Freeport Commences Commissioning of New Indonesian Smelter and Provides Update on Second-Quarter 2024 Copper and Gold Sales
02 Juli 2024 - 3:22PM
Business Wire
Freeport (NYSE: FCX) announced today that its Indonesian
subsidiary, PT Freeport Indonesia (PT-FI), substantially completed
construction of its new Manyar smelter in Gresik, Indonesia in June
2024 and has commenced commissioning operations. FCX expects the
smelter will begin producing copper cathodes in the coming months
and continues to target full ramp up by the end of 2024 in line
with previous expectations.
Richard C. Adkerson, Chairman of the Board, and Kathleen L.
Quirk, President and Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are pleased
to announce this important milestone for our new smelter in
Indonesia. Our team executed this large and complex project
extremely well and is prepared to deliver the ramp-up to full
production safely and efficiently. The completion of the project
positions PT-FI as a fully integrated producer in Indonesia,
providing a foundation to extend its long-term operating
rights.”
FCX also announced that on July 2, 2024, PT-FI received approval
from the Indonesian government to export copper concentrates and
anode slimes through December 2024 when the full ramp-up of the new
processing facilities is expected. PT-FI will continue to pay
export duties on copper concentrates during the smelter ramp-up
period pursuant to Indonesian regulations.
PT-FI’s prior concentrate and anode slime export licenses
expired on May 31, 2024, and PT-FI did not export copper
concentrates or anode slimes during June 2024.
As a result of the delay in obtaining PT-FI’s export license,
FCX expects a portion of its second-quarter 2024 production will be
shipped in future periods. FCX currently expects its consolidated
sales for second-quarter 2024 to be approximately 5% below April
2024 guidance of 975 million pounds of copper and approximately 30%
below April 2024 guidance of 500 thousand ounces of gold.
Consolidated unit net cash costs for second-quarter 2024, which
were previously estimated at $1.57 per pound of copper, are
currently estimated to approximate $1.77 per pound for the quarter,
principally reflecting lower by-product credits as a result of the
delay in shipments. FCX’s consolidated average copper realization
for the second quarter is expected to approximate $4.45 per
pound.
FCX is reviewing its sales guidance in connection with its
routine quarterly forecast updates and does not currently expect a
material change to its annual 2024 copper volume guidance. As a
result of a change in mine sequencing principally to address wet
conditions in certain of the Grasberg Block Cave draw points, 2024
gold sales are expected to approximate 1.8 million ounces compared
with previous estimates approaching 2.0 million ounces. This change
is a timing issue and not expected to affect long-range plans.
FCX will release its second-quarter 2024 earnings results before
the market opens on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, and will hold a
conference call to discuss the results at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time
that same day.
FREEPORT: Foremost in Copper
FCX is a leading international metals company with the objective
of being foremost in copper. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, FCX
operates large, long-lived, geographically diverse assets with
significant proven and probable reserves of copper, gold and
molybdenum. FCX is one of the world’s largest publicly traded
copper producers.
FCX’s portfolio of assets includes the Grasberg minerals
district in Indonesia, one of the world’s largest copper and gold
deposits; and significant operations in North America and South
America, including the large-scale Morenci minerals district in
Arizona and the Cerro Verde operation in Peru.
By supplying responsibly produced copper, FCX is proud to be a
positive contributor to the world well beyond its operational
boundaries. Additional information about FCX is available on FCX's
website at fcx.com.
Cautionary Statement: This press release contains
forward-looking statements in which FCX discusses its potential
future performance, operations and projects. Forward-looking
statements are all statements other than statements of historical
facts, such as plans, projections or expectations relating to
production and sales volumes, unit net cash costs, export duties,
commissioning and full ramp up of the Manyar smelter, timing of
shipments of inventoried production, and potential extension of
operating rights beyond 2041. The words “anticipates,” “may,”
“can,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “projects,”
"targets," “intends,” “likely,” “will,” “should,” “to be,”
”potential" and any similar expressions are intended to identify
those assertions as forward-looking statements.
FCX cautions readers that forward-looking statements are not
guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ
materially from those anticipated, expected, projected or assumed
in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that can cause
FCX's actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in
the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to,
PT-FI’s ability to continue to export and sell copper concentrates
and anode slimes through full ramp-up of new processing facilities;
changes in export duties; achieving full ramp-up of new processing
facilities; timing of shipments; satisfaction of requirements in
accordance with PT-FI’s IUPK to extend mining rights from 2031
through 2041; discussions relating to the extension of PT-FI’s IUPK
beyond 2041; and other factors described in more detail under the
heading “Risk Factors” in FCX's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC).
Investors are cautioned that many of the assumptions upon which
FCX's forward-looking statements are based are likely to change
after the date the forward-looking statements are made, including
for example commodity prices, which FCX cannot control, and
production volumes and costs, some aspects of which FCX may not be
able to control. Further, FCX may make changes to its business
plans that could affect its results. FCX undertakes no obligation
to update any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of
the date made, notwithstanding any changes in its assumptions,
changes in business plans, actual experience or other changes.
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Financial Contact: David P. Joint (504) 582-4203
Media Contact: Linda S. Hayes (602) 366-7824
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