Increased definition drilling at a cost of approximately $3.9 million was
completed and has improved the Company’s overall understanding of the
Kensington deposit. This will enhance development of a more reliable and
accurate mine plan and improve exploration targeting.
San Bartolomé:
* Proven and probable reserves declined 8% from 118.1 million silver ounces
to 109.1 million silver ounces.
* Favorable results from the new Pucka Loma target included trench samples
with silver values averaging 113 grams per tonne (3.3 ounces per ton) over
an average of four meters (13.1 feet) deep. An initial mineral resource
estimate of this new zone is expected by mid-year 2013.
Joaquin:
* Year-end silver measured and indicated resources stood at 65.2 million
ounces, representing a 70% increase from the September 2012 estimates
(100% basis) and with a 32% increase in the average silver grade from the
previous 98 grams per tonne (3.76 ounces per ton) to 129 grams per tonne
(2.85 ounces per ton).
Lejano:
* Exploration led to the first estimate of mineral resources at Lejano,
located in southern Argentina. Measured and indicated resources totaled
3.0 million silver ounces and 10,000 gold ounces and inferred resources of
5.7 million silver ounces and 19,000 gold ounces.
Donald J. Birak, Senior Vice President of Exploration for Coeur, said, “Our
2012 exploration program of $40.0 million was successful in cost-effectively
adding approximately 109.6 million silver equivalent ounces of new proven and
probable reserves and new measured and indicated resources, not taking into
account the production of 29.9 million silver equivalent ounces in 2012.^1 We
remain committed to maintaining an aggressive exploration program given the
results achieved through these investments and the opportunities they provide
for further mineral resource and reserve growth.
“During 2013, we plan to invest another $40.0 million in exploration with a
goal to increase mineral resources and to further define our measured,
indicated and inferred resources, which should drive increases in our mineral
reserves. We will focus in 2013 on (i) continuing to drill the historic
stockpiles at Rochester to add low-cost reserves and resources; (ii) expanding
the existing reserves and resources at Palmarejo, including the nearby
Guadalupe and La Patria deposits; (iii) adding high-grade mineral resources at
Kensington; and (iv) expanding the size of the mineral resources at the
Joaquin project in Argentina and (v) exploring for new silver and gold
deposits at all our properties.”
Please refer to the tables in the Appendix for tons and average grades
associated with references of contained ounces in each category in this news
release. All reserves and resources reported herein comply with Canadian
National Instrument 43-101.
Cautionary Statement
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of
securities legislation in the United States and Canada, including statements
regarding anticipated operating results, production levels, initial mineral
resource estimates and future reserve and resource additions. Such
forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and
other factors which may cause Coeur's actual results, performance or
achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance
or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such
factors include, among others, the risks and hazards inherent in the mining
business (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, weather or
geologically related conditions), changes in the market prices of gold and
silver, the uncertainties inherent in Coeur's production, exploratory and
developmental activities, including risks relating to permitting and
regulatory delays and disputed mining claims, any future labor disputes or
work stoppages, the uncertainties inherent in the estimation of gold and
silver ore reserves, changes that could result from Coeur's future acquisition
of new mining properties or businesses, reliance on third parties to operate
certain mines where Coeur owns silver production and reserves, the loss of any
third-party smelter to which Coeur markets silver and gold, the effects of
environmental and other governmental regulations, the risks inherent in the
ownership or operation of or investment in mining properties or businesses in
foreign countries, Coeur's ability to raise additional financing necessary to
conduct its business, make payments or refinance its debt, as well as other
uncertainties and risk factors set out in filings made from time to time with
the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Canadian
securities regulators, including, without limitation, Coeur's most recent
reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q. Actual results, developments and
timetables could vary significantly from the estimates presented. Readers are
cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Coeur
disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly such forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise. Current mineralized material estimates include disputed and
undisputed claims at Rochester. While the Company believes it holds a superior
position in the ongoing claim dispute, the Company believes an adverse legal
outcome would cause it to modify mineralized material estimates. Additionally,
Coeur undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or
statements made by third parties in respect of Coeur, its financial or
operating results or its securities.
