Newcrest Mining Limited - Quarterly Report for the three months ending 31 December 2013

MELBOURNE, Australia, Jan. 23, 2014 /CNW/ - Newcrest Mining Limited (ASX: NCM) - Quarterly Report for the three months ending 31 December 2013 (these figures are unaudited)

Key Points

• Quarterly gold production of 621,125 ounces (6% higher than September 2013 quarter of 586,573 ounces)
• Quarterly copper production of 22,603 tonnes (15% higher than September 2013 quarter of 19,632 tonnes)
• Average realised gold price for the quarter of A$1,372/oz
• Group All-In Sustaining Cost¹ for the quarter of A$921/oz (US$857/oz at an A$:US$ exchange rate of $0.93) ²
• All-In Sustaining Cost¹ at each operation was below the average realised gold price for the quarter
• Guidance maintained. Gold production for the 2014 financial year expected to be around the top of the guidance range and Group All-In Sustaining Costs are expected to be around the lower end of the guidance range, subject to market and operating conditions³

Overview

Newcrest's production for the December 2013 quarter was 621,125 ounces of gold and 22,603 tonnes of copper at an All-In Sustaining Cost (AISC) of A$921 per ounce (US$857 per ounce). Gold production for the quarter was 6% higher than the previous quarter, primarily due to a 27% increase in production at Telfer.

At Lihir, mill throughput increased to an annualised 12Mtpa rate in the month of December 2013 and the performance of the recently expanded flotation circuit enabled an increase in the proportion of ore processed from stockpiles from 80% to 88% for the quarter.

Development of Cadia East Panel Cave 2 continued during the quarter. The commissioning of the Panel Cave 2 west crusher is expected in the June 2014 quarter.

Increased production, sales, lower levels of production stripping and sustaining capital and a continuing "cost-out" focus combined to deliver a 16% reduction in Newcrest's All-In Sustaining Cost to A$921 (US$857) per ounce compared to the previous quarter. Each operation had an All-In Sustaining Cost below the average realised gold price for the quarter of A$1,372 per ounce.

Exploration continued during the December 2013 quarter with positive drilling results at Wafi-Golpu, Gosowong and Côte d'Ivoire.

A range of initiatives to improve free cash flow continued during the December 2013 quarter, including reducing mining activity and increased stockpile processing at Lihir, cessation of processing of low-grade stockpiles at Cadia Valley and reducing open pit activity at Telfer.

Newcrest Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Greg Robinson, said: "In the context of the continuing challenges for the gold industry, Newcrest is maintaining its focus on improving productivity, reducing costs and capital expenditure, maximising free cash flow and maintaining growth options".

1. All-In Sustaining Cost metrics as per World Gold Council Guidance Note on Non-GAAP Metrics, released 27 June 2013. Newcrest Group All-In Sustaining Cost will vary from quarter to quarter as a result of various factors including production performance, timing of sales, the level of sustaining capital and the relative contribution of each asset.
2. For the purpose of this report December 2013 quarter All-In Sustaining Costs in USD terms are converted to USD at an average A$:US$exchange rate of $0.93
3. Refer to Newcrest's Forward Looking Statements disclaimer

Forward Looking Statements
These materials include forward looking statements. Often, but not always, forward looking statements can generally be identified by the use of forward looking words such as "may", "will", "expect", "intend", "plan", "estimate", "anticipate", "continue", and "guidance", or other similar words and may include, without limitation, statements regarding plans, strategies and objectives of management, anticipated production or construction commencement dates and expected costs or production outputs.

Forward looking statements inherently involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the company's actual results, performance and achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements. Relevant factors may include, but are not limited to, changes in commodity prices, foreign exchange fluctuations and general economic conditions, increased costs and demand for production inputs, the speculative nature of exploration and project development, including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses and permits and diminishing quantities or grades of reserves, political and social risks, changes to the regulatory framework within which the company operates or may in the future operate, environmental conditions including extreme weather conditions, recruitment and retention of personnel, industrial relations issues and litigation.

Forward looking statements are based on the company and its management's good  faith assumptions relating to the financial, market, regulatory and other relevant environments that will exist and affect the company's business and operations in the future. The company does not give any assurance that the assumptions on which forward looking statements are based will prove to be correct, or that the company's business or operations will not be affected in any material manner by these or other factors not foreseen or foreseeable by the company or management or beyond the company's control.

Although the company attempts and has attempted to identify factors that would cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those disclosed in forward looking statements, there may be other factors that could cause actual results, performance, achievements or events not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, and many events are beyond the reasonable control of the company. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward looking statements. Forward looking statements in these materials speak only at the date of issue. Subject to any continuing obligations under applicable law or any relevant stock exchange listing rules, in providing this information the company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any of the forward looking statements or to advise of any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

Ore Reserves and Mineral Resources Reporting Requirements
As an Australian company with securities listed on the Australian Securities Exchange ("ASX"), Newcrest is subject to Australian disclosure requirements and standards, including the requirements of the Corporations Act and the ASX. Investors should note that it is a requirement of the ASX listing rules that the reporting of ore reserves and mineral resources in Australia comply with the 2012 Edition of the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (the "JORC Code") and that Newcrest's ore reserve and mineral resource estimates comply with the JORC Code. Newcrest ceased its listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX") on 4 September 2013, but will remain subject to certain Canadian disclosure requirements and standards until it ceases to be an Ontario Securities Commission registrant. Prior to that, Newcrest will continue, in accordance with the requirements of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects of the Canadian Securities Administrators, to report its ore reserves and mineral resources estimates in compliance with the JORC Code, along with a reconciliation to the material differences between the JORC Code and the applicable definitions adopted by the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM Definition Standards). In relation to the December 2012 Resources and Reserves Statement, the reconciliation is set out in Newcrest's Canadian News Release dated 8 February 2013, and is available at www.sedar.com and at Newcrest's website www.newcrest.com.au. Except as otherwise noted in that document, there are no material differences between the definitions of Measured, Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources, and Proven and Probable Reserves, under the CIM Definition Standards and the equivalent or corresponding definitions in the JORC Code.

Competent Person's Statement
The information in this report that relates to Exploration Targets, Exploration Results, Mineral Resources or Ore Reserves and other scientific and technical information, is based on information compiled by C. Moorhead, EGM Minerals for Newcrest, who is a Fellow of The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, and a full-time employee of Newcrest. Mr Moorhead has sufficient experience which is relevant to the styles of mineralisation and types of deposits under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the JORC Code and is a Qualified Person within the meaning of NI 43-101. Mr Moorhead consents to the inclusion in this report of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears including sampling, analytical and test data underlying the results. For details of exploration reports refer to the Newcrest website at www.newcrest.com.au.

A copy of the release be found on Newcrest's website: www.newcrest.com.au and on SEDAR: www.sedar.com.

SOURCE: Newcrest Mining Limited