EX-99 2 dex99.htm PRESS RELEASE OF GOLDEN STAR RESOURCES LTD. Press Release of Golden Star Resources Ltd.

Exhibit 99

LOGO

 

 

TSX: GSC; NYSE Amex: GSS    NEWS RELEASE    WWW.GSR.COM

 

GOLDEN STAR MAINTAINS STRONG OPERATIONAL

AND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE DURING Q2 2010

Denver, Colorado, August 9, 2010: Golden Star Resources Ltd. (NYSE Amex: GSS; TSX: GSC; GSE: GSR) is pleased to announce its unaudited second quarter 2010 results including net income of $7.6 million or $0.030 per share and operating cash flow before working capital changes of $39.3 million or $0.153 per share. The Company will host a live webcast and conference call to discuss its quarterly results on Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. ET. To access the webcast and conference call, go to the home page of the Company’s website, www.gsr.com. All currency in this news release is expressed in U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.

Tom Mair, President and CEO, said, “Again we delivered a solid quarter of operational and financial results at Golden Star. We had net income of $7.6 million or $0.030 per share, we are free cash flow positive and we had operating cash flow of $39.3 million before working capital changes or $0.153 per share. Our cash position has increased to $181.2 million. Gold production for the quarter was over 100,000 ounces. Our exploration group has been busy this year with six drill rigs in operation around our mines in Ghana.”

HIGHLIGHTS

 

   

Net income of $7.6 million ($0.030 per share) compared to net income of $0.4 million ($0.002 per share) for the second quarter of 2009;

 

   

Gold revenues for the quarter of $120.3 million representing an increase of 31% over second quarter of 2009;

 

   

Quarterly gold sales of 100,412 ounces for the second quarter of 2010, a 1.4% increase from the second quarter of 2009;

 

   

Operating cash flow of $39.3 million before working capital changes for the second quarter of 2010, or $0.153 per share. Operating cash flow of $72.6 million before working capital changes for the first half of 2010, or $0.282 per share;

 

   

Quarter-end cash balance of $181.2 million, an increase of $27.1 million over the cash balance at December 31, 2009; and

 

   

Realized gold price for the second quarter of 2010 averaged $1,198 per ounce compared to $928 in the second quarter of 2009, an increase of $270 per ounce or 29%.

 

Golden Star Resources Ltd.    News Release 10-12 Page 1 of 8


FINANCIAL SUMMARY

 

     For the three months ended
June 30,
   For the six months ended
June 30,
 
     2010    2009    2010    2009  

SUMMARY OF CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL RESULTS

           

Bogoso/Prestea gold sold (oz)

   52,764    45,760    98,673    86,306   

Wassa gold sold (oz)

   47,649    53,251    94,677    109,677   

Total gold sold (oz)

   100,413    99,011    193,350    195,983   

Average realized gold price ($/oz)

   1,198    928    1,156    916   

Cash operating cost—combined ($/oz)

   638    558    626    564   

Gold revenues ($000’s)

   120,307    91,868    223,571    179,513   

Cash flow provided by operations ($000’s)

   33,971    29,280    59,432    40,373   

Net gain/(loss) ($000’s)

   7,612    380    11,527    (766

Net gain/(loss) per share—basic ($)

   0.030    0.002    0.045    (0.003

BOGOSO/PRESTEA

Gold sales at Bogoso were 52,764 ounces in the second quarter of 2010, a 15% increase over second quarter of 2009 gold sales of 45,760 and a 15% increase over first quarter gold sales of 45,909 ounces. Revenues from gold sales improved 49% to $63.2 million, up from $42.5 million for the second quarter of 2009. The increased gold sales were reflective of higher gold grades at the sulfide plant, a 19% improvement to 3.17 g/t from 2.66 g/t gold for the same period last year, and a higher gold price.

