GENERAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE BUSINESS
Overview
Kinross is engaged in the mining and processing of gold and, as a by-product, silver ore and the exploration for, and the acquisition of, gold bearing properties principally in Canada, the United States, Brazil, Chile, Mauritania and Finland. The principal products of Kinross are gold and silver produced in the form of doré that is shipped to refineries for final processing
Kinross’ strategy is to increase shareholder value through increases in precious metal reserves, net asset value, production, long-term cash flow and earnings per share. Kinross’ strategy also consists of optimizing the performance, and therefore, the value, of existing operations, investing in quality exploration and development projects and acquiring new potentially accretive properties and projects.
Our operations and mineral reserves are impacted by, among other things, changes in metal prices. The average gold price during 2023 was approximately $1,941 ($1,800 during 2022). We used a gold price of $1,400 per ounce at the end of 2023 to estimate mineral reserves.
Five Year History
On July 25, 2019, Kinross extended the maturity date of its $1.5 billion revolving credit facility by one year to 2024, restoring a five-year term.
On July 31, 2019, Kinross announced that it had entered into an agreement to acquire the Chulbatkan license, containing Udinsk, an open-pit heap leach development project, located in the Khabarovsk region of Far East Russia from N-Mining Limited (“N-Mining”) for total fixed consideration of $283 million. In addition, N-Mining received a 1.5% net smelter return royalty on future production from Chulbatkan and contingent consideration of $50 per ounce of future proven and probable reserves beyond the first 3.25 million of declared proven and probable ounces. The transaction was completed on January 16, 2020.
On September 15, 2019, Kinross announced that it was proceeding with a project to incrementally increase throughput capacity at its Tasiast mine in Mauritania to 24,000 tonnes per day (“Tasiast 24k”).
On December 2, 2019, Kinross announced that it had entered into an agreement to sell a portfolio of precious metals royalties to Maverix Metals Inc. (“Maverix”) for total consideration of $73.9 million, which included $25 million in cash and approximately 11.2 million Maverix common shares, representing a 9.4% ownership interest in Maverix. As part of the transaction, Kinross entered into an investor rights agreement with Maverix, which among other customary terms and conditions, provided Kinross with pre-emptive rights to participate in any future equity financings to maintain its ownership position. The transaction closed on December 19, 2019.
On December 9, 2019, the Company sold its investment of 20,656,250 common shares of Lundin Gold Inc. to a syndicate of buyers for proceeds of $113.2 million.
On December 16, 2019, Tasiast Mauritanie Limited S.A. (“TMLSA”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kinross, announced it had entered into a definitive loan agreement for up to $300 million for its Tasiast mine in Mauritania with the IFC (a member of the World Bank Group), Export Development Canada (“EDC”), and with the participation of ING Bank and Société Générale (the “Tasiast Loan”). The eight-year loan, which is non-recourse to Kinross, matures in December 2027, with principal repayments beginning in 2022, and has a floating interest rate of LIBOR plus 4.38%. On April 9, 2020 the Company drew down $200 million from the $300 million Tasiast Loan. On December 15, 2021, the Tasiast Loan was amended to cancel the remaining $100 million available to be drawn. On December 15, 2023 the Tasiast Loan was repaid in full.
On March 20, 2020, the Company drew down $750 million from its $1.5 billion revolving credit facility as a precautionary measure to protect against economic and business uncertainties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Company repaid $250 million of the drawn amount on July 24, 2020 and the remaining $500 million balance on September 18, 2020.
On June 15, 2020, the Company announced it had reached an agreement in principle with the Government of Mauritania (the “Government”) to enhance the parties’ partnership. The key terms of the agreement include