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SLP Sylvania Platinum Limited

72.50
0.70 (0.97%)
10 May 2024 - Closed
Delayed by 15 minutes
Share Name Share Symbol Market Type Share ISIN Share Description
Sylvania Platinum Limited LSE:SLP London Ordinary Share BMG864081044 CMN SHS USD0.01 (DI)
  Price Change % Change Share Price Bid Price Offer Price High Price Low Price Open Price Shares Traded Last Trade
  0.70 0.97% 72.50 71.00 73.00 72.50 70.90 72.00 1,413,776 16:35:28
Industry Sector Turnover Profit EPS - Basic PE Ratio Market Cap
Miscellaneous Metal Ores,nec 127.04M 45.35M 0.1720 4.19 189.8M

Sylvania Platinum Limited Third Quarter Report to 31 March 2018 (4867M)

30/04/2018 7:02am

UK Regulatory


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TIDMSLP

RNS Number : 4867M

Sylvania Platinum Limited

30 April 2018 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

30 April 2018

Sylvania Platinum Limited

("Sylvania", "the Company" or "the Group")

AIM (SLP)

Third Quarter Report to 31 March 2018

The Directors are pleased to present the results for the quarter ended 31 March 2018 ("Q3" or the "quarter"). Unless otherwise stated, the consolidated financial information contained in this report is presented in USD.

Achievements

-- Positive group cash balance for the quarter, increasing 38% from $12.6 million to $17.4 million;

   --      SDO delivered 16,857 4E PGM ounces for Q3; 
   --      Highest monthly production of 6,631 4E PGM ounces achieved in March 2018; 

-- Revenue generated for the quarter improved 3% to $14.5 million, net of pipeline sales adjustments on the back of a stronger PGM basket price;

   --      The Group achieved a net profit after tax of $1.1 million for the quarter; and 
   --      Positive Group EBITDA of $3.4 million for Q3. 

Challenges

-- PGM ounce production is 3% lower than Q2 after a challenging start in January 2018, however the monthly production trend improved steadily by around 1,000 ounces month-on-month for the quarter;

-- Lower PGM feed grades at Millsell and Mooinooi during December 2017 and January 2018, and the decision to delay the construction of the Tweefontein MF2 module due to power supply constraints necessitated the production guidance revision during the quarter, now between 71,000 ounces and 75,000 ounces for FY2018; and

-- Group cash costs increased 10% quarter-on-quarter in ZAR terms to ZAR7,916/ounce ($662/ounce), primarily due to lower PGM ounces produced during January.

Opportunities

-- Improved gross basket price of $1,141/ounce for the quarter, a 7% increase on Q2 ($1,067/ounce) due to higher Platinum and Palladium prices, mitigated the impact of the lower PGM ounce production during Q3;

-- Company remains debt free with a positive Group cash balance enabling the funding of the remaining modules of Project Echo from existing cash resources;

-- Cost and PGM recovery optimisation initiatives continue at the Lesedi operation and have resulted in the operation contributing profitable PGM ounces following the take-over by Sylvania in November 2017; and

-- PGM grade and recovery optimisation initiatives, incorporating proprietary processing modifications at Millsell, Doornbosch and Tweefontein operations, have been identified to mitigate negative impact on PGM ounce production associated with the Tweefontein MF2 delay, supporting the forecast production profile.

Commenting on the Q3 results, Sylvania's CEO Terry McConnachie said:

"January 2018 was a particularly difficult month due to the impact of the delays with a license at our newly constructed Millsell tailings facility. When the permissions were eventually received to use the new tailings facility, nearly barren waste slime on top of the dump had to be processed first. All credit to our team for overcoming this problem towards the end of the third quarter. Once we migrated down into the higher grade feed the project rapidly started generating increased ounces, resulting in March being our highest ever ounce production month with 6,631 ounces. This record production will help make up ounces in the fourth quarter in order to meet the revised guidance of 71,000 to 75,000 ounces."

