TORONTO, ONTARIO--(CCNMatthews - May 11, 2005) - Alamos Gold Inc.
(Alamos) (TSX:AGI) announced today the unaudited interim financial
results for the three month period ended March 31, 2005 and current
update of other corporate developments.
All figures in US dollars unless otherwise stated.
Highlights:
- Closed a C$50 million, 5.5% convertible debenture financing in
February 2005;
- Incurred construction costs of $5.7 million at the Mulatos gold
project in the first quarter 2005; first gold pour expected in
third quarter of 2005;
- Equipment expenditures at Mulatos of $6.3 million in the first
quarter 2005;
- Completed 47 drill holes of a 50-hole program at El Salto
adjacent to the Phase I Estrella Pit to expand resources and reserves;
- Loss of $1.1 million ($0.01 per share) compared with $457,407
($0.01 per share).
Results of Operations
Loss for the three month period ended March 31, 2005 was $1.1 million
($0.01 per share) compared with $457,407 ($0.01 per share) for the
comparable period in 2004. Part of the increased loss was attributed to
costs associated with the convertible debentures issued in February
2005, including $313,898 in non-capitalized interest costs (2004 -
$64,902 related to the H. Morgan loan repaid in December 2004), $54,404
in financing costs of which $40,000 related to the amortization of
deferred financing costs for the convertible debenture, and $245,470
relating to the accretion of the debenture discount. A foreign exchange
loss of $93,751 was also incurred in the first quarter of 2005 (2004 - a
gain of $16,430). Offsetting higher operating costs for the first
quarter of 2005 was interest income of $281,171 (2004 - $11,051) earned
on cash balances from funds raised from the November 2004 common share
offering and the February 2005 convertible debentures.
Capital Resources and Liquidity
Alamos had total cash and cash equivalents on hand of $56.3 million, of
which $2.4 million has been set aside to pay the first year interest
charges on the convertible debentures. At March 31, 2005, Alamos
projected $41 million (which includes a $3.0 million contingency
reserve) would be required to complete construction and procurement for
Phase I. Alamos expects to realize revenue from preliminary gold
production by leaching the gold-bearing colluvial material and
run-of-mine ore prior to completing Phase I development at Mulatos. Up
to $5.7 million in exploration costs remain to be spent from the current
year's budget.
Development at Mulatos Project
The project is nearing the planned staffing level for normal operations.
Facility construction is being carried out by 400 workers including
Alamos staff along side specialty contractors. At May 5, 2005,
approximately 27,000 m2 of plastic liner was in place on the leach pad.
About 250,000 tonnes of gold-bearing colluvial material has been
stockpiled near the leach pad and screening is progressing to remove
fines. This material will act as an overliner on the leach pad and is
expected to be the source of initial gold production. Earth work in the
pregnant solution pond is complete and laying of the plastic liner is in
progress. Structural steel and machinery are in place in the gold
recovery plant and piping and electrical work is underway. Generators
are currently being placed in the on-site power station. The crusher
system is being overhauled where necessary and shipping to site is in
progress; earth work at the crusher site is commencing. Temporary truck
shop and assay lab facilities are in operation.
Exploration
A 9,500 meter 50-hole drill program at El Salto, immediately north-west
of the 2 million ounce Estrella Pit is nearing completion. The El Salto
area contains measured and indicated resources that are being upgraded
to reserves by in-fill drilling. Step-out drilling up to 75 meters to
the west of the known resource area has encountered significant gold
mineralization. This includes hole 05ES008 which encountered 1.81 grams
gold per tonne (g/t) over 64 meters. Offsetting this hole at a distance
of 56 meters was hole 05SE030 which returned 3.56 g/t over 44 meters.
Final assays on all drill results should be received in June, following
which Alamos will complete data compilation and resource modeling.
Escondida-El Victor underground drift development has commenced; the El
Victor portion of the tunnel has been advanced 30 meters and is making
the first turn into the main axis of mineralization and planned trend of
the adit. Drill stations along the drift will test mineral continuity
and high-grade structures which are difficult to assess from surface
drilling.
Outlook
Construction is progressing at Mulatos towards a third quarter first
gold pour with feasibility-level production before year end. Alamos also
expects to have an updated reserve model early in the third quarter to
incorporate drill results at El Salto.
Alamos' common shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the
symbol "AGI" and convertible debentures under the symbol "AGI.DB".
John A. McCluskey
President and Chief Executive Officer
Tel: 416-368-9932 x203
Victoria Vargas de Szarzynski
Investor Relations Officer
Tel: 416-368-9932 x201
Email: vvargas@alamosgold.com
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