Donald J. Birak, Coeur's Senior Vice President of Exploration and a qualified
person under Canadian National Instrument 43-101, supervised the preparation
of the scientific and technical information concerning Coeur's mineral
projects in this news release. For a description of the key assumptions,
parameters and methods used to estimate mineral reserves and resources, as
well as data verification procedures and a general discussion of the extent to
which the estimates may be affected by any known environmental, permitting,
legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing or other relevant factors,
please see the Technical Reports for each of Coeur's properties as filed on
SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors-The United States Securities and Exchange
Commission permits U.S. mining companies, in their filings with the SEC, to
disclose only those mineral deposits that a company can economically and
legally extract or produce. We may use certain terms in public disclosures,
such as "measured," "indicated," "inferred” and “resources," that are
recognized by Canadian regulations, but that SEC guidelines generally prohibit
U.S. registered companies from including in their filings with the SEC. U.S.
investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our Form 10-K which
may be secured from us, or from the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov.
Non-U.S. GAAP Measures
We supplement the reporting of our financial information determined under
United States generally accepted accounting principles (U.S. GAAP) with
certain non-U.S. GAAP financial measures, including cash operating costs,
operating cash flow, adjusted earnings, and EBITDA. We believe that these
adjusted measures provide meaningful information to assist management,
investors and analysts in understanding our financial results and assessing
our prospects for future performance. We believe these adjusted financial
measures are important indicators of our recurring operations because they
exclude items that may not be indicative of, or are unrelated to our core
operating results, and provide a better baseline for analyzing trends in our
underlying businesses. We believe cash operating costs, operating cash flow,
adjusted earnings and EBITDA are important measures in assessing the Company's
overall financial performance.
About Coeur
Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation is the largest U.S.-based primary silver
producer and a growing gold producer. The Company has four precious metals
mines in the Americas generating strong production, sales and cash flow in
continued robust metals markets. Coeur produces from its wholly owned
operations: the Palmarejo silver-gold mine in Mexico, the San Bartolomé silver
mine in Bolivia, the Rochester silver-gold mine in Nevada and the Kensington
gold mine in Alaska. The Company also owns a non-operating interest in a
low-cost mine in Australia, and conducts ongoing exploration activities in
Mexico, Argentina, Nevada, Alaska and Bolivia.
^Silver equivalent ounces were calculated using Coeur’s 2012 proven and
^1. probable reserve prices for silver and gold of $27.50 per ounce and
$1,450 per ounce, respectively, resulting in a silver:gold ratio of
52.7:1.
APPENDIX
The following notes apply to Charts 3, 4, 5 and 6:
^For 2012, metal prices used for mineral reserves were $27.50 per ounce
of silver and $1,450 per ounce of gold, except Endeavor, at $2,200 per
^a) metric ton of lead, $2,200 per metric ton of zinc and $34.00 per ounce
of silver. Metal prices used for mineral resources were $33.00 per ounce
of silver and $1,700 per ounce of gold, except Endeavor.
^For 2011, metal prices used for mineral reserves were $23.00 per ounce
of silver and $1,220 per ounce of gold, except Endeavor, at $2,200 per
metric ton of lead, $2,200 per metric ton of zinc and $25.00 per ounce
of silver, and Martha, at $24.00 per ounce of silver and $1,250 per
^b) ounce of gold. Metal prices used for mineral resources were $30.00 per
ounce of silver and $1,500 per ounce of gold, except Endeavor, at $2,200
per metric ton of lead, $2,200 per metric ton of zinc and $25.00 per
ounce of silver, Martha at $24.00 per ounce of silver and $1,250 per
ounce of gold and Joaquin at $20.00 per ounce of silver and $1,300 per
ounce of gold.
