Gammon Continues Production Ramp-up During Third Quarter, Production Increases 10%
By Gammon Gold Inc., PRNEMonday, October 11, 2010
TSX: GAM / NYSE: GRS / BSX: GL7
TORONTO, October 12, 2010 - Gammon Gold Inc. ("Gammon") (TSX:GAM and NYSE:GRS): is pleased to provide
preliminary third quarter results for its Ocampo mine where production
increased by 10% over the prior quarterly production result. All figures
reported are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated.
The benefits of the strategic capital program completed over the past
two years are evident in the quarter over quarter improvements reported at
the Ocampo mine. Despite heavy seasonal rainfalls in the third quarter,
the mine reported increased productivity and reduced cash costs as the
capital program and the strong operating team has mitigated the impact on
mining operations.
Based on the positive momentum achieved at Ocampo, the Company confirms
that it expects to achieve its production and cash cost guidance for 2010.
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Ocampo Key Performance Metrics - Third Quarter 2010
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Percent Change
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Q3 vs. Q3 vs.
Production Q1-2010 Q2-2010 Q3-2010 Q1 Q2
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Gold Ounces Produced 21,855 24,963 27,018 24% 8%
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Silver Ounces Produced 960,817 1,066,998 1,189,769 24% 12%
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Gold Equivalency Rate
(Realized) 66 65 64 -3% -1%
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Gold Eq. Ounces Produced
(Realized) 36,546 41,362 45,520 24% 10%
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Gold Eq. Ounces Produced
(55:1)(2) 39,325 44,363 48,650 24% 10%
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Q3 vs. Q3 vs.
Total Cash Costs Q1-2010 Q2-2010 Q3-2010 Q1 Q2
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Cash Costs per Gold Eq.
Ounce (Realized)(1) $458 $461 $443 -3% -4%
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Cash Costs per Gold Eq.
Ounce (55:1)(1)(2) $423 $430 $414 -2% -4%
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(1) Cash costs for the third quarter 2010 have not been finalized and are
subject to adjustment
(2) Comparative performance metrics using the Company's long term gold
equivalency guidance ratio (55:1)
"We continue to report solid traction from Ocampo which is consistently
operating to plan design. Moreover, we are now starting to see opportunities
from new discoveries that will underpin the long term potential of this
asset." stated René Marion, President and Chief Executive Officer. He
continued, "While we experienced the most severe rainy season since 2006, our
operating practices and expansion programs commissioned over the past two
years have allowed our operating team to continue reporting increased
production and reduced operating costs despite the impact of this annual
climatic challenge."
Third Quarter Ocampo Operational Highlights
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- During the third quarter the Ocampo mine continued to report improving
productivity. In the quarter the Ocampo mine produced 27,018 gold
ounces and 1,189,769 silver ounces, or 48,650 gold equivalent ounces
using the Company's long-term gold-to-silver ratio of 55:1.
- Total cash costs in the third quarter at Ocampo were $414 per gold
equivalent ounce using the Company's long-term gold-to-silver ratio
of 55:1.
- Utilizing Ocampo's silver revenues as a by-product cost credit, third
quarter total cash costs were negative $116 per gold ounce.
- Production from the NE underground mine continued to exceed targeted
levels and reported an average of 1,596 tonnes per day in the quarter
at grades consistent with the second quarter. Supported by the
redeployment of contract workers from El Cubo in late June, combined
development at both the NE and Santa Eduviges underground mines
increased by 68% over Q1 levels and 38% over Q2, with almost 6.6
kilometres of development completed during the quarter.
- Development of Santa Eduviges, the second underground mine at Ocampo,
has been accelerated over the past nine months with 1,271 metres of
development completed to date. We anticipate that the Santa Eduviges
mine will contribute 250 tonnes per day of production during the
latter part of the fourth quarter ramping up to 500 tonnes per day in
2011.
