Gold Fields H1 2016 Results
25
Review of operations
Quarter ended June 2016 compared with
quarter ended 31 March 2016
South Africa region
South Deep Project
June
2016
March
2016
Gold produced
000’oz
76.5
63.6
kg
2,378
1,978
Yield – underground reef
g/t
5.66
5.91
AISC
R/kg
615,697
600,563
US$/oz
1,268
1,183
AIC
R/kg
627,233
616,706
US$/oz
1,293
1,215
Gold production increased by 20 per cent from 1,978 kilograms
(63,600 ounces) in the March quarter to 2,378 kilograms (76,500
ounces) in the June quarter due to higher volumes.
Underground tonnes milled increased by 26 per cent from 332,000
tonnes in the March quarter to 418,000 tonnes in the June quarter.
Total tonnes milled increased by 11 per cent from 543,000 tonnes
to 601,000 tonnes. Total tonnes milled in the June quarter included
24,000 tonnes of underground waste mined and 158,800 tonnes of
surface tailings material compared with 23,000 tonnes of
underground waste mined and 187,500 tonnes of surface tailings
material in the March quarter. Underground reef yield decreased by
4 per cent from 5.91 grams per tonne to 5.66 grams per tonne due
to higher development tonnes mined in lower grade areas.
Development increased by 38 per cent from 1,292 metres in the
March quarter to 1,786 metres in the June quarter. New mine capital
development (phase one, sub 95 level) increased by 6 per cent from
252 metres in the March quarter to 266 metres in the June quarter.
Development in the current mine areas in 95 level and above
increased by 46 per cent from 1,040 metres to 1,520 metres.
Destress mining decreased by 5 per cent from 10,158 square
metres in the March quarter to 9,687 square metres in the June
quarter. High profile destress mining improved by 35 per cent from
4,517 square metres to 6,082 square metres. Low profile destress
mining decreased by 36 per cent from 5,641 square metres to 3,605
square metres due to the strategic change in the mining method
from low to high profile destress which commenced in the
September 2015 quarter. The high profile and low profile methods
contributed 63 per cent and 37 per cent, respectively, to total
destress. All low profile destress was completed subsequent to
quarter-end.
The current mine (95 level and above) contributed 66 per cent of the
ore tonnes in the June quarter, while the new mine (below 95 level)
contributed 34 per cent. The long-hole stoping method accounted
for 39 per cent of total ore tonnes mined in the June quarter
compared with 46 per cent in the March quarter. The decrease is
due to the temporary loss of two drill rigs after a fall of ground
incident.
Operating costs increased by 12 per cent from R924 million (US$59
million) to R1,034 million (US$69 million) mainly due to higher
bonuses paid and consumable expenditure directly related to the
higher production achieved. The electricity expenditure was higher
than the previous quarter as a result of the start of the winter month
tariffs in June 2016 and higher consumption related to the higher
production achieved.
Capital expenditure increased by 60 per cent from R262 million
(US$17 million) to R420 million (US$28 million) as a result of higher
spending on fleet and the purchase of mining accommodation for
employees. As part of the fleet renewal strategy, 17 category 1 units
were commissioned during H1 2016, with an additional 11 units to
be commissioned during the remainder of 2016. In the past 18
months, we have commissioned 51 new category 1 units out of a
total of 114 units.
Sustaining capital expenditure increased by 71 per cent from R230
million (US$15 million) in the March quarter to R393 million (US$26
million) in the June quarter due to additional fleet and the purchase
of mining accommodation for employees. Non-sustaining capital
expenditure decreased by 16 per cent from R32 million (US$2
million) in the March quarter to R27 million (US$2 million) in the June
quarter.
All-in sustaining costs increased by 3 per cent from R600,563 per
kilogram (US$1,183 per ounce) in the March quarter to R615,697
per kilogram (US$1,268 per ounce) in the June quarter mainly due
to increased operating costs and higher sustaining capital
expenditure, partially offset by increased gold sold.
Total all-in cost increased by 2 per cent from R616,706 per kilogram
(US$1,215 per ounce) in the March quarter to R627,233 per
kilogram (US$1,293 per ounce) in the June quarter due to the same
reasons as for all-in-sustaining costs.
West Africa region
GHANA
Tarkwa
June
2016
March
2016
Gold produced
000’oz
134.1
139.5
Yield
g/t
1.26
1.24
AISC and AIC
US$/oz
991
994
Gold production decreased by 4 per cent from 139,500 ounces in
the March quarter to 134,100 ounces in the June quarter due to
lower throughput as a result of unplanned downtime.
Total tonnes mined, including capital stripping, increased by 3 per
cent from 25.3 million tonnes in the March quarter to 26.0 million
tonnes in the June quarter mainly due to improved equipment
utilisation. Ore tonnes mined decreased by 6 per cent from 3.4
million tonnes to 3.2 million tonnes. Operational waste tonnes
mined was similar at 8.6 million tonnes while capital waste tonnes
mined increased by 7 per cent from 13.3 million tonnes to 14.2