TORONTO, ONTARIO (AMEX: MRB) is pleased to report its First
Quarter 2008 results and operational update. The Company's audited
consolidated financial statements and management's discussion and
analysis for the year are available on SEDAR, EDGAR and Metallica's
website at www.metal-res.com.
"We are very pleased to report that our Cerro San Pedro mine
generated record pre-tax cash flow from mine operations of $8.2
million in the first quarter, resulting in net income after taxes
of $3.3 million, or $0.04 per basic share" said Richard J. Hall,
President and CEO. "I am confident that, as we continue to review
mine plans and schedules for opportunities to increase production
to 100,000 gold ounces per year, we will realize an increase in our
projected earnings for 2008" concluded Mr. Hall.
First Quarter 2008 Highlights and Operational Update:
- Metallica generated record pre-tax cash flow from mine
operations of $8.2 million in the first quarter, resulting in net
income after taxes of $3.3 million or $0.04 per basic share. Gold
sales of 15,922 ounces at an average realized price per ounce of
$932.87 and 203,973 ounces of silver at an average realized price
per ounce of $17.62 resulted in total sales of $18.5 million.
- Cash costs for the first quarter of 2008 were $407 per ounce
of gold, net of silver, or $4.86 per tonne of ore mined. Cash costs
for 2008 are expected to be $5.40 per tonne of ore, which equates
to approximately $263 per ounce of gold, net of silver at $14.80
per ounce.
- The Cerro San Pedro mine is currently mining at planned
capacity of 63,000 tonnes per day and the processing plant
continues to produce over 200 ounces of gold per day. Ore
production to the pad during the quarter was 2.27 million tonnes,
exceeding budget by nearly 300,000 tonnes. An estimated 22,000
recoverable ounces of gold and 370,000 recoverable ounces of silver
were placed on the leach pad in the first quarter.
- Production from January 1, 2008 through April 30, 2008 was
24,435 ounces of gold and 307,243 ounces of silver. The Company has
targeted production levels of 80,000 ounces of gold and 1.35
million ounces of silver for 2008. Gold recoveries to date appear
to be consistent with projections for the type of ore under leach
and leach duration. Silver recoveries are behind projections but
improving month over month. The six-month recovery curve for
silver, originally obtained from crushed ore test work, may need to
be extended.
- The focus of activity on the El Morro project during the first
quarter was the evaluation of the final feasibility study by joint
venture partner and project operator Xstrata Copper. In January
2008, Metallica took delivery of the feasibility study per the
agreed deadline, however, both parties agreed that additional
refinements to the study were needed in order to comply with third
party lending standards. Metallica will be releasing the results of
the evaluation in the near future. A 43-101 technical report will
also be made available on SEDAR.
- Metallica continues to advance its exploration projects at Rio
Figueroa in Chile and both Liberty Bell and the Southwest Peninsula
Projects in Alaska.
On March 31, 2008, the Company entered into a Letter of Intent
with respect to a proposed business combination between the
Company, New Gold Inc. and Peak Gold Ltd. The combined entity would
be a globally diversified intermediate gold producer with an
expected market capitalization of approximately $1.6 billion. The
combined entity would be called New Gold Inc. and would have three
producing gold mines (Cerro San Pedro mine - Mexico, Peak mine -
Australia and the Amapari mine - Brazil). All of these mines and
projects are located in favorable mining jurisdictions.
Metallica Resources Inc.
Management's Discussion and Analysis
(all dollar amounts expressed in United States dollars unless otherwise
stated)
Management's discussion and analysis ("MD&A") of the
consolidated operating results and financial condition of Metallica
Resources Inc. (the "Company") for the three months ended March 31,
2008 and 2007 has been prepared based on information available to
the Company as of May 5, 2008. MD&A should be read in
conjunction with the consolidated interim financial statements and
the related notes for the three months ended March 31, 2008 and
2007, and in conjunction with MD&A for the year ended December
31, 2007. The consolidated financial statements and the related
notes have been prepared in accordance with Canadian generally
accepted accounting policies.
Overview
The Company generated net income after taxes of $3.3 million
($0.04 basic earnings per share) during the first quarter of 2008.
This includes $7.5 million of operating income from our Cerro San
Pedro gold and silver mine in Mexico. Commercial production at
Cerro San Pedro commenced on May 1, 2007.
In addition to its Cerro San Pedro mine operation, the Company
is also pursuing exploration and development of various precious
and base metal properties throughout the Americas. The most
advanced of these projects is the El Morro copper-gold project in
Chile, of which Xstrata Plc. owns 70% and the Company owns 30%.
The Cerro San Pedro mine is currently mining at the life-of-mine
production rate of 63,000 tonnes per day. The processing plant is
operating at the designed throughput level of 1,000 cubic meters
per hour. As of April 30, 2008, approximately 9.6 million tonnes of
ore had been placed on the leach pad, containing estimated
recoverable gold and silver ounces of 76,000 and 1,368,000,
respectively. The ore tonnes placed on the leach pad to date are
predominately limestones, which are found at the top of the deposit
and have the lowest recovery rates of all the Cerro San Pedro ore
types. The recovery period is currently estimated to be five months
for gold and six months for silver.
Production from January 1, 2008 through April 30, 2008 was
24,435 ounces of gold and 307,243 ounces of silver, which compares
to budgeted production estimates of 25,190 ounces of gold and
422,494 ounces of silver. The Company believes that it is on track
to achieve planned production levels for gold and silver in 2008 of
80,000 ounces of gold and 1.35 million ounces of silver.
On March 31, 2008, the Company entered into a letter agreement
with respect to a proposed business combination between the
Company, New Gold Inc. and Peak Gold Ltd. The combined entity would
be a globally diversified intermediate gold producer with an
expected market capitalization of approximately $1.6 billion. The
combined entity would be called New Gold Inc. and would have three
producing gold mines (Cerro San Pedro mine - Mexico, Peak mine -
Australia and the Amapari mine - Brazil). New Gold Inc. would also
have one copper-gold mine under construction, New Afton Mine -
British Columbia, Canada; a copper-gold development project, El
Morro project - Chile; in addition to several other early stage
exploration projects. All of these mines and projects are located
in favorable mining jurisdictions.
The letter agreement provides that holders of common shares of
the Company would receive 0.9 shares of New Gold Inc., and the
holders of common shares of Peak Gold Ltd. would receive 0.1 shares
of New Gold Inc. The transaction is subject to due diligence
reviews, approvals by the board of directors and shareholders of
each party, and other conditions precedent. In the event that the
Company terminates the transaction as a result of a superior offer,
as defined, the Company would be required to pay a termination fee
of $22.0 million. In the event that the transaction is terminated
by New Gold or Peak Gold due to a superior offer, a termination fee
of $8.0 million and $18.0 million, respectively, must be paid by
the terminating party, of which the Company is entitled to receive
50%. The parties are required to use their best efforts to enter
into a definitive agreement by May 9, 2008, with closing to be
completed by July 2, 2008.
Operating Results
First Quarter 2008 Compared to First Quarter 2007
The Company reported net income of $3.3 million ($0.04 basic net
income per share, $0.03 diluted net income per share) for the three
months ended March 31, 2008, as compared to a net loss of $0.8
million ($0.01 basic and diluted net loss per share) for the three
months ended March 31, 2007. There were no operations in the first
quarter of 2007.
Gold and silver sales in the current period totaled $14.9
million and $3.6 million, respectively. The Company sold 15,922
ounces of gold and 203,973 ounces of silver at an average realized
price per ounce of $932.87 and $17.62, respectively. This compares
to the average London PM fix for gold of $924.83 per ounce and the
average London fix for silver of $17.59 per ounce for the three
months ended March 31, 2008. There were no metal sales during the
first quarter of 2007.
