Hallo Forum,
in Barrick + Placer Dome sind hier nur wenige – oder niemand – nvestiert. Aber Nachrichten über diesen Minenriesen – dem klassischen Feinbild der GATA – sind oftmals lesenswert.
Die Gold produktion costs bei Placer stiegen im letzten Jahr von $ 240 oz auf nunmehr $ 284 oz
WKN 870 450, ISIN CA0679011084
Grüsse - Austrian Explorer
(Reuters) - Placer Dome Inc. (PDG.TO: Quote) reported a 43.6 percent drop in fourth-quarter profit on Monday as the gold miner, in the midst of being taken over by Barrick Gold Corp. (ABX.TO: Quote), absorbed costs related to the takeover.
Vancouver, British Columbia-based Placer said it earned $22 million, or 5 cents a share, in the three months ended Dec 31. That compares with a profit of $39 million, or 9 cents a share, in the same period a year earlier.
The company said its mine operating earnings increased 95 percent from the same quarter last year to $152 million, but a series of costs chewed away much of the gain.
Write-downs of mining assets and restructuring and takeover costs related primarily to the Barrick offer were $34 million during the quarter, while resource development, technology and other costs were $31 million.
This will be Placer's last earnings report before it is gobbled up completely by fellow Canadian gold producer Barrick.
As of February 6, Barrick had acquired 94 percent of Placer Dome, and is buying the remaining stock.
For the quarter, Placer produced 918,784 ounces of gold at cash costs of $290 an ounce from its mines in the Americas, Australia and Africa. That compares with 927,000 ounces at a cash cost of $264 in the same period a year earlier.
For the year, Placer's output was 3.647 million ounces of gold, compared with 3.652 million ounces in 2004. It cost Placer $284 to produce an ounce of gold in 2005, up from $240 an ounce in 2004.