 
                             USD                                                                                                 ZAR 
-------------------------------------------------------------                              ------  -------------------------------------------------------------- 
       Q2 2018                   Q3 2018             % Change   Unit        Unaudited       Unit    % Change            Q3 2018                   Q2 2018 
---------------------  ---------------------------  ---------  ------  ------------------  ------  ---------  --------------------------  ----------------------- 
 
              573,064                      561,973     -2%        T        Plant Feed         T       -2%                        561,973                  573,064 
---------------------  ---------------------------  ---------  ------  ------------------  ------  ---------  --------------------------  ----------------------- 
                 2.47                         2.50      1%       g/t     Feed Head Grade     g/t       1%                           2.50                     2.47 
---------------------  ---------------------------  ---------  ------  ------------------  ------  ---------  --------------------------  ----------------------- 
                                                                         PGM Plant Feed 
              309,993                      318,808      3%        T            Tons           T        3%                        318,808                  309,993 
---------------------  ---------------------------  ---------  ------  ------------------  ------  ---------  --------------------------  ----------------------- 
                                                                         PGM Plant Feed 
                 3.56                         3.53     -1%       g/t          Grade          g/t      -1%                           3.53                     3.56 
---------------------  ---------------------------  ---------  ------  ------------------  ------  ---------  --------------------------  ----------------------- 
                                                                            PGM Plant 
               46.43%                       46.53%      0%        %         Recovery          %        0%                         46.53%                   46.43% 
---------------------  ---------------------------  ---------  ------  ------------------  ------  ---------  --------------------------  ----------------------- 
               17,302                       16,857     -3%       Oz       Total 4E PGMs      Oz       -3%                         16,857                   17,302 
---------------------  ---------------------------  ---------  ------  ------------------  ------  ---------  --------------------------  ----------------------- 
               23,199                       22,017     -5%       Oz       Total 6E PGMs      Oz       -5%                         22,017                   23,199 
---------------------  ---------------------------  ---------  ------  ------------------  ------  ---------  --------------------------  ----------------------- 
 
                                                                          Average gross 
                1,067                        1,141      7%      $/oz       basket price     R/oz      -4%                         13,503                   14,084 
---------------------  ---------------------------  ---------  ------  ------------------  ------  ---------  --------------------------  ----------------------- 
 
                                                                           Financials 
---------------------  ---------------------------  ---------  ------  ------------------  ------  ---------  --------------------------  ----------------------- 
               12,331                       12,759      3%      $'000     Revenue (4E)      R'000     -9%                        152,634                  167,752 
---------------------  ---------------------------  ---------  ------  ------------------  ------  ---------  --------------------------  ----------------------- 
                                                                           Revenue (by 
                  891                        1,302     46%      $'000       products)       R'000     28%                         15,576                   12,123 
---------------------  ---------------------------  ---------  ------  ------------------  ------  ---------  --------------------------  ----------------------- 
                  834                          407     -51%     $'000   Sales adjustments   R'000     -57%                         4,872                   11,349 
---------------------  ---------------------------  ---------  ------  ------------------  ------  ---------  --------------------------  ----------------------- 
               14,056                       14,468      3%      $'000      Net revenue      R'000     -9%                        173,082                  191,223 
---------------------  ---------------------------  ---------  ------  ------------------  ------  ---------  --------------------------  ----------------------- 
 
                8,787                       10,587     20%      $'000    Operating costs    R'000      6%                        126,648                  119,543 
---------------------  ---------------------------  ---------  ------  ------------------  ------  ---------  --------------------------  ----------------------- 
                4,876                        3,363     -31%     $'000     Group EBITDA      R'000     -40%                        39,996                   66,329 
---------------------  ---------------------------  ---------  ------  ------------------  ------  ---------  --------------------------  ----------------------- 
                   58                          143     147%     $'000     Net Interest      R'000     117%                         1,708                      788 
---------------------  ---------------------------  ---------  ------  ------------------  ------  ---------  --------------------------  ----------------------- 
                2,707                        1,111     -59%     $'000      Net profit       R'000     -64%                        13,292                   36,827 
---------------------  ---------------------------  ---------  ------  ------------------  ------  ---------  --------------------------  ----------------------- 
 
