Katanga Mining Announces 2017 First Quarter Financial Results, Appointment of New Chief Operating Officer and Election of Directors

ZUG, Switzerland, May 11, 2017 /CNW/ - Katanga Mining Limited (TSX: KAT) ("Katanga" or the "Company") today announces its financial results for the first quarter of 2017. Katanga's interim Financial Statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis will be filed on SEDAR, www.sedar.com.

Highlights during the three months ended March 31, 2017

Review of 2017 First Quarter Results

• Profitability during Q1 2017, when compared to Q4 2016 and Q1 2016, was affected by:
• • Lower mine infrastructure and support care and maintenance costs of $20.9 million (Q4 2016 – $33.8 million; Q1 2016 - $29.4 million) primarily due to the absence of write-off of consumable stores inventory, which had a net impact to the income statement of $9.9 million and $3.3 million in Q4 2016 and Q1 2016, respectively;
  • Higher KTC care and maintenance costs of $5.9 million due to increased maintenance activities in preparation for the commissioning of the WOL Project, which is expected to commence in Q4 2017 (Q4 2016 - $3.2 million; Q1 2016 - $3.1 million);
  • Lower mining care and maintenance costs of $16.9 million due to increase in capitalized pre-stripping as a result of higher waste tonnes mined (Q4 2016 - $21.6 million). Compared to Q1 2016, mining care and maintenance costs increased by $3.4 million, which is primarily caused by additional geotechnical drilling in Q1 2017;
  • The release of the restructuring provision relating to contractor demobilisations and employee redundancy costs due to the suspension of production, which resulted in an income of $3.7 million in Q4 2016, was nil in Q1 2017 (Q1 2016 - $3.1 million expense);
  • Income tax expense of $0.4 million in Q1 2017 relating to changes in the deferred tax liability (Q4 2016 - $3.7 million expense; Q1 2016 - $0.1 million expense). Deferred tax recognition on tax losses carried forward in the DRC ceased in Q2 2015. Such recognition will be reassessed on commissioning of the WOL Project; and
  • The $10.9 million increase in allowance for obsolescence was offset by a write up in concentrate inventory of $10.9 million during the period.
    
    
• Cash outflows from operating activities decreased in Q1 2017, when compared to Q1 2016, mainly due to a considerable reduction in accounts payable in Q1 2016, which resulted in higher working capital requirements, as well as a greater reduction in prepayments in Q1 2017, compared to Q1 2016. Compared to Q4 2016, cash outflows increased slightly, which mainly relates to a significant decrease in inventories in Q4 2016. These cash outflows were funded by Glencore.

Unless otherwise specified, all $ amounts referred to in this press release are U.S. dollars.

Appointment of New Chief Operating Officer

Katanga also announces today the appointment of Mr. Deon Garbers as Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Garbers holds a B.Ing (Metallurgy) from the University of Pretoria and an MBA from the University of Stellenbosch. He joins the Company from Swakop Uranium, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Taurus Minerals Limited, where he served as Senior Vice President: Operations from 2012 to 2016 and oversaw the development and construction of the Husab Uranium project in Namibia.

Election of Directors

Katanga is pleased to announce that the nominees listed in the management proxy circular for the 2017 Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders were elected as directors of Katanga. Detailed results of the vote for the election of directors held at the Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders on May 10, 2017 in Toronto are set out below.

About Katanga Mining Limited
Katanga Mining Ltd. operates a major mine complex in the Democratic Republic of Congo producing refined copper and cobalt. The Company has the potential to become Africa's largest copper producer and the world's largest cobalt producer. Katanga is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol KAT.

Forward Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or describes a "goal", or variation of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved.

All forward-looking statements reflect the Company's beliefs and assumptions based on information available at the time the statements were made. Actual results or events may differ from those predicted in these forward-looking statements. All of the Company's forward-looking statements are qualified by the assumptions that are stated or inherent in such forward-looking statements, including the assumptions listed below. Although the Company believes that these assumptions are reasonable, this list is not exhaustive of factors that may affect any of the forward-looking statements. The key assumptions that have been made in connection with the forward-looking statements include the following: the operations of the Company during the production suspension and timeline for the recommencement of operations remaining consistent with management's expectations, there being no significant disruptions affecting the operations of the Company whether due to labour disruptions, supply disruptions, power disruptions, rollout of new equipment, damage to equipment or otherwise; permitting, development, operations, expansion and acquisitions at the Project being consistent with the Company's current expectations; continued recognition of the Company's mining concessions and other assets, rights, titles and interests in the DRC; political and legal developments in the DRC being consistent with its current expectations; the continued provision or procurement of additional funding from Glencore for operations, the completion of the T17 Underground Mine, the WOL Project and the Power Project (as defined in the Company's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2016 dated March 31, 2017); new equipment performs to expectations;; the exchange rate between the US dollar, South African rand, British pounds, Canadian dollar, Swiss franc, Congolese franc and Euro being approximately consistent with current levels; certain price assumptions for copper and cobalt; prices for diesel, natural gas, fuel oil, electricity and other key supplies being approximately consistent with current levels; production, operating expenses and cost of sales forecasts for the Company meeting expectations; the accuracy of the current ore reserve and mineral resource estimates of the Company (including but not limited to ore tonnage and ore grade estimates); and labour and material costs increasing on a basis consistent with the Company's current expectations.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, future events, conditions, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, prediction, projection, forecast, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the unforeseen delays or changes to the WOL Project; actual results of current exploration activities; actual results and interpretation of current reclamation activities; conclusions of economic evaluations; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; future prices of copper and cobalt; possible variations in ore grade or recovery rates; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing or in the completion of exploration, development or construction activities, delays due to strikes or other work stoppage, both internal and external to the Company as well as those factors disclosed in the Company's current annual information form and other publicly filed documents. Although Katanga has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

SOURCE Katanga Mining Ltd.