First Quantum Minerals Ltd. (“First Quantum” or the “Company”, TSX Symbol “FM”) today announced its preliminary production and sales for the three months and year ended December 31, 2018, including record total copper production and sales for the year, exceeding the prior year by approximately 6% and 3%, respectively, and exceeding production guidance.
Amounts are preliminary and subject to final adjustment. The final amounts and the 2019 to 2021 market guidance will be published in the Company’s financial results for the fourth quarter and the full year 2018.
| Total | Q4
2018 |
Q3
2018 |
Q4
2017 |
Year
2018 |
Year
2017 |
| Copper production (tonnes)1 | 158,304 | 151,241 | 154,319 | 605,853 | 573,963 |
| Copper sales (tonnes) 2 | 156,212 | 149,877 | 151,905 | 596,513 | 580,130 |
| Gold production (ounces) 3 | 48,039 | 44,979 | 51,904 | 185,414 | 199,736 |
| Gold sales (ounces) 3 | 53,221 | 42,864 | 50,723 | 193,072 | 201,376 |
| Zinc production (tonnes) | 7,687 | 7,348 | 3,556 | 26,807 | 20,723 |
| Zinc sales (tonnes) | 8,268 | 6,178 | 3,282 | 26,112 | 21,851 |
| Nickel production (contained tonnes) | – | – | – | – | 17,837 |
| Nickel sales (contained tonnes) | – | – | 865 | – | 18,683 |
| Kansanshi | Q4
2018 |
Q3
2018 |
Q4
2017 |
Year
2018 |
Year
2017 |
| Copper production (tonnes)1 | 61,780 | 63,687 | 64,800 | 251,522 | 250,801 |
| Copper sales (tonnes)2, 4 | 56,330 | 64,818 | 74,974 | 229,832 | 267,700 |
| Gold production (ounces) | 33,465 | 30,938 | 36,363 | 130,019 | 140,595 |
| Gold sales (ounces) | 35,150 | 32,706 | 35,910 | 134,424 | 139,735 |
| Sentinel | Q4
2018 |
Q3
2018 |
Q4
2017 |
Year
2018 |
Year
2017 |
| Copper production (tonnes) | 60,840 | 56,426 | 57,190 | 223,656 | 190,683 |
| Copper sales (tonnes) | 60,257 | 59,069 | 44,767 | 238,211 | 177,360 |
| Las Cruces | Q4
2018 |
Q3
2018 |
Q4
2017 |
Year
2018 |
Year
2017 |
| Copper cathode production (tonnes) | 18,470 | 15,181 | 18,700 | 70,738 | 73,664 |
| Copper cathode sales (tonnes) | 18,345 | 15,138 | 17,903 | 71,523 | 74,664 |
| Guelb Moghrein | Q4
2018 |
Q3
2018 |
Q4
2017 |
Year
2018 |
Year
2017 |
| Copper production (tonnes) | 8,319 | 7,902 | 7,155 | 28,137 | 28,791 |
| Copper sales (tonnes) | 9,099 | 5,108 | 6,811 | 27,366 | 28,999 |
| Gold production (ounces) | 12,236 | 11,644 | 13,270 | 45,974 | 49,213 |
| Gold sales (ounces) | 14,224 | 8,100 | 12,384 | 48,195 | 50,453 |
| Çayeli | Q4
2018 |
Q3
2018 |
Q4
2017 |
Year
2018 |
Year
2017 |
| Copper production (tonnes) | 5,931 | 5,056 | 3,284 | 19,896 | 16,523 |
| Copper sales (tonnes) | 9,153 | 2,753 | 4,266 | 17,397 | 17,716 |
| Zinc production (tonnes) | 1,034 | 1,305 | 379 | 4,091 | 3,326 |
| Zinc sales (tonnes) | 2,154 | – | – | 4,313 | 4,435 |
| Pyhäsalmi | Q4
2018 |
Q3
2018 |
Q4
2017 |
Year
2018 |
Year
2017 |
| Copper production (tonnes) | 2,964 | 2,989 | 3,190 | 11,904 | 13,501 |
| Copper sales (tonnes) | 3,028 | 2,991 | 3,184 | 12,184 | 13,691 |
| Zinc production (tonnes) | 6,653 | 6,043 | 3,177 | 22,716 | 17,397 |
| Zinc sales (tonnes) | 6,114 | 6,178 | 3,282 | 21,799 | 17,416 |
| Pyrite production (tonnes) | 168,881 | 171,355 | 154,855 | 645,885 | 692,124 |
| Pyrite sales (tonnes) | 97,859 | 100,894 | 114,712 | 418,931 | 418,743 |
| Ravensthorpe | Q4 2018 |
Q3 2018 |
Q4 2017 |
Year 2018 |
Year 2017 |
| Nickel production (contained tonnes) | – | – | – | – | 17,837 |
| Nickel sales (contained tonnes) | – | – | 865 | – | 18,683 |
| 1 | Production presented on a copper concentrate basis, i.e. mine production only. Production does not include output from the Kansanshi smelter. |
| 2 | Excludes copper anode sales attributable to anode produced from third party purchases of concentrate. |
| 3 | Includes gold production and sales attributable to other operations not disclosed separately. |
| 4 | Sales include third-party sales of concentrate, cathode and anode attributable to Kansanshi (excluding copper anode sales attributable to Sentinel). |
On Behalf of the Board of Directors of First Quantum Minerals Ltd.
G. Clive Newall
President
SOURCE: First Quantum Minerals Ltd.
