Coeur Reports Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2015 Production and Provides 2016 Production Guidance


CHICAGO, Jan. 11, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Coeur Mining, Inc. (the "Company" or "Coeur") (NYSE:CDE) today announced fourth quarter production of 4.0 million ounces of silver and 91,551 ounces of gold, or 9.5 million silver equivalent1 ounces.

Full-year 2015 production was 15.9 million silver ounces, at the high-end of Company guidance of 15.2 - 16.1 million ounces, and 327,908 gold ounces, in-line with Company guidance of 309,000 - 338,000 ounces. Full-year silver equivalent1 production totaled 35.6 million ounces, at the high-end of Company guidance of 33.7 - 36.4 million ounces.

In 2016, Coeur expects to produce 14.6 - 16.0 million ounces of silver and 320,000 - 347,000 ounces of gold, or 33.8 - 36.8 million silver equivalent1 ounces.

Quarterly Production Results

Click here for quarterly production results: http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8b5b4ad1-b222-49af-aa44-84e1548609a4

2015 Production Results

Coeur's 2015 silver and gold production results are shown below, along with the Company's most recent production guidance as of November 2, 2015.

(silver ounces in thousands)SilverGoldSilver Equivalent1
 2015 Guidance2015 Result2015 Guidance2015 Result2015 Guidance2015 Result
Palmarejo4,700 - 5,0005,14965,000 - 70,00070,9228,600 - 9,2009,404
San Bartolomé5,300 - 5,5005,4365,300 - 5,5005,436
Rochester4,700 - 5,0004,63155,000 - 65,00052,5888,000 - 8,9007,786
Endeavor500 - 600629500 - 600629
Kensington115,000 - 125,000126,2666,900 - 7,5007,576
Wharf5674,000 - 78,00078,1324,440 - 4,6804,744
Total15,200 - 16,10015,901309,000 - 338,000327,90833,740 - 36,38035,575

2016 Production Outlook

Coeur's 2016 silver and gold production guidance is shown below.

(silver and silver equivalent ounces in thousands)SilverGoldSilver Equivalent1
Palmarejo3,800 - 4,30067,000 - 72,0007,820 - 8,620
San Bartolomé5,700 - 6,0005,700 - 6,000
Rochester4,700 - 5,20048,000 - 55,0007,580 - 8,500
Endeavor350 - 400350 - 400
Kensington115,000 - 125,0006,900 - 7,500
Wharf80 - 10090,000 - 95,0005,480 - 5,800
Total14,630 - 16,000320,000 - 347,00033,830 - 36,820


4Q 2015 Operational Results

Fourth quarter operational highlights for each of Coeur's operations are provided below.

Palmarejo, Mexico4Q 20153Q 20152Q 20151Q 20154Q 2014
Underground Operations:     
  Tons mined 189,383  190,399  172,730  149,150  187,729 
  Average silver grade (oz/t) 3.96  4.11  3.90  4.34  4.49 
  Average gold grade (oz/t) 0.06  0.10  0.09  0.07  0.06 
Surface Operations:     
  Tons mined 102,019  247,071  257,862  281,481  320,802 
  Average silver grade (oz/t) 3.86  3.56  3.47  3.79  2.90 
  Average gold grade (oz/t) 0.03  0.03  0.03  0.04  0.03 
Processing:     
  Total tons milled 301,274  427,635  435,841  451,918  510,813 
  Average recovery rate – Ag 95.4% 87.9% 78.5% 78.7% 80.2%
  Average recovery rate – Au 88.8% 84.7% 76.2% 73.9% 78.7%
Silver production ounces (000's) 1,126  1,422  1,247  1,354  1,444 
Gold production ounces 14,326  22,974  18,127  15,495  15,237 
Silver-equivalent1 production ounces (000's) 1,986  2,800  2,335  2,284  2,358 


  • Transition to higher-grade, higher-margin underground operations from two ore sources - Guadalupe and Independencia - remains on-track.
  • Full-year 2015 production of 5.1 million silver ounces and 70,922 gold ounces (9.4 million silver equivalent1 ounces) exceeded the high-end of the Company's guidance range.
  • Achieved mining rate of 2,000 tons per day from the Guadalupe deposit, and averaged a mining rate of approximately 1,700 tons per day over the entire quarter.
  • Reached the Independencia deposit in early January as planned and expect to achieve first production from the ore body later in the first quarter.
  • Recovery rates continue to climb as a result of several process enhancements that were implemented during 2015 and due to a higher amount of ore coming from underground operations.
  • Open-pit operations are expected to end in the first quarter of 2016 and mining in the legacy Palmarejo underground is expected to cease in mid-2016.