 

     For the three months ended
June 30,
   For the six months ended
June 30,
     2010    2009    2010    2009
BOGOSO/PRESTEA OPERATING RESULTS            

Mining

           

Ore mined (000s t)—Refractory

   655,647    726,969    1,452,600    1,380,493

Ore mined (000s t)—Non refractory

   9,145    —      9,145    —  
                   

Total ore mined (t)

   664,792    726,969    1,461,745    1,380,493

Waste mined (t)

   3,983,169    3,920,798    7,947,817    7,272,550

Bogoso Sulfide Plant Results

           

Refractory ore processed (t)

   711,804    714,538    1,392,714    1,341,433

Refractory grade—(g/t)

   3.17    2.66    3.08    2.67

Recovery—Refractory (%)

   69.4    72.2    70.6    71.9

Cash operating cost ($/oz)

   654    624    675    713

Gold sold (oz)

   52,764    45,760    98,673    86,306

WASSA/HBB

Wassa sold 47,648 ounces of gold during the second quarter of 2010 compared to 53,251 ounces in the second quarter of last year and results were in line with the first quarter of this year. Wassa/HBB’s operating results were impacted adversely due to unscheduled mill maintenance at the Wassa mill. We expect to open a new pit at Benso and expand the Wassa pits in the second half of this year.

 

Golden Star Resources Ltd.    News Release 10-12 Page 2 of 8


     For the three months ended
June 30,
   For the six months ended
June 30,
     2010    2009    2010    2009

WASSA/HBB OPERATING RESULTS

           

Ore mined (t)

   654,855    529,670    1,230,758    1,186,382

Waste mined (t)

   4,672,043    4,396,164    9,872,915    7,965,381

Ore and heap leach materials processed (t)

   618,624    636,654    1,249,378    1,383,154

Grade processed (g/t)

   2.54    2.62    2.47    2.58

Recovery (%)

   95.1    94.9    95.1    95.3

Cash operating cost ($/oz)

   621    502    574    448

Gold sold (oz)

   47,648    53,251    94,677    109,677

EXPLORATION

The budget for 2010 exploration has been increased to $23 million. The increase includes $5 million for drilling at the Buesichem South discovery. For the first half of the year, $11.1 million has been spent. Second quarter exploration activities were focused primarily in Ghana on resource definition drilling in areas surrounding our operating properties, in Sierra Leone at the Sonfon property, and interpretation of the airborne geophysical surveys in Ghana.

In Ghana, two drill rigs are continuing to drill the northern and southern extensions of our discovery at Buesichem. Preliminary economic evaluation of potential pit shells was completed on the Buesichem South discovery during the quarter and an in-fill drill program is scheduled for the second half of this year.

Four drill rigs were active along the Wassa/HBB corridor with drilling at Chichiwelli, Adoikrom, Benso and Wassa Main. The in-fill resource drilling at Chichiwelli was completed during the quarter and resource modeling, pit optimization, metallurgical sampling and geotechnical studies are scheduled for the second half of 2010. Also during the quarter, we began the interpretation of the geophysical data from an airborne geophysical survey that was flown over Manso, Hwini-Butre, Benso and Chichiwelli and this is expected to continue for the remainder of the year.

In Côte d’Ivoire, soil sampling and field reviews continue to confirm the presence of in-situ gold mineralization at Amélékia. Drilling is scheduled for the second half of 2010. Also during the quarter, in-fill soil geochemistry programs were conducted at the Abgoville property to confirm previously identified gold anomalies.

In Brazil, property evaluations continued during the second quarter. The property portfolio consists of nine project areas in three states with a total land area of approximately 650 square kilometers. Property evaluations and new property applications will continue through the remainder of the year.

CASH, CASH FLOW AND LIQUIDITY

Our cash and cash equivalents totaled $181.2 million at the end of June 2010. Cash flow from operations totaled $59.4 million for the first half of 2010 compared to $40.4 million during the first half of 2009. Our mining operations generated $39.3 million in cash before adjustments to working capital in the quarter and $72.6 million in the first half of 2010. All capital requirements for 2010 are expected to be funded from operating cash flows.

 

Golden Star Resources Ltd.    News Release 10-12 Page 3 of 8


Capital projects for the year are anticipated to total $85 million. This total is expected to include $35 million of mine property development and $27 million for new equipment and facilities upgrades. We also plan to increase our exploration spending from $18 million to $23 million to allow for follow-up drilling on the new Buesichem South discovery at Bogoso/Prestea.

