Caledonia Mining Corporation
Plc
Blanket Mine Q1 2024
Production
Robust production and
increased gold sales at Blanket Mine
(NYSE AMERICAN, AIM and VFEX:
CMCL)
St
Helier, April 10, 2024 - Caledonia Mining Corporation Plc ("Caledonia" or "the
Company") announces gold production from the Blanket Mine in
Zimbabwe ("Blanket") for the quarter ended March 31, 2024 ("Q1
2024" or "the Quarter"). All production numbers are expressed on a
100 per cent basis and are based on the final assay at the
refiners. The increased Q1 2024 production was derived from 8 fewer
production days (9.3% less) compared to quarter 1 in 2023 ("Q1
2023"). This was due to production cut-off for gold delivery set to
March 21, 2024.
Production Summary
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|
Q1 2024 gold production at Blanket
was 17,050 ounces, a 6% increase on Q1 2023.
|
●
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In Q1 2024 Blanket sold 18,450
ounces. This represented a 17% increase from Q1 2023, when 15,797
ounces were sold.
|
●
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Ounces sold in Q1 2024 include 3,057
ounces of gold work in progress classified as inventory at the end
of 2023 (Q1 2024: 1,657 ounces).
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●
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Caledonia reiterates 2024 gold
production guidance at Blanket of 74,000 to 78,000
ounces.1
|
Mark Learmonth, Chief Executive
Officer, said:
"I
am pleased that 2024 production at Blanket has got off to a strong
start with over 17,000 ounces produced in the Quarter which,
considering we had 8 fewer production days compared to Q1 2023, is
an excellent result. With the current high gold prices, it was good
to see our gold sales ounces increase by 17% in Q1 2024 versus Q1
2023.
"Our significant investment in Blanket over the past seven
years and completion of the Central Shaft has nearly doubled
production, extended the mine life and allowed the restart of
underground exploration in 2023. We continue to see Blanket as the
solid foundation for growth as we pursue our strategy to become a
multi-asset gold producer."
Enquiries:
Caledonia Mining Corporation Plc
Mark Learmonth
Camilla Horsfall
|
Tel: +44 1534 679 800
Tel: +44 7817 841 793
|
Cavendish Capital Markets Limited (Nomad and Joint
Broker)
Adrian Hadden
Pearl Kellie
|
Tel: +44 207 397 1965
Tel: +44 131 220 9775
|
Liberum Capital Limited (Joint Broker)
Scott Mathieson/Matt Hogg
|
Tel: +44 20 3100 2000
|
Camarco, Financial PR (UK)
Gordon Poole
Julia Tilley
Elfie Kent
|
Tel: +44 20 3757 4980
|
3PPB (Financial PR, North America)
Patrick Chidley
Paul Durham
|
Tel: +1 917 991 7701
Tel: +1 203 940 2538
|
Curate Public Relations (Zimbabwe)
Debra Tatenda
|
Tel: +263 77802131
|
IH
Securities (Private) Limited (VFEX Sponsor -
Zimbabwe)
Lloyd Mlotshwa
|
Tel: +263
(242) 745 119/33/39
|
________
1 Refer
to the technical report entitled "NI 43-101 Technical Report on the
Blanket Gold Mine, Zimbabwe" with effective date September 1, 2022
prepared by Minxcon (Pty) Ltd filed by the Company on SEDAR
(www.sedar.com) on March 13, 2023.
Note: The information contained
within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute
inside information under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No.
596/2014 ("MAR") as it forms part of UK
domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act
2018 and is disclosed in accordance with the Company's obligations
under Article 17 of MAR.
Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking
Information
Information and statements contained in this news release that
are not historical facts are "forward-looking information" within
the meaning of applicable securities legislation that involve risks
and uncertainties relating, but not limited, to Caledonia's current
expectations, intentions, plans, and beliefs. Forward-looking
information can often be identified by forward-looking words such
as "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "goal", "plan", "target",
"intend", "estimate", "could", "should", "may" and "will" or the
negative of these terms or similar words suggesting future
outcomes, or other expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives,
assumptions, intentions or statements about future events or
performance. The forward-looking information contained in this news
release is based, in part, on assumptions and factors that may
change or prove to be incorrect, thus causing actual results,
performance or achievements to be materially different from those
expressed or implied by forward-looking information. Such
factors and assumptions include, but are not limited to: the
successful implementation of mine plans, the establishment of
estimated resources and reserves, the grade and recovery of
minerals which are mined varying from estimates, success of future
exploration and drilling programs, reliability of drilling,
sampling and assay data, the representativeness of mineralization
being accurate, success of planned metallurgical test-work, capital
availability and accuracy of estimated operating costs, obtaining
required governmental, environmental or other project approvals,
inflation, changes in exchange rates, fluctuations in commodity
prices, delays in the development of projects and Caledonia's
experience of project development in Zimbabwe and other
factors.
To the extent any forward-looking
information herein constitutes a financial outlook or future
oriented financial information, any such statement is made as of
the date hereof and included herein to provide prospective
investors with an understanding of the Company's plans and
assumptions. Security holders, potential
security holders and other prospective investors should be aware
that these statements are subject to known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking
statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to:
risks relating to estimates of mineral reserves and mineral
resources proving to be inaccurate, fluctuations in gold price,
risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral
exploration, development and mining, risks relating to the credit
worthiness or financial condition of suppliers, refiners and other
parties with whom the Company does business; inadequate insurance,
or inability to obtain insurance, to cover these risks and hazards,
employee relations; relationships with and claims by local
communities and indigenous populations; political risk; risks
related to natural disasters, terrorism, civil unrest, public
health concerns (including health epidemics or outbreaks of
communicable diseases such as the coronavirus (COVID-19));
availability and increasing costs associated with mining inputs and
labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and
development, including the risks of obtaining or maintaining
necessary licenses and permits, diminishing quantities or grades of
mineral reserves as mining occurs; global financial condition, the
actual results of current exploration activities, changes to
conclusions of economic evaluations, and changes in project
parameters to deal with unanticipated economic or other factors,
risks of increased capital and operating costs, environmental,
safety or regulatory risks, expropriation, the Company's title to
properties including ownership thereof, increased competition in
the mining industry for properties, equipment, qualified personnel
and their costs, risks relating to the uncertainty of timing of
events including targeted production rate increase and currency
fluctuations. Security holders, potential security holders
and other prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue
reliance on forward-looking information. By its nature,
forward-looking information involves numerous assumptions, inherent
risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, that contribute
to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and
various future events will not occur. Caledonia undertakes no
obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any
forward-looking information whether as a result of new information,
future events or other such factors which affect this information,
except as required by law.
This news release is not an offer of the shares of Caledonia
for sale in the United States or elsewhere. This news release shall
not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to
buy, nor shall there be any sale of the shares of Caledonia, in any
province, state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation
or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification
under the securities laws of such province, state or
jurisdiction.