Gold Corporation (ABX) operates mines in North America, South America, Australia and Africa. The company has mainly gold and copper in its portfolio and competes with other mining companies such as Newmont Mining (NEM), Goldcorp Inc. (GG) and Freeport McMoran Copper (FCX). In this article, we take a closer look at Barrick Gold’s Cortez and Goldstrike mines in the Nevada region of North America. These are Barrick’s two largest mines in terms of gold production. In 2012, they together constituted 34% of Barrick’s total gold production. In the North American region, which itself accounts for almost 50% of Barrick’s total production, gold from these two mines amounts to more than 70% of Barrick’s production. We’ll take a look at the cost of production, the significance of the mines for Barrick’s overall portfolio and future, the quantity of reserves and the likely production trajectory going forward. Cost Profile The all-in sustaining cash cost (AISC) is a newly adopted cost measure in the gold mining industry. It includes total cash costs, sustaining capital expenditures, G&A cost, mine site exploration and evaluation costs, and environmental rehabilitation costs. In 2012, Goldstrike’s production stood at 1.17 million ounces of gold at an AISC of $670 per ounce. In the same year, Cortez produced 1.37 million ounces of gold at an AISC of $543 per ounce. Considering that Barrick’s overall production in 2012 was 7.4 million ounces at an AISC of $945 per ounce, it can be said that without the low costs incurred at Cortez and Goldstrike the overall costs would be much higher. (1) ........ http://seekingalpha.com/article/...nd-cortez-mines?source=google_news |