                                                                             Capital 
                2,687                        2,016     -25%     $'000      Expenditure      R'000     -34%                        24,119                   36,550 
---------------------  ---------------------------  ---------  ------  ------------------  ------  ---------  --------------------------  ----------------------- 
                    -                            -          -    R/$      Ave R/$ rate       R/$      -12%                         11.96                    13.60 
---------------------  ---------------------------  ---------  ------  ------------------  ------  ---------  --------------------------  ----------------------- 
 
                                                                              Unit 
                                                                        Cost/Efficiencies 
---------------------  ---------------------------  ---------  ------  ------------------  ------  ---------  --------------------------  ----------------------- 
                                                                          SDO Cash Cost 
                                                                            Per 4E PGM 
                  507                          615     21%      $/oz            oz          R/oz       7%                          7,355                    6,903 
---------------------  ---------------------------  ---------  ------  ------------------  ------  ---------  --------------------------  ----------------------- 
                                                                          SDO Cash Cost 
                                                                            Per 6E PGM 
                  378                          471     25%      $/oz            oz          R/oz       9%                          5,631                    5,148 
---------------------  ---------------------------  ---------  ------  ------------------  ------  ---------  --------------------------  ----------------------- 
                                                                           Group Cash 
                                                                           Cost Per 4E 
                  528                          662     25%      $/oz          PGM oz        R/oz      10%                          7,916                    7,177 
---------------------  ---------------------------  ---------  ------  ------------------  ------  ---------  --------------------------  ----------------------- 
                                                                           Group Cash 
                                                                           Cost Per 6E 
                  393                          507     29%      $/oz          PGM oz        R/oz      13%                          6,061                    5,353 
---------------------  ---------------------------  ---------  ------  ------------------  ------  ---------  --------------------------  ----------------------- 
                                                                        All-in sustaining 
                  574                          682     19%      $/oz        cost (4E)       R/oz       4%                          8,154                    7,812 
---------------------  ---------------------------  ---------  ------  ------------------  ------  ---------  --------------------------  ----------------------- 
                                                                           All-in cost 
                  683                          781     14%      $/oz           (4E)         R/oz       1%                          9,343                    9,285 
---------------------  ---------------------------  ---------  ------  ------------------  ------  ---------  --------------------------  ----------------------- 
 

1 The Sylvania cash generating subsidiaries are incorporated in South Africa with the functional currency of these operations being ZAR. Revenues from the sale of PGMs are incurred in USD and then converted into ZAR. The Group's reporting currency is USD as the parent company is incorporated in Bermuda. Corporate and general and administration costs are incurred in USD, GBP and ZAR.

A. OPERATIONAL OVERVIEW

Health, safety and environment

There were no significant health or environmental incidents during the quarter, and the Lannex operation reached a three year LTI-free milestone in January 2018. Lesedi, Tweefontein and Doornbosch operations, already more than five years LTI-free, continue their excellent performance.

Operational performance

After a challenging start to the quarter, most operations performed well during March 2018, which delivered the highest monthly PGM ounce production to date, and we are now well positioned to meet our revised guidance.

The recently commissioned MF2 modules at Millsell and Doornbosch stabilised during the last quarter, with Lesedi also improving on the previous quarter's production, contributing approximately 2,181 ounces towards the combined SDO production of 16,857 ounces for Q3.

Although PGM feed was 3% up compared to the previous quarter, and PGM plant feed grades and recoveries remained consistent, the Q3 declared PGM ounces were approximately 3% lower due to a work in progress that was delivered in Q2.

The SDO cash costs for the period in ZAR terms increased approximately 7% to ZAR7,355/ounce, mainly as a result of lower PGM ounce production. In USD terms cash costs increased by 21% to $615/ounce, due to the additional impact of a 12% strengthening in the ZAR/USD exchange rate during the period.

Operational challenges

There were primarily two factors that had a negative impact on PGM ounce production during the quarter:

-- The Millsell operation experienced lower PGM feed grades and feed instability following the new tailings dam commissioning delay and temporary hydro-mining upset which occurred between July 2017 and January 2018 and which only started to normalise during February 2018. This situation was a result of the delayed water use licence authorisation by authorities which was announced in the half-year results.