In the second quarter, the Board of Directors approved $8 million for the construction of a hydraulic tailings recovery system and associated piping at Bogoso which will feed old oxide tailings to the CIL circuit at the Bogoso oxide plant. The project is expected to come on-line in 2011, subject to permitting. The ore grade of the tailings is lower than the ores typically treated at the oxide plant but the costs are minimal since the tailings can be fed directly into the CIL circuit. The system is designed to handle approximately 2.4 million tonnes of tailings per annum over its five year life yielding approximately 40,000 to 50,000 ounces per year. Once the Prestea South and Pampe oxide pits commence operation, tailings material will continue to be fed into the plant in supplemental amounts.

LOOKING AHEAD

Our objectives for the remainder of 2010 include the following:

 

   

Continue exploration activities to increase and enhance reserves and resources at Bogoso/Prestea and Wassa/HBB;

 

   

Provide oxide ore to the Bogoso oxide plant by re-opening the Pampe pit, permitting and constructing a tailings reclaim system and finalizing the permitting and development of Prestea South; and

 

   

Evaluate options and determine strategies for development of the Prestea Underground project.

Our guidance for 2010 has been revised as follows:

 

     2010

Guidance

   Gold Production
(oz)
   Cash Operating Cost
($/oz)

Bogoso/Prestea

   200,000    $ 680   $ 700

Wassa/HBB

   185,000    $ 580   $ 600
                   

Total

   385,000    $ 630      $ 650

Guidance for production from Wassa/HBB has been reduced due to one month of unscheduled maintenance on one of the ball mills and lower than expected gold grades at one of the pits. Costs have been impacted by lower production and higher than previously forecasted power costs.

 

Golden Star Resources Ltd.    News Release 10-12 Page 4 of 8


FINANCIAL STATEMENTS The following information is derived from the Company’s consolidated financial statements contained in our Form 10-Q, which we filed with the SEC today and is available on our website.

GOLDEN STAR RESOURCES LTD.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(Stated in thousands of US dollars except shares issued and outstanding)

(unaudited)

 

     As of
June 30
2010
    As of
December 31
2009
 

ASSETS

    

CURRENT ASSETS

    

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 181,232      $ 154,088   

Accounts receivable

     20,328        7,021   

Inventories

     55,896        52,198   

Deposits

     4,412        4,774   

Prepaids and other

     2,336        1,415   
                

Total Current Assets

     264,204        219,496   

RESTRICTED CASH

     1,211        3,804   

DEFERRED EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT COSTS

     12,820        12,949   

PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT

     232,333        231,855   

INTANGIBLE ASSETS

     8,427        9,480   

MINING PROPERTIES

     261,244        276,114   

OTHER ASSETS

     650        181   
                

Total Assets

   $ 780,889      $ 753,879   
                

LIABILITIES

    

CURRENT LIABILITIES

    

Accounts payable

   $ 23,604      $ 28,234   

Accrued liabilities

     41,857        34,178   

Asset retirement obligations

     7,520        1,938   

Current tax liability

     1,059        616   

Current debt

     12,280        9,970   
                

Total Current Liabilities

     86,320        74,936   

LONG TERM DEBT

     119,528        114,595   

ASSET RETIREMENT OBLIGATIONS

     22,051        30,031   

FUTURE TAX LIABILITY

     17,319        13,997   
                

Total Liabilities

   $ 245,218      $ 233,559   
                

MINORITY INTEREST

     338        —     

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

    

SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

    

SHARE CAPITAL

    

First preferred shares, without par value, unlimited shares authorized.

    

No shares issued and outstanding

     —          —     

Common shares, without par value, unlimited shares authorized. Shares issued and outstanding: 258,146,961 at June 30, 2010; 257,362,561 at December 31, 2009

     691,991        690,423   

CONTRIBUTED SURPLUS

     17,336        15,759   

EQUITY COMPONENT OF CONVERTIBLE DEBENTURES

     34,542        34,542   

ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

     365        24   

DEFICIT

     (208,901     (220,428
                

Total Shareholders’ Equity

     535,333        520,320   
                

Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity

   $ 780,889      $ 753,879   
                

 

Golden Star Resources Ltd.    News Release 10-12 Page 5 of 8


CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

(unaudited)

 

     For the three months  ended
June 30
    For the six months ended
June 30
 
     2010     2009     2010     2009  

REVENUE

        

