Coeur Reports Year-End 2016 Mineral Reserves and Resources
Coeur Mining Inc. (“Coeur” or the “Company”) (NYSE: CDE) today announced year-end 2016 contained proven and probable mineral reserves of 328.5 million silver equivalent ounces (AgEqOz)1. This 9% year-over-year increase was primarily driven by successful resource conversion at Rochester. The Company also announced measured and indicated mineral resources of approximately 360.2 million AgEqOz1 and inferred mineral resources of 131.2 million AgEqOz1, representing a 13% decrease and 9% increase, respectively, compared to year-end 2015.
To determine year-end 2016 reserves, Coeur used a silver price of $17.50 per ounce and a gold price of $1,250 per ounce, which were the same price assumptions used to determine year-end 2015 reserves.
Highlights
The comparisons below refer to year-end 2016 versus year-end 2015.
- Proven and probable silver reserves increased 13% to 176.6 million ounces and proven and probable gold reserves increased 4% to 2.5 million ounces
- Measured and indicated silver and gold resources decreased 17% and 1%, respectively, to 257.3 million and 1.7 million ounces
- Inferred silver and gold resources increased 42% and decreased 15%, respectively, to 71.5 million and 1.0 million ounces
- Increases in reserves were primarily driven by successful resource conversion at Rochester, which added 32.7 million silver reserve ounces and 326,000 gold reserve ounces, or increases of 41% and 68%, respectively, over its year-end 2015 reserves
- Decreases in reserves at the Company’s other mine sites were largely due to depletion
- Decreases in measured and indicated resources were also primarily driven by successful resource conversion at Rochester but were partially offset by measured and indicated resource upgrades at Kensington of over 350,000 ounces of gold
- Inferred silver resources at Palmarejo increased nearly 150% to 20.5 million ounces while Palmarejo’s inferred gold resources increased over 70% to 258,000 ounces due to increased exploration drilling across the complex, and specifically at the Guadalupe and Independencia mines and the Los Bancos and Nación-Dana deposits
"Our near-mine exploration efforts - where the likelihood of success is higher and returns can be realized quicker - are beginning to pay off, evidenced by the large increase in reserves at Rochester, as well as resource upgrades at Kensington. After several years of limited investment, we began increasing our exploration spend in mid-2016 and are optimistic that our accelerated programs will continue to extend and enhance the mine lives at our operations,” said Mitchell J. Krebs, Coeur’s President and Chief Executive Officer.
“For 2017, planned exploration spending on new resource identification has almost doubled, to $14 - $17 million, compared to 2016. The majority of our exploration budget will be spent at our Palmarejo and Kensington operations and at our La Preciosa silver-gold project in Mexico. Our capitalized exploration budget targeting resource conversion is expected to increase by about 10% to $10 - $13 million, most of which is earmarked for Palmarejo and Kensington. We also plan to increase earlier-stage exploration spending by around 50% to $7 million, as we seek to enhance our pipeline of future, high-quality sources of silver and gold production in attractive jurisdictions."
About Coeur
Coeur Mining is a well-diversified, growing precious metals producer with five precious metals mines in the Americas employing approximately 2,000 people. Coeur produces from its wholly owned operations: the Palmarejo silver-gold complex in Mexico, the Rochester silver-gold mine in Nevada, the Kensington gold mine in Alaska, the Wharf gold mine in South Dakota, and the San Bartolomé silver mine in Bolivia. The Company also has a non-operating interest in the Endeavor mine in Australia. In addition, the Company owns the La Preciosa project in Mexico, a silver-gold exploration stage project. Coeur conducts ongoing exploration activities in Alaska, Nevada, South Dakota, and Mexico.
Cautionary Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of securities legislation in the United States and Canada, including statements regarding mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates, and expectations regarding returns, mine lives, exploration efforts, future sources of silver and gold production, and spending. 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 risks inherent in developing large-scale mining projects, environmental hazards, industrial accidents, weather or geologically related conditions), changes in the market prices of gold and silver and a sustained lower price environment, the uncertainties inherent in Coeur's production, exploratory and developmental activities, including risks relating to permitting and regulatory delays, ground conditions, grade variability, 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 and the absence of control over mining operations in which Coeur or its subsidiaries hold royalty or streaming interests and risks related to these mining operations including results of mining and exploration activities, environmental, economic and political risks of the jurisdiction in which the mining operations are located, 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 report on Form 10-K. 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. 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.
