14 May 2018 07:08
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LEI No: 213800FGJZ2WAC6Y2L94
REGULATORY RELEASE
14 May 2018
Second Quarter 2018 Production Report
Lonmin Plc ("Lonmin" or "the Company"), today announces its unaudited production results for the three months to 31 March 2018. Lonmin also publishes today, in a separate announcement, its Interim Results for the half year ended 31 March 2018.
Overview
· A third consecutive fatality free quarter, Lonmin now 10 months fatality free.
· The 12 month rolling LTIFR to 31 March improved by 3.5% to 4.13 from 4.28 at 31 December 2017.
· Tonnes lost due to Section 54 safety stoppages relatively insignificant at 7,000 tonnes versus 137,000 tonnes in prior year.
· Tonnes mined from Generation 2 shafts were 1.7 million tonnes, an increase of 1.5%.
· Production from Generation 1 shafts continued to decrease in line with our Business Plan to remove high-cost production. Overall total tonnes mined decreased by 4.6% to 2.2 million tonnes.
· Platinum production (Metals-in-Concentrate) was 143,374 ounces, an increase of 3.9% on the prior year period and PGM production (Metals-in-Concentrate) was 274,941 ounces, an increase of 3.5% on the prior year period.
· The Bulk Tailings Retreatment ("BTT") project was successfully commissioned on 14 February, with 347,000 tonnes milled, producing 759 Platinum ounces and 1,440 PGM ounces. The project is in the process of ramping up to full throughput within H2 2018. Once at steady-state, the project is expected to deliver amongst the lowest cost ounces in the Lonmin portfolio, producing about 55,000 PGM ounces per year.
· Furnace Number One was recommissioned in February after an unplanned outage. The resultant lock-up of ounces is expected to be released within the second half of the year. Consequently:
o Saleable refined Platinum production in the quarter of 122,649 ounces was down 25.3% on prior year period;
o Platinum sales of 140,533 ounces were down 18.3% on the prior year period, including 7,525 Platinum ounces of BMR concentrate.
· The average full Rand basket price (including base metals) up 12.5% on Q2 2017, at R12,661 per PGM ounce.
· The average Rand to US Dollar exchange rate was 9.6% stronger at 11.95 compared to 13.22 in Q2 2017.
· Unit cost for the quarter was R13,308 per PGM ounce, 12.4% higher than the prior year period, primarily driven by the 8% wage increase, lock-up of metals, and higher variable costs. Unit costs are anticipated to improve during H2 2018 to within the upper end of guidance range.
· Section 189 process commenced, resulting in 1,993 employees and contractors being impacted during this year, of the 3,700 jobs we expect to be impacted in the current year, including through natural attrition, with a net reduction in headcount of 1,504.
Mining Operations
The Marikana mining operations including Pandora (100%) produced 2.2 million tonnes during the quarter, down 4.6% or 108,000 tonnes, on the prior year period. This decline is primarily the result of the planned removal of high-cost Generation 1 production (167,000 tonnes), in line with our rationalisation of high cost ounces.
Generation 2
Tonnes mined from our Generation 2 shafts were 1.7 million tonnes, an increase of 1.5% on the prior year period.
· K3, our biggest shaft, produced 644,000 tonnes, a pleasing increase of 10.5% or 61,000 tonnes on the prior year period.
· Saffy shaft produced 499,000 tonnes, marginally higher than the prior year period, demonstrating that the shaft is maintaining its steady state performance and is now focused on efficiency improvements.
· Rowland shaft produced 418,000 tonnes, a decrease of 7.6% on the prior year period, impacted by low immediately available ore reserves and the resultant limited mining flexibility, signifying the importance of the MK2 project.
· On completion of the Pandora acquisition, combined with the progress of our recovery plans, the E3 shaft and Pandora production has been combined and reclassified as a Generation 2 shaft, with comparatives adjusted accordingly. The combined area produced 146,000 tonnes, a marginal decrease of 1.7% on the prior year period, as we rationalised the business.
Generation 1
The performance of the Generation 1 shafts is in line with our plan and we are executing successfully the strategy to reduce high cost production in a low-price environment. Tonnes mined from our Generation 1 shafts (4B, Hossy, W1 and E1) were 0.5 million tonnes, a decrease of 24.8%, in line with the planned decline in production. The decrease is also due to both Newman and E2, which produced in Q2 2017, now being placed on care and maintenance.
W1 and E1 are shafts at the end of their reserve lives and are mining remnant pillars. Contractors have continued to run these shafts and are responsible for all the costs associated with these shafts, enabling us to retain the flexibility to cease production if and when profitable. Lonmin pays a predetermined rate per tonne, which has been reduced in line with Lonmin's cost cutting measures.
Hossy shaft was scheduled to be placed on care and maintenance, but continues to demonstrate potential to contribute to the business. Based on this and the available IAOR, we intend to continue to operate Hossy for the duration of FY 2018.
We continually review each shaft on its merits and as reported, in light of 4B shaft's remaining life and lacklustre performance, its short life of mine relative to the other Generation 2 shafts, and our capital constraints, 4B has been reclassified as a Generation 1 shaft and comparatives adjusted accordingly. 4B produced 291,000 tonnes, a decrease of 16.0% on the prior year period, as the bad geological conditions persist, signifying the end of economically minable reserves.
