An unplanned 6-day mill maintenance shutdown has cut Sept 2019 qtr (Q1 20) production from Regis Resources’ Duketon Gold Project, 350km NE of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia, to 87,633oz from Q4 19’s 90,966oz.
However, pre-royalty cash costs fell to $A914oz from $949oz, due to more costs associated with new satellite pits classified as capital, but with AISC up to $1,234oz from $1,189oz because of a temporary grade reduction due to short term variations in the mine schedule.
Ore milled eased to 2.31Mt from 2.33Mt, due to the Garden Well mill shutdown, along with head grade down to 1.26g/t from 1.29g/t and recovery to 93.6% from 94.3%. Duketon generated Q1 20 operating cash flow of $82.5M, down a little of Q4 19’s $85.2M.
FY20 guidance remains at 340,000oz-370,000oz at AISC $1,125oz-$1,195oz. At end Q1 20, Regis had $147.4M in cash and bullion, down on end Q4 19’s $205.3 on expenditures, including $40.7M in fully franked dividends.