TORONTO, Aug. 12, 2014 /CNW/ - U.S. Silver & Gold Inc.
(TSX: USA) (OTCQX: USGIF) ("U.S.
Silver & Gold" or the "Company") today reported financial and
operational results for the second quarter of 2014.
This earnings release should be read in conjunction with the
Company's MD&A, Financial Statements and Notes to Financial
Statements for the corresponding period, which have been posted on
SEDAR at www.sedar.com and are also available on the
Company's website at www.us-silver.com. All figures are in
U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted.
Second Quarter Highlights
- Revenues of $11.3 million and a
net loss of $1.5 million or
($0.02) per share for the quarter,
compared with revenues of $16.9
million and a net loss of $8.3
million or ($0.14) per share
in Q2, 2013. Revenues of $19.4
million and a net loss of $4.4
million or ($0.06) per share
year-to-date compared with revenues of $39.8
million and a net loss of $11.7
million or ($0.20) per share
for the first six months of 2013.
- Mine operating earnings for the quarter of $0.3 million and positive cash flow from mine
operations before working capital adjustments of $1.0 million, compared to a $2.3 million mine operating loss and $6.4 million negative cash flow in Q2, 2013.
- Production of 649,928 silver equivalent
ounces1 including 520,723 silver ounces which
represents a 35% increase in silver production compared with
460,490 silver equivalent ounces1, including 385,503 silver ounces
silver in Q1, 2014.
- Cash costs dropped to $12.31 per
ounce silver, a decrease of 34% from Q1, 2014 and 25%
year-over-year, while all-in sustaining costs2 fell to
$15.36, a reduction of 36% from Q1,
2014 and 35% year-over-year.
- 2014 guidance remains at 2.0 – 2.4 million silver ounces at
cash costs of $14.50 – $15.50 per ounce and all-in sustaining cash
costs2 of $18.00 – $19.00 per ounce.
- As of June 30, 2014, the Company
had a cash balance of approximately $7.2
million and working capital of $13.8
million representing a 10% increase over $12.5 million at March 31,
2014.
"Over the last 12 months, we focused on reducing our cost base
and right-sizing operations. With that complete, our goal is to
return the Company to profitability at current metal prices by
year-end," said Darren Blasutti,
President and CEO of U.S. Silver & Gold. "The strategy to
accomplish this began earlier in the year with a transition toward
mining wider, higher silver equivalent grade silver-lead veins,
which are well-suited for mechanized mining and less costly to
operate. This approach was a significant factor in the Company's
strong second quarter operating results, and has not only proved
its viability, but has helped us find areas where we can continue
to improve as we move forward."
________________________________
1 Silver equivalent calculation is based on prices of
$20 per ounce silver, $0.95 per pound lead and $3.00 per pound copper.
2 Please see Non-IFRS Measures section of the MD&A
for the three and six months ended June 30,
2014.
Production and Operating Costs
As reported in the
July 14, 2014 press release, the
Galena Complex produced 520,723 ounces of silver during the second
quarter of 2014 at an average grade of 13.5 ounces per ton and a
cash cost of $12.31 per ounce of
silver. Production increased by 35% over Q1, 2014 as stopes
that had been undergoing planned sand cycles earlier in the year
became available and staff transitions from silver-copper stopes to
wider, silver-lead stopes were completed. In addition, lead head
grade decreased from 9.19% in Q2, 2013 to 5.97% in Q2, 2014 due to
stope availability and ore sequencing as the Company developed into
higher grade ore for production later in the year. Cash costs fell
34% compared with the first quarter of 2014 and 25% year-over-year;
while, all-in sustaining costs2 were reduced by 36%
quarter-over-quarter and 35% year-over-year following comprehensive
cost-cutting initiatives implemented over the last 12 months.