Christopher Pascoe, Coeur's Director, Technical Services and a qualified person under Canadian National Instrument 43-101 (“NI 43-101”), supervised the preparation of the scientific and technical information concerning Coeur's mineral projects in this news release. Mineral resources are in addition to mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. Inferred mineral resources are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be considered for estimation of mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the inferred mineral resources will be realized. 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, Canadian investors should refer to the relevant NI 43-101 Technical Report on file at www.sedar.com. Year-end 2016 mineral reserves and resources are effective December 31, 2016 except Endeavor, which is effective June 30, 2016. 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 NI 43-101.
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.
| Notes: | ||
| 1. | For purposes of silver and gold equivalence, a 60:1 silver to gold ratio is assumed. | |
APPENDIX
Total Coeur Proven and Probable Reserves
| Grade (Oz/Ton) | Ounces | |||||||||
| Short Tons | Silver | Gold | Silver | Gold | ||||||
| Proven Reserves | ||||||||||
| Palmarejo | 1,569,000 | 4.44 | 0.080 | 6,971,000 | 126,000 | |||||
| Rochester | 143,686,000 | 0.48 | 0.004 | 68,369,000 | 503,000 | |||||
| Kensington | 1,133,000 | — | 0.194 | — | 220,000 | |||||
| Wharf | 9,453,000 | — | 0.031 | — | 294,000 | |||||
| San Bartolome | 5,563,000 | 3.32 | — | 18,485,000 | — | |||||
| Endeavor | 476,000 | 2.48 | — | 1,181,000 | — | |||||
| Total Proven Reserves | 161,880,000 | 0.59 | 0.007 | 95,006,000 | 1,143,000 | |||||
| Probable Reserves | ||||||||||
| Palmarejo | 7,174,000 | 4.72 | 0.065 | 33,847,000 | 466,000 | |||||
| Rochester | 101,118,000 | 0.43 | 0.003 | 43,676,000 | 300,000 | |||||
| Kensington | 1,483,000 | — | 0.187 | — | 277,000 | |||||
| Wharf | 15,581,000 | — | 0.022 | — | 345,000 | |||||
| San Bartolome | 765,000 | 3.48 | — | 2,659,000 | — | |||||
| Endeavor | 753,000 | 1.92 | — | 1,449,000 | — | |||||
| Total Probable Reserves | 126,874,000 | 0.64 | 0.011 | 81,631,000 | 1,388,000 | |||||
| Proven and Probable Reserves | ||||||||||
| Palmarejo | 8,742,000 | 4.67 | 0.068 | 40,818,000 | 592,000 | |||||
| Rochester | 244,804,000 | 0.46 | 0.003 | 112,045,000 | 803,000 | |||||
| Kensington | 2,616,000 | — | 0.190 | — | 497,000 | |||||
| Wharf | 25,034,000 | — | 0.026 | — | 639,000 | |||||
| San Bartolome | 6,328,000 | 3.34 | — | 21,144,000 | — | |||||
| Endeavor | 1,229,000 | 2.14 | — | 2,630,000 | — | |||||
| Total Proven and Probable Reserves | 288,753,000 | 0.61 | 0.009 | 176,637,000 | 2,531,000 | |||||
Total Coeur Measured and Indicated Resources (Excluding Proven and Probable Reserves)
|
| Grade (Oz/Ton) | Ounces | |||||||||
|
| Short Tons | Silver | Gold | Silver | Gold | ||||||
| Measured Resources | |||||||||||
| Palmarejo | 818,000 | 3.20 | 0.061 | 2,618,000 | 50,000 | ||||||
| Rochester | 39,732,000 | 0.59 | 0.003 | 23,281,000 | 132,000 | ||||||
| Kensington | 1,297,000 | — | 0.261 | — | 338,000 | ||||||
| Wharf | 2,195,000 | — | 0.031 | — | 67,000 | ||||||
| San Bartolome | 1,575,000 | 2.20 | — | 3,466,000 | — | ||||||
| Endeavor | 5,697,000 | 1.95 | — | 11,115,000 | — | ||||||
| La Preciosa | 18,156,000 | 3.21 | 0.006 | 58,225,000 | 108,000 | ||||||
| Joaquin | 4,287,000 | 5.63 | 0.003 | 24,147,000 | 14,000 | ||||||
| Total Measured Resources | 73,757,000 |
| 1.67 | 0.010 | 122,852,000 | 709,000 | |||||
| Indicated Resources | |||||||||||
| Palmarejo | 4,082,000 | 3.59 | 0.046 | 14,647,000 | 187,000 | ||||||
| Rochester | 29,729,000 | 0.53 | 0.004 | 15,652,000 | 106,000 | ||||||
| Kensington | 1,828,000 | — | 0.292 | — | 533,000 | ||||||
| Wharf | 2,719,000 | — | 0.022 | — | 61,000 | ||||||
| San Bartolome | 286,000 | 1.97 | — | 564,000 | — | ||||||
