Thompson Creek Metals Increases Production
DENVER, CO - Thompson Creek Metals Company Inc. reported production results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2014 for its three operating mines, Mt. Milligan, Thompson Creek and Endako. Total concentrate production for Mt. Milligan for the quarter ended June 30, 2014 was 29.7 thousand dry tones, with 16.0 million pounds of payable copper and 37.0 thousand ounces of payable gold. Total concentrate production for Mt. Milligan for the six months ended June 30, 2014 was 57.9 thousand dry tones, with 30.3 million pounds of payable copper and 76.2 thousand ounces of payable gold. Molybdenum production was 7.5 million pounds for the second quarter of 2014 and 15.4 million pounds for the first six months of 2014.
The ramp-up at Mt. Milligan continues to progress well with mine pit grades and metal recoveries as expected, and mill throughput steadily improving. During the second quarter of 2014, the Company made three shipments of copper and gold concentrate under its sales agreements and received provisional payments for all three of those shipments. The Company received an additional provisional payment for a shipment that took place in the first quarter of 2014. The timing of the gold and copper concentrate shipments and related provisional payments from Mt. Milligan are based on the structure of the Company's sales agreements.
"We are pleased with our production results and safety performance for this quarter, and in particular, with the operational performance at Mt. Milligan Mine," said Jacques Perron, Chief Executive Officer of Thompson Creek. "After a number of adjustments in April and May, we achieved an average of 48,065 tones per day for the month of June with a record daily mill throughput of 63,970 tones on June 16. These operational results are significant milestones for us at this stage of the ramp-up. We continue to expect fluctuations in mill throughput until 75 - 80% of design capacity is reached later this year."
At Thompson Creek Mine, molybdenum production for the second quarter of 2014 was better than expected primarily due to higher ore grades and mill recoveries. Mining of Phase 7 ore is expected to be completed in the third quarter of this year, with stockpiled ore being processed thereafter.
At Endako Mine, molybdenum production for the second quarter of 2014 was lower than expected. Operational challenges associated with maintaining a consistent feed from the mine to the mill, tailings operational issues, and lower than expected ore grades and recoveries during the second quarter adversely impacted production results.
Thompson Creek Metals Company Inc. is a diversified North American mining company. The Company's principal operating properties are its 100%-owned Thompson Creek Mine, an open-pit molybdenum mine and concentrator in Idaho, its 100%-owned Mt. Milligan Mine, an open-pit copper and gold mine and concentrator in British Columbia, a 75% joint venture interest in the Endako Mine, an open-pit molybdenum mine, concentrator and roaster in British Columbia, and the Langeloth Metallurgical Facility in Pennsylvania.