Newmont updates 2022 outlook due to impacts on gold production
Newmont is providing updated 2022 outlook due to impacts on gold production estimates in the first half of the year, as well as the continued impact from inflationary pressures on costs. Please see the cautionary statement in the end notes for additional information. For further discussion, investors are encouraged to attend Newmont’s Second Quarter 2022 Earnings Conference Call.
Newmont’s updated 2022 outlook includes 6.0 million ounces of attributable gold production and 1.3 million gold equivalent ounces from copper, silver, lead and zinc. The revised outlook for attributable gold production includes negative impacts from operational challenges at Ahafo, a transition to a leach-only operation at CC&V, as well as challenges from a competitive labor market, primarily in Canada and Australia.
Ahafo experienced challenges due to labor availability and supply chain disruptions impacting the delivery of new equipment and critical spares, which affected our ability to ramp-up mining rates at Subika Underground. As a result, Ahafo’s full-year production was reduced by approximately 80 thousand ounces. The CC&V operation has begun the transition to a higher-value, longer-life leach-only operation, resulting in a reduction in full-year production of approximately 40 thousand ounces. In addition, Newmont continues to experience lower productivity as a result of a competitive labor market in Canada in Australia, resulting in full-year production impacts of approximately 50 thousand ounces and 30 thousand ounces in those regions, respectively.
Updated 2022 CAS outlook is expected to be $900 per gold ounce and $750 per co-product gold equivalent ounce. Updated 2022 AISC outlook is expected to be $1,150 per gold ounce and $1,050 per co-product gold equivalent ounce. The revised outlook includes the impact from lower production volumes and higher direct operating costs related to labor, energy, consumables and supplies as a result of sustained inflationary pressures.
Development capital is expected to be $1.1 billion for 2022 to incorporate delays in spending at Yanacocha Sulfides and Ahafo North.
General and administrative expense is expected to be $270 million, incorporating slight increases in labor costs due to inflationary pressures. Interest expense is expected to be $200 million, a reduction of $25 million following the timely refinancing of our 2022 and 2023 notes in December of last year.