| Endeavor | 7,845,000 | 2.18 | — | 17,085,000 | — | ||||||
| La Preciosa | 20,818,000 | 2.75 | 0.004 | 57,198,000 | 88,000 | ||||||
| Joaquin | 5,965,000 | 4.59 | 0.004 | 27,354,000 | 23,000 | ||||||
| Lejano | 631,000 | 3.09 | 0.011 | 1,952,000 | 7,000 | ||||||
| Total Indicated Resources | 73,903,000 |
| 1.82 | 0.014 | 134,452,000 | 1,005,000 | |||||
| Measured and Indicated Resources | |||||||||||
| Palmarejo | 4,900,000 | 3.52 | 0.048 | 17,265,000 | 237,000 | ||||||
| Rochester | 69,461,000 | 0.56 | 0.003 | 38,933,000 | 238,000 | ||||||
| Kensington | 3,125,000 | — | 0.279 | — | 871,000 | ||||||
| Wharf | 4,914,000 | — | 0.026 | — | 128,000 | ||||||
| San Bartolome | 1,861,000 | 2.17 | — | 4,030,000 | — | ||||||
| Endeavor | 13,542,000 | 2.08 | — | 28,200,000 | — | ||||||
| La Preciosa | 38,974,000 | 2.96 | 0.005 | 115,423,000 | 197,000 | ||||||
| Joaquin | 10,252,000 | 5.02 | 0.004 | 51,501,000 | 37,000 | ||||||
| Lejano | 631,000 | 3.09 | 0.011 | 1,952,000 | 7,000 | ||||||
| Total Measured and Indicated Resources | 147,660,000 |
| 1.74 | 0.012 | 257,304,000 | 1,715,000 | |||||
Total Coeur Inferred Resources
| Grade (Oz/Ton) | Ounces | |||||||||
| Short Tons | Silver | Gold | Silver | Gold | ||||||
| Inferred Resources | ||||||||||
| Palmarejo | 4,726,000 | 4.35 | 0.055 | 20,540,000 | 258,000 | |||||
| Rochester | 67,778,000 | 0.52 | 0.003 | 35,554,000 | 178,000 | |||||
| Kensington | 1,579,000 | — | 0.276 | — | 436,000 | |||||
| Wharf | 4,231,000 | — | 0.026 | — | 108,000 | |||||
| San Bartolome | 22,000 | 1.91 | — | 42,000 | — | |||||
| Endeavor | 2,976,000 | 2.54 | — | 7,552,000 | — | |||||
| La Preciosa | 1,359,000 | 2.33 | 0.004 | 3,168,000 | 5,000 | |||||
| Joaquin | 649,000 | 4.17 | 0.003 | 2,705,000 | 2,000 | |||||
| Lejano | 702,000 | 2.81 | 0.010 | 1,972,000 | 7,000 | |||||
| Total Inferred Resources | 84,022,000 | 0.85 | 0.012 | 71,533,000 | 994,000 | |||||
| Notes to the above mineral reserves and resources: | ||
| 1. | Effective December 31, 2016, except Endeavor, effective June 30, 2016. | |
| 2. | Assumed metal prices for Mineral Reserves were $17.50 per ounce of silver and $1,250 per ounce of gold, except Endeavor at $1,800 per metric ton of lead, $2,200 per metric ton of zinc, and $20.00 per ounce of silver. | |
| 3. | Assumed metal prices for estimated Mineral Resources were $19.00 per ounce of silver and $1,275 per ounce of gold, except Endeavor at $1,800 per metric ton of lead, $2,200 per metric ton of zinc and $20.00 per ounce of silver. | |
| 4. | Mineral Resources are in addition to Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. Inferred Mineral Resources are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be considered for estimation of Mineral Reserves, and there is no certainty that the Inferred Mineral Resources will be realized. The preliminary economic assessment for the re-scoped mine plan at Kensington is preliminary in nature and includes Inferred Mineral Resources, and does not have as high a level of certainty as a plan that was based solely on proven and probable reserves and there is no certainty that the results from the preliminary economic assessment will be realized. | |
| 5. | Rounding of tons and ounces, as required by reporting guidelines, may result in apparent differences between tons, grade, and contained metal content. | |
| 6. | For details on the estimation of mineral resources and reserves, including the key assumptions, parameters and methods used to estimate the Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, Canadian investors should refer to the NI 43-101 Technical Reports for Coeur's properties on file at www.sedar.com. | |
| Conversion Table | ||||
| 1 short ton | = | 0.907185 metric tons | ||
| 1 troy ounce | = | 31.10348 grams | ||
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Contact
Coeur Mining Inc.
Courtney Lynn, Vice President, Investor Relations and Treasurer
(312) 489-5837
www.coeur.com
