VANCOUVER, BC, December 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - B2Gold
Corp. (TSX: BTO) (NYSE AMERICAN: BTG) (NSX: B2G) ("B2Gold" or the
"Company") is pleased to announce that the Company is
providing further financial support to community organizations in
Metro Vancouver, Canada, which are
on the frontlines in assisting local communities impacted by the
increasing spread of COVID-19. Through its Canadian CSR
Fund, this year, B2Gold has donated a total of CDN$1,000,000 to organizations that are
supporting some of Metro Vancouver's most vulnerable during the
pandemic.
B2Gold is allocating a further CDN$500,000 to provide financial support to four
community organizations in Metro Vancouver in their continued
response plan to address the social impacts, issues and risks posed
by the increasing spread of COVID-19:
- CDN$125,000 is being donated
to Covenant House Vancouver to help support at-risk youth:
The recommended COVID-19 safe
social distancing practices and isolation measures are challenging
for the homeless population. Covenant House provides food, shelter
and medical care to Vancouver's
homeless and at-risk street youth – many of whom have fled
emotional and physical abuse or have been forced from their
homes;
- CDN$125,000 is being donated
to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank to help meet the increasing
demand for food:
Since the onset of COVID-19 and
the rising unemployment rate and consequent loss of income, the
demand for food support in the local community has increased
dramatically – and continues to rise. The GVFB provides healthy
food to those in need, including over 8,500 clients and
approximately 80 Community Agency Partners across Metro
Vancouver;
- CDN$125,000 is being donated
to PHS Community Services Society and CDN$125,000 is being donated to The Bloom
Group Community Services Society to assist with housing,
health care and harm reduction efforts:
Vulnerable communities in Metro
Vancouver, such as Vancouver's
Downtown Eastside, have long struggled with issues of homelessness,
poverty, mental health and substance dependencies. COVID-19 has
escalated these issues, as evident by the spike in community
overdoses since the pandemic began and associated community safety
concerns. PHS and The Bloom Group provide housing solutions, health
care, harm reduction and health promotion for some of the most
at-risk, under-served and often overlooked residents in the
community.
This recent donation matches B2Gold's initial CDN$500,000 donation in April 2020 to Covenant House Vancouver
(CDN$125,000), the Greater Vancouver
Food Bank (CDN$250,000) and PHS
Community Services Society (CDN$125,000) in assisting them in their initial
response plan to help those most impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak
in Metro Vancouver.
"Once again, we are amazed by B2Gold's generosity. This donation
will cover significant expenses for several months and will keep
the food bank running as we distribute close to 675,000 pounds of
nutritious food each month for our clients and partners," said
Cynthia Boulter, Chief Operating
Officer at the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. "We have seen a steady
flow of new clients since March, and B2Gold's donation earlier on
this year has helped us distribute over half a million pounds of
healthy food and thousands of pre-packed groceries each month
during the pandemic, allowing us to feed over 20,000 people monthly
in the communities that we serve, including in the critical areas
where we needed to expand."
"We are pleased to be working with valuable local community
organizations that provide the much-needed social programs for food
security, health services, shelter and housing to Metro Vancouver's
most vulnerable," said Liane Kelly,
a director and advisor of B2Gold's Canadian CSR Fund Committee.
"This year, COVID-19 has presented many local businesses, families
and individuals in our communities with unexpected challenges. As
we move into 2021, it is crucial that we continue to assist those
who are on the frontlines in helping those most in need and at risk
from the continued threat of COVID-19. We are delighted to know
that our CDN$1,000,000 contribution
this year will help to make a difference."
B2Gold's principles of fairness, respect, transparency and
accountability form the basis of the Company's corporate culture
and are applied to each of its corporate social responsibility
("CSR") projects around the world. The Company is also committed to
supporting CSR projects in Canada
and, in 2019, established its Canadian CSR Fund with the aim of
focusing specifically on Metro Vancouver and addressing key
social issues relating to health, children and people at risk.
"Not only are we committed to investing in CSR projects at a
local level in the countries where we operate, but we want to make
a difference at home, too. We take a unique approach with our
global CSR initiatives and often invest in projects that are not
just related to mining but focus on improving the quality of life
of the local communities," concluded Clive
Johnson, President & CEO of B2Gold.
