Message #22 From:
NewsBot Date: November 14, 2006 03:30:00 PM
AGT News Apollo Gold Reports Third Quarter 2006 Results
DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apollo Gold Corporation (“Apollo”
or the “Company”)
(AMEX: AGT)(TSX: APG) announced today a net loss of $5.4 million, or
$0.04 per share, for the three months ended September 30, 2006, as
compared to a net loss of $7.2 million, or $0.07 per share, for the
three months ended September 30, 2005. The net loss for the nine months
ended September 30, 2006 was $12.1 million, or $0.10 per share, compared
to a net loss of $18.0 million, or $0.18 per share, for the same period
2005. Unless otherwise indicated, all dollar amounts are reported in US
currency.
R. David Russell, President and CEO of Apollo, said, “We
are pleased with the progress on the remediation program at our Montana
Tunnels mine which is being financed by our joint venture partner
Elkhorn Tunnels, LLC (“Elkhorn”).
(Weekly photographs of the work being carried out are available on our
web page www.apollogold.com). We
are on schedule for the mill to recommence operations in early 2007.
Following the submission of our 43-101 for our Black Fox Project, we
contracted SRK Consulting to undertake a reserve study of our
underground resources and also complete a feasibility study of both the
open pit and underground project in 2007.”
Third Quarter Highlights
Montana Tunnels– On July 28, 2006, we
entered into a joint venture agreement (“JV
Agreement”) with Elkhorn pursuant to which
Elkhorn may make scheduled financial contributions in exchange for up to
a 50% interest in the Montana Tunnels mine. With the expected financial
contributions from Elkhorn, we plan to bring the Montana Tunnels mine
back into production in February 2007. Recruitment of equipment
maintenance personnel commenced on August 10, 2006 followed by the
hiring of mine operating personnel during the first week of September.
On September 10, 2006 remediation within the open pit recommenced and at
September 30, 2006, 642,000 tons of waste had been mined. As at November
8, 2006, the tonnage mined had risen to approximately 3,000,000 tons.
The overall remediation plan, which was developed in conjunction with a
third party consultant Knight Piesold, calls for the unloading of
5,000,000 tons from the upper benches of the open pit to mitigate rock
fall hazards. The plan also calls for a new, wider haul ramp and the
removal of 2,500,000 tons of waste from the pit bottom. We expect the
mill to commence operations in February 2007. As at September 30, 2006,
Elkhorn had contributed $3.1 million towards its earn-in requirement of
$13.0 million. As at November 14, 2006, Elkhorn had contributed $5.0
million, which is sufficient for Elkhorn to earn an initial 15% interest
in the Montana Tunnels mine.
Black Fox– On August 14, 2006, we
filed a Canadian National Instrument 43-101 (“43-101”)
resources study for our Black Fox Project located near Timmins, Ontario.
The report showed an open pit reserve of 448,800 ounces of gold
(3,062,000 tonnes at 4.56 grams/ton) indicating a $77.3 million pre-tax
cash flow (0% discount) at $600 per ounce gold price with operating
costs of $256 per ounce. We report no reserves at Black Fox under SEC
Industry Guide 7, which requires a final bankable feasibility study.
In addition to the above reserves, the report also showed the following
indicated and inferred resources:
Tonnes
000’s
Grade
g Au/t
Grade
oz Au/t
Open Pit - Material
Indicated Resource
2,356
3.27
0.105
Inferred Resource
6,626
4.00
0.129
Underground - Material
Indicated Resource
1,004
9.66
0.311
Inferred Resource
1,228
9.71
0.312
Non-Reserve Mineral Resources
Cautionary Note to US Investors concerning estimates of Indicated
Mineral Resources. This press release uses the term “indicated
mineral resources.” We advise US investors
that while the term is recognized and required by Canadian regulations,
the US Securities and Exchange Commission does not recognize it. US
investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of the
mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted into mineral
reserves.
Cautionary Note to US Investors concerning estimates of Inferred
Mineral Resources. This press release uses the term “inferred
mineral resources.” We advise US investors
that while the term is recognized and required by Canadian regulations,
the US Securities and Exchange Commission does not recognize it. “Inferred
mineral resources” have a great amount of
uncertainty as to their existence, and great uncertainty as to their
economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any
part of an inferred mineral resource will ever be upgraded to a higher
category. In accordance with Canadian rules, estimates of inferred
mineral resources cannot form the basis of feasibility or other economic
studies. US investors are cautioned not to assume that part or all of
the inferred mineral resource exists, or is economically or legally
minable.
