IAMGOLD Reports Strong Quarterly Gold Production
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Apr 21, 2011 02:29PM
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TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - April 21, 2011) -
All amounts are expressed in US dollars, unless otherwise indicated.
IAMGOLD Corporation ("IAMGOLD" or the "Company") (TSX:IMG)(NYSE:IAG)(BOTSWANA:IAMGOLD) today announced the following for the first quarter of 2011:
gold production of 290,000 attributable ounces at a cash cost of between $570 and $580 per ounce; and
niobium production of 1.1 million kilograms at a margin within the guidance range of $15 to $17 per kilogram.
IAMGOLD's President and Chief Executive Officer, Steve Letwin said, "Our mines have had an excellent start in 2011. The performance of assets where we are the principal owner and operator has been impressive this quarter, specifically our largest assets, the Rosebel mine in Suriname and the Essakane mine in Burkina Faso."
"Our Essakane mine has performed extremely well, despite protests in other parts of Burkina Faso," said Gord Stothart, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of IAMGOLD. "The improving mill throughput and gravity circuit recoveries at Essakane continue to validate the expansion feasibility study currently underway. Early rains signal the beginning of the rainy season in Burkina Faso, giving us confidence that we can continue running this operation without unscheduled interruptions."
IMPACT OF SALE OF COMPANY INTERESTS IN TARKWA AND DAMANG MINES
On April 15, 2011 IAMGOLD announced that it had reached an agreement to sell its 18.9% interest in the Tarkwa and Damang gold mines in Ghana, West Africa to Gold Fields Limited ("Gold Fields") for $667 million in cash ("the Transaction"). The Transaction is subject to the approval of Gold Fields' shareholders and is expected to close no later than July 31, 2011. The Company expects to record an after-tax gain on the sale of approximately $400 million.
Full year results and analysis are scheduled to become available on May 11, 2011.