Operating costs were $11.0 million in the current period and
pre-tax cash flow from mine operations totaled $8.2 million. There
were no operating costs or cash flow from mine operations in the
first quarter of 2007. Key production statistics for the first
quarter of 2008 are presented in the table below:
Production summary:
Gold ounces produced 18,290
Silver ounces produced 228,623
Tonnes of ore mined 2,276,533
Tonnes of waste mined 3,051,869
-----------
Total tonnes of ore and waste mined 5,328,402
-----------
-----------
Waste-to-ore ratio 1.34
Gold grade (grams per tonne) 0.61
Silver grade (grams per tonne) 21.10
The Company has less than one year of historical recovery data
and intends to review the expected recoveries and recovery periods
for gold and silver as more information becomes available. Silver
recoveries are currently behind projections but they're improving
month over month. The six-month recovery curve for silver,
originally obtained from crushed ore test work, may need to be
extended.
The following table summarizes costs per tonne of ore mined for
the quarter ended March 31, 2008:
Production cost per tonne of ore mined:
Mining cost per tonne of ore mined $ 3.29
Processing cost per tonne of ore mined $ 0.97
Administrative cost per tonne of ore mined $ 0.60
-----------
Production cost per tonne of ore mined $ 4.86
-----------
-----------
Production cost per tonne of ore and waste mined $ 2.07
Cash operating cost per ounce of gold produced during the
quarter was $407, net of silver revenues.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures:
The Company believes that some investors use the non-GAAP
financial measures described below. These measures should not be
considered in isolation as substitutes for measures of performance
prepared in accordance with Canadian GAAP, and are furnished solely
to provide additional non-GAAP financial information to
investors.
1) Production cost per tonne of mined ore
Mining, processing and administrative cost per tonne of mined
ore, collectively, production cost per tonne of mined ore, are
non-GAAP financial measures that provide an indication of the
mining, processing and administrative efficiency of the Cerro San
Pedro mine. These amounts are calculated based on mining,
processing and administrative costs incurred in the reporting
period divided by the tonnes of ore produced during the period.
Operational efficiencies and waste-to-ore ratios affect the
reported mining, processing and administrative costs per tonne of
ore.
2) Cash operating cost per ounce of gold produced
Cash operating cost per ounce of gold produced is a non-GAAP
financial measure that provides an indication of the mining,
processing and administrative efficiency of producing an ounce of
gold at the Cerro San Pedro mine. The following table provides a
reconciliation of cash operating cost per ounce of gold produced
for the three months ended March 31, 2008 to the Consolidated
Statements of Operations:
(000's)
-----------
Production costs in Consolidated Statements of
Operations $ 10,279
Adjustments:
Inventory change, net of depreciation of $499 1,405
Transportation, refining and royalties (466)
Restricted stock unit expense (71)
Stock-based compensation (56)
Accretion and other (52)
Silver revenues (3,594)
-----------
Cash operating costs, net of silver revenues $ 7,445
-----------
-----------
Gold ounces produced 18,290
Cash operating cost per ounce of gold produced $ 407
3) Pre-tax cash flow from mine operations
2008
(000's)
-----------
Operating profit in Consolidated Statements of
Operations $ 7,497
Depreciation and amortization 671
-----------
Pre-tax cash flow from mine operations $ 8,168
-----------
-----------
Depreciation and amortization in the current period of $0.7
million principally resulted from amortization of Cerro San Pedro
mine development costs. There was no depreciation and amortization
of mine development costs in the first quarter of 2007.
General and administrative expense increased from $1.0 million
in the first quarter of 2007 to $1.9 million in the first quarter
of 2008. The $0.9 million increase was primarily due to higher
employee cash compensation and stock-based compensation costs, an
increase in legal fees due to the proposed combination and legal
fees attributable to arbitration proceedings involving a dispute
over termination of a contract mining agreement at the Cerro San
Pedro mine.
Foreign exchange loss in the current period was $0.3 million as
compared to a gain of $0.2 million for the three months ended March
31, 2007. The foreign exchange loss in the current period resulted
from holding Canadian dollar cash balances and a strengthening of
the U.S. dollar relative to the Canadian dollar in 2008 as compared
to a weakening of the U.S. dollar relative to the Canadian dollar
in 2007. The Company held Canadian dollar cash balances totaling
Cdn$6.8 million at March 31, 2008 and Cdn$26.3 million at March 31,
2007.
Income tax expense increased to $1.6 million in the current
period principally as a result of recently enacted Mexican tax
legislation. Mexico enacted a new tax statute effective January 1,
2008, which establishes a flat tax regime that runs parallel to its
regular tax regime. The statute requires companies to pay the
greater of its flat tax or regular income tax liability on an
annual basis. Flat tax (16.5% for 2008) is generally assessed on
gross receipts less disbursements including capital asset
purchases. Income tax expense for the current period is based on a
forecast effective tax rate of 32.8% for 2008.
Summary of Quarterly Results (000's, except per share data)
--------------------------------------------
2008 2007
--------------------------------------------
First Fourth Third Second
Quarter Quarter Quarter Quarter
--------------------------------------------
Total revenues $ 18,447 $ 13,172 $ 7,160 $ 2,531
Net income (loss) $ 3,332 $ (4,844) $ (2,519) $ (501)
Basic net income (loss) per
share $ 0.04 $ (0.04) $ (0.03) $ (0.01)
Diluted net income (loss) per
share $ 0.03 $ (0.04) $ (0.03) $ (0.01)
--------------------------------------------
2007 2006
--------------------------------------------
First Fourth Third Second
Quarter Quarter Quarter Quarter
--------------------------------------------
Total revenues $ - $ - $ - $ -
Net income (loss) $ (757) $ (2,167) $ (605) $ 9
Basic net income (loss) per
share $ (0.01) $ (0.03) $ (0.01) $ 0.00
Diluted net income (loss) per
share $ (0.01) $ (0.03) $ (0.01) $ 0.00
The Company commenced commercial production on May 1, 2007. The
increase in revenues over the four most recent quarters resulted
from the ramp-up of production during 2007 and 2008 which resulted
in an increase in sales of gold and silver.
The quarterly net loss volatility for 2007 was in part
attributable to holding cash balances in Canadian dollars and
significant fluctuations in the Canadian dollar/U.S. dollar
exchange rate. Net foreign exchange gains totaled $0.2 million,
$1.7 million, $0.7 million and $0.1 million for the first, second,
third and fourth quarters of 2007, respectively. The net loss for
the second and third quarters of 2007 also resulted from an
operating loss of $0.4 million and $1.9 million, respectively, due
to start-up of operations associated with commencement of
commercial production on May 1, 2007. The net loss for the fourth
quarter of 2007 was primarily due to operating income at Cerro San
Pedro of $2.2 million, which was offset by $5.4 million of income
tax expense resulting from an increase in future income tax
liabilities, net of future income tax assets, of $5.3 million due
principally to a valuation allowance applied to a portion of
Mexican tax loss carryforwards as a result of a change in Mexican
tax law.
The quarterly net income (loss) volatility for 2006 was
primarily attributable to holding large cash balances in Canadian
dollars and significant fluctuations in the Canadian dollar/U.S.
dollar exchange rate. Net foreign exchange gains (losses) totaled
$1.2 million, $0.2 million and ($0.6 million) for the second, third
and fourth quarters of 2006, respectively. In addition, the fourth
quarter of 2006 reflected a write-down of mineral properties, plant
and equipment totaling $0.4 million and an additional $0.2 million
for restricted stock unit expense due principally to an increase in
the Company's share price from C$3.40 at September 30, 2006 to
C$4.60 at December 31, 2006.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Pre-tax cash flow from mine operations was $8.2 million during
the first quarter of 2008. This was offset by a build-up of
inventory, principally ore on leach pad and other inventory of $1.6
million, corporate general and administrative and exploration
expenses of $2.1 million, income tax payments totaling $1.1 million
and other net disbursements totaling $0.3 million, resulting in
cash flows provided from operating activities in the first quarter
of 2008 of $3.0 million.
