Asanko Gold Announces Q2 2019 Production Results
10 Juli 2019 - 1:00PM
Asanko Gold Inc. (“Asanko” or the “Company”) (TSX, NYSE
American: AKG) is pleased to announce production results
for the second quarter (“Q2”) 2019 from the Asanko Gold Mine
(“AGM”), located in Ghana, West Africa. The AGM is a 50:50 joint
venture (“JV”) with Gold Fields Ltd (JSE, NYSE: GFI) which is
managed and operated by Asanko. All dollar figures are US$ unless
otherwise stated.
AGM Q2 Highlights (100%
basis):
- Record proceeds of $85.6 million generated from record gold
sales of 66,337 ounces at an average realized price of $1,290 per
ounce
- Record gold production of 62,067 ounces, on track to meet 2019
production guidance
- Mined 1.06 million tonnes (“Mt”) of ore, including 0.53Mt of
ore from the Esaase pit
- Processed record 1.38Mt of ore with an average gold grade of
1.5 grams per tonne (“g/t”)
- Continued strong safety performance with no lost time injuries
during the quarter
“Q2 2019 has been a very strong quarter with the
Asanko Gold Mine setting new records in production, sales and
revenue. This is particularly impressive given we are in the final
stages of waste mining the Cut 2 pushback at Nkran. The Cut 2
pushback will essentially be finished in Q3 2019, marking the end
of our investment program, and will enable the mine to focus on
cash generation.” commented Greg McCunn, Chief Executive Officer.
“We remain on track to achieve our 2019 annual production guidance
of 225,000 to 245,000 ounces.”
Health and Safety There
were no lost time injuries (“LTI”) reported during the quarter. As
at June 30, 2019, the mine achieved over 27 months without an
LTI.
Production During the quarter,
the AGM sourced ore from the Nkran, Esaase and Dynamite Hill pits
as well as run-of-mine stockpiles. At Nkran, waste mining
operations entered the final stage of the western pushback, which
is scheduled for substantial completion in Q3 2019. During the
quarter, 5.75Mt of waste and 0.09Mt of ore at a gold grade of 1.5
g/t were mined from the Nkran pit. The Esaase pit delivered 0.53Mt
of ore at a gold grade of 1.6 g/t with 1.10Mt of waste mined.
Dynamite Hill delivered 0.43Mt of ore at a gold grade of 1.6g/t
with 0.95Mt of waste mined.
The processing plant milled 1.38Mt at a gold
grade of 1.5 g/t during the quarter with metallurgical recovery
averaging 93%.
AGM Key Production Statistics (100% basis) |
Units |
Q3 2018 |
Q4 2018 |
Q1 2019 |
Q2 2019 |
Total Tonnes Mined |
000 t |
10,814 |
9,740 |
8,088 |
8,864 |
Waste Tonnes Mined |
000 t |
9,084 |
8,370 |
6,584 |
7,808 |
Ore Tonnes Mined |
000 t |
1,730 |
1,370 |
1,505 |
1,056 |
Strip Ratio |
W:O |
5.3:1 |
6.1:1 |
4.4:1 |
7.4:1 |
Average Gold Grade Mined |
g/t |
1.4 |
1.5 |
1.4 |
1.6 |
Ore Treated |
000 t |
1,299 |
1,238 |
1,224 |
1,375 |
Gold Feed Grade |
g/t |
1.6 |
1.6 |
1.6 |
1.5 |
Gold Recovery |
% |
94 |
95 |
93 |
93 |
Gold Produced |
oz |
61,599 |
59,823 |
60,425 |
62,067 |
Sales and Liquidity Gold
production for the quarter was a record 62,067 ounces with record
gold sales of 66,337 ounces at an average realized price of
US$1,290 per ounce, generating record gold sales proceeds of $85.6
million for the JV. At the end of the quarter, the JV held
approximately $22.7 million in unaudited cash ($3.0 million of
which was restricted in favour of a gold hedging counterparty),
$7.1 million in gold receivables and $2.4 million in dore (with a
market value of $3.7 million)
The Company held $6.8 million in unaudited cash
at the quarter end, and is scheduled to receive a further $20
million in cash related to the JV transaction upon the completion
of specific Esaase development milestones or, at the latest by
December 31, 2019.
Qualified Person
StatementFrederik Fourie, Asanko Senior Mining Engineer
(Pr.Eng) is the Asanko Qualified Person, as defined by Canadian
National Instrument 43-101 (Standards of Mineral Disclosure), who
has approved the preparation of the technical contents of this news
release.
About Asanko Gold Inc.Asanko’s
flagship project, located in Ghana, West Africa, is the jointly
owned Asanko Gold Mine with Gold Fields Ltd, which Asanko manages
and operates. The Company is strongly committed to the highest
standards for environmental management, social responsibility, and
health and safety for its employees and neighbouring communities.
For more information, please visit www.asanko.com.
Forward-Looking and other Cautionary
InformationThis release includes certain statements that
may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this
release, other than statements of historical facts, that address
estimated resource quantities, grades and contained metals,
possible future mining, exploration and development activities, are
forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the
forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions,
such statements should not be in any way construed as guarantees of
future performance and actual results or developments may differ
materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors
that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in
forward-looking statements include market prices for metals, the
conclusions of detailed feasibility and technical analyses, the
timely renewal of key permits, lower than expected grades and
quantities of resources, mining rates and recovery rates and the
lack of availability of necessary capital, which may not be
available to the Company on terms acceptable to it or at all. The
Company is subject to the specific risks inherent in the mining
business as well as general economic and business conditions. For
more information, investors should review the Company's Annual Form
40-F filing with the United States Securities Commission and its
home jurisdiction filings that are available at www.sedar.com.
Neither Toronto Stock Exchange nor the
Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts
responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Enquiries:
Alex Buck – Manager, Investor & Media Relations
Toll-Free (N.America): 1-855-246-7341
Telephone: +44 7932 740 452
Email: alex.buck@asanko.com
Website: www.asanko.com
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