West Australian miner IGO’s 100%-owned Nova nickel-copper-cobalt mine posted lower Dec qtr (Q2FY21) production of 7,024t (Q1: 7,276t) Ni and 3,171t (3,278t) Cu while favourable by-product pricing improved cash costs to $A2.10/lb Ni ($2.25/lb).
MD-CEO Peter Bradford says, having passed the 100,000t nickel milestone, Nova is expected to maintain production guidance while cash costs continue to benefit from by-product pricing.
The Tropicana gold mine, IGO’s 30% JV with AngloGold Ashanti, bettered guidance with Q2 production of 112,050oz gold (Q1: 107,060oz) at AISC of $1,537/oz ($1,527/oz).
IGO continued its strategic review considering options including the sale of its Tropicana interest while focusing on its acquisition of 24.99% of Tianqi Lithium’s Greenbushes operation and 49% of its Kwinana lithium hydroxide plant.
The company posted revenue and other income of $235.9M ($226.6M) and underlying EBITDA of $120.9M ($121.4M). Foreign exchange issues reduced NPAT to $8.8M ($45.4M).