Fourth quarter 2022 production update

RNS Number : 5568V
Xtract Resources plc
06 April 2023
 
Xtract Resources Plc
(“Xtract” or the “Company”)

Fourth Quarter 2022 Production Update

The Board of Xtract Resources Plc (“Xtract” or the “Company”) announces the preliminary unaudited results for all alluvial and other hard rock mining contractors for the Manica Concession as well as production at Fair Bride, for the three-month period ended 31 December 2022 (the “Period”).

Highlights

·    Total mining contractor gold production excluding Fair-Bride of 49.83Kg for the Period, equivalent to approximately 1,602 ounces

·    Total of 8.37Kg (equivalent to approximately 269 ounces) attributable to Explorator

·    Value of Explorator share of gold produced US$462,292

·    Explorator share of gold sales in period of 433 ounces

·    Combined attributable revenue to Explorator from gold sales and other income for the Period amounted to US$740,280

·    Mining contractor gold production from the Fair Bride deposit of 79.15Kg for the quarter, equivalent to approximately 2,546 ounces (Increase of 43.84Kg from the prior quarter)

·    Preliminary mining contractor gold production from Fair Bride deposit of 123.68kg for Q1 2023, equivalent to 3,976 ounces)

Colin Bird, Executive Chairman said: “Alluvial production is now almost coming to an end which is coinciding with the ramp-up of production from the Fair Bride operation. Our income from Fair Bride will be well in excess of alluvial income, and we look forward to the ramp-up proceeding to plan. We are currently identifying fringe resources of oxides and embarking on district exploration both for oxides and sulphides. We have commenced a study to extend the plant to treat all sulphides which will give us the flexibility to treat all materials and exploit the Fair Bride deposit to maximum effect. Now that the Fair Bride operation has settled and the capital investment has been completed, we plan from the 2nd Quarter (i.e., the three months ending 30 June 2023) to report quarterly on Fair Bride’s operation and financial results.”

Production summary

Preliminary unaudited results for both the alluvial and hard rock mining contractors for the Manica Concession for the three-month periods ended 31 December 2022, September 2022, 30 June 2022 and 31 March 2022, are set out in the table below.

The Company is also pleased to report on significant progress at the recently completed plant in Manica, Mozambique.  On 21 July 2022, the Company announced that Mutapa Mining and Processing, LDA (“MMP”) poured the first gold from ore that they mined at the Fair Bride concession. A total of 79.15Kg was produced during the fourth quarter of 2023. The Company remains confident for a positive 2023 as the Fair Bride operation matures and stabilises.

In addition to the information included in the table below, the notes provide a further breakdown of costs between operational costs, production tax and land resettlement costs. The table includes the unaudited financial results from the alluvial as well as the hard rock operations (other than Fair Bride hard rock operation in which Xtract has a 23 per cent. net profit share and which will from Q2 2023 be reported on a quarterly basis).

  4th Quarter

ended

31 December  

2022

 

3rd Quarter

 ended

30 September 

2022

 

2nd Quarter

 ended

30 June

2022

 

1st Quarter

 ended

31 March

2022

 

Production (ex-Fair Bride)        
Total contractor gold production -alluvial (equivalent ounces) (Note 1) 769 1,074 1,344 1,370
Total contractor gold production- hard rock (equivalent ounces) (Note 2) 833 1,060 397 805
Total contractor gold production (equivalent ounces) 1,602 2,134 1,741 2,176
Total Explorator share of gold produced (equivalent ounces)(Note 3) 269 382 344 425
Production – Fair Bride        
Total gold production – Fair Bride (equivalent ounces) 2,546 1,136
         
Sales and income (ex- Fair Bride)        
Value of Explorator share of gold produced (value in US$)(Note 5) U$462,292 U$651,641 US$639,271 US$794,797
Explorator share of gold sold (equivalent ounces) (Note 4)

 

433 343 465 384
Explorator attributable revenue from gold sales US$740,280 US$534,899 US$642,115 US$617,422
Other Income US$37,866
Direct Operational Production Costs (ex-Fair Bride)        
Explorator total direct operational production costs (Note 1) US$189,986 US$161,789 US$179,969 US$172,460
Total Costs (ex-Fair Bride)        
Explorator total direct production costs (Note 2)