-- Production issues at the host mines, following a slow ramp-up after their Christmas break which resulted in lower-than-planned current arisings at Millsell and Mooinooi, as well as lower-than-planned RoM feed during the quarter, impacted negatively on PGM plant feed grades and ounce production. Our operations responded by increasing dump feed to the plants, but due to the typical lower PGM grade and recovery potential of the dump material compared to that of current arisings and RoM, the PGM ounce production was negatively impacted at these sites.

B. FINANCIAL OVERVIEW

Financial performance

The Gross basket price for PGMs for the quarter was $1,141/ounce, a 7% improvement on Q2's $1,067/ounce. Despite the lower ounce production, the Group recorded a 3% increase in revenue from $14.1 million to $14.5 million (including the sales adjustment for the quarter) due to the increase in the basket price.

The cost of sales for the quarter was in line with the Group's budget and amounted to ZAR127 million (including depreciation). The increased Group cash cost of ZAR7,916 per 4E ounce, up 10% on the previous quarter, is a result of the lower ounces produced. The benefit of the Millsell and Doornbosch MF2 modules has been seen in the March 2018 Group cash cost per ounce with a 16% improvement on that of January 2018.

The all-in sustaining cost for the Group was 4% higher than the Q2 cost at ZAR8,154/ounce (Q2: ZAR7,812/ounce) due to the higher production costs per ounce during the quarter. The Group all-in cost of ZAR9,343/ounce for Q3 remained constant against Q2.

Interest is earned on surplus cash invested in South Africa at an average interest rate of 7% per annum. Cash is held in ZAR to fund the remainder of Project Echo and other strategic production optimisation projects as and when identified.

The Group cash balance at 31 March 2018 was $17.4 million (including guarantees), a $4.8 million increase on the previous quarter's $12.6 million. Cash generated from operations before working capital movements was $2.9 million with net changes in working capital amounting to an increase of $6.4 million. An amount of $2.02 million was spent on capital expenditure projects including Project Echo. The impact of exchange rate fluctuations on cash held at the quarter end was $2.4 million.

Financial management

The main challenges that are within management's control remain prudent control of costs and ensuring that cash reserves are effectively utilised. Both of these are monitored closely and strict internal controls continue to ensure that Shareholders will receive the best possible return on their investment.

Although the Dollar denominated Platinum price remains below $1,000/ounce, the Palladium and Rhodium prices have continued to increase over the last nine months. The strengthening of the ZAR against the USD has resulted in the PGM basket price remaining fairly constant in ZAR terms. Both the PGM price and the USD:ZAR exchange rate are impacted by factors outside the control of Management.

C. EXPLORATION AND OPENCAST MINING PROJECTS

Northern Limb Projects

The Company received consent in terms of section 11 of the MPRDA from the DMR to cede the rights to mine heavy minerals, iron ore and vanadium ore on the farms Nonnenwerth, La Pucella and Altona to Lapon Mining (Pty) Ltd, a subsidiary of Ironveld Plc. The Company shall commence with the approved cession which will conclude the agreement dated 14 March 2012 relating to the acquisition of the Ironveld Group from Sylvania by Mercury Recycling Group Plc (now Ironveld Plc), wherein dividends in specie were distributed to Sylvania shareholders on 16 August 2012.

CORPORATE INFORMATION

 
 Registered and         Sylvania Platinum Limited 
  postal address: 
                        Clarendon House 
                        2 Church Street 
                        Hamilton HM 11 
                        Bermuda 
 
 SA Operations postal   PO Box 976 
  address: 
                        Florida Hills, 1716 
                        South Africa 
 
 

Sylvania Website: www.sylvaniaplatinum.com

CONTACT DETAILS

 
 For further information, 
  please contact: 
 Terence McConnachie (Chief 
  Executive Officer)              +44 777 533 7175 
 
 Nominated Advisor and Broker 
 Liberum Capital Limited          +44 (0) 20 3100 2000 
 Neil Elliot / Richard Crawley 
 