About B2Gold
B2Gold is a low-cost international senior gold producer
headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Founded in 2007, today, B2Gold has
operating gold mines in Mali, Namibia and the
Philippines, and numerous
exploration and development projects in various countries
including Mali, Colombia, Burkina Faso, Finland and Uzbekistan. In 2020, the Company continues to
forecast total consolidated gold production of between 1,000,000
and 1,055,000 ounces with all-in sustaining costs of between
$780 - $820 per ounce (see "Non-IFRS Measures"
below).
ON BEHALF OF B2GOLD CORP.
"Clive T. Johnson"
President & Chief Executive
Officer
For more information on B2Gold, please visit the Company website
at www.b2gold.com or contact:
Ian
MacLean
|
Katie
Bromley
|
Vice President,
Investor Relations
|
Manager, Investor
Relations & Public Relations
|
+1
604-681-8371
|
+1
604-681-8371
|
imaclean@b2gold.com
|
kbromley@b2gold.com
|
The Toronto Stock Exchange and NYSE American LLC neither
approve nor disapprove the information contained in this news
release.
Production presented in this news release reflect total
production at the mines B2Gold operates on a 100% project basis.
Please see our Annual Information Form dated March 20,
2020 for a discussion of our ownership interest in the mines
B2Gold operates.
This news release includes certain "forward-looking
information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively
forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable
Canadian and United States securities legislation,
including: projections; outlook; guidance; forecasts; estimates;
and other statements regarding future or estimated financial and
operational performance, gold production and sales, revenues and
cash flows, and capital costs (sustaining and non-sustaining) and
operating costs, including projected cash operating costs and AISC,
and budgets on a consolidated and mine by mine basis; the impact of
the COVID-19 pandemic on B2Gold's operations, including any
restrictions or suspensions with respect to our operations and the
effect of any such restrictions or suspensions on our financial and
operational results; the ability of the Company to successfully
maintain our operations if they are temporarily suspended,
and to restart or ramp-up these operations efficiently and
economically, the impact of COVID-19 on the Company's workforce,
suppliers and other essential resources and what effect those
impacts, if they occur, would have on our business, our planned
capital and exploration expenditures; future or estimated
mine life, metal price assumptions, ore grades or sources, gold
recovery rates, stripping ratios, throughput, ore processing;
statements regarding anticipated exploration, drilling,
development, construction, permitting and other activities or
achievements of B2Gold; and including, without limitation:
projected total consolidated gold production of between 1,000,000
and 1,055,000 ounces in 2020 with AISC of
between $780 and $820 per ounce. All statements
in this news release that address events or developments that we
expect to occur in the future are forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical
facts and are generally, although not always, identified by words
such as "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "project", "target",
"potential", "schedule", "forecast", "budget", "estimate", "intend"
or "believe" and similar expressions or their negative
connotations, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may",
"could", "should" or "might" occur. All such forward-looking
statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as
of the date such statements are made.
