This press release constitutes a "designated
news release" for the purposes of the Company's prospectus
supplement dated May 17, 2021, to its short form base shelf
prospectus dated January 29, 2021.
Americas Gold and Silver Corporation (TSX: USA) (NYSE American:
USAS) (“Americas” or the “Company”), a growing North American
precious metals producer, is pleased to provide the Company’s
attributable silver production, silver equivalent production, cost
and capital expenditure guidance for 2023 and production outlook
for 2024.
Highlights
- The Company’s attributable silver equivalent1 production is
expected to increase to a range of 5.5 – 6.0 million ounces in 2023
with further increases anticipated to result in production of
between 6.5 – 7.0 million ounces in 2024. Attributable silver
production forecast for 2023 is between 2.2 – 2.6 million ounces,
with further increases anticipated to result in production of 3.5 -
4.0 million ounces in 2024.
- Year-over-year, attributable silver production is expected to
increase in 2023 by over 80% based on the mid-point of the expected
2023 guidance range, while attributable silver equivalent
production is expected to increase in 2023 by approximately
10%.
- Silver production is expected to increase in 2023 as a result
of: i) a higher portion of production coming from the higher-grade
silver Upper Zone of the San Rafael deposit at the Cosalá
Operations; ii) a full year of production from the 3700 Level at
the Galena Complex which contains higher grade ore as well as the
completion of the Galena Hoist project before H2-2023.
- Sustaining and discretionary growth capital expenditures in
2023 are expected to be roughly in-line with 2022 actuals.
Capitalized exploration costs will be higher as a $1.2 million
drill program is expected to test the Cosalá North prospect in
2023.
- 2022 attributable production was 1.31 million silver ounces and
5.3 million silver equivalent ounces. 2022 attributable cash cost
per silver ounce2 and all-in sustaining cost per silver ounce2 were
approximately $0.77 per silver ounce and $9.63 per silver ounce,
respectively.
“The Company’s 2023 guidance and 2024 production outlook is
expected to continue to deliver solid organic production increases
and substantial silver optionality to our stakeholders over the
next several years,” stated Americas President and CEO Darren
Blasutti. “The Galena Hoist project is nearing completion and is
expected before H2-2023 while the Cosalá Operations are actively
mining the higher-grade silver zones, both of which are expected to
boost attributable silver production by over 80% in 2023.”
Consolidated 2023 Attributable Guidance and 2024 Attributable
Production Outlook*
2022 Actual
2023 Guidance
2024 Outlook
Silver Production (ounces)
1.31 Moz
2.2 – 2.6 Moz
3.5 – 4.0 Moz
Zinc Production (million pounds)
39.3 Mlbs
33.0 – 37.0 Mlbs
23.0 – 27.0 Mlbs
Lead Production (million pounds)
24.6 Mlbs
22.0 – 26.0 Mlbs
18.0 – 22.0 Mlbs
Copper Production (million pounds)
–
–
1.5 – 2.0 Mlbs
Silver Equivalent Production
(ounces)
5.3 Moz
5.5 – 6.0 Moz
6.5 – 7.0 Moz
Cash costs ($ per silver ounce)
$0.77/oz
$8.00 – 9.00/oz
Capital Expenditures ($) – Sustaining
$9.0 M
$9.0 – 10.0 M
–
Discretionary
$4.0 M
$3.0 – 4.0 M
Exploration Drilling ($)
– Discretionary
$2.6 M
$3.0 – 4.0 M
* Guidance for 2023 and production outlook for 2024 include only
the Cosalá Operations and the Galena Complex (60%). Silver
equivalent production throughout this press release was calculated
based on $22.00/oz silver, $1.00/lb lead and $1.45/lb zinc.
2023 Guidance
The Company expects to continue to increase metal production in
2023. Consolidated attributable silver equivalent production for
2023 is anticipated to be between 5.5 – 6.0 million ounces which
compares favourably with 2022 production of 5.3 million silver
equivalent ounces.
Silver production from the Cosalá Operations in 2023 is forecast
to be between 1.2 – 1.4 million ounces, benefitting from more
production from the higher-grade silver areas in the Upper Zone of
the San Rafael mine. Zinc production from the Cosalá Operations is
expected to be approximately 33 – 37 million pounds while lead
production is expected to be 11 – 13 million pounds. The Cosalá
Operations produced 636,000 ounces of silver, 15.3 million pounds
of lead and 39.3 million pounds of zinc in 2022.
Attributable silver production to the Company from the Galena
Complex (60% owned by Americas) in 2023 is expected to be between
1.0 – 1.2 million silver ounces benefitting from a full year of
production from higher grade ore on the 3700 Level. Attributable
lead production is expected to be between 11 – 13 million pounds.
The Galena Complex attributable production for 2022 was 672,000
ounces of silver and 9.3 million pounds of lead.
The Galena Complex is currently impacted by an industry wide
shortage of labour, which is reflected in the Company’s silver
equivalent production guidance for 2023. The Company estimates that
increasing the hourly workforce at the Galena Complex by
approximately 10% would boost silver production at the complex in
2023 by approximately 20%.