- On September 20, 2010, the Company reported the addition of 127,750
gold equivalent ounces (using the Company's long-term gold equivalency
ratio of 55:1) in Proven and Probable Reserves at three new
discoveries made at Ocampo. These three new deposits were discovered
through the first phase drilling program during the first half of 2010
and will be incorporated into the 2010 Reserves and Resources
Statement along with additional Reserves and Resources delineated
through the Company's ongoing drilling program at Ocampo
in the second half of the year.
About Gammon Gold
Gammon Gold Inc. is a mid-tier gold and silver producer with properties
in Mexico. Gammon's flagship Ocampo Property in Chihuahua State achieved
commercial production in January 2007. Gammon also owns the suspended
El Cubo mine in Guanajuato State and has the promising Guadalupe y Calvo
development property in Chihuahua State. Gammon recently completed option
purchase agreements to acquire the Mezquite Project in Zacatecas State,
Mexico and the Venus project located north of the Ocampo mine. Gammon
also recently signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Los Jaros
Project in Chihuahua State. Since 2008, the Company has increased its
Mexican land position by over 59% and has made strategic investments
in Golden Queen Mining Co. Ltd. and Corex Gold Corporation. The
Company's Executive Office is located in Toronto, Ontario.
Cautionary Statement
Cautionary Note to US Investors - The United States Securities and
Exchange Commission permits US mining companies, in their filings with the
SEC, to disclose only those mineral deposits that a company can economically
and legally extract or produce. This press release uses certain terms, such
as "measured," "indicated," and "inferred" "resources," that the SEC
guidelines strictly prohibit US registered companies from including in their
filings with the SEC. US Investors are urged to consider closely the
disclosure in Gammon Gold's Annual Report on Form 40-F/A, which may be
secured from Gammon Gold, or from the SEC's website at
www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml.
No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority
has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.
Certain statements included herein, including information
as to the future financial or operating performance of the Company, its
subsidiaries and its projects, constitute forward-looking statements. The
words "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "contemplate", "target", "plan",
"intends", "continue", "budget", "estimate", "forecast", "may", "will",
"schedule" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements regarding
targets, estimates and assumptions in respect of gold and silver production
and prices, operating costs, results and capital expenditures, mineral
reserves and mineral resources and anticipated grades, recovery rates, future
financial or operating performance, margins, operating and exploration
expenditures, costs and timing of the development of new deposits, costs and
timing of construction, costs and timing of future exploration and
reclamation expenses including, anticipated 2010 and 2011 results, operating
performance projections for 2010 and 2011, our ability to fully fund our
business model internally, 2010 and 2011 gold and silver production and the
cash and operating costs associated therewith, the ability to achieve
productivity and operational efficiencies, further improvements to silver
recoveries resulting from improvements to the Ocampo mill and the timing of
each thereof. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number
of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the
Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic,
competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many
factors could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from
those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements made by, or on
behalf of, the Company. Such factors include, among others, known and unknown
uncertainties and risks relating to additional funding requirements, reserve
and resource estimates, commodity prices, hedging activities, exploration,
development and operating risks, illegal miners, political and foreign risk,
uninsurable risks, competition, limited mining operations, production risks,
environmental regulation and liability, government regulation, currency
fluctuations, recent losses and write-downs, restrictions in the Company's
loan facility, dependence on key employees, possible variations of ore grade
or recovery rates, failure of plant, equipment or process to operate as
anticipated, accidents and labour disputes. Investors are cautioned that
forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and,
accordingly, investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on
forward-looking statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein.
For further information: please visit the Gammon Gold website at
www.gammongold.com or contact: René Marion, Chief Executive Officer,
Gammon Gold Inc., +1-416-646-3825; Anne Day, Director of Investor Relations,
Gammon Gold Inc., +1-902-468-0614
For further information: please contact: René Marion, Chief Executive Officer,
Gammon Gold Inc., +1-416-646-3825; Anne Day, Director of Investor Relations,
Gammon Gold Inc., +1-902-468-0614