Gold revenues

   $ 120,307      $ 91,868      $ 223,571      $ 179,513   

Cost of sales

     98,504        87,760        185,640        172,277   
                                

Mine operating margin

     21,803        4,108        37,931        7,236   

OTHER EXPENSES, (GAINS) AND LOSSES

        

Exploration expense

     451        237        678        347   

General and administrative expense

     4,145        3,745        9,114        7,159   

Abandonment and impairment

     —          —          —          290   

Derivative mark-to-market losses

     1,878        396        747        84   

Property holding costs

     1,197        660        2,298        2,002   

Foreign exchange (gain)/loss

     204        (2,542     571        (4,213

Interest expense

     4,167        3,824        8,296        7,534   

Interest and other income

     (98     (43     (295     (83

Loss on sale of assets

     71        125        347        304   
                                

Income/(loss) before minority interest

     9,788        (2,294     16,175        (6,188

Minority interest

     (338     —          (338     —     
                                

Net income/(loss) before income tax

     9,450        (2,294     15,837        (6,188

Income tax (expense)/benefit

     (1,838     2,674        (4,310     5,422   
                                

Net income/(loss)

   $ 7,612      $ 380      $ 11,527      $ (766
                                

OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME/(LOSS)

        

Unrealized gains/(losses) on investments

     (592     14        340        41   
                                

Comprehensive income/(loss)

   $ 7,020      $ 394      $ 11,867      $ (725
                                

Deficit, beginning of period

     (216,513     (238,093     (220,428     (236,947
                                

Deficit, end of period

     (208,901     (237,713     (208,901     (237,713
                                

Net income/(loss) per common share—basic

   $ 0.030      $ 0.002      $ 0.045      $ (0.003

Net income/(loss) per common share—diluted

   $ 0.029      $ 0.002      $ 0.044      $ (0.003

Weighted average shares outstanding (millions)

     257.9        236.2        257.7        236.1   
                                

 

Golden Star Resources Ltd.    News Release 10-12 Page 6 of 8


GOLDEN STAR RESOURCES LTD.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(unaudited)

 

     For the three months  ended
June 30
    For the six months  ended
June 30
 
     2010     2009     2010     2009  

OPERATING ACTIVITIES:

        

Net income/(loss)

   $ 7,612      $ 380      $ 11,527      $ (766

Reconciliation of net loss to net cash provided by operating activities:

        

Depreciation, depletion and amortization

     27,867        28,371        53,752        52,692   

Amortization of loan acquisition cost

     —          161        132        327   

Abandonment and impairment

     —          —          —          290   

Gain on sale of equity investments

     —          —          —          —     

Loss on sale of assets

     70        126        346        305   

Non cash employee compensation

     502        455        1,919        1,065   

Future income tax expense/(benefit)

     1,838        (2,674     3,792        (5,422

Reclamation expenditures

     (2,049     (490     (3,600     (731

Fair value of derivatives

     812        1,611        (319     (2,189

Accretion of convertible debt

     1,755        1,642        3,481        3,257   

Accretion of asset retirement obligations

     601        539        1,201        1,077   

Minority interests

     338        —          338        —     
                                
     39,346        30,121        72,569        49,905   

Changes in non-cash working capital:

        

Accounts receivable

     (11,702     4,889        (12,426     (359

Inventories

     (344     (669     (4,264     841   

Deposits

     (364     (150     (280     (1,101

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

     6,722        (5,526     4,603        (8,557

Other

     313        615        (770     (356
                                

Net cash provided by operating activities

     33,971        29,280        59,432        40,373   

INVESTING ACTIVITIES:

        

Expenditures on deferred exploration and development

     (795     (268     (1,871     (670

Expenditures on mining properties

     (13,005     (9,855     (17,878     (19,894

Expenditures on property, plant and equipment

     (5,460     (3,984     (17,289     (4,852

Refunded cash securing letters of credit

     2,593        —          2,593        —     

Proceeds from the sale of assets

     —          371        —          —     

Change in accounts payable and deposits on mine equipment and material

     1,330        —          752        (3,962

Other

     —          (2,472     1,467        919   
                                

Net cash used in investing activities

     (15,337     (16,208     (32,226     (28,459

FINANCING ACTIVITIES:

        

