Nevada Joint Venture Creates the World’s Largest Gold Mining Operation
All amounts expressed in U.S. dollars
BALTIMORE, March 14, 2019 - On March 11, 2019, Barrick Gold Corp. (NYSE:GOLD)(TSX:ABX) (“Barrick”) and Newmont Mining Corp. (NYSE:NEM) (“Newmont”) signed an implementation agreement to create the world’s single largest gold producer at the Nevada complex, on completion of the joint venture (“JV”). The JV operations produced approximately 4.1 million ounces in 2018, more than three times the next largest gold operation.1
On a roadshow with Barrick Executive Chairman John L. Thornton to update shareholders on the company’s operations, Barrick President and CEO Mark Bristow said:
“We are very excited about the prospects of the new Barrick. The merger with Randgold Resources has created significant value for shareholders, and the JV with Newmont is yet another catalyst which we believe will create further value for our shareholders and stakeholders. We are engaged in reviewing the impact of the new JV on our guidance for both 2019 and the five-year outlook, and expect to provide an update during the year. Our current 2019 gold production guidance is 5.1-5.6 million ounces, at cost of sales2 of $880-$940 per ounce, cash costs3 of $650-$700 per ounce, and all-in sustaining costs3 of $870-$920 per ounce4. We currently expect our five-year gold production and cost outlook to be within that range, albeit that cash costs and all-in sustaining costs are expected to decline over that period to below the bottom of these ranges.”
The roadshow presentation is available on Barrick’s website at www.barrick.com.
Enquiries:
President and Chief Executive Officer
Mark Bristow
+1 647 205 7694
+44 788 071 1386
Senior Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer
Graham Shuttleworth
+44 1534 735 333
+44 779 771 1338
Investor and Media Relations
Kathy du Plessis
+44 20 7557 7738
Email: barrick@dpapr.com
Endnotes
- Based on 2018 reported actuals. Includes mines owned by publicly listed companies for which data is available.
- Cost of sales applicable to gold per ounce is calculated using cost of sales applicable to gold on an attributable basis (removing the non-controlling interest of 40% Pueblo Viejo, 36.1% Acacia, 40% South Arturo, 20% Loulo-Gounkoto, and 10.3% of Tongon from cost of sales), divided by attributable gold ounces sold.
- “Cash costs” per ounce and “All-in sustaining costs” per ounce are non-GAAP financial performance measures. “Cash costs” per ounce starts with cost of sales applicable to gold production, but excludes the impact of depreciation, the non-controlling interest of cost of sales, and includes by-product credits. “All-in sustaining costs” per ounce begin with “Cash costs” per ounce and add further costs which reflect the additional costs of operating a mine, primarily sustaining capital expenditures, general & administrative costs, minesite exploration and evaluation costs, and reclamation cost accretion and amortization. Barrick believes that the use of “cash costs” per ounce and “all-in sustaining costs” per ounce will assist investors, analysts and other stakeholders in understanding the costs associated with producing gold, understanding the economics of gold mining, assessing our operating performance and also our ability to generate free cash flow from current operations and to generate free cash flow on an overall Company basis. “Cash costs” per ounce and “All-in sustaining costs” per ounce are intended to provide additional information only and do not have any standardized meaning under IFRS. Although a standardized definition of all-in sustaining costs was published in 2013 by the World Gold Council (a market development organization for the gold industry comprised of and funded by 26 gold mining companies from around the world, including Barrick), it is not a regulatory organization, and other companies may calculate this measure differently. These measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures prepared in accordance with IFRS. Further details on these non-GAAP measures are provided in the MD&A accompanying Barrick’s financial statements filed from time to time on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov.
- On an attributable basis. The 2019 outlook is based on a gold price assumption of $1,250/oz. For economic sensitivity analysis of these assumptions, please refer to page 32 of Barrick’s 2018 Full Year and Fourth Quarter Results. The 2019 outlook does not include the impact of the Randgold purchase price allocation.
Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information
Certain information contained in this press release, including any information as to our strategy, projects, plans, or future financial or operating performance, constitutes “forward-looking statements”. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. The words “believe”, “expect”, “will”, “can”, “should”, “could”, “would”, and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. In particular, this press release contains forward-looking statements including, without limitation, with respect to: Barrick’s forward-looking production guidance and five-year outlook; estimates of future cost of sales per ounce, cash costs per ounce, and all-in-sustaining costs per ounce; the proposed Nevada joint venture; the expected impact of such a transaction, including the creation of the world’s single largest gold producer and estimates of annual gold production; and other statements other than historical facts.
Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions including material estimates and assumptions related to the factors set forth below that, while considered reasonable by Barrick as at the date of this press release in light of management’s experience and perception of current conditions and expected developments, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Known and unknown factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements and information. Such factors include, but are not limited to: fluctuations in the spot and forward price of gold, copper, or certain other commodities (such as silver, diesel fuel, natural gas, and electricity); the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development; changes in mineral production performance, exploitation, and exploration successes; the benefits expected from recent transactions being realized, including the Randgold merger and the Nevada JV (including estimated synergies and financial benefits) or implementing the business plan for the proposed Nevada JV, including as a result of a delay in its completion or difficulty in integrating the Nevada assets of the companies involved; the risk that the conditions to formation of the proposed Nevada JV will not be satisfied; the risk that required regulatory approvals necessary to form the proposed Nevada JV will not be obtained, or that conditions will be imposed in connection with such approvals that will increase the costs associated with the transaction or have other negative implications for Barrick following the transaction; the risk that the focus of management's time and attention on the JV transaction may detract from other aspects of the business of Barrick; the duration of the Tanzanian ban on mineral concentrate exports; the ultimate terms of any definitive agreement between Acacia and the Government of Tanzania to resolve a dispute relating to the imposition of the concentrate export ban and allegations by the Government of Tanzania that Acacia under-declared the metal content of concentrate exports from Tanzania; the status of certain tax re-assessments by the Tanzanian government; the manner in which amendments to the 2010 Mining Act (Tanzania) and the new Mining Regulations announced by Government of Tanzania in January 2018 will be implemented and the impact of these and other legislative changes on Acacia; whether Barrick will successfully negotiate an agreement with respect to the dispute between Acacia and the Government of Tanzania and whether Acacia will approve the terms of any such final agreement; diminishing quantities or grades of reserves; increased costs, delays, suspensions and technical challenges associated with the construction of capital projects; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities, including geotechnical challenges and disruptions in the maintenance or provision of required infrastructure and information technology systems; failure to comply with environmental and health and safety laws and regulations; timing of receipt of, or failure to comply with, necessary permits and approvals; uncertainty whether some or all of our initiatives, targeted investments and projects will meet Barrick’s capital allocation objectives and internal hurdle rate; the impact of global liquidity and credit availability on the timing of cash flows and the values of assets and liabilities based on projected future cash flows; adverse changes in our credit ratings; the impact of inflation; fluctuations in the currency markets; changes in U.S. dollar interest rates; risks arising from holding derivative instruments; changes in national and local government legislation, taxation, controls or regulations and/ or changes in the administration of laws, policies and practices, expropriation or nationalization of property and political or economic developments in Canada, the United States, and other jurisdictions in which the Company or its affiliates do or may carry on business in the future; lack of certainty with respect to foreign legal systems, corruption and other factors that are inconsistent with the rule of law; damage to the Company’s reputation due to the actual or perceived occurrence of any number of events, including negative publicity with respect to the Company’s handling of environmental matters or dealings with community groups, whether true or not; the possibility that future exploration results will not be consistent with the Company’s expectations; risks that exploration data may be incomplete and considerable additional work may be required to complete further evaluation, including but not limited to drilling, engineering and socioeconomic studies and investment; risk of loss due to acts of war, terrorism, sabotage and civil disturbances; litigation and legal and administrative proceedings; contests over title to properties, particularly title to undeveloped properties, or over access to water, power and other required infrastructure; business opportunities that may be presented to, or pursued by, Barrick; our ability to successfully integrate acquisitions or complete divestitures; risks associated with working with partners in jointly controlled assets; employee relations including loss of key employees; increased costs and physical risks, including extreme weather events and resource shortages, related to climate change; availability and increased costs associated with mining inputs and labor; and the organization of our previously held African gold operations and properties under a separate listed Company. In addition, there are risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining, including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins, flooding and gold bullion, copper cathode or gold or copper concentrate losses (and the risk of inadequate insurance, or inability to obtain insurance, to cover these risks).
Many of these uncertainties and contingencies can affect our actual results and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of, us. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. Specific reference is made to the most recent Form 40- F/Annual Information Form on file with the SEC and Canadian provincial securities regulatory authorities for a more detailed discussion of some of the factors underlying forward-looking statements and the risks that may affect Barrick’s ability to achieve the expectations set forth in the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.
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 as required by applicable law.