Table 1: 2012 Proven and Probable Reserves
SHORT TONS GRADE (Oz/Ton) OUNCES
YEAR END LOCATION SILVER GOLD SILVER GOLD
2012
PROVEN
RESERVES
Rochester Nevada, 56,304,000 0.54 0.004 30,501,000 230,000
USA
Martha Argentina — — — — —
San Bolivia 1,187,000 2.92 — 3,460,000 —
Bartolomé
Kensington Alaska, 647,000 — 0.277 — 179,000
USA
Endeavor Australia 2,258,000 4.32 — 9,957,000 —
Palmarejo Mexico 5,747,000 4.67 0.061 26,858,000 348,000
Joaquin Argentina — — — — —
Total 66,143,000 70,577,000 757,000
PROBABLE
RESERVES
Rochester Nevada, 23,619,000 0.61 0.003 14,396,000 78,000
USA
Mina Argentina — — — — —
Martha
San Bolivia 41,699,000 2.53 — 105,628,000 —
Bartolomé
Kensington Alaska, 4,020,000 — 0.208 — 837,000
USA
Endeavor Australia 2,508,000 1.43 — 3,588,000 —
Palmarejo Mexico 7,105,000 3.69 0.045 26,251,000 317,000
Joaquin Argentina — — — — —
Total 78,951,000 149,863,000 1,231,000
PROVEN AND
PROBABLE
RESERVES
Rochester Nevada, 79,923,000 0.56 0.004 44,896,000 308,000
USA
Martha Argentina — — — — —
San Bolivia 42,886,000 2.54 — 109,088,000 —
Bartolomé
Kensington Alaska, 4,667,000 — 0.218 — 1,016,000
USA
Endeavor Australia 4,766,000 2.80 — 13,345,000 —
Palmarejo Mexico 12,852,000 4.13 0.052 53,110,000 665,000
Joaquin Argentina — — — — —
Total
Proven and 145,094,000 220,439,000 1,988,000
Probable
Table 2: 2012 Measured and Indicated Resources (Excluding Proven and Probable Reserves)
SHORT TONS GRADE (Oz/Ton) OUNCES
YEAR END LOCATION SILVER GOLD SILVER GOLD
2012
MEASURED
RESOURCES
Rochester Nevada, 135,558,000 0.47 0.004 63,921,000 498,000
USA
Martha Argentina — — — — —
San Bolivia — — — — —
Bartolomé
Kensington Alaska, 382,000 — 0.239 — 91,000
USA
Endeavor Australia 10,639,000 1.98 — 21,088,000 —
Palmarejo Mexico 3,186,000 7.13 0.099 22,720,000 315,000
Joaquin Argentina 5,942,000 4.58 .003 27,191,000 19,000
Total 155,707,000 134,920,000 924,000
INDICATED
RESOURCES
Rochester Nevada, 128,724,000 0.44 0.003 56,795,000 367,000
USA
Mina Argentina 57,000 13.57 0.017 775,000 1,000
Martha
San Bolivia 20,040,000 2.27 — 45,463,000 —
Bartolomé
Kensington Alaska, 2,224,000 — 0.196 — 435,000
USA
Endeavor Australia 302,000 10.23 — 3,090,000 —
Palmarejo Mexico 20,526,000 1.12 0.032 23,021,000 649,000
Joaquin Argentina 11,398,000 3.33 0.004 37,980,000 42,000
Lejano Argentina 1,233,000 2.42 0.008 2,983,000 10,000
Total 184,504,000 170,108,000 1,504,000
MEASURED
AND
INDICATED
RESOURCES
Rochester Nevada, 264,283,000 0.46 0.003 120,717,000 865,000
USA
Martha Argentina 57,000 13.57 0.017 775,000 1,000
San Bolivia 20,040,000 2.27 — 45,463,000 —
Bartolomé
Kensington Alaska, 2,606,000 — 0.202 — 526,000
USA
Endeavor Australia 10,941,000 2.21 — 24,179,000 —
Palmarejo Mexico 23,712,000 1.93 0.041 45,741,000 964,000
Joaquin Argentina 17,340,000 3.76 0.004 65,171,000 61,000
Lejano Argentina 1,233,000 2.42 0.008 2,983,000 10,000
Total
Measured 340,210,000 305,028,000 2,427,000
and
Indicated
Table 3: 2012 Inferred Resources