Principal payments on debt

     (8,197     (2,783     (16,410     (7,192

Proceeds from debt agreements and equipment financing

     4,506        5,443        14,506        5,478   

Other

     1,437        (667     1,842        (585
                                

Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities

     (2,254     1,993        (62     (2,299
                                

Increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

     16,380        15,065        27,144        9,615   

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period

     164,852        28,108        154,088        33,558   
                                

Cash and cash equivalents end of period

   $ 181,232      $ 43,173      $ 181,232      $ 43,173   
                                

COMPANY PROFILE

Golden Star holds a 90% equity interest in Golden Star (Bogoso/Prestea) Limited and Golden Star (Wassa) Limited, which respectively own the Bogoso/Prestea and Wassa/HBB open-pit gold mines through subsidiaries in Ghana. In addition, Golden Star has an 81% interest in the currently inactive

 

Golden Star Resources Ltd.    News Release 10-12 Page 7 of 8


Prestea Underground mine in Ghana, as well as gold exploration interests elsewhere in Ghana, in other parts of West Africa and in the Guiana Shield of South America. Golden Star has approximately 258 million shares outstanding.

Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information: Some statements contained in this news release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other applicable securities laws. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Such statements include comments regarding the permitting and the mining at Prestea South; planned expansion of the Wassa Main pits; the recommencement of mining at the Pampe pit; planned exploration and drilling activities, including exploration at the Bogoso/Prestea and Wassa/HBB properties, including at Buesichem South, and in countries outside of Ghana; property evaluation and property application activities in Brazil; capital projects for 2010; the ability to fund capital requirements and the sources of such funds; our 2010 production and cash operating cost estimates, capital expenditure estimates, sources of and adequacy of cash to meet capital and other needs in 2010; the timing, capacity and impact of the proposed hydraulic tailings recovery system at Bogoso; and the ability to convert mineral resources into mineral reserves. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include timing of and unexpected events at the Bogoso/Prestea oxide and sulfide processing plant or the Wassa processing plant; variations in ore grade, tonnes mined, crushed or milled; variations in relative amounts of refractory, non-refractory and transition ores; delay or failure to receive board or government approvals and permits; the availability and cost of electrical power, the timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; technical, permitting, mining or processing issues, recent changes under the Ghanaian Mining Act, 2006 regarding royalty rates; changes in regulatory requirements; changes in U.S. and Canadian securities markets; and fluctuations in gold price and costs and general economic conditions. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting the Company will be those anticipated by management. Please refer to the discussion of these and other factors in our Form 10-K for 2009. 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. We expect that these estimates will change as new information is received and that actual results will vary from these estimates, possibly by material amounts. While we may elect to update these estimates at any time, we do not undertake to update any estimate at any particular time or in response to any particular event. Investors and others should not assume that any forecasts in this press release represent management’s estimate as of any date other than the date of this press release.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures: in this news release, we use the terms “cash operating cost per ounce.” Cash operating cost per ounce is equal to total cash costs less production royalties and production taxes, divided by the number of ounces of gold sold during the period. We use cash operating cost per ounce as a key operating indicator. We monitor this measure monthly, comparing each month’s values to prior period’s values to detect trends that may indicate increases or decreases in operating efficiencies. This measure is also compared against budget to alert management to trends that may cause actual results to deviate from planned operational results. We provide this measure to our investors to allow them to also monitor operational efficiencies of our mines. We calculate this measure for both individual operating units and on a consolidated basis. Cash operating cost per ounce should be considered as Non-GAAP Financial Measures as defined in SEC Regulation S-K Item 10 and other applicable securities laws and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with GAAP. There are material limitations associated with the use of such non-GAAP measures. Since this measure does not incorporate revenues, changes in working capital and non-operating cash costs, it is not necessarily indicative of operating profit or cash flow from operations as determined under GAAP. Changes in numerous factors including, but not limited to, mining rates, milling rates, gold grade, gold recovery, and the costs of labor, consumables and mine site general and administrative activities can cause these measures to increase or decrease. We believe that these measures are the same or similar to the measures of other gold mining companies, but may not be comparable to similarly titled measures in every instance.

For further information, please contact:

GOLDEN STAR RESOURCES LTD.        +1-800-553-8436

Bruce Higson-Smith, Vice President Corporate Development

Anne Hite, Investor Relations Manager

 

Golden Star Resources Ltd.    News Release 10-12 Page 8 of 8