First quarter 2023 production will be impacted by a
two-and-a-half-week shutdown in February in order to complete
remedial work on the decant tunnel at the Cosalá Operations
tailings facility. The tunnel is no longer required and
decommissioning of the tunnel is part of the long-term
environmental plan at the operations. This temporary shutdown
allowed the San Rafael Mine to build back significant ore
stockpiles that had been drawn down in 2022 and allowed scheduled
maintenance to be carried out at the Los Braceros mill, setting the
operation up for a strong end to Q1-2023 and rest of 2023.
Consolidated cash cost (net of by-product credits) for 2023 is
expected to range between $8.00 – $9.00 per silver ounce assuming
zinc and lead prices of $1.45/lb and lead of $1.00/lb,
respectively. Expected cash cost per silver ounce in 2023 are
higher than actual 2022 cash cost per silver ounce as realized zinc
and lead prices in 2022 were higher than the budgeted prices the
Company is assuming for 2023.
Anticipated consolidated capital expenditures for the Company in
2023 of $16 – $20 million are related to completion of the Galena
Hoist as well as increased development and sustaining capital at
the Cosalá Operations.
2024 Production Outlook
The Company anticipates consolidated silver equivalent
production to further increase in 2024 benefitting from a full year
of the increased hoisting capacity following the completion of the
Galena Hoist and higher silver contribution from the Cosalá
Operations. Consolidated silver equivalent production for 2024 is
expected to range between 6.5 – 7.0 million ounces.
About Americas Gold and Silver Corporation
Americas Gold and Silver Corporation is a growing precious
metals mining company with multiple assets in North America. The
Company owns and operates the Cosalá Operations in Sinaloa, Mexico,
manages the 60%-owned Galena Complex in Idaho, USA, and is
re-evaluating the Relief Canyon mine in Nevada, USA. The Company
also owns the San Felipe development project in Sonora, Mexico. For
further information, please see SEDAR or www.americas-gold.com.
Technical Information and Qualified Persons
The scientific and technical information relating to the
operation of the Company’s material operating mining properties
contained herein has been reviewed and approved by Daren Dell,
P.Eng., Chief Operating Officer of the Company. The Company’s
current Annual Information Form and the NI 43-101 Technical Reports
for its other material mineral properties, all of which are
available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, and EDGAR at www.sec.gov
contain further details regarding mineral reserve and mineral
resource estimates, classification and reporting parameters, key
assumptions and associated risks for each of the Company’s material
mineral properties, including a breakdown by category.
All mining terms used herein have the meanings set forth in
National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral
Projects (“NI 43-101”), as required by Canadian securities
regulatory authorities. These standards differ from the
requirements of the SEC that are applicable to domestic United
States reporting companies. Any mineral reserves and mineral
resources reported by the Company in accordance with NI 43-101 may
not qualify as such under SEC standards. Accordingly, information
contained in this news release may not be comparable to similar
information made public by companies subject to the SEC’s reporting
and disclosure requirements.
Cautionary Statement on 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, Americas Gold and
Silver’s expectations, intentions, plans, assumptions and beliefs
with respect to, among other things, estimated and targeted
production rates and results for gold, silver and other metals, the
expected prices of gold, silver and other metals, as well as the
related costs, expenses and capital expenditures; the expected
timing for completion of the Galena Hoist project at the Galena
Complex, including the expected production levels and potential
additional mineral resources thereat; expectations regarding
addressing impacts of industry wide labour shortage and the
anticipated improvements to production in respect of same. Guidance
and outlook contained in this press release was prepared based on
current mine plan assumptions with respect to production, costs and
capital expenditures, the metal price assumptions disclosed herein,
and assumes no adverse impacts to operations from the COVID 19
pandemic and no further adverse impacts to the Cosalá Operations
from blockades, the Company’s ability to address the impacts of the
industry wide labour shortage and anticipated improvements to
production at the Galena Complex, and is subject to the risks and
uncertainties outlined below. Often, but not always,
forward-looking information can be identified by forward-looking
words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “expect”, “goal”, “plan”,
“intend”, “potential’, “estimate”, “may”, “assume” 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 Americas Gold and Silver 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 Americas Gold and Silver to be materially different from those
expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. With
respect to the business of Americas Gold and Silver, these risks
and uncertainties include risks relating to widespread epidemics or
pandemic outbreak including the COVID-19 pandemic; the impact of
COVID-19 on our workforce, suppliers and other essential resources
and what effect those impacts, if they occur, would have on our
business, including our ability to access goods and supplies, the
ability to transport our products and impacts on employee
productivity, the risks in connection with the operations, cash
flow and results of the Company relating to the unknown duration
and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; interpretations or
reinterpretations of geologic information; unfavorable exploration
results; inability to obtain permits required for future
exploration, development or production; general economic conditions
and conditions affecting the industries in which the Company
operates; the uncertainty of regulatory requirements and approvals;
fluctuating mineral and commodity prices; the ability to obtain
necessary future financing on acceptable terms or at all; the
ability to operate the Company’s projects; and risks associated
with the mining industry such as economic factors (including future
