Business
2020 Operations Update
2020 Operations Update.
About this update from Central Asia Metals Plc
[{"type":"text","content":"\n \n \n \n RNS Number : 1454L\n Central Asia Metals PLC\n 11 January 2021\n \n \n \n \n 11 January 2021\n \n \n \n \n \n CENTRAL ASIA METALS PLC\n \n \n ('CAML' or the 'Company')\n \n \n 2020 Operations Update\n \n Central Asia Metals plc (AIM: CAML) today provides a Q4 and full year 2020 operations update for the Kounrad dump leach, solvent extraction and electro-winning ('SX-EW') copper recovery plant in Kazakhstan ('Kounrad') and the Sasa zinc-lead mine in North Macedonia ('Sasa').\n \n Summary\n \n - No lost time injuries ('LTIs') at either Kounrad or Sasa during 2020\n - 2020 copper production at Kounrad within increased guidance range\n \n o 13,855 tonnes produced\n - Strong 2020 zinc and lead production at Sasa despite tailings storage facility 4 ('TSF4') related shutdown\n \n o Zinc in concentrate production within guidance range at 23,815 tonnes\n \n o Lead in concentrate production within 1% of guidance range at 29,742 tonnes\n - Cash in the bank on 31 December 2020 of $47.9 million\n - Gross debt as at 31 December 2020 of $80.4 million (including drawn North Macedonian overdraft facilities totalling $9.7 million)\n \n o 2020 Group corporate debt repayments of $38.4 million\n \n 2021 production guidance\n - Copper, 12,500 to 13,500 tonnes\n - Zinc in concentrate, 23,000 to 25,000 tonnes\n - Lead in concentrate, 30,000 to 32,000 tonnes\n \n \n CAML production summary\n \n \n \n \n \n Metal production (tonnes)\n \n \n \n \n Q4 2020\n \n \n \n \n 2020\n \n \n \n \n 2019\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Copper\n \n \n \n \n 3,365\n \n \n \n \n 13,855\n \n \n \n \n 13,771\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Zinc\n \n \n \n \n 5,848\n \n \n \n \n 23,815\n \n \n \n \n 23,369\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Lead\n \n \n \n \n 7,442\n \n \n \n \n 29,742\n \n \n \n \n 29,201\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Nigel Robinson, Chief Executive Officer, commented:\n \n \n \"We are pleased to report strong production at both of our operations despite the challenges of 2020. We are also delighted to be able to report that CAML Group has recorded zero LTIs during 2020. Effective safety training and supervision for our employees will always be a priority and are crucial to maintaining this positive trend into 2021. \n \n \n \"We enter 2021 with a strong balance sheet, having repaid $3...