11 November 2019 |
Investor visit to Anglo American's Bulks business |
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Anglo American plc ("Anglo American") is this week hosting an analyst and investor visit to Queensland, Australia to provide a detailed update on Anglo American's Bulks businesses. The update will cover Anglo American's world-class steelmaking ingredient businesses of Kumba Iron Ore, Minas-Rio, and the Metallurgical Coal operations in Australia, as well as its nickel and export thermal coal operations.
Seamus French, CEO of Bulk Commodities at Anglo American, said: "The high quality and significantly improved operational performance of Anglo American's Bulks businesses continue to deliver very attractive margins and returns. We are today upgrading our 2019 production guidance for Minas-Rio by a further 10% - with a proportionate decrease in unit costs - while also providing volume guidance for the next three financial years, as well as long term volume and unit cost potential.
"We believe our iron ore, met coal and nickel businesses are well set to meet future demand trends, particularly in relation to the high quality of their products. Through attractive resource characteristics, beneficiation and blending, we offer our customers a reliable supply of niche steelmaking products with low levels of contaminants, thereby helping steel plants meet ever tighter emissions standards. For example, in the first half of 2019 our iron ore saw an average Fe content of more than 65%, above any of the other major producers, contributing towards the sustained price premia we realise for our products.
"Looking forwards, we have a disciplined approach to growth within our portfolio, with numerous debottlenecking and life extension opportunities in the medium term across our iron ore and met coal assets. Combined with our ongoing focus on setting new operational performance benchmarks and the introduction of step-change technologies aimed at safety, productivity and a smaller environmental footprint, we see only a strengthening of our position and ability to generate leading and sustainable returns."
Anglo American is today providing updated 2019-2021 production guidance for its Bulks businesses, as well as new guidance for 2022. In addition to the changes noted above, the planned increase in metallurgical coal production is pushed back by one year due to phasing of the wash plant expansion at Moranbah-Grosvenor.
Production guidance |
2019F |
2020F |
2021F |
2022F1 |
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Iron ore (Minas-Rio) |
Mt |
~23 (previously 20-22) |
22-24 (previously 21-23) |
24-26 (previously 22-24) |
23-25 |
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Iron ore (Kumba) |
Mt |
42-43 (unchanged) |
43-44 (previously 43-45) |
43-44 (previously 43-45) |
43-44 |
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Metallurgical coal |
Mt |
22-24 (unchanged) |
22-24 (previously 23-25) |
23-25 (previously 25-27) |
26-28 |
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1 2022F guidance has not previously been provided.
Anglo American also highlighted the long term potential, in terms of production volumes and unit costs, for key Bulks assets, as shown below:
Long term potential |
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Production |
Unit cost |
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Iron ore (Minas-Rio) |
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~30 Mt1 |
~$21 / tonne FOB1 |
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1 Wet basis |
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Iron ore (Kumba) |
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45 Mt2 |
~$33 / tonne FOB2 |
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2 Dry basis / subject to rail performance |
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Metallurgical coal |
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~30 Mt3 |
~$57 / tonne FOB3 |
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3 Excl. thermal coal. Met Coal FOB unit cost excludes royalties & study costs |
The presentations that will be made during the visit will be available on the Anglo American website http://www.angloamerican.com/investors/investor-presentations/2019.
For further information, please contact:
Forward-looking statements:
This announcement includes forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this announcement, including, without limitation, those regarding Anglo American's financial position, business, acquisition and divestment strategy, dividend policy, plans and objectives of management for future operations (including development plans and objectives relating to Anglo American's products, production forecasts and reserve and resource positions), are forward-looking statements. By their nature, such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Anglo American, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
Such forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions regarding Anglo American's present and future business strategies and the environment in which Anglo American will operate in the future. Important factors that could cause Anglo American's actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, among others, levels of actual production during any period, levels of global demand and commodity market prices, mineral resource exploration and development capabilities, recovery rates and other operational capabilities, the availability of mining and processing equipment, the ability to produce and transport products profitably, the availability of transportation infrastructure, the impact of foreign currency exchange rates on market prices and operating costs, the availability of sufficient credit, the effects of inflation, political uncertainty and economic conditions in relevant areas of the world, the actions of competitors, activities by governmental authorities such as permitting and changes in taxation or safety, health, environmental or other types of regulation in the countries where Anglo American operates, conflicts over land and resource ownership rights and such other risk factors identified in Anglo American's most recent Annual Report. Forward-looking statements should, therefore, be construed in light of such risk factors and undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements.
These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this announcement. Anglo American expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking (except as required by applicable law, the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers (the "Takeover Code"), the UK Listing Rules, the Disclosure and Transparency Rules of the Financial Conduct Authority, the Listings Requirements of the securities exchange of the JSE Limited in South Africa, the SIX Exchange, the Botswana Stock Exchange and the Namibian Stock Exchange and any other applicable regulations) to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in Anglo American's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.
Notes to editors:
Anglo American is a leading global mining company and our products are the essential ingredients in almost every aspect of modern life. Our portfolio of world-class competitive mining operations and undeveloped resources provides the metals and minerals that enable a cleaner, more electrified world and that meet the fast growing consumer-driven demands of the world's developed and maturing economies. With our people at the heart of our business, we use innovative practices and the latest technologies to discover new resources and mine, process, move and market our products to our customers around the world - safely, responsibly and sustainably.
As a responsible miner - of diamonds (through De Beers), copper, platinum group metals, iron ore, coal and nickel - we are the custodians of what are precious natural resources. We work together with our business partners and diverse stakeholders to unlock the sustainable value that those resources represent for our shareholders, the communities and countries in which we operate, and for society as a whole. Anglo American is re-imagining mining to improve people's lives.
www.angloamerican.com
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