SHORT TONS GRADE (Oz/Ton) OUNCES
YEAR END LOCATION SILVER GOLD SILVER GOLD
2012
INFERRED
RESOURCES
Rochester Nevada, 45,643,000 0.60 0.003 27,201,000 123,000
USA
Martha Argentina 204,000 4.75 0.005 969,000 1,000
San Bolivia 2,826,000 1.17 — 3,319,000 —
Bartolomé
Kensington Alaska, 704,000 — 0.244 — 172,000
USA
Endeavor Australia 3,527,000 1.09 — 3,836,000 —
Palmarejo Mexico 11,903,000 1.86 0.038 22,104,000 457,000
Joaquin Argentina 1,060,000 2.94 0.003 3,113,000 4,000
Lejano Argentina 3,307,000 1.73 0.006 5,713,000 19,000
Total 69,174,000 66,254,000 775,000
Inferred
Notes to the above Mineral Reserves and Resources:
^1. ^Effective December 31, 2012.
^Metal prices used for mineral reserves were $33.00 per ounce of silver
and $1,700 per ounce of gold, except Endeavor, at $2,200 per metric ton
^2. of lead, $2,200 per metric ton of zinc and $34.00 per ounce of silver.
Metal prices used for mineral resources were $33.00 per ounce of silver
and $1,700 per ounce of gold, except Endeavor, at $2,200 per metric ton
of lead, $2,200 per metric ton of zinc and $34,00 per ounce of silver.
^3. ^Palmarejo mineral resources are the addition of Palmarejo, Guadalupe
and La Patria (Measured, Indicated and Inferred).
^4. ^Mineral Resources are in addition to mineral reserves and have not
demonstrated economic viability.
^Current mineral resources were inclusive of disputed and undisputed
^5. claims at Rochester. While the Company believes it holds a superior
position in the ongoing claims dispute, the Company believes an adverse
legal outcome would cause it to modify mineral resources.
^Rounding of tons and ounces, as required by reporting guidelines may
^6. result in apparent differences between tons, grade and contained metal
content.
^For details on the estimation of mineral resources and reserves for
^7. each property, please refer to the relevant Technical Report on file at
^www.sedar.com^.
Table 4: 2011 Proven and Probable Reserves
SHORT TONS GRADE (Oz/Ton) OUNCES
YEAR END LOCATION SILVER GOLD SILVER GOLD
2011
PROVEN
RESERVES
Rochester Nevada, 31,532,000 0.59 0.006 18,681,000 179,000
USA
Martha Argentina — — — — —
San Bolivia 959,000 3.01 — 2,888,000 —
Bartolomé
Kensington Alaska, 1,164,000 — 0.280 — 326,000
USA
Endeavor Australia 2,635,000 1.39 — 3,674,000 —
Palmarejo Mexico 4,916,000 5.31 0.067 26,091,000 330,000
Joaquin Argentina — — — — —
(51%)
Total 41,206,000 51,334,000 835,000
PROBABLE
RESERVES
Rochester Nevada, 15,747,000 0.69 0.004 10,892,000 68,000
USA
Martha Argentina 53,000 12.79 0.011 671,000 1,000
San Bolivia 43,556,000 2.64 — 115,192,000 —
Bartolomé
Kensington Alaska, 4,842,000 — 0.209 — 1,104,000
USA
Endeavor Australia 2,998,000 2.50 — 7,501,000 —
Palmarejo Mexico 7,581,000 4.05 0.047 30,727,000 358,000
Joaquin Argentina — — — — —
(51%)
Total 74,777,000 164,983,000 1,441,000
PROVEN AND
PROBABLE
RESERVES
Rochester Nevada, 47,280,000 0.63 0.005 29,573,000 247,000
USA
Martha Argentina 53,000 12.79 0.011 671,000 1,000