The Company had no cash flow from mine operations in 2007. Cash
flows spent on operating activities in the first quarter of 2007
totaled $2.4 million and principally resulted from a build-up of
ore on leach pad inventory.
Cash flows used for investing activities in the first quarter of
2008 of $3.6 million principally arose from $3.4 million of
expenditures on mineral properties, plant and equipment, which
included $2.5 million of construction costs for leach pad expansion
and $0.5 million for property acquisitions at the Cerro San Pedro
mine.
Cash flows used for investing activities in the first quarter of
2007 totaled $6.7 million and primarily resulted from construction
costs for the Cerro San Pedro process plant and related
facilities.
Cash flows provided from financing activities in the first
quarter of 2008 and 2007 resulted from the exercise of stock
options totaling $0.6 million and $0.5 million, respectively.
At March 31, 2008, the Company had $17.1 million of cash and
cash equivalents, and working capital of $31.1 million. The Company
believes that its existing cash balances, along with the expected
cash flow to be generated from the Cerro San Pedro mine, will allow
it to satisfy its ongoing general and administrative, exploration
and project development expenditures, subject to a possible
decision by Xstrata to proceed with construction at the El Morro
project as discussed below.
In the event that Xstrata elects to proceed with construction at
the El Morro project, the Company may need additional financing in
order to retain its 30% interest in the project. The Company has an
agreement with Xstrata whereby Xstrata will finance, at the
Company's election, 70% of the Company's 30% share of El Morro
project development costs at Xstrata's cost of financing plus 100
basis points. Xstrata will be repaid through 80% of the Company's
share of future project cash flow. Management believes that the
Company has the ability to obtain sufficient financing, if
required, in the event of a decision by Xstrata to proceed with
construction. The Company expects to generate positive cash flow
from the Cerro San Pedro mine in 2008 and receive approximately
$60.0 million from the exercise of 19.2 million of warrants
outstanding at March 31, 2008, which are exercisable at Cdn$3.10.
Furthermore, the Company has no debt on its balance sheet.
Outstanding Share Data
As of May 5, 2008, the Company had issued one class of common
shares and a total of 96,428,478 shares outstanding. In addition,
the Company had the following warrants and stock options
outstanding at May 5, 2008:
- 16,281,810 warrants, each of which is exercisable for one
common share at an exercise price of Cdn$3.10 through December 11,
2008.
- 3,559,000 warrants, each of which is exercisable for one
common share at an exercise price of Cdn$5.50 through December 20,
2009.
- 2,770,352 stock options, each of which is exercisable for one
common share at prices ranging from Cdn$1.42 to Cdn$5.66 per
share.
New Accounting Standards
During the quarter, the Company adopted four new presentation
and disclosure standards that were issued by the Canadian Institute
of Chartered Accountants: Handbook Section 1535, Capital
Disclosures ("Section 1535"), Handbook Section 3031, Inventories
("Section 3031"), Handbook Section 3862, Financial Instruments -
Disclosures ("Section 3862") and Handbook Section 3863, Financial
Instruments - Presentation ("Section 3863").
Section 1535 requires the disclosure of both qualitative and
quantitative information that enables users of financial statements
to evaluate (i) an entity's objectives, policies and processes for
managing capital; (ii) quantitative data about what the entity
regards as capital; (iii) whether the entity has complied with any
capital requirements; and (iv) if it has not complied, the
consequences of such non-compliance.
Section 3031 provides guidance on the determination of costs and
their subsequent recognition as an expense, including any
write-down to net realizable value. It also provides guidance on
the types of costs that should be included in inventory.
Sections 3862 and 3863 replace Handbook Section 3861, Financial
Instruments - Disclosure and Presentation, revising and enhancing
its disclosure requirements and carrying forward unchanged its
presentation requirements for financial instruments. Sections 3862
and 3863 place increased emphasis on disclosures about the nature
and extent of risks arising from financial instruments and how the
entity manages those risks.
Effective January 1, 2009, the Company will adopt Section 3064
which establishes revised standards for recognition, measurement,
presentation and disclosure of goodwill and intangible assets.
Concurrent with the introduction of this standard, the CICA
withdrew EIC 27, Revenues and Expenses During the Pre-operating
Period. As a result of the withdrawal of EIC 27, the Company will
not be able to defer costs and revenues incurred prior to
commercial production at new mine operations.
Internal Controls over Financial Reporting
Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining
adequate internal controls over financial reporting. Any system of
internal controls over financial reporting, no matter how well
designed, has inherent limitations. Therefore, even those systems
determined to be effective can provide only reasonable assurance
with respect to financial statement preparation and presentation.
There have been no changes in our internal control over financial
reporting during the quarter ended March 31, 2008 that have
materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect,
internal control over financial reporting.
Corporate Outlook
As stated earlier, the Company entered into a letter agreement
with respect to a proposed business combination between the
Company, New Gold Inc. and Peak Gold Ltd. The combined entity would
be a globally diversified intermediate gold producer with an
expected market capitalization of approximately $1.6 billion. The
combined entity would be called New Gold Inc. and would have three
producing gold mines (Cerro San Pedro mine - Mexico, Peak mine -
Australia and the Amapari mine - Brazil). New Gold Inc. would also
have one copper-gold mine under construction, New Afton Mine -
British Columbia, Canada; a copper-gold development project, El
Morro project - Chile; in addition to several other early stage
exploration projects. All of these mines and projects are located
in favorable mining jurisdictions.
The letter agreement provides that holders of common shares of
the Company would receive 0.9 shares of New Gold Inc., and the
holders of common shares of Peak Gold Ltd. would receive 0.1 shares
of New Gold Inc. The transaction is subject to due diligence
reviews, approvals by the board of directors and shareholders of
each party, and other conditions precedent. Management and the
Company's Board of Directors support the business combination.
Contingencies
In June, 2007, the Company terminated its mining contract with
Washington Group Latin America Inc. ("WGLA") at its Cerro San Pedro
mine. WGLA maintains that it was not paid for all amounts owed
under the agreement, including early contract termination fees, and
has filed an arbitration claim against the Company for $16.6
million plus value added taxes. The Company has filed a
counterclaim against WGLA for $2.5 million. The arbitration
proceedings are scheduled to take place in Denver, Colorado in
November 2008; however, the outcome of the arbitration proceedings
cannot be determined at the present time.
The Company has been notified of various lawsuits and legal
actions that have been filed by a group of project opponents
("Project Opponents") against governmental agencies. The Project
Opponents seek to nullify various permits and licenses that have
been granted to the Company with respect to its Cerro San Pedro
mine. Various lawsuits and legal actions have been filed by members
of this group over the past four years. Those lawsuits that have
had final rulings have all been resolved in favor of the various
governmental agencies. In the event of an adverse ruling from any
of the unresolved lawsuits, the Company's operations may be
negatively impacted.
