Starcore Reports First Quarter 2015 Results


Vancouver, B.C. - Starcore International Mines Ltd. (the “Company”) has filed the results for the three months ended October 31, 2014 for the Company and its mining operations. The full version of the Company’s Financial Statements and Management’s Discussion and Analysis can be viewed on the Company’s website at www.starcore.com, or SEDAR at www.sedar.com. All financial information is prepared in accordance with IFRS and all dollar amounts are expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars unless otherwise indicated.

First Quarter Ended October 31, 2014 Highlights:

  • Earnings from mining operations was $0.5 million, or 6% of gross revenue, compared to $3.1 million, or 36% of gross revenue, in the comparative quarter.
  • Net Earnings after taxes for the quarter was $0.9 million, or $0.01 per share compared to $2.3 million, or $0.02 per share for the prior comparative quarter. Current quarter Net Earnings were largely due to current and deferred tax recoveries of $0.9million.
  • The following table contains selected highlights from the Company’s unaudited consolidated statement of operations for the three months ended October 31, 2014 and 2013:
    (in thousands of Canadian dollars)
    (Unaudited)
        October 31, 2014   October 31, 2013
    Revenues   $ 7,669 $ 8,749
    Cost of Sales     (7,218)   (5,632)
    Earnings from mining operations     451   3,117
    Net income          
    (i) Net income   $ 870 $ 2,296
    (ii) Income per share - basic   $ 0.01 $ 0.02
    (iii) Income per share - diluted   $ 0.01 $ 0.02
  • The lower earnings were largely due to lower metal production coupled with lower metal prices in the quarter. Overall metal production was lower for the quarter at 5,382 equivalent ounces (“EqOz”), compared to 6,920 EqOz in the previous year. Mine ore grade for the quarter decreased to 2.36 g/t and 18.2 g/t for gold and silver, respectively, compared to an average of 2.55 g/t and 24.2 g/t for the prior year, respectively.
  • Mine operating cash costs increased overall to US$916/EqOz compared to an average of US$750/EqOz in the previous year due mainly to lower metal production coupled with higher input costs in the current period compared to the prior year average. All-in Sustaining Costs, which includes sustaining capital expenditures, exploration, reclamation, corporate and administrative and share-based compensation cost were US$1,094/EqOz, compared to US$989 in the comparative quarter.

The following table is a summary of mine production statistics for the San Martin mine for the three months ended October 31, 2014 and for the year ended July, 2014:

  Unit of measure   Actual results for
3 months ended
October 31, 2014
Actual results for
12 months ended
July 31, 2014
Production of Gold in Dore thousand ounces   5.0 22.0
Production of Silver in Dore thousand ounces   25.9 126.5
Equivalent ounces of Gold thousand ounces   5.38 24.0
         
Silver to Gold equivalency ratio     67.6:1 62.7:1
Gold grade grams/tonne   2.36 2.55
Silver grade grams/tonne   18.24 24.2
Gold recovery percent   83.9% 87.1%
Silver recovery percent   56.2% 52.7%
Milled thousands of tonnes   78.6 308.6
Operating Cost per tonne milled US dollars/tonne   63 58
Operating Cost per Equivalent Ounce US dollars/ounces   916 750


“As stated in our previous production news release, while we experienced lower than expected ore grade and recoveries in this last quarter, we fully expect to meet our annual projections for 2014,” said Robert Eadie, President of the Company. “Starcore maintains its strong cash position and will continue to build on that cash position by undergoing a cost reduction plan in the coming year.”

About Starcore

Starcore is engaged in exploring, extracting and processing gold and silver through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Compañia Minera Peña de Bernal, S.A. de C.V., which owns the San Martin mine in Queretaro, Mexico. The Company is a public reporting issuer on the Toronto Stock Exchange. The Company is also engaged in owning, acquiring, exploiting, exploring and evaluating mineral properties, and either joint venturing or developing these properties further. The Company has interests in properties which are exclusively located in Mexico.

ON BEHALF OF STARCORE INTERNATIONAL
MINES LTD.


Signed “Gary Arca”
Gary Arca, Chief Financial Officer and Director

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

GARY ARCA
Telephone: (604) 602-4935
Facsimile: 1-604-602-4936

EVAN EADIE
Investor Relations
Telephone: (416) 640-1936
Toll Free: 1-866-602-4935

 

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