commodity prices, currency fluctuations and energy prices), ground
conditions, illegal blockades and other factors limiting mine
access or regular operations without interruption, failure of
plant, equipment, processes and transportation services to operate
as anticipated, environmental risks, government regulation, actual
results of current exploration and production activities, possible
variations in ore grade or recovery rates, permitting timelines,
capital and construction expenditures, reclamation activities,
labor relations or disruptions, social and political developments
and other risks of the mining industry. The potential effects of
the COVID-19 pandemic on our business and operations are unknown at
this time, including the Company’s ability to manage challenges and
restrictions arising from COVID-19 in the communities in which the
Company operates and our ability to continue to safely operate and
to safely return our business to normal operations. The impact of
COVID-19 on the Company is dependent on a number of factors outside
of its control and knowledge, including the effectiveness of the
measures taken by public health and governmental authorities to
combat the spread of the disease, global economic uncertainties and
outlook due to the disease, and the evolving restrictions relating
to mining activities and to travel in certain jurisdictions in
which it operates. Although the Company 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. Additional information
regarding the factors that may cause actual results to differ
materially from this forward‐looking information is available in
Americas Gold and Silver’s filings with the Canadian Securities
Administrators on SEDAR and with the SEC. Americas Gold and Silver
does not undertake any 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. Americas Gold and Silver
does not give any assurance (1) that Americas Gold and Silver will
achieve its expectations, or (2) concerning the result or timing
thereof. All subsequent written and oral forward‐looking
information concerning Americas Gold and Silver are expressly
qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
This press release makes reference to certain non‐GAAP measures,
including certain metrics specific to the industry in which we
operate. Non-GAAP financial measures disclosed herein include
financial measures that depict historical or expected future
financial performance, financial position or cash flow of a
company. These measures are not recognized measures under
International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the
International Accounting Standards Board (“IFRS”), do not have a
standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and, therefore, may not be
comparable to similar measures presented by other companies.
Rather, these measures are provided as additional information to
complement those IFRS measures by providing further understanding
of our results of operations from management’s perspective.
Accordingly, these measures are not intended to represent, and
should not be considered as alternatives to [net income] or other
performance measures derived in accordance with IFRS as measures of
operating performance or operating cash flows or as a measure of
liquidity. In addition to our results determined in accordance with
IFRS, we use non‐GAAP measures including historical measures or
expected future guidance for “cash cost per silver ounce”, “all-in
sustaining cost per silver ounce”, “capital expenditures –
sustaining”, “capital expenditures – discretionary” and
“exploration drilling – discretionary”. We believe these non‐GAAP
measures provide useful information to both management and
investors in measuring our financial performance and condition and
highlight trends in our core business that may not otherwise be
apparent when relying solely on IFRS measures.
We do not provide a reconciliation of forward-looking measures
for each of “cash cost per silver ounce”, “all-in sustaining cost
per silver ounce”, “capital expenditures – sustaining”, “capital
expenditures – discretionary” and “exploration drilling –
discretionary” to the most directly comparable financial measures
calculated and presented in accordance with IFRS because a
meaningful or accurate calculation of reconciling items and the
information is not available without unreasonable effort due to
unknown variables, including the timing and amount of certain
reconciling items, and the uncertainty related to future results.
These unknown variables may include unpredictable transactions of
significant value that maybe inherently difficult to determine
without unreasonable efforts. The probable significance of such
unavailable information, which could be material to future results,
cannot be addressed.
________________ 1 Silver equivalent ounces for the 2023
guidance and 2024 production outlook references were calculated
based on $22.00/oz silver, $1.00/lb lead and $1.45/lb zinc
throughout this press release. Silver equivalent ounces for
production in 2022 was calculated based on silver, zinc and lead
realized prices during the period throughout this press
release.
2 This metric is a non-GAAP financial measure or ratio. The
Company uses the financial measures “cash cost per silver ounce”
and “all-in sustaining cost per silver ounce” in accordance with
measures widely reported in the silver mining industry as a
benchmark for performance measurement and because it understands
that, in addition to conventional measures prepared in accordance
with IFRS, certain investors and analysts use this information to
evaluate the Company’s underlying cash costs and total costs of
operations. Cash costs are determined on a mine-by-mine basis and
include mine site operating costs such as mining, processing,
administration, production taxes and royalties which are not based
on sales or taxable income calculations, while all-in sustaining
costs is the cash costs plus all development, capital expenditures,
and exploration spending. A full reconciliation of these non-GAAP
financial measures will be provided when the Company reports its
year-end results on or before March 31, 2023.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230222006026/en/
For more information: Stefan Axell VP, Corporate
Development & Communications Americas Gold and Silver
Corporation 416-874-1708
Darren Blasutti President and CEO Americas Gold and Silver
Corporation 416‐848‐9503
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