Forward-Looking Statements and Risk Factors
This document contains statements, which, to the extent that
they are not recitations of historical fact, constitute
"forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of
the United States Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the
United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and applicable
Canadian securities legislation, and are intended to be subject to
the safe harbor protection of those provisions. All statements,
other than statements of historical facts, included in this
document and in press releases and public statements by our
officers or representatives, that address activities, events or
developments that management of the Company expects or anticipates
will or may occur in the future, are forward-looking statements,
including, but are not limited to, those relating to the
prospective business combination with New Gold Inc. and Peak Gold
Ltd., those relating to the Company's transition from an
exploration company to a gold and silver producer, projections of
production and scheduling, cash and total costs, anticipated cash
flow to be generated by mining operations and through exercise of
warrants, start-up of any new project, results of exploration
efforts, status of required permits from governmental and
regulatory authorities, status of lawsuits filed against
governmental agencies including lawsuits filed by Project Opponents
with respect to the Company's Cerro San Pedro mine, and any other
information about the future business and prospects of the Company.
In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by
the use of words such as "could", "expect", "believe", "estimate",
"anticipate", "project" and similar expressions and statements
relating to matters that are not historical facts. All
forward-looking statements in this document involve risks,
uncertainties and other factors, including those described above as
well as those set forth under the heading "Item 3. Key Information
-- D) Risk Factors" in the Company's latest Annual Report on Form
20-F. These may cause the actual results or performance of the
Company to be materially different from any future results or
performance expressed or implied by such forward-looking
statements. These factors include, among others:
- Risks that the prospective business combination with New Gold
Inc. and Peak Gold Ltd. is unsuccessful resulting in a decline in
our share price;
- Risks related to our recent transition from an exploration
company to a gold and silver producer and our limited history of
metal production on our properties;
- Risks related to our recent start of production at our Cerro
San Pedro mine including, among others:
-- risks associated with the operation of a mine;
-- uncertainty that we will be able to hire and retain qualified
personnel;
-- risks of labor disruptions;
-- risks of encountering unexpected geologic formations or
unanticipated variations in grade;
-- uncertainty that we will be able to obtain suitable
machinery, equipment and parts;
-- risks relating to potential equipment performance problems
and metallurgical and other processing problems;
-- risks of unforeseen occurrences including unexpected weather
conditions, landslides, flooding, power outages, accidents and
force majeure factors;
-- unanticipated operating costs including personnel, equipment,
processing and transportation costs;
-- risks of inability to achieve anticipated production volumes,
schedules and cash and total costs with respect to the Cerro San
Pedro mine, as a result of the foregoing, among other factors;
-- uncertainty of obtaining additional funding;
-- volatility of the prices of gold, silver and other mineral
commodities;
-- uncertainty of feasibility study results and estimates on
which such results are based;
-- uncertainty of mineral reserve and resource estimates;
-- effects on our operations of current and prospective
regulations governing, among others, prospecting, development,
environmental protection and labor matters;
-- risks relating to permitting requirements and our ability to
timely obtain or renew permits;
-- risks of liability for environmental damage;
-- risks relating to legal proceedings;
-- risks relating to movements in foreign currency exchange
rates; and
-- risks associated with international business operations.
Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors
that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ
materially from those described in forward-looking statements,
there may be other factors that cause actions, results or events
not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no
assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be
accurate, as actual results and future events could differ
materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly,
readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking
statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update
or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of
new information, future events or otherwise except as may be
required under applicable securities laws.
Metallica Resources Inc.
Consolidated Interim Financial Statements (unaudited)
as at March 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007, and for the
three month periods ended March 31, 2008 and 2007
Metallica Resources Inc.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(unaudited)
U.S. dollars (000's, except share data)
March 31, December 31,
2008 2007
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Assets
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents $ 17,104 $ 17,127
Value-added tax and other receivables 4,879 3,777
Inventory (Note 4) 13,572 11,668
Deposits and prepaid expenses 1,740 1,418
Future income tax assets 7,995 4,194
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45,290 38,184
Mineral properties, plant and equipment (Note 5) 104,820 102,034
Other assets 1,046 804
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Total assets $ 151,156 $ 141,022
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Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 9,372 $ 7,818
Restricted stock units (Note 9(d)) 324 1,015
Asset retirement obligation (Note 7) 1,821 1,481
Other liabilities (Note 8) 632 700
Future income tax liabilities 14,068 9,470
---------- --------------
26,217 20,484
Shareholders' equity:
Share capital - 93,187,076 common shares
(2007: 92,773,665) (Note 9(a)) 136,772 135,832
Contributed surplus 1,485 1,485
Warrants (Note 9(b)) 10,360 10,360
Stock options (Note 9(c)) 3,524 3,405
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (14) (24)
Deficit (27,188) (30,520)
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124,939 120,538
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Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 151,156 $ 141,022
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Nature of operations (Note 1)
Contingencies (Note 15)
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these interim consolidated
Financial statements.
Metallica Resources Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Operations and Deficit
(unaudited)
U.S. dollars (000's, except share data)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Three Months Ended March 31,
2008 2007
---------- --------------
Revenues:
Gold $ 14,853 $ -
Silver 3,594 -
---------- --------------
18,447 -
Operating costs:
Production costs 10,279 -
Depreciation and amortization 671 -
---------- --------------
10,950 -
---------- --------------
Operating income 7,497 -
Other expense (income):
General and administrative 1,857 965
Exploration and business development 230 117
Restricted stock units 281 235
Foreign exchange (gain) loss 311 (168)
Interest income (143) (412)
---------- --------------
2,536 737
---------- --------------
Net income (loss) before income taxes 4,961 (737)
Income tax expense (Note 10) (1,629) (20)
---------- --------------
Net income (loss) 3,332 (757)
Deficit at beginning of period (30,520) (21,900)
---------- --------------
Deficit at end of period $ (27,188) $ (22,657)
---------- --------------
---------- --------------
Basic net income (loss) per share $ 0.04 $ (0.01)
Diluted net income (loss) per share $ 0.03 $ (0.01)
Weighted average number of common shares
outstanding:
Basic 92,987,116 92,114,490
Diluted (Note 9(e)) 101,650,218 92,114,490
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these interim consolidated
Financial statements.
Metallica Resources Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)
(unaudited)
U.S. dollars (000's)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Three Months Ended March 31,
2008 2007
---------- --------------
Net income (loss) $ 3,332 $ (757)
Net unrealized gain (loss) on
available-for-sale securities 10 (6)
---------- --------------
Comprehensive income (loss) $ 3,342 $ (763)
---------- --------------
---------- --------------
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these interim consolidated
Financial statements.
Metallica Resources Inc.
Consolidated Statement of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss
(unaudited)
U.S. dollars (000's)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Three Months
Ended March
31, 2008
-------------------
Balance at December 31, 2007 $ (24)
Net unrealized gain on available-for-sale
securities 10
-------------------
Accumulated other comprehensive loss $ (14)
-------------------
-------------------
Metallica Resources Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(unaudited)
U.S. dollars (000's)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Three Months Ended March 31,
2008 2007
---------- --------------
Cash flows provided from (used for)
operating activities
Net income (loss) $ 3,332 $ (757)
Non-cash items:
Depreciation and amortization 691 17
Stock-based compensation expense 419 207
Restricted stock unit expense 317 235
Future income tax expense 797 -
Other 69 232
Changes in non-cash working capital and
other assets and liabilities (Note 11) (2,675) (2,294)
---------- --------------
2,950 (2,360)
Cash flows used for investing activities
Mineral properties, plant and equipment (3,377) (6,666)
Deposits for construction (230) -
---------- --------------
(3,607) (6,666)
Cash flows provided from financing activities
Proceeds from exercise of stock options 634 479
---------- --------------
634 479
---------- --------------
Decrease in cash and cash equivalents (23) (8,547)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning
of period 17,127 44,610
---------- --------------
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 17,104 $ 36,063
---------- --------------
---------- --------------
Cash and cash equivalents consist of:
Cash on hand $ 1,279 $ 1,727
Short-term investments 15,825 34,336
---------- --------------
$ 17,104 $ 36,063
---------- --------------
---------- --------------
Non-cash investing activities:
Increase in accounts payable and
other liabilities related to mineral properties,
plant and equipment $ 257 $ 1,006
Income tax payments $ 1,050 $ 22
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these interim consolidated
Financial statements.
