Ero Copper Reports Second Quarter 2023 Operating and Financial Results

(all amounts in US dollars, unless otherwise noted)

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 03, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ero Copper Corp. (TSX: ERO, : ERO) (“Ero” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce its operating and financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2023. Management will host a conference call tomorrow, Friday, August 4, 2023, at 11:30 a.m. eastern time to discuss the results. Dial-in details for the call can be found near the end of this press release.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Copper production of 12,004 tonnes at C1 cash costs^(*) of $1.52 per pound of copper produced
• Gold production of 12,333 ounces at C1 cash costs^(*) and All-in Sustaining Costs (“AISC”)^(*) of $492 and $1,081, respectively, per ounce of gold produced
• Meaningful quarter-on-quarter increase in copper production offset lower realized copper prices and a stronger Brazilian Real (“BRL”) during the period
  • Net income attributable to the owners of the Company of $29.6 million ($0.32 per share on a diluted basis)
  • Adjusted net income attributable to the owners of the Company^(*) of $22.3 million ($0.24 per share on a diluted basis)
  • Adjusted EBITDA^(*) of $49.1 million
• Available liquidity at quarter-end of $330.4 million included cash and cash equivalents of $124.4 million, short-term investments of $56.0 million, and $150.0 million of undrawn availability under the Company’s senior secured revolving credit facility
• Major strategic initiatives continue to progress on schedule, positioning the Company for significant near-term growth
  • Construction of the Tucumã Project reached approximately 45% physical completion as of quarter-end. Total project capital estimate remains unchanged at approximately $305 million
  • At the Caraíba Operations, the pre-sink phase of development at the new external shaft was completed during the quarter with the headgear and winder installation on track to commence main sinking prior to year-end. Approximately 80% of planned capital expenditures were under contract or in the final stages of negotiation at quarter-end and remain within 5% of budget
  • At the Xavantina Operations, horizontal development into the new Matinha vein was completed during the quarter with first production expected in H2 2023
• Reaffirming 2023 production and C1 cash cost^(*) guidance; increasing full-year capital expenditure guidance by $15 to $20 million to reflect proactive investments at the Caraíba Operations
  • After conducting a detailed review of major projects and support infrastructure at the Caraíba Operations during the quarter, including infrastructure related to the Deepening, underground paste fill and tailings, the Company has elected to invest in various upgrades throughout H2 2023. These enhancements aim to bolster the Caraíba Operations’ ongoing projects and support expanded life-of-mine operating plans at the Pilar Mine
    

*These are non-IFRS measures and do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and might not be comparable to similar financial measures disclosed by other issuers. Please refer to the Company’s discussion of Non-IFRS measures in its Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the three and six months ended June 30, 2023 and the Reconciliation of Non-IFRS Measures section at the end of this press release.

“We continued to deliver on our full-year operating plan during the second quarter while making significant progress on our organic growth initiatives,” said David Strang, Chief Executive Officer. “Despite softer copper prices and a significant strengthening of the BRL, excellent performance at our operations translated into solid operating margins and financial results for the quarter.

“Looking ahead, we anticipate a stronger second half of 2023 as we target commissioning of the new ball mill for our plant expansion project at the Caraíba Operations during the fourth quarter, and produce first ore from the recently developed Matinha vein at the Xavantina Operations.

“Construction of the Tucumã Project continues to advance on schedule and is nearing the halfway mark at approximately 45% physical completion. Electromechanical assembly of the process plant is now underway, and mine pre-strip remains on track to reach first sulphide ore in the fourth quarter of this year, as planned. At the Caraíba Operations, we completed the pre-sink phase of development at the new external shaft, achieving approximately 25% physical completion as of quarter-end. We are now in the process of hoisting the pre-assembled headframe to commence main shaft sinking activities prior to year-end.

“As the world’s focus on security of critical minerals supply chains grows more urgent, the timing of our growth trajectory appears increasingly favorable. We are proud to produce some of the lowest carbon-intensity metals in the world and remain on track to double copper production to over 100,000 tonnes in 2025 and achieve higher sustained gold production levels of 55,000 to 60,000 ounces per year beginning in 2024.”

SECOND QUARTER REVIEW

• Mining & Milling Operations
  • The Caraíba Operations processed 840,821 tonnes of ore grading 1.55% copper, producing 12,004 tonnes of copper in concentrate during the quarter after metallurgical recoveries of 92.0%
    • Higher mined tonnage and copper grades due to planned stope sequencing drove an increase in copper production of nearly 30% quarter-on-quarter
  • The Xavantina Operations processed 34,377 tonnes of ore grading 13.20 grams per tonne, delivering 12,333 ounces of gold production after metallurgical recoveries of 84.6%
    • Processed gold grades increased over 11% quarter-on-quarter and 100% year-on-year
    • Metallurgical recoveries were impacted by elevated in-process inventory at quarter-end as well as elevated carbon content in several high-grade stopes mined and processed during the period
    • By-product silver production for the period was 8,579 ounces
      