 

US$235,917 US$285,426 US$321,401 US$251,045
Cost per ounce of gold produced US$876 US$747 US$934 US$590

 Notes:

Note 1:    

Total contractor gold production-alluvial (equivalent ounces) 4th Quarter

ended

 31 December

2022

3rd Quarter

ended

 30 September

2022

2nd Quarter

ended

 30 June

2022

1st Quarter ended

31 March   2022

3990C * 177 512 852 986
 7569L ** 593 562 491 385

 

*Licence 3990C Mining Concession (Alluvial & hard rock), Manica Province.

**Licence 7569L Mining Concession (Alluvial), Manica Province.

 

Note 2:

Total contractor gold production-hard rock (equivalent ounces) 4th Quarter

ended

 31 December

2022

3rd Quarter

ended

 30 September

2022

2nd Quarter

ended

 30 June

2022

1st Quarter ended

31 March   2022

Guy Fawkes 219 600 228 213
 Boa Esperanza 614 460 169 592

 

Note 3:

Total Explorator share of gold produced (equivalent ounces) 4th Quarter

ended

 31 December

2022

3rd Quarter

ended

 30 September

2022

2nd Quarter

ended

 30 June

2022

1st Quarter ended

31 March   2022

3990C 113 97 171 195
 7569L

Guy Fawkes

Boa Esperanza

33

33

90

107

109

69

93

55

24

73

51

107

 

Note 4:

Explorator share of gold sold (equivalent ounces) 4th Quarter

ended

 31 December

2022

3rd Quarter

ended

 30 September

2022

2nd Quarter

ended

 30 June

2022

1st Quarter ended

31 March   2022

3990C 169 136 157 190
 7569L

Guy Fawkes

Boa Esperanza

137

127

 

196

11

190

77

41

36

37

122

 

Note 5:      Calculation based on the number of ounces produced during each month of the quarter multiplied by  the closing month end spot rate. 

Note 6:      Direct operational production costs include and not limited to Explorator salaries, rent, vehicles expenses and utilities for both alluvial and hard rock operations.

Note 7:      Total costs comprises direct operational production costs plus total Production Tax and Land Resettlement Costs as detailed below:

  4th Quarter

ended

 31 December

2022

3rd Quarter

ended

 30 September

2022

2nd Quarter

ended

 30 June

2022

1st Quarter ended

31 March   2022

Production Tax US$44,674 US$123 019 US$98 386 US$74 807
Land resettlement costs US$1,267     US$     619 US$43 046

 

Note 8:

Explorator total direct operational production costs 4th Quarter

ended

 31 December

2022

3rd Quarter

ended

 30 September

2022

2nd Quarter

ended

 30 June

2022

1st Quarter ended

31 March   2022

Alluvial deposits US$117,513 US$104 013 US$119 480 US$107 475
 Hard rock deposits US$72,673 US$57 776 US$60 489 US$64 985

 

Note 9:     Alluvial deposits are the natural concentration of heavy minerals caused by the effect of gravity on moving particles. Various natural actions known as weathering can and did dislodge gold from its hard rock containment. Once the gold is liberated it migrates by gravity and water flow into larger or subsidiary streams. The net effect of this migration into streams is concentration of the gold into gold ore bodies. Presence of gold in alluvial deposits is unpredictable and therefore operational results will vary month-to-month.

 

Further details are available from the Company’s website which details the company’s project portfolio as well as a copy of this announcement: www.xtractresources.com

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of EU Regulation 596/2014 as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018.The person who arranged for the release of this announcement on behalf of the Company was Joel Silberstein, Director.

Enquiries:

Xtract Resources Plc Colin Bird,

Executive Chairman

 

+44 (0)20 3416 6471

www.xtractresources.com

Beaumont Cornish Limited

Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker

Roland Cornish

Michael Cornish

Felicity Geidt

+44 (0)207628 3369

www.beaumontcornish.co.uk

 

Novum Securities Limited

Joint Broker                  

 

Jon Bellis

Colin Rowbury 

 

+44 (0)207 399 9427

www.novumsecurities.com  

 

ENDS

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END