Production Losses
Tonnes lost due to Section 54 safety stoppages at 7,000 tonnes were greatly reduced to 7,000 tonnes compared to the prior year period of 137,000 tonnes. This emphasised our improving safety statistics and continued proactive engagement with all stakeholders including various unions, employees and the DMR Inspectorate.
We are encouraged by the fact that the number and duration of Section 54 stoppages has continued to improve, for the last four years quarter on quarter.
| Q2 2018 Tonnes | Q2 2017 Tonnes | Q2 2016 Tonnes | Q2 2015 Tonnes |
Section 54 safety stoppages | 7,000 | 137,000 | 234,000 | 229,000 |
Management induced safety stoppages | 13,000 | 40,000 | 7,000 | 56,000 |
Total tonnes lost | 20,000 | 177,000 | 241,000 | 285,000 |
Processing Operations
Platinum production (Metals-in-Concentrate) was 143,374 ounces, which was 3.9% higher than the prior year period and PGM production (Metals-in-Concentrate) was 274,941 ounces, which was 3.5% higher than the prior year period.
Concentrator production - Mining
Total tonnes milled from mining operations in the period under review were 2.2 million tonnes, in line with the prior year period.
Underground milled head grade was 4.51 grammes per tonne, lower than the 4.56 grammes per tonne from prior year period but within our acceptable range. Underground concentrator recoveries for the half year remained excellent at 86.8%, exceeding the 86.5% achieved in the prior year period.
Concentrator production - Bulk Tailings Retreatment (BTT)
The BTT project is progressing within cost, scope and time and was successfully hot commissioned on 14 February. The project is expected to ramp up and reach full throughput during 2018. Once at steady-state, the project is expected to deliver amongst the lowest cost ounces in the Lonmin portfolio, producing about 29,000 ounces of Platinum per year or some 55,000 ounces of PGMs. The project is expected to be mined over a seven-year period, and further tailings dams are being explored for life extension. The feed from the BTT project will have relatively low milled head grade and recovery rates when compared to underground ore. We expect the current levels to improve as the project continues to ramp up and for milled head grade and recovery rates to average 1.4 grammes per tonne and 31% respectively, over the life of the project.
Since commissioning in February, 347,000 tonnes were remined and milled by the BTT project, producing to 759 Platinum ounces and 1,440 PGM ounces in concentrate.
Smelting and Refining
Total saleable refined Platinum production of 122,649 ounces in the current quarter, was 25.3% lower than the prior year period and total saleable refined PGMs produced were 234,552 ounces, a decrease of 23.2% on the prior year period, due to the lock-up of 47,000 PGM ounces, arising from the run out of Furnace Number One on 2 December 2017 as reported in Q1. Furnace Number One was recommissioned in February, and we expect the lock-up of ounces to unwind within the second half of the financial year.
There was no release of Platinum ounces from the smelter clean-up project during this quarter due to the smelter unplanned outage, compared to the 10,295 Platinum ounces released in Q2 2017. The smelter clean-up project is expected to deliver around 13,000 PGM ounces, equivalent to around $13 million of cash inflows in H2 2018.
Furnace Number Two has been on scheduled maintenance since April 2018, and as such overall output is not expected to be affected owing to capacity at other furnaces, as we are also running the three pyromets.
Sales and Pricing
Platinum sales for the quarter were 140,533 ounces, 18.3% lower than the prior year period sales of 172,042 ounces as a result of the lock-up of ounces, including 7,525 Platinum ounces of BMR concentrate. PGM sales were 262,302 ounces, down 18.0% on the prior year period sales of 319,896, in line with the outages.
The US Dollar basket price (including base metal revenue) at $1,058 per ounce during the quarter was up 24.5% on Q2 2017 while the corresponding Rand basket price of R12,661 per ounce was 12.5% higher than Q2 2017.
The average Rand to US Dollar exchange rate was 9.6% stronger at 11.95 compared to 13.22 in Q2 2017.
- ENDS -
Investors / Analysts:
Tanya Chikanza (Executive Vice President: Corporate Strategy, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications) | +27 83 391 2859/+44 20 3908 1073
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Andrew Mari (Investor Relations) +27 14 571 2070 /+27 60 564 6419
Media:
Wendy Tlou (Head of Communications) | +27 83 358 0049 | |
Anthony Cardew, TB Cardew Tom Allison, TB Cardew | +44 207 930 0777 +44 7789 998 020 |
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Notes to editors
Lonmin, which is listed on both the London Stock Exchange and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, is one of the world's largest primary producers of PGMs. These metals are essential for many industrial applications, especially catalytic converters for internal combustion engine emissions, as well as their widespread use in jewellery.
Lonmin's operations are situated in the Bushveld Igneous Complex in South Africa, where more than 70% of known global PGM resources are found.
The Company seeks to create value for shareholders through mining, refining and marketing PGMs and has a vertically integrated operational structure - from mine to market. Underpinning the operations is the Shared Services function which provides high quality levels of support and infrastructure across the operations.
For further information, please visit our website: http://www.lonmin.com