Metallica Resources Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(unaudited)
U.S. dollars
1. Nature of Operations
Metallica Resources Inc. (the "Company") operates the Cerro San
Pedro gold and silver mine in Mexico and is engaged in the
acquisition, exploration and development of precious and base metal
mineral deposits throughout the Americas.
Commercial production commenced at the Cerro San Pedro mine on
May 1, 2007. All revenues and operating costs incurred after May 1,
2007 are reflected in the Company's statement of operations.
On March 31, 2008, the Company entered into an agreement with
respect to a proposed business combination between the Company, New
Gold Inc. and Peak Gold Ltd. The agreement provides that holders of
common shares of the Company would receive 0.9 shares of New Gold
Inc., and the holders of common shares of Peak Gold Ltd. would
receive 0.1 shares of New Gold Inc. The transaction is subject to
due diligence reviews, approvals by the board of directors and
shareholders of each party, and other conditions precedent. In the
event that the Company terminates the transaction as a result of a
superior offer, as defined, the Company would be required to pay a
termination fee of $22.0 million. In the event that the transaction
is terminated by New Gold or Peak Gold due to a superior offer, a
termination fee of $8.0 million and $18.0 million, respectively,
must be paid by the terminating party, of which the Company is
entitled to receive 50%. The parties are required to use their best
efforts to enter into a definitive agreement by May 9, 2008, with
closing to be completed by July 2, 2008.
2. Basis of Presentation and New Accounting Policies
These interim consolidated financial statements of Metallica
Resources Inc. have been prepared in accordance with accounting
principles generally accepted in Canada and follow the same
accounting policies and methods of their application as the most
recent annual financial statements.
The interim consolidated financial statements do not conform in
all respects with the requirements of annual financial statements
and should be read in conjunction with the Company's consolidated
financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2007. In the
opinion of management, all of the adjustments necessary to fairly
present the interim financial statements set forth herein have been
made. The interim results are not necessarily indicative of results
for a full year.
3. Adoption of New Accounting Standards
During the quarter, the Company adopted four new presentation
and disclosure standards that were issued by the Canadian Institute
of Chartered Accountants: Handbook Section 1535, Capital
Disclosures ("Section 1535"), Handbook Section 3031, Inventories
("Section 3031"), Handbook Section 3862, Financial Instruments -
Disclosures ("Section 3862") and Handbook Section 3863, Financial
Instruments - Presentation ("Section 3863").
Section 1535 requires the disclosure of both qualitative and
quantitative information that enables users of financial statements
to evaluate (i) an entity's objectives, policies and processes for
managing capital; (ii) quantitative data about what the entity
regards as capital; (iii) whether the entity has complied with any
capital requirements; and (iv) if it has not complied, the
consequences of such non-compliance. See Note 13 to these unaudited
consolidated interim financial statements for disclosures relating
to Section 1535.
Section 3031 provides guidance on the determination of costs and
their subsequent recognition as an expense, including any
write-down to net realizable value. It also provides guidance on
the types of costs that should be included in inventory. This
standard had no impact on the Company's consolidated financial
statements.
Sections 3862 and 3863 replace Handbook Section 3861, Financial
Instruments - Disclosure and Presentation, revising and enhancing
its disclosure requirements and carrying forward unchanged its
presentation requirements for financial instruments. Sections 3862
and 3863 place increased emphasis on disclosures about the nature
and extent of risks arising from financial instruments and how the
entity manages those risks. See Note 14 to these unaudited
consolidated interim financial statements for disclosures relating
to Sections 3862 and 3863.
Effective January 1, 2009, the Company will adopt Section 3064
which establishes revised standards for recognition, measurement,
presentation and disclosure of goodwill and intangible assets.
Concurrent with the introduction of this standard, the CICA
withdrew EIC 27, Revenues and Expenses During the Pre-operating
Period. As a result of the withdrawal of EIC 27, the Company will
not be able to defer costs and revenues incurred prior to
commercial production at new mine operations.
4. Inventory
Inventory consisted of the following:
March 31, December 31,
(000's) 2008 2007
------------- -------------
Ore on leach pad $ 11,047 $ 10,255
Gold and silver dore 2,317 1,281
Reagents and supplies 208 132
------------- -------------
$ 13,572 $ 11,668
------------- -------------
------------- -------------
5. Mineral Properties, Plant and Equipment
Additions to mineral properties, plant and equipment for the
three month period ended March 31, 2008 are summarized as
follows:
Balance at
December 31, 2007 Mineral Deferred Construction
(000's) Properties Expenditures in Progress
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cerro San Pedro, Mexico $ 24,497 - -
El Morro, Chile - 257 -
Rio Figueroa, Chile 998 3,152 -
Other Projects, Chile 55 15 -
Alaska Peninsula, USA 345 1,129 -
Liberty Bell, USA 28 340 -
Other - - -
-------------- -------------- --------------
Balance at
December 31, 2007 25,923 4,893 -
-------------- -------------- --------------
2008 Additions
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cerro San Pedro, Mexico 509 - 2,455
El Morro, Chile - 64 -
Rio Figueroa, Chile 26 67 -
Other Projects, Chile - - -
Alaska Peninsula, USA - 23 -
Liberty Bell, USA 80 55 -
Other - - -
-------------- -------------- --------------
2008 Additions 615 209 2,455
-------------- -------------- --------------
Balance at
March 31, 2008
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cerro San Pedro, Mexico 25,006 - 2,455
El Morro, Chile - 321 -
Rio Figueroa, Chile 1,024 3,219 -
Other Projects, Chile 55 15 -
Alaska Peninsula, USA 345 1,152 -
Liberty Bell, USA 108 395 -
Other - - -
-------------- -------------- --------------
Balance at
March 31, 2008 $ 26,538 $ 5,102 $ 2,455
-------------- -------------- --------------
-------------- -------------- --------------
Balance at Plant
December 31, 2007 and Accumulated
(000's) Equipment Subtotal Depreciation Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cerro San Pedro, Mexico $ 73,426 $ 97,923 $ 2,352 $ 95,571
El Morro, Chile - 257 - 257
Rio Figueroa, Chile - 4,150 - 4,150
Other Projects, Chile - 70 - 70
Alaska Peninsula, USA - 1,474 - 1,474
Liberty Bell, USA - 368 - 368
Other 335 335 191 144
-------- --------- --------- ----------
Balance at
December 31, 2007 73,761 104,577 2,543 102,034
-------- --------- --------- ----------
2008 Additions
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cerro San Pedro, Mexico 618 3,582 1,098 2,484
El Morro, Chile - 64 - 64
Rio Figueroa, Chile - 93 - 93
Other Projects, Chile - - - -
Alaska Peninsula, USA - 23 - 23
Liberty Bell, USA - 135 - 135
Other 8 8 21 (13)
-------- --------- --------- ----------
2008 Additions 626 3,905 1,119 2,786
-------- --------- --------- ----------
Balance at
March 31, 2008
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cerro San Pedro, Mexico 74,044 101,505 3,450 98,055
El Morro, Chile - 321 - 321
Rio Figueroa, Chile - 4,243 - 4,243
Other Projects, Chile - 70 - 70
Alaska Peninsula, USA - 1,497 - 1,497
Liberty Bell, USA - 503 - 503
Other 343 343 212 131
-------- --------- --------- ----------
Balance at
March 31, 2008 $ 74,387 $108,482 $ 3,662 $ 104,820
-------- --------- --------- ----------
-------- --------- --------- ----------
In January 2008, the Company entered into a 50-year Mining Lease
Agreement (the "Agreement") with the owners of certain Alaskan
mining concessions located within the Company's Liberty Bell
project area of interest. The Agreement provides for an initial
payment of $30,000, which was paid in January 2008, a minimum work
commitment of $25,000 per year through December 2012, and minimum
royalty payments as follows:
Payment Amount Due Date
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
$25,000 September 2008
$50,000 January 2009
$25,000 September 2009
$50,000 September 2010
$150,000 September 2011
$200,000 September 2012
$200,000 September 2013
$250,000 September 2014
$250,000 September 2015
$300,000 September 2016
$100,000 September 2017 and each
year thereafter through
the end of the lease term
In the event that the Company delivers a feasibility study on
the property prior to September 2017, the minimum annual royalty
payment for all subsequent periods through the end of the lease
term will be $100,000 per year.