• Organic Growth Projects
  • The Company significantly advanced the construction of its Tucumã Project, which remains on schedule, achieving physical completion of approximately 45% as of quarter-end, up from approximately 30% at the end of Q1 2023
    • Mine pre-stripping is advancing as planned with over 5 million tonnes, or approximately 35% of total planned pre-strip volume, completed as of quarter-end. The mine remains on track to reach first sulphide ore in Q4 2023
    • Civil works are also tracking to schedule with foundations for the primary crusher, ball mill and flotation areas completed during the quarter. Electromechanical assembly commenced just after quarter-end, as planned
    • Total project capital estimate remains unchanged at approximately $305 million based on over 95% visibility of planned capital expenditures
    • Workforce training programs, established in partnership with The National Service for Industrial Training, a Brazilian non-profit organization focused on improving the competitiveness of Brazil’s manufacturing sector through technical and vocational education, are now well underway with nearly 100% of employees and contractors expected to come from within Brazil, including approximately two-thirds from communities surrounding the Tucumã Project
  • At the Caraíba Operations, the Company is focused on advancing its Pilar 3.0 initiative, designed to support sustained annual ore production levels of 3.0 million tonnes. The components of Pilar 3.0 include (i) Project Honeypot, an engineering initiative focused on recovering higher-grade material in the upper levels of the Pilar Mine, (ii) an expansion of the Caraíba mill from 3.0 to 4.2 million tonnes of annual throughput capacity, and (iii) construction of a new external shaft to service the lower levels of the Pilar Mine, including the Deepening Extension Zone
    • Construction of the new external shaft remains on schedule. The 40-meter pre-sink phase of shaft development was completed during the quarter, and the main sinking stage was successfully hoisted into the shaft subsequent to quarter-end. Hoisting of the pre-assembled headframe is currently underway with main shaft sinking expected to commence prior to year-end. Planned capital expenditures under contract or in the final stages of negotiation were approximately 80% at quarter-end and remains within 5% of budget
    • The Caraíba mill expansion remains on schedule with commissioning of the new ball mill on track to begin late in the year
  • Please see recent images from the Tucumã Project in Figures 1 through 4 and of construction on the Caraíba Operations’ new external shaft in Figures 5 and 6 below
    

Figure 1: July 2023 aerial view of the Tucumã Project, including (A) main substation, (B) crushed ore stockpile and belt feeder, (C) process plant, including ball mill, flotation and filtration, and (D) administrative offices, laboratories, fuel station, and equipment maintenance area.

Figure 2: Civil works underway on the Tucumã Project’s future process plant, including (A) rougher and cleaner flotation cells, (B) Jameson cells, (C) pyrite flotation, and (D) ball mill (July 2023).

Figure 3: Preparation for electromechanical assembly of the ball mill at the Tucumã Project (July 2023).

Figure 4: Construction of primary crusher retaining wall at the Tucumã Project (July 2023).

Figure 5: Hoisting of pre-assembled headframe at the Caraíba Operations’ new external shaft in July 2023.

Figure 6: Construction and assembly of the personnel and material winder building as of July 2023.

OPERATING AND FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

2023 PRODUCTION AND COST GUIDANCE^(*)

The Company is reaffirming its 2023 copper production guidance for the Caraíba Operations of 44,000 to 47,000 tonnes of copper in concentrate. Mill throughput volumes are expected to be slightly lower in Q3 2023 compared to Q2 2023 and higher in Q4 2023 due to the anticipated commissioning of the new ball mill. Combined with expected copper grade variations related to planned stope sequencing, copper production is expected to decrease slightly in Q3 2023 before increasing in the last quarter of the year.

The Company is also maintaining its full-year C1 cash cost guidance for the Caraíba Operations of $1.40 and $1.60 per pound of copper produced. Unit operating costs are expected to be slightly higher in Q3 2023 compared to Q2 2023 and lowest in the last quarter of the year due to anticipated variations in quarterly mined and processed copper grades as well as total copper production.

At the Xavantina Operations, the Company is reaffirming its 2023 gold production guidance range of 50,000 to 53,000 ounces with slightly higher gold production expected in H2 2023 due to increased mill throughput volumes following the expected commencement of production from the Matinha vein.

The Company is also maintaining its full-year C1 cash cost guidance for the Xavantina Operations of $475 and $575 per ounce of gold produced and adjusting its AISC guidance range to $1,000 to $1,100 per ounce of gold produced to reflect the inclusion of sustaining lease payments and other miscellaneous sustaining expenses.

The Company’s cost guidance for 2023 assumes a USD:BRL foreign exchange rate of 5.30, a gold price of $1,725 per ounce and a silver price of $20.00 per ounce.

2023 CAPITAL EXPENDITURE GUIDANCE^(*)

After conducting a detailed review of major projects and support infrastructure at the Caraíba Operations during the quarter, including infrastructure related to the Deepening, underground paste fill and tailings, the Company has elected to invest in various upgrades throughout H2 2023. These enhancements aim to bolster the Caraíba Operations’ ongoing projects and support expanded life-of-mine operating plans at the Pilar Mine. As a result, the Company is increasing its full-year capital expenditure guidance by $15 to $20 million.

The Company’s capital expenditure guidance for 2023 assumes a USD:BRL foreign exchange rate of 5.30 and has been presented below in USD millions.