Table 1
Galena Production Details
|
|
Q2
2014
|
Q2
2013
|
Total ore processed
(tons milled)
|
40,166
|
58,585
|
Silver – copper
|
21,697
|
43,375
|
Silver – lead
|
18,469
|
15,210
|
Silver produced
(ounces)
|
520,723
|
629,227
|
Lead produced
(pounds)
|
2,040,198
|
2,636,089
|
Copper produced
(pounds)
|
215,302
|
268,392
|
Silver recoveries
(percent)
|
96.1
|
96.4
|
Lead recoveries
(percent)
|
92.6
|
94.4
|
Copper recoveries
(percent)
|
96.2
|
96.3
|
Silver
head grade (ounces per ton)
|
13.49
|
11.14
|
Silver –
copper
|
17.24
|
11.83
|
Silver –
lead
|
9.08
|
9.20
|
Lead head grade
(percent)
|
5.97
|
9.19
|
Copper head grade
(percent)
|
0.52
|
0.32
|
Silver sold
(ounces)
|
460,037
|
661,056
|
Lead sold
(pounds)
|
1,955,807
|
2,791,816
|
Copper sold
(pounds)
|
173,386
|
295,486
|
Realized silver price
($ per ounce)3
|
$19.48
|
$23.26
|
Realized lead price
($ per pound)3
|
$0.96
|
$0.94
|
Realized copper price
($ per pound)3
|
$3.05
|
$3.27
|
Silver cash costs ($
per ounce)2
|
$12.31
|
$16.41
|
All-in sustaining
costs ($ per ounce silver) 2
|
$15.36
|
$23.65
|
The Company recorded a net loss of $1.5
million for the quarter and $4.4
million year-to-date, compared with a net loss of
$8.3 million for the second quarter
of 2013 and $11.7 million for the six
months ended June 30, 2013. The
decreased loss is due to reductions in cost of sales, general and
administrative expenses, exploration costs, care and maintenance,
depreciation, depletion, amortization and stock-based
compensation. In addition, a shipment of silver-copper
concentrate produced during the quarter did not arrived at the
smelter until early July, and was therefore unsold at the end of
Q2, 2014.
___________________________________________
3
Realized metal prices represent the weighted average metal prices
on amounts settled from smelters on final outrun of metals during
the period. Management uses these measures internally to
better assess performance. These measures should not be considered
in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance
prepared in accordance with IFRS.
Exploration Update
In the second quarter, drilling
continued to follow the 2014 exploration budget designed to: a)
develop near-term resources; b) provide information to help refine
the highest grade silver equivalent areas in proximity to existing
infrastructure for mining; c) complete block modelling on priority
veins; and, d) evaluate drill results from 2013.
The proposed budget is projected at $1.7
million for the year of which $0.7
million was spent in the first half of 2014. The Company
drilled 10,629 feet underground during the first half of the year
with two drill crews operating our in-house drills. The
Company continues to reduce the backlogged drill core. The use
of in-house drills and crews has resulted in a lowering of drilling
cost to under $35 per foot during the
first half of 2014 compared to our previous contract rates of over
$50 per foot.
Recent selected silver/lead drilling results are provided
below. Additional results are available at
www.us-silver.com.
Table
2
Recent Exploration
Drill Results
|
Hole No.
|
From (ft)
|
To (ft)
|
Width (ft)
|
True Thickness (ft)
|
Ag (oz/ton)
|
Cu (%)
|
Pb (%)
|
Ag Equivalent (oz/ton)
|
Ag Equivalent (g/t)
|
52-434
|
0.0
|
7.0
|
7.0
|
5.4
|
98.9
|
-
|
27.0
|
124.6
|
4,272.0
|
52-434
|
13.50
|
15.2
|
1.7
|
1.5
|
20.0
|
-
|
22.7
|
41.6
|
1,424.9
|
37-295
|
118.0
|
124.5
|
6.5
|
5.6
|
4.0
|
-
|
9.9
|
13.5
|
460.9
|
37-296
|
135.0
|
140.0
|
5.0
|
3.8
|
4.6
|
-
|
10.7
|
14.8
|
506.9
|
37-297
|
276.5
|
280.0
|
3.5
|
2.9
|
10.7
|
-
|
28.0
|
37.3
|
1,277.3
|
37-297
|
340.0
|
347.3
|
7.3
|
4.6
|
14.3
|
-
|
3.1
|
17.3
|
591.9
|
37-305
|
235.0
|
255.0
|
20.0
|
12.8
|
16.0
|
0.9
|
-
|
18.8
|
637.6
|
40-347
|
64.8
|
67.5
|
2.7
|
1.4
|
202.0
|
4.0
|
-
|
214.8
|
7,335.9
|
46-273
|
0.0
|
6.8
|
6.8
|
3.4
|
16.3
|
0.3
|
-
|
17.2
|
588.2
|
46-273
|
62.7
|
65.9
|
3.2
|
1.4
|
148.6
|
2.4
|
-
|
155.7
|
5,336.7
|
46-276
|
10.5
|
14.5
|
4.0
|
3.6
|
54.3
|
0.7
|
-
|
56.3
|
1,931.3
|
Note that the intersection in drill hole 52-434 (98.97 ounces
per ton and 27% lead) begins at the start of the hole and will
allow for easy access to this high grade mineralization. It is
visible in the wall of the drift but the extent of the
mineralization was not previously known. The intersections on the
4600 Level in drill holes 46-273 and 46-276 are exploring newly
discovered (as well as known) tetrahedrite veins close to the
existing workings.