Forward-looking statements necessarily involve assumptions,
risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond B2Gold's
control, including risks associated with or related to: the
duration and extent of the COVID-19 pandemic, the effectiveness of
preventative measures and contingency plans put in place by the
Company to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, including, but not
limited to, social distancing, a non-essential travel ban, business
continuity plans, and efforts to mitigate supply chain disruptions;
escalation of travel restrictions on people or products and
reductions in the ability of the Company to transport and refine
doré; the volatility of metal prices and B2Gold's common shares;
changes in tax laws; the dangers inherent in exploration,
development and mining activities; the uncertainty of reserve and
resource estimates; not achieving production, cost or other
estimates; actual production, development plans and costs differing
materially from the estimates in B2Gold's feasibility and other
studies; the ability to obtain and maintain any necessary permits,
consents or authorizations required for mining activities;
environmental regulations or hazards and compliance with complex
regulations associated with mining activities; climate change and
climate change regulations; the ability to replace mineral reserves
and identify acquisition opportunities; the unknown liabilities of
companies acquired by B2Gold; the ability to successfully integrate
new acquisitions; fluctuations in exchange rates; the availability
of financing; financing and debt activities, including potential
restrictions imposed on B2Gold's operations as a result thereof and
the ability to generate sufficient cash flows; operations in
foreign and developing countries and the compliance with foreign
laws, including those associated with operations
in Mali, Namibia, the
Philippines, Colombia and Burkina Faso and
including risks related to changes in foreign laws and changing
policies related to mining and local ownership requirements or
resource nationalization generally, including in response to the
COVID-19 outbreak; remote operations and the availability of
adequate infrastructure; fluctuations in price and availability of
energy and other inputs necessary for mining operations; shortages
or cost increases in necessary equipment, supplies and labour;
regulatory, political and country risks, including local
instability or acts of terrorism and the effects thereof; the
reliance upon contractors, third parties and joint venture
partners; the lack of sole decision-making authority related to
Filminera Resources Corporation, which owns the Masbate Project;
challenges to title or surface rights; the dependence on key
personnel and the ability to attract and retain skilled personnel;
the risk of an uninsurable or uninsured loss; adverse climate and
weather conditions; litigation risk; competition with other mining
companies; community support for B2Gold's operations, including
risks related to strikes and the halting of such operations from
time to time; conflicts with small scale miners; failures of
information systems or information security threats; the ability to
maintain adequate internal controls over financial reporting as
required by law, including Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act;
compliance with anti-corruption laws, and sanctions or other
similar measures; social media and B2Gold's reputation; risks
affecting Calibre having an impact on the value of the Company's
investment in Calibre, and potential dilution of our equity
interest in Calibre; as well as other factors identified and as
described in more detail under the heading "Risk Factors" in
B2Gold's most recent Annual Information Form, B2Gold's current Form
40-F Annual Report and B2Gold's other filings with Canadian
securities regulators and the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "SEC"), which may be viewed
at www.sedar.com and www.sec.gov,
respectively (the "Websites"). The list is not exhaustive of the
factors that may affect B2Gold's forward-looking
statements.
B2Gold's forward-looking statements are based on the
applicable assumptions and factors management considers reasonable
as of the date hereof, based on the information available to
management at such time. These assumptions and factors include, but
are not limited to, assumptions and factors related to B2Gold's
ability to carry on current and future operations, including: the
duration and effects of COVID-19 on our operations and
workforce; development and exploration activities; the timing,
extent, duration and economic viability of such operations,
including any mineral resources or reserves identified thereby; the
accuracy and reliability of estimates, projections, forecasts,
studies and assessments; B2Gold's ability to meet or achieve
estimates, projections and forecasts; the availability and cost of
inputs; the price and market for outputs, including gold; foreign
exchange rates; taxation levels; the timely receipt of necessary
approvals or permits; the ability to meet current and future
obligations; the ability to obtain timely financing on reasonable
terms when required; the current and future social, economic and
political conditions; and other assumptions and factors generally
associated with the mining industry.
B2Gold's forward-looking statements are based on the opinions
and estimates of management and reflect their current expectations
regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as
of the date hereof. B2Gold does not assume any obligation to update
forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's
beliefs, expectations or opinions should change other than as
required by applicable law. There can be no assurance that
forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and actual
results, performance or achievements could differ materially from
those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking
statements. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that any events
anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or
occur, or if any of them do, what benefits or liabilities B2Gold
will derive therefrom. For the reasons set forth above, undue
reliance should not be placed on forward-looking
statements.
Non-IFRS Measures
This news release includes certain terms or performance
measures commonly used in the mining industry that are not defined
under International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"),
including "all-in sustaining costs" (or "AISC"). Non-IFRS measures
do not have any standardized meaning prescribed under IFRS, and
therefore they may not be comparable to similar measures employed
by other companies. The data presented is intended to provide
additional information and should not be considered in isolation or
as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance
with IFRS and should be read in conjunction with B2Gold's
consolidated financial statements. Readers should refer to B2Gold's
Management Discussion and Analysis, available on the Websites,
under the heading "Non-IFRS Measures" for a more detailed
discussion of how B2Gold calculates certain of such measures and a
reconciliation of certain measures to IFRS terms.
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SOURCE B2Gold Corp.