The owners retained a sliding scale net smelter return ("NSR")
royalty from all minerals produced and sold from the claims that
ranges from 0.5% at gold prices of $300 or less, to 5.0% at gold
prices of $1,000 or more. Minimum royalty payments are applied to
reduce future amounts owed under the NSR royalty. The Company has
an option to convert the sliding scale NSR royalty to a fixed 4.0%
NSR royalty for a payment of $1.0 million within two years of
commencement of commercial production.
6. Related Party Transactions
The Company entered into a consulting agreement with a director
of the Company to provide technical advisory services with respect
to the Cerro San Pedro project at a rate of $1,250 per day plus
out-of-pocket expenses. The Company has incurred technical advisory
fees pursuant to this agreement totaling $35,000 and $30,400 for
the three months ended March 31, 2008 and 2007, respectively.
The Company entered into a consulting agreement with a company
controlled by an individual, who is a director of the Company, to
provide management services with respect to the Cerro San Pedro
project. The agreement currently provides for consulting fees of
$7,188 per month. The Company has incurred consulting fees pursuant
to this agreement totaling $21,500 and $18,750 for the three months
ended March 31, 2008 and 2007, respectively.
7. Asset Retirement Obligation
The Company's environmental permit for its Cerro San Pedro
project requires that it reclaim any land that it disturbs during
mine construction and mine operations. The Company has recorded an
asset retirement obligation for its Cerro San Pedro project as
follows:
(000's)
-----------
Balance at December 31, 2007 $ 1,679
Additional reclamation provision 312
Accretion 31
Disbursements (10)
-----------
Balance at March 31, 2008 2,012
Less current portion, included in accounts payable and accrued
liabilities (191)
-----------
Non-current portion $ 1,821
-----------
-----------
The asset retirement obligation was calculated as the net
present value of the estimated future cash outflows, which totaled
$3.2 million as of March 31, 2008. The present value of the
estimated future cash outflows assumed a long-term inflation rate
of 2.5% to 3.0%, and has been discounted using credit-adjusted
risk-free rates of 6.5% to 9.0%. Accretion of the asset retirement
obligation for the three months ended March 31, 2008 was included
in production costs in the statement of operations.
The Company has agreed to make reclamation deposits totaling
approximately $4.3 million over the estimated mine life; however,
negotiations with the relevant governmental agency to determine the
periodic funding requirements have not been finalized.
8. Other Liabilities
Other liabilities included amounts owed under long-term
non-interest bearing payment obligations to property owners at the
Cerro San Pedro mine over a period of approximately ten years. The
Company has recorded the present value of the liability at fair
value using a 7.0% discount rate. Accretion expense was included in
production costs in the statement of operations. The fair value of
the liability at March 31, 2008 was $0.8 million, of which $0.2
million was included in accounts payable and accrued
liabilities.
9. Share Capital
a) Common shares issued and outstanding
(000's) Shares Amount
-------- ----------
Balance at December 31, 2007 92,774 $135,832
Exercise of stock options for cash 412 634
Fair value of stock options exercised - 300
Shares issued for retirement plan 1 6
-------- ----------
Balance at March 31, 2008 93,187 $136,772
-------- ----------
-------- ----------
b) Warrants
On December 20, 2006, the Company issued 3.8 million common
share purchase warrants in conjunction with a private placement
equity financing. Each warrant entitles the holder to purchase one
common share at an exercise price of Cdn$5.50 for a period of three
years to December 20, 2009. As of March 31, 2008, none of the
warrants had been exercised.
On December 11, 2003, the Company issued 19.4 million common
share purchase warrants in conjunction with a public equity
offering, of which 19.2 million were outstanding at March 31, 2008.
Each warrant entitles the holder to purchase one common share at an
exercise price of Cdn$3.10 through December 11, 2008. No warrants
were exercised during the three months ended March 31, 2008.
c) Stock options
The following table summarizes stock options outstanding and
changes in fair value of stock options as of March 31, 2008:
Weighted
Average Stock
Exercise Options Amount
Price Outstanding (US$)
(Cdn$) (000's) (000's)
----------------------------------------
Balance at December 31, 2007 $3.17 3,067 $3,405
Stock options granted 5.66 116 -
Compensation cost recognized - - 421
Exercise of stock options for cash 1.54 (412) -
Fair value of stock options
exercised - - (300)
Forfeited stock options 5.05 (1) -
Fair value of stock options
forfeited - - (2)
---------- ------------- --------
Balance at March 31, 2008 $3.51 2,770 $3,524
---------- ------------- --------
---------- ------------- --------
Exercisable at March 31, 2008 $2.99 1,708
---------- -------------
---------- -------------
The total fair value of options granted during the three months
ended March 31, 2008 was $0.3 million. These options vest over a
two-year period.
The fair value of options granted in 2008 has been calculated
using the Black-Scholes Option Pricing Model with the following
assumptions:
2008 Grants
-------------
Risk-free interest rate (Canada) 3.47%
Expected dividend yield 0.0%
Expected price volatility 55%
Expected life of option 3.6 years
Option pricing models require the input of highly subjective
assumptions including the price volatility of the Company's common
shares. Changes in the subjective input assumptions can materially
affect the fair value estimate.
d) Restricted stock units
The Company's restricted stock unit ("RSU") plan provides for
the Company's directors to grant RSUs subject to vesting and other
conditions as determined by the directors. The settlement of RSUs
is required to be made in cash and is calculated at the average
closing price of the Company's common shares on the Toronto Stock
Exchange for the five trading days preceding the date of
settlement. RSU expense is recorded over the three-year vesting
period. The following table summarizes RSUs outstanding as of March
31, 2008:
Number of
Date of Date of RSUs Fair Value
Grant Settlement (000's) (000's)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
March 9, 2006 March 9, 2009 250 $ 1,007
May 24, 2007 May 24, 2010 184 307
December 13, 2007 December 13, 2010 30 17
--------------
Balance at March 31, 2008 1,331
Less current maturities, included in current liabilities (1,007)
--------------
Non-current portion $ 324
--------------
--------------
e) Diluted net income per share
Diluted net income per share for the three months ended March
31, 2008 was calculated based on the following weighted average
number of shares outstanding:
Basic weighted average number of shares outstanding 92,987,116
Effect of dilutive securities:
Stock options 868,819
Share purchase warrants 7,794,283
--------------
Diluted weighted average number of shares outstanding 101,650,218
--------------
--------------
10. Income Taxes
The Company has recorded income tax expense of $1.6 million in
the current period, of which $0.8 million was current and $0.8
million was deferred, based on a forecasted effective tax rate for
2008 of 32.8%. Based on management's earnings estimate for 2008,
$4.8 million of future tax assets have been reclassified from
non-current to current at March 31, 2008.