Drilling in the upper country silver-lead veins was completed in
the latest period and preliminary block-modeling of this series of
veins will now be undertaken. As stated in the May 14, 2014 press release, these veins had
undergone only limited historical development during the mine's
decades-long exclusive focus on silver-copper. As a result,
only a small amount of production mining took place and this area
was left readily available via established development and
infrastructure. The development of block models for this area
will assist in the mine planning effort and efficient extraction of
this ore consistent with our stated strategy.
Financial Position
The Company's cash and cash
equivalents at June 30, 2014 totaled
$7.2 million compared to $7.2 million at December
31, 2013, while net working capital totaled $13.8 million and $12.2
million respectively for the same dates.
Quality Assurance / Quality Control ("QA/QC")
U.S.
Silver & Gold maintains a QA/QC Program for all assays,
including the use of standards, blanks and duplicates. All
QA/QC results are routinely evaluated using a program of QA/QC
monitoring. Details of the program are provided in the
Company's NI 43-101 compliant Technical Report on the Galena
Project dated March 22, 2013.
About U.S. Silver & Gold Inc.
U.S. Silver &
Gold is a silver and gold mining company focused on growth from its
existing asset base and execution of targeted accretive
acquisitions. It owns and operates the Galena Mine Complex in the
heart of the Silver Valley/Coeur
d'Alene Mining District, Shoshone County,
Idaho which produces high-grade silver and is the second
most prolific silver mine in U.S. history, delivering over 200
million ounces to date. The Caladay Zone is being evaluated for
bulk mining development.
Mr. Daren Dell, Vice President,
Technical Services and a Qualified Person under Canadian Securities
Administrators guidelines, has approved the applicable contents of
this news release.
For further information please see SEDAR or
www.us-silver.com.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking
Information:
This news release contains "forward‐looking information" within
the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward‐looking
information includes, but is not limited to, the Company's
expectations intentions, plans, and beliefs with respect to, among
other things, the Galena Complex and the Drumlummon Mine. Often,
but not always, forward‐looking information can be identified by
forward‐looking words such as "anticipate", "believe", "expect",
"goal", "plan", "intend", "estimate", "may", and "will" or similar
words suggesting future outcomes, or other expectations, beliefs,
plans, objectives, assumptions, intentions, or statements about
future events or performance. Forward‐looking information is based
on the opinions and estimates of the Company as of the date such
information is provided and is subject to known and unknown risks,
uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results,
level of activity, performance, or achievements of the Company to
be materially different from those expressed or implied by such
forward looking information. This includes the ability to develop
and operate the Galena and Drumlummon properties, risks associated
with the mining industry such as economic factors (including future
commodity prices, currency fluctuations and energy prices), failure
of plant, equipment, processes and transportation services to
operate as anticipated, environmental risks, government regulation,
actual results of current exploration activities, possible
variations in ore grade or recovery rates, permitting timelines,
capital expenditures, reclamation activities, social and political
developments and other risks of the mining industry. Although U.S.
Silver & Gold has attempted to identify important factors that
could cause actual results to differ materially from those
contained in forward‐looking information, there may be other
factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or
intended. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such
information. By its nature, forward‐looking information involves
numerous assumptions, inherent risks and uncertainties, both
general and specific those contribute to the possibility that the
predictions, forecasts, and projections of various future events
will not occur. The Company undertakes no obligation to update
publicly or otherwise revise any forward‐looking information
whether as a result of new information, future events or other such
factors which affect this information, except as required by
law.
SOURCE U.S. Silver & Gold Inc.