Rochester, Nevada4Q 20153Q 20152Q 20151Q 20154Q 2014
Tons placed4,411,5904,128,8683,859,9654,013,8793,876,944
Average silver grade (oz/t)0.600.590.610.740.60
Average gold grade (oz/t)0.0030.0030.0030.0040.004
Silver production ounces (000's)1,1071,0861,2941,1441,170
Gold production ounces11,56410,89216,41113,72115,764
Silver equivalent1 production ounces (000's)1,8001,7402,2791,9672,116


  • Full-year silver equivalent1 production of 7.8 million ounces increased 13% over 2014, the second year of double-digit production growth, and was slightly below the Company's 2015 guidance range due to numerous snow storms in December and timing of leaching on the Stage III leach pad.
  • Placed an average of 47,000 tons per day on the leach pad in the fourth quarter, and expect to average 50,000 tons per day by mid-2016, once ramp up of the recently expanded crusher is complete.

Kensington, Alaska4Q 20153Q 20152Q 20151Q 20154Q 2014
Tons milled 161,927  165,198  170,649  164,951  167,417 
Average gold grade (oz/t) 0.22  0.19  0.18  0.24  0.21 
Average recovery rate 96.0% 93.9% 94.9% 94.8% 94.2%
Gold production ounces 33,714  28,799  29,845  33,909  33,533 


  • Full-year gold production of 126,266 ounces was 7% higher than 2014 production and represents highest level since operations began in 2010. Record operating results were due to a 16% increase in the average grade as well as a higher recovery rate.
  • Development of the Jualin decline has advanced approximately 1,500 feet and remains on-schedule. Underground drilling of the high-grade Jualin deposit, which is designed to increase confidence levels of existing resources and to expand the size of the ore body, is expected to begin during the first quarter of 2016.

Wharf, South Dakota4Q 20153Q 20152Q 20151Q 20154Q 2014
Tons placed 1,147,130  1,149,744  887,409  415,996 
Average gold grade (oz/t) 0.032  0.035  0.025  0.020 
Average plant recovery rate - Au 97.3% 92.8% 76.7% 85.9%
Gold production ounces 31,947  23,104  16,472  6,609 
Silver production ounces 17,043  19,365  19,336 
Gold equivalent1 production ounces 32,231  23,427  16,794  6,609 


  • Full-year production of 79,061 gold equivalent1 ounces exceeded the Company's guidance range and reflects Coeur's ownership since February of 2015.
  • Strong crushing rates and process plant improvements led to a 38% increase in gold equivalent production during the fourth quarter compared with the third quarter.
  • Improved process plant efficiencies have led to a significant increase in the average plant recovery rate since acquiring the operation in early 2015.
  • Full-year 2016 production is expected to be approximately 20% higher than 2015 production.

San Bartolomé, Bolivia4Q 20153Q 20152Q 20151Q 20154Q 2014
Tons milled 475,695  373,201  457,232  406,951  454,136 
Average silver grade (oz/t) 3.84  3.76  3.73  3.65  3.77 
Average recovery rate 84.9% 84.0% 87.6% 81.6% 88.0%
Silver production ounces (000's) 1,551  1,178  1,495  1,213  1,506 


  • Fourth quarter production increased 32% compared with the third quarter.
  • Coeur recently increased its purchases of higher-grade ore from local sources to supplement tonnage from ongoing mining activities. Approximately 15% of fourth quarter production was derived from third-party ore purchases.
  • Full-year 2016 production is expected to be 5-10% higher than 2015 full-year production of 5.4 million silver ounces, with approximately 30% expected to be attributable to third-party ore purchases.

Endeavor, Australia4Q 20153Q 20152Q 20151Q 20154Q 2014
Silver production ounces (000's)172121204133191


  • Silver production received from the Company's silver stream on the Endeavor mine in Australia increased by  42% compared to the third quarter and totaled 629,000 ounces for the full-year.