11. Changes in Non-cash Working Capital and Other Assets
Cash flows from changes in non-cash working capital and other assets are
summarized as follows:
Three Months Ended
(000's) March 31,
2008 2007
-------------------------
Value added tax and other receivables $ (1,102) $ (206)
Inventory (1,436) (1,567)
Deposits and prepaid expenses (322) (498)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 207 (6)
Other assets and liabilities (22) (17)
-------------------------
Decrease in non-cash working capital and
other assets and liabilities $ (2,675) $ (2,294)
-------------------------
-------------------------
12. Segment Information
The Company operates in one business segment, that being the
exploration, development and extraction of precious and base metals
in geographic segments principally in Mexico, Chile, and the United
States. The Mexico segment consists of the Cerro San Pedro mine,
which commenced commercial production on May 1, 2007. The Chile
segment includes exploration activities on the El Morro, Rio
Figueroa and other Chile projects. The United States segment
includes exploration activities on the Alaska Peninsula and Liberty
Bell projects, and operations from the Company's management office.
Capital expenditures by industry segment are presented in Note 5. A
summary of capital assets and revenues by industry segment are as
follows:
(000's) March 31, 2008
-----------------------------------------
Property, plant and United
equipment Mexico Chile States Total
Producing $ 98,055 $ - $ - $ 98,055
Non-producing - 4,634 2,131 6,765
-----------------------------------------
$ 98,055 $ 4,634 $ 2,131 $ 104,820
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
Gold revenues $ 14,853 $ - $ - $ 14,853
Silver revenues 3,594 - - 3,594
-----------------------------------------
Segment revenues $ 18,447 $ - $ - $ 18,447
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
Segment net income
(loss) $ 5,894 $ (165) $ (2,397) $ 3,332
(000's) March 31, 2007
-----------------------------------------
Property, plant and United
equipment Mexico Chile States Total
-----------------------------------------
Producing $ - $ - $ - $ -
Non-producing 88,344 3,090 1,281 92,715
-----------------------------------------
$ 88,344 $ 3,090 $ 1,281 $ 92,715
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
Segment revenues $ - $ - $ - $ -
Segment net loss $ (23) $ (60) $ (674) $ (757)
13. Capital Management
The capital structure of the Company consists of equity
attributable to common shareholders and includes share capital,
contributed surplus, warrants, stock options, accumulated other
comprehensive income and deficit.
The Company manages its capital to maximize its ability to be
able to continue as a going concern and have sufficient capital to
develop its mining projects and take them to production. The
Company's present overall capital risk management strategy remains
unchanged from 2007.
The Company is not subject to any externally imposed capital
requirements.
14. Financial Instruments
The fair values of financial instruments at March 31, 2008 and
December 31, 2007 is summarized as follows:
(000's) March 31, 2008 December 31, 2007
-------------------------------------------------
Estimated Carrying Estimated Carrying
Financial Assets Fair Value Value Fair Value Value
-------------------------------------------------
Cash and cash equivalents $ 17,104 $ 17,104 $ 17,127 $ 17,127
Value added tax and other
receivables 4,879 4,879 3,777 3,777
-------------------------------------------------
$ 21,983 $ 21,983 $ 20,904 $ 20,904
-------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------
Financial Liabilities
Accounts payable and
accrued liabilities $ 9,372 $ 9,372 $ 7,818 $ 7,818
-------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------
Fair values of financial assets and liabilities are made on the
balance sheet date based on market information, if available, or
other information about the financial instruments.
The Company reviews the various financial risks to which it is
exposed and assesses the impact and likelihood of those risks.
These risks may include credit risk, liquidity risk, currency risk,
interest rate risk and other price risks.
Credit Risk
Credit risk is the risk that one party to a financial instrument
will fail to fulfill an obligation and cause the other party to
incur a financial loss. With respect to gold and silver sales,
credit risk is minimal as title does not pass to the buyer until
the cash is received. The Company's credit risk is limited to cash
and cash equivalents, and value-added tax and other receivables.
The Company invests its cash balances in high grade Canadian and
U.S. dollar debt securities, and not asset-backed commercial paper,
in accordance with its Board approved investment policy.
Value-added tax receivables represent amounts owed to the Company
by the Mexican government for goods and services purchased in
Mexico, all of which are expected to be collected in 2008.
Currency Risk
The Company principally operates in Canada, Mexico and the
United States, and to a much lesser extent, Chile, and is therefore
exposed to currency fluctuations denominated in currencies other
than the U.S. dollar, the Company's functional currency. The
Company's cash and cash equivalents, valued added tax and other
receivables, and accounts payable and accrued liabilities that are
held in Canadian dollars and Mexican pesos are therefore subject to
fluctuations against the U.S. dollar, which may have an impact on
the profitability of the Company. The Company does not have any
currency hedges in place to mitigate this risk.
Financial assets and liabilities held in Canadian dollars and
Mexican pesos as of March 31, 2008 are as follows:
(000's) March 31, 2008
---------------------------
Canadian Mexican
Financial Asset and Liabilities dollars pesos
Cash and cash equivalents $ 6,845 P$ 4,193
Value added tax and other receivables 52 50,967
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities (446) (28,890)
---------------------------
Net financial assets $ 6,451 P$ 26,270
---------------------------
---------------------------
U.S. dollar equivalent $ 6,305 P$ 2,455
---------------------------
---------------------------
A 10% strengthening (weakening) in the March 31, 2008 exchange
rates for the above currencies relative to the U.S. dollar would
have resulted in an increase (decrease) in net income of
approximately $0.8 million or ($1.0) million, respectively. There
would have been no effect on accumulated other comprehensive
loss.
Interest Rate Risk
The Company's interest rate risk is limited to the risk that the
fair value of future cash flows from a financial instrument will
fluctuate as a result of changes in market prices. The Company's
financial assets and liabilities are not exposed to significant
interest rate risk due to their short-term nature. The Company's
investment policy focuses on the preservation of capital and limits
investments of excess cash into high grade Canadian and U.S. dollar
debt securities.
Liquidity Risk
Liquidity risk is the risk that the Company will encounter
difficulty in raising funds to meet commitments associated with
financial instruments. The Company has an extensive planning and
budgeting process in place to determine the funds required to
support its ongoing operating requirements and capital expenditure
plans. The Company manages liquidity by appropriately using a line
of credit, if required, to meet its short-term operating
requirements, after taking into account expected cash flow from
operations, the exercise of warrants and holdings of cash and cash
equivalents. The Company does not invest in asset-backed commercial
paper.
Commodity Price Risk
The Company is subject to price risk for fluctuations in the
market price of gold and silver. The Company's earnings and cash
flows are subject to price risk due to fluctuations in the market
price of gold and, to a lesser extent, silver. World gold prices
have historically fluctuated widely. World gold prices are affected
by numerous factors beyond our control, including:
- the strength of the U.S. economy and the economies of other
industrialized and developing nations;
- global or regional political or economic crises;
- the relative strength of the U.S. dollar and other
currencies
- expectations with respect to the rate of inflation;
- interest rates;
- purchases and sales of gold by central banks and other
holders;
- demand for jewelry containing gold; and
- investment activity, including speculation, in gold as a
commodity.
The Company has elected not to enter into hedging activities to
mitigate gold or silver price risk.
The Company is also subject to price risk for fluctuations in
the cost of energy, principally electricity and purchased petroleum
products. Our production costs are also affected by the prices of
commodities we consume or use in our operations, such as lime,
reagents and explosives. The prices of such commodities are
influenced by supply and demand trends affecting the mining
industry in general and other factors outside our control. The
Company has not entered into any hedging activities to mitigate
these price risks.