 Communications 
 Alma PR Limited                  +44 (0) 77 8090 1979 
 Josh Royston / Helena Bogle 
  / Hilary Buchanan 
 

ANNEXURE

 
 GLOSSARY OF TERMS FY2018 
 The following definitions apply throughout the period: 
                     4E PGM ounces include the precious metal elements 
 4E PGMs              Platinum, Palladium, Rhodium and Gold 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
                     6E ounces include the 4E elements plus additional 
 6E PGMs              Iridium and Ruthenium 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 AGM                 Annual General Meeting 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
                     Alternative Investment Market of the London 
 AIM                  Stock Exchange 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
                     Production costs plus all costs relating to 
 All-in sustaining    sustaining current production and sustaining 
  cost                capital expenditure. 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
                     All-in sustaining cost plus non-sustaining and 
 All-in cost          expansion capital expenditure 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 ASX                 Australian Securities Exchange 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
                     Sylvania Platinum Limited Bonus Share Award 
 Bonus Shares         Plan 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 CGU                 Cash generating unit 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
                     Fresh chrome tails from current operating host 
 Current risings      mines processing operations 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 DMR                 Department of Mineral Resources 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
                     Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation 
 EBITDA               and amortisation 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 EA                  Environmental Authorisation 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 EIA                 Environmental Impact Assessment 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 EIR                 Effective interest rate 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 EMPR                Environmental Management Programme Report 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 GBP                 Great British Pound 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 IASB                International Accounting Standards Board 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
                     International Financial Reporting Interpretation 
 IFRIC                Committee 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 IFRS                International Financial Reporting Standards 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 I&APs               Interested and Affected Parties 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 Ironveld            Ironveld Plc 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 IRR                 Internal Rate of Return 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 JV                  Joint venture 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
                     Limpopo Department of Economic Development, 
 LEDET                Environment and Tourism 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
                     Phoenix Platinum Mining Proprietary Limited, 
 Lesedi               renamed Sylvania Lesedi 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 LSE                 London Stock Exchange 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 LTI                 Lost time injury 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 MF2                 Milling and flotation technology 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
                     Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development 
 MPRDA                Act 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 MRA                 Mining Right Application 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 MTO                 Mining Titles Office 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 NOMR                New Order Mining Right 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 NWA                 National Water Act 36 of 1998 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 Option Plan         Sylvania Platinum Limited Share Option Plan 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
                     Platinum group metals comprising mainly platinum, 
 PGM                  palladium, rhodium and gold 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 PAR                 Pan African Resources Plc 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
                     Phoenix Platinum Mining Proprietary Limited, 
 Phoenix              renamed Sylvania Lesedi 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 Pipeline 
  ounces             6E ounces delivered but not invoiced 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 Pipeline            Revenue recognised for ounces delivered, but 
  revenue             not yet invoiced based on contractual timelines 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
                     Adjustments to pipeline revenues based on the 
 Pipeline             basket price for the period between delivery 
  sales adjustment    and invoicing 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 Programme           Sylvania Platinum Share Buyback Programme 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 Project Echo        Secondary PGM Milling and Flotation (MF2) program 
                      announced in FY2017 to design and install additional 
                      new additional fine grinding mills and flotation 
                      circuits at Millsell, Doornbosch, Tweefontein 
                      and Mooinooi. 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 Revenue (by         Revenue earned on Ruthenium, Iridium, Nickel 
  products)           and Copper 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 RoM                 Run of mine 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 SDO                 Sylvania dump operations 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 Shares              Common shares 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
                     Sylvania Platinum Limited, a company incorporated 
 Sylvania             in Bermuda 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 USD                 United States Dollar 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 WIP                 Work in progress 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 WULA                Water Use Licence Application 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
                     United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern 
 UK                   Ireland 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 ZAR                 South African Rand 
------------------  ------------------------------------------------------ 
 

This information is provided by RNS

The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

END

QRTLIFFESIIIVIT

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

April 30, 2018 02:02 ET (06:02 GMT)

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