San Bolivia 44,515,000 2.65 — 118,080,000 —
Bartolomé
Kensington Alaska, 6,006,000 — 0.223 — 1,340,000
USA
Endeavor Australia 5,633,000 1.98 — 11,175,000 —
Palmarejo Mexico 12,497,000 4.55 0.055 56,818,000 688,000
Joaquin Argentina — — — — —
(51%)
Total
Proven and 115,983,000 216,317,000 2,276,000
Probable
Table 5: 2011 Measured and Indicated Resources (Excluding Proven and Probable Reserves)
SHORT TONS GRADE (Oz/Ton) OUNCES
YEAR END LOCATION SILVER GOLD SILVER GOLD
2011
MEASURED
RESOURCES
Rochester Nevada, 131,085,000 0.46 0.004 60,586,000 501,000
USA
Martha Argentina — — — — —
San Bolivia — — — — —
Bartolomé
Kensington Alaska, 495,000 — 0.234 — 116,000
USA
Endeavor Australia 10,924,000 2.67 — 29,149,000 —
Palmarejo Mexico 1,793,000 4.24 0.052 7,594,000 93,000
Joaquin Argentina — — — — —
(51%)
Total 144,297,000 97,329,000 710,000
INDICATED
RESOURCES
Rochester Nevada, 120,387,000 0.43 0.003 51,762,000 366,000
USA
Martha Argentina 35,000 12.15 0.011 427,000 0
San Bolivia 21,264,000 2.59 — 54,968,000 —
Bartolomé
Kensington Alaska, 2,544,000 — 0.185 — 471,000
USA
Endeavor Australia 124,000 0.01 — 2,000 —
Palmarejo Mexico 3,269,000 2.88 0.034 9,399,000 111,000
Joaquin Argentina 4,050,000 2.48 0.005 10,043,000 18,000
(51%)
Lejano Argentina — — — — —
Total 151,672,000 126,601,000 968,000
MEASURED
AND
INDICATED
RESOURCES
Rochester Nevada, 251,472,000 0.45 0.003 112,349,000 867,000
USA
Martha Argentina 35,000 12.15 0.011 427,000 0
San Bolivia 21,264,000 2.59 — 54,968,000 —
Bartolomé
Kensington Alaska, 3,039,000 — 0.193 — 587,000
USA
Endeavor Australia 11,047,000 2.64 — 29,151,000 —
Palmarejo Mexico 5,062,000 3.36 0.040 16,993,000 205,000
Joaquin Argentina 4,050,000 2.48 0.005 10,043,000 18,000
(51%)
Lejano Argentina — — — — —
Total
Measured 295,969,000 223,930,000 1,677,000
and
Indicated
Table 6: 2011 Inferred Resources
SHORT TONS GRADE (Oz/Ton) OUNCES
YEAR END LOCATION SILVER GOLD SILVER GOLD
2011
INFERRED
RESOURCES
Rochester Nevada, 40,543,000 0.58 0.003 23,619,000 122,000
USA
Martha Argentina 259,000 4.32 0.005 1,121,000 1,000
San Bolivia 3,385,000 1.07 — 3,617,000 —
Bartolomé
Kensington Alaska, 731,000 — 0.232 — 170,000
USA
Endeavor Australia 3,527,000 1.09 — 3,836,000 —
Palmarejo Mexico 11,653,000 2.40 0.052 27,928,000 612,000
Joaquin Argentina 7,755,000 3.15 0.003 24,456,000 21,000
(51%)
Lejano Argentina — — — — —
Total 67,853,000 84,576,000 926,000
In reference to the above 2011 reserves and resources tables, effective
December 31, 2011, for details on the estimation of mineral resources and
reserves for each property, please refer to the relevant Technical Report on
file at www.sedar.com.
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Contact:
Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation
Wendy Yang, Vice President of Investor Relations
208-665-0345
or
Stefany Bales, Director of Corporate Communications
208-667-8263
www.coeur.com
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