15. Contingencies
In 2007, the Company terminated its mining contract with its
mining contractor at the Cerro San Pedro mine. The mining
contractor maintains that it was not paid for all amounts owed
under the mining contract, including early contract termination
fees, and has filed an arbitration claim against the Company for
$16.6 million plus value added taxes. The Company has filed a
counterclaim against the mining contractor for $2.5 million. The
arbitration proceedings are scheduled to take place in Denver,
Colorado in November 2008; however, the outcome of the arbitration
proceedings cannot be determined at the present time.
The Company has been notified of various lawsuits and legal
actions that have been filed by a group of project opponents
against various governmental agencies, who are seeking to nullify
various permits and licenses that have been granted to the Company
with respect to its Cerro San Pedro mine. Various lawsuits and
legal actions have been filed by members of this group over the
past four years. Those lawsuits that have had final rulings have
all been resolved in favor of the various governmental agencies. In
the event of an adverse ruling from any of the unresolved lawsuits,
the Company's operations may be negatively impacted.
Metallica Resources is a Canadian gold and silver producer. It
currently has 96.4 million shares outstanding and no debt. For
further details on Metallica Resources, please visit the company's
website at www.metal-res.com.
INFORMATION IN THIS NEWS RELEASE THAT IS NOT CURRENT OR
HISTORICAL FACTUAL INFORMATION MAY CONSTITUTE FORWARD-LOOKING
INFORMATION OR STATEMENTS WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE UNITED STATES
PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995 AND APPLICABLE
CANADIAN SECURITIES LEGISLATION. STATEMENTS IN THIS PRESS RELEASE
THAT ADDRESS ACTIVITIES, EVENTS OR DEVELOPMENTS THAT MANAGEMENT OF
THE COMPANY EXPECTS OR ANTICIPATES WILL OR MAY OCCUR IN THE FUTURE,
ARE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
FINANCIAL AND OPERATING RESULTS AND ESTIMATES; STATEMENTS
CONCERNING ANTICIPATED FUTURE PERFORMANCE AND IMPROVEMENTS AT THE
CERRO SAN PEDRO MINE INCLUDING: COST CONTAINMENT, REVIEWS OF MINE
PLANS AND SCHEDULES, TARGETED PRODUCTION LEVELS AND POTENTIAL FOR
INCREASES IN PRODUCTION RATES, PROJECTED GOLD AND SILVER
RECOVERIES, CASH COSTS OF GOLD PRODUCTION AND ANTICIPATED STRIP
RATIO; STATEMENTS CONCERNING MARKETS FOR GOLD, SILVER AND OTHER
COMMODITIES; PLANS TO INCREASE THE COMPANY'S OPERATING MARGIN;
TIMING AND RESULTS FOR THE FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THE EL MORRO
PROJECT; AND STATEMENTS CONCERNING THE PROPOSED BUSINESS
COMBINATION BETWEEN THE COMPANY, NEW GOLD INC. AND PEAK GOLD LTD.
INCLUDING EXPECTED MARKET CAPITALIZATION AND PLANNED MINING
OPERATIONS FOR THE COMBINED ENTITY. IMPLICIT IN THIS INFORMATION,
PARTICULARLY IN RESPECT OF STATEMENTS AS TO FUTURE OPERATING
RESULTS AND ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE OF THE COMPANY, AND RESOURCES AND
RESERVES AT THE COMPANY'S MINERAL PROJECTS, ARE ASSUMPTIONS
REGARDING PROJECTED REVENUE AND EXPENSE, GOLD, SILVER AND COPPER
PRICES, AND MINING COSTS. THESE ASSUMPTIONS, ALTHOUGH CONSIDERED
REASONABLE BY THE COMPANY AT THE TIME OF PREPARATION, MAY PROVE TO
BE INCORRECT.
READERS ARE CAUTIONED THAT ACTUAL RESULTS ARE SUBJECT TO A
NUMBER OF RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES, INCLUDING RISKS RELATING TO
GENERAL ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND MINING OPERATIONS, AND COULD DIFFER
MATERIALLY FROM WHAT IS CURRENTLY EXPECTED. THESE FACTORS INCLUDE,
AMONG OTHERS: RISKS RELATED TO OUR RECENT TRANSITION FROM
EXPLORATION COMPANY TO GOLD AND SILVER PRODUCER AND OUR LIMITED
HISTORY OF METAL PRODUCTION ON OUR PROPERTIES; RISKS RELATED TO OUR
RECENT START OF PRODUCTION AT OUR CERRO SAN PEDRO MINE INCLUDING,
AMONG OTHERS, RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH OPERATION OF A MINE; RISKS
RELATING TO HIRING AND RETAINING QUALIFIED PERSONNEL; RISKS OF
ENCOUNTERING UNEXPECTED GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS OR UNANTICIPATED
VARIATIONS IN GRADE; RISKS RELATING TO OBTAINING EQUIPMENT AND
POTENTIAL EQUIPMENT PERFORMANCE PROBLEMS AND METALLURGICAL AND
OTHER PROCESSING PROBLEMS; RISKS OF UNFORESEEN OCCURRENCES
INCLUDING UNEXPECTED WEATHER CONDITIONS, FLOODING, POWER OUTAGES,
ACCIDENTS AND FORCE MAJEURE FACTORS; UNANTICIPATED OPERATING COST
INCREASES INCLUDING PERSONNEL, EQUIPMENT, PROCESSING AND
TRANSPORTATION COSTS. THE FOREGOING RISKS, AMONG OTHERS, COULD
IMPAIR OUR ABILITY TO ACHIEVE ANTICIPATED PRODUCTION VOLUMES,
SCHEDULES AND CASH AND TOTAL COSTS WITH RESPECT TO THE CERRO SAN
PEDRO MINE AND ANY OTHER PROPERTIES WE MAY DEVELOP. OTHER RISKS
RELATING TO OUR MINING AND EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES INCLUDE:
UNCERTAINTY OF OBTAINING ADDITIONAL FUNDING; VOLATILITY OF THE
PRICES OF GOLD, SILVER AND OTHER COMMODITIES; UNCERTAINTY OF
FEASIBILITY STUDY RESULTS AND ESTIMATES ON WHICH SUCH RESULTS ARE
BASED; UNCERTAINTY OF MINERAL RESERVE AND RESOURCE ESTIMATES;
EFFECTS ON OUR OPERATIONS OF CURRENT AND PROSPECTIVE GOVERNMENTAL
REGULATIONS; AND RISKS RELATING TO PERMITTING REQUIREMENTS AND OUR
ABILITY TO TIMELY OBTAIN OR RENEW PERMITS, AS WELL AS THOSE SET
FORTH UNDER THE HEADING "ITEM 3. KEY INFORMATION - D) RISK FACTORS"
IN THE COMPANY'S LATEST ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 20-F FILED WITH THE
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION AND CANADIAN REGULATORY
AUTHORITIES. WE ARE ALSO SUBJECT TO RISKS RELATING TO THE PROPOSED
COMBINATION WITH NEW GOLD INC. AND PEAK GOLD LTD. INCLUDING RISKS
THAT THE COMBINATION WILL BE DELAYED OR NOT COMPLETED AT ALL, AND
RISKS THAT THE PERFORMANCE OF A COMBINED ENTITY WILL NOT MEET
EXPECTATIONS FOR OPERATING PERFORMANCE, MARKET PERFORMANCE OR OTHER
FACTORS.
THE COMPANY DISCLAIMS ANY INTENTION OR OBLIGATION, EXCEPT AS MAY
BE REQUIRED UNDER APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS, TO UPDATE OR REVISE
ANY FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS, WHETHER AS A RESULT OF NEW
INFORMATION, FUTURE EVENTS OR OTHERWISE.
Contacts: Metallica Resources Inc. Rhonda Bennetto Director
Investor Relations (303) 640-3292 Website: www.metal-res.com
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