    1. Silver and gold equivalence calculated using a 60:1 silver to gold ratio.

Financial Results and Conference Call

Coeur will report its full operational and financial results for the fourth quarter and full-year 2015 on February 10, 2016 after the New York Stock Exchange closes for trading. There will be a conference call on February 11, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time.

Dial-In Numbers: (855) 560-2581 (US)
 (855) 669-9657 (Canada)
 (412) 542-4166 (International)
Conference ID: Coeur Mining


The conference call and presentation will also be webcast on the Company’s website www.coeur.com.
Hosting the call will be Mitchell J. Krebs, President and Chief Executive Officer of Coeur, who will be joined by Peter C. Mitchell, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Frank L. Hanagarne, Jr., Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Hans Rasmussen, Senior Vice President of Exploration, and other members of management.

A replay of the call will be available through February 25, 2016.

Replay numbers:  (877) 344-7529 (US)
 (855) 669-9658 (Canada)
 (412) 317-0088 (International)
Conference ID: 100 77 791


About Coeur
Coeur Mining is the largest U.S.-based primary silver producer and a significant gold producer with five precious metals mines in the Americas employing approximately 2,000 people. Coeur produces from its wholly owned operations: the Palmarejo silver-gold mine in Mexico, the San Bartolomé silver mine in Bolivia, the Rochester silver-gold mine in Nevada, the Kensington gold mine in Alaska, and the Wharf gold mine in South Dakota. The Company also has a non-operating interest in the Endeavor mine in Australia in addition to royalties on the Cerro Bayo mine in Chile, the El Gallo complex in Mexico, the Zaruma mine in Ecuador, and the Correnso mine in New Zealand. In addition, the Company has two silver-gold exploration projects - the La Preciosa project in Mexico and the Joaquin project in Argentina. The Company also conducts ongoing exploration activities in Alaska, Argentina, Bolivia, Mexico, and Nevada. The Company owns strategic investment positions in several silver and gold development companies with projects in North and South America.

Cautionary Statement
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of securities legislation in the United States and Canada, including statements regarding anticipated production, grades, margins, operations at Palmarejo, and development efforts at Palmarejo and Kensington. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause Coeur's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the risk that anticipated production levels are not attained, the risks and hazards inherent in the mining business (including risks inherent in developing large-scale mining projects, environmental hazards, industrial accidents, weather or geologically related conditions), changes in the market prices of gold and silver and a sustained lower price environment,  the uncertainties inherent in Coeur's production, exploratory and developmental activities, including risks relating to permitting and regulatory delays, ground conditions, grade variability, any future labor disputes or work stoppages, the uncertainties inherent in the estimation of gold and silver reserves, changes that could result from Coeur's future acquisition of new mining properties or businesses, reliance on third parties to operate certain mines where Coeur owns silver production and reserves and the absence of control over mining operations in which Coeur or its subsidiaries hold royalty or streaming interests and risks related to these mining operations including results of mining and exploration activities, environmental, economic and political risks of the jurisdiction in which the mining operations are located, the loss of any third-party smelter to which Coeur markets silver and gold, the effects of environmental and other governmental regulations, the risks inherent in the ownership or operation of or investment in mining properties or businesses in foreign countries, Coeur's ability to raise additional financing necessary to conduct its business, make payments or refinance its debt, as well as other uncertainties and risk factors set out in filings made from time to time with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Canadian securities regulators, including, without limitation, Coeur's most recent reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q. Actual results, developments and timetables could vary significantly from the estimates presented. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Coeur disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additionally, Coeur undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of Coeur, its financial or operating results or its securities.

Dana Willis, Coeur's Director, Resource Geology and a qualified person under Canadian National Instrument 43-101, supervised the preparation of the scientific and technical information concerning Coeur's mineral projects in this news release. For a description of the key assumptions, parameters and methods used to estimate mineral reserves and resources, as well as data verification procedures and a general discussion of the extent to which the estimates may be affected by any known environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing or other relevant factors, Canadian investors should refer to the Technical Reports for each of Coeur's properties as filed on SEDAR at sedar.com.

For Additional Information:

Rebecca Hussey, Senior Analyst, Investor Relations
(312) 489-5827

www.coeur.com

4Q 2015 Production Chart 1-10-16.JPG

Attachments

Quarterly Production Results