4
Results for the first quarter
ended 30 September 2010
Cash operating profit for the September 2010 quarter of R652 million
was 30.8% lower when compared to the June 2010 quarter’s cash
operating profit of R942 million.
A more detailed operation-by-operation review is provided under the
heading “Operational overview” on page 6.
In line with our strategy of asset optimisation, a number of corporate
activities were concluded during the quarter. As a result of this
strategy, certain non-core assets were divested and shafts closed
so that the management team may focus its resources on growing,
developing and operating its portfolio of core, quality assets.
These divestments and shaft closures include:
•
The sale of the Mount Magnet Gold project in Western Australia
to Australian-based Ramelius Resources Limited for R238 million
(A$35 million) cash on 20 July 2010 as well as R31 million
(A$5 million) released from the replacement of performance
bonds by the purchaser.
•
The conclusion of two transactions with Witwatersrand
Consolidated Gold Resources (Wits Gold). In terms of these
transactions, Wits Gold will obtain a prospecting right over
Harmony’s Merriespruit South area and the option held by
ARMGold/Harmony Joint Venture Company (Proprietary) Limited
(Freegold), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Harmony. The option
was to acquire a beneficial interest of up to 40% in any future
mines established by Wits Gold on certain properties in the
Southern Free State (Freegold option). The total consideration
price of the transactions is R336 million (R61 million for the
prospecting area and R275 million for the cancellation of
the option agreement), which will be settled in cash or in a
combination of cash and shares in Wits Gold. The agreements
were signed on 3 September 2010 and outstanding conditions
precedent are expected to be fulfilled by November 2010 for the
option agreement and June 2011 for the prospecting right.
•
On 10 September 2010, Harmony concluded a sale of assets
agreement with Taung Gold Limited (Taung), in which Taung
acquired the Evander 6 shaft, the related infrastructure and
surface right permits as well as a mining right over the
Evander 6 and Twistdraai areas. The total purchase consideration
is R225 million which will be settled in cash, when all remaining
conditions precedent to the transaction have been fulfilled.
•
Following careful and considerable review, the company
announced on 18 October 2010 that it would be closing the
Merriespruit 1 shaft in Virginia at the end of October 2010. Earlier
this year a productivity-linked deal with the trade unions was
reached that allowed Merriespruit 1 to continue its operations,
provided it did not make a loss (on a total cost basis, including
any capital expenditure) for two consecutive months and total
costs remained under R250 000/kg. Despite the operational
team’s best endeavours, Merriespruit 1 has failed to meet these
conditions and closure procedures have commenced.
We have embarked on a formal consultation process with
employees in terms of section 189A of the Labour Relations
Act to consider alternatives to retrenchment. Approximately
1 470 employees are affected by the closure and, of this number,
1 200 will largely be transferred to our growth operations so as to
preserve as many jobs as possible.
Milestone at Hidden Valley
30 September 2010 marked an exciting milestone for Harmony when
the Hidden Valley mine was officially opened at a ceremony attended
by PNG dignitaries, directors and senior management of both Harmony
and Newcrest Limited (Newcrest) and employees. Hidden Valley, part
of the 50/50 Morobe Mining Joint Ventures (MMJV) with Newcrest,
was Harmony’s first offshore greenfields project, and represents an
important step in our group’s strategy for geographical and asset
diversification.
While the development of this project was not without its challenges –
given its remote location and relative lack of infrastructure – the
government and communities of Papua New Guinea (PNG) and
Morobe Province have provided enormous support to the project, and
have worked closely with the MMJV to ensure that the development
of the Hidden Valley mine has long-term, positive and sustainable
consequences for the region.
Hidden Valley also completed its first full quarter of commercial
production, where post-commissioning and ramp up activities are
making good progress.
The experience we have gained with the development of Hidden
Valley will stand us in good stead as we continue to seek growth, both
in Morobe Province as part of the MMJV and elsewhere in PNG on
Harmony’s 100%-owned exploration portfolio.
Wafi/Golpu Joint Venture (part of MMJV)
Excellent progress was made and reported at our Wafi/Golpu joint
venture project during the quarter.
The concept study was finalised in September 2010 and shows that
a copper gold mine at Wafi/Golpu is technically and financially viable,
and that a number of development options could be considered in a
pre-feasibility study. Production could potentially be between 400 000
to 700 000oz of gold, and 100 000 to 200 000t of copper per annum.
This would be sustainable over a 20-year mine life without considering
the Golpu resource extensions currently being identified by drilling.
Cash costs would be in the lower quartile (assuming copper credits)
and capital expenditure would be of the order of US$3 billion. Based
on the outcome of the scoping study, and subsequent project gate
review a decision was made to progress this project to pre-feasibility
stage.
As announced recently, we also continue to drill spectacular intercepts
at this project, with the exploration target at this project upgraded to
30 million ounces of gold and 8 million tonnes of copper, 50% of which
would be attributable to Harmony.
Revisions to the Mining Charter
On 13 September 2010, the South African Minister of Mineral
Resources, Susan Shabangu, released the revised Mining Charter
and the associated scorecard, the Broad-Based Socio-Economic