Equity Offerings– Subsequent to the
third quarter we completed the following equity offerings:
(1) On October 30, 2006, the Company completed an offering of 2,222,221
flow-through units of the Company at Cdn$0.45 per unit to the
MineralFields Group for net proceeds of Cdn$903,000. Each flow-through
unit is comprised of one flow-through common share of the Company and
one-half of one share purchase warrant, each whole warrant exercisable
into one common share of the Company for a period of two years from
closing at an exercise price of Cdn$1.00 for the first twelve months and
Cdn$1.15 for the last twelve months.
(2) On November 9, 2006, the Company completed an offering of
approximately 16.7 million units of the Company at $0.30 per unit for
net proceeds of approximately $4.6 million. Each unit sold in the
offering consists of one common share and one-half of one warrant to
purchase one common share at $0.50 exercisable for three years after
closing.
Loss from Continuing Operations – The
Company had a loss from continuing operations of $5.4 million, or $0.04
per share, for the three months ended September 30, 2006 compared to a
loss of $3.6 million, or $0.04 per share, for the same period 2005. The
loss from continuing operations for the nine months ended September 30,
2006 was $11.9 million, or $0.10, as compared to a loss of $12.0
million, or $0.12 per share, for the same period 2005. The increase in
loss from continuing operations for the three and nine months ended
September 30, 2006 over the same periods in 2005 are mainly the result
of (1) the cessation of all production operations at the Montana Tunnels
mine on May 12, 2006 and (2) the recommencing of mining activities at
the Montana Tunnels mine in August 2006 when recruitment of operational
personnel began and in September 2006 when mining and remediation of the
open pit began following the signing of the JV agreement with Elkhorn.
Loss from Discontinued Operations –
Loss from discontinued operations was nil for the three months ended
September 30, 2006 compared to a loss of $3.6 million, or $0.03 per
share, for the same period 2005. The loss from discontinued operations
for the nine months ended September 30, 2006 was $0.3 million, as
compared to a loss of $6.0 million, or $0.06 per share, for the same
period 2005.
Consolidated Financial Results Summary
(All Dollars in US, 000's unless otherwise stated)
Three months ended
September 30,
Nine months ended
September 30,
2006
2005
2006
2005
Loss from continuing operations
$(5,370)
$(3,614)
$(11,890)
$(12,006)
Loss from discontinued operations
–
(3,599)
(250)
(5,954)
Net loss for the period
(5,370)
(7,213)
(12,140)
(17,960)
Basic and diluted net loss per share from (US$):
Continuing operations
$(0.04)
$(0.04)
$(0.10)
$(0.12)
Discontinued operations
–
(0.03)
–
(0.06)
(0.04)
(0.07)
(0.10)
(0.18)
Basic and undiluted shares (weighted average) outstanding (millions
of shares)
Apollo is a gold mining and exploration company with the Montana Tunnels
mine in Montana, the Black Fox advanced stage development project in
Ontario, Canada, and the Huizopa project, an early stage exploration
project in the Sierra Madres in Chihuahua, Mexico.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release includes forward-looking statements the meaning of
section 21E of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended, with respect to our financial condition, results of
operations, business prospects, plans, objectives, goals, strategies,
future events, capital expenditure, and exploration and development
efforts. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of
words such as “may,”“should,”“expects,”“plans,”“anticipates,”“believes,”“estimates,”“predicts,”“intends,”“continue,” or the
negative of such terms, or other comparable terminology. These
statements include comments regarding: our ability to effectively
remediate the pit and wall instability problems at the Montana Tunnels
mine, our plan to bring the Montana Tunnels mine back into production in
February 2007, future cash flow from the Montana Tunnels mine, future
financial contributions by Elkhorn in respect of the joint venture at
Montana Tunnels, planned underground reserve study at Black Fox and
resource estimates. These forward looking statements are subject to
numerous risks, uncertainties and assumptions including unexpected
changes in business and economic conditions, the results of independent
Canadian NI 43-101 reports, the results of current and future
exploration activities, and other factors disclosed under the heading “Risk
Factors” in Apollo’s
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005 and
elsewhere in documents that Apollo files from time to time with the
Toronto Stock Exchange, The American Stock Exchange, The United States
Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulatory authorities.
There can be no assurance that future developments affecting the Company
will be those anticipated by management. The forecasts contained in this
press release constitute management's current estimates, as of the date
of this press release, with respect to the matters covered thereby.
Apollo disclaims any obligation to update forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.