Jaguar Mining Reports First Quarter 2012 Financial Results

May 14, 2012 Download PDF

BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil, May 14, 2012, 2012 (Canada NewsWire via COMTEX) - JAG - TSX/NYSE

Jaguar Mining Inc. ("Jaguar" or the "Company") (JAG: TSX/NYSE) today reported net income of $2.8 million or $0.03 per fully diluted share for the quarter ended March 31, 2012. This result compares to net income of $3.7 million or $0.04 per fully diluted share in the first quarter of 2011. The first quarter 2012 result includes a $14.3 million unrealized non-cash gain on the conversion option embedded in convertible debt (see note 1) and a $3.2 million gain from changing foreign exchange rates. Excluding these items, Jaguar's first quarter result was a net loss of $14.7 million or $0.17 per fully diluted share.

Commenting on the Company's results and operations, Gary German, Jaguar's Chairman stated, "We were clearly dissatisfied with our operations in the first quarter, especially at Paciência where production has continued well below plan. This operation has now been placed on temporary care and maintenance and this will immediately result in improvements in our average cash cost per ounce of gold produced. We are moving aggressively forward with the implementation of our restructuring and turnaround plan which we expect to have a positive impact on our cash generation."

Summary of Key Operating Results

                                          Three months ended March 31

                                             2012                2011

(unaudited)

($ in 000s, except per
share amounts)

Gold sales                           $     50,972        $     55,140

Ounces sold                                30,138              39,794

Average sales price $ /                     1,691               1,386
ounce

Gross profit (loss)                       (3,677)              10,968

Net income                                  2,809               3,724

Basic income (loss) per                      0.03                0.04
share

Diluted income (loss) per                    0.03                0.04
share

Weighted avg. # of shares              84,409,648          84,373,648
outstanding - basic

Weighted avg. # of shares              84,431,344          84,385,392
outstanding - diluted

Jaguar sold 30,138 ounces of gold at an average realized price of $1,691 per ounce in the three months ended March 31, 2012 compared to 39,794 ounces of gold at an average realized price of $1,386 per ounce in the three months ended March 31, 2011. Average cash operating cost per ounce was $1,268 and cash operating margin was $423 per ounce. This compared to average cash operating cost per ounce of $727 and a cash operating margin of $659 per ounce in the three months ended March 31, 2011. The increase in the Company's average cash operating cost during the three months ended March 31, 2012 as compared to the same period in 2011 was attributable to higher mining dilution, lower total production which resulted in higher fixed cost absorption per ounce, and increased costs for labor, services, equipment maintenance and mining materials.

Turmalina

During the three months ended March 31, 2012, Turmalina produced 10,014 ounces of gold at a cash operating cost of $1,342 per ounce as compared to 15,855 ounces at a cash operating cost of $755 per ounce during the three months ended March 31, 2011. Production was lower quarter over quarter due to the instability of the hanging wall and poor ground conditions at Level 5 of Turmalina's Ore Body A. The increase in Turmalina's cash operating cost during the quarter as compared to the same period last year was attributable to higher mining dilution, higher fixed cost absorption per ounce and increased costs for labor, services, equipment maintenance and mining materials.

Development at the Turmalina Mine totaled 2.1 kilometers during the three months ended March 31, 2012.

Caeté

During the three months ended March 31, 2012, Caeté produced 13,881 ounces of gold at a cash operating cost of $1,118 per ounce as compared to 13,480 ounces at a cash operating cost of $850 per ounce during the three months ended March 31, 2011. The increase in Caeté's cash operating cost during the quarter as compared to the same period last year was attributable to higher mining dilution and increased costs for labor, services, equipment maintenance and mining materials.

Development at the Pilar and Roca Grande mines totaled 2.2 kilometers during the three months ended March 31, 2012.

Paciência

During the three months ended March 31, 2012, Paciência produced 7,338 ounces of gold at a cash operating cost of $1,451 per ounce as compared to 12,114 ounces at a cash operating cost of $555 per ounce during the three months ended March 31, 2011.

Production was lower quarter over quarter at Paciência due to continued challenges with adapting mining methods and properly scaled equipment to match the narrow vein geology. In addition, a collapse of the hanging wall and rock mechanics issues at the Santa Isabel Mine resulted in lack of mining flexibility at the operation during the quarter. Excessive rain also contributed to lower production levels.

The increase in Paciência's cash operating cost during the quarter as compared to the same period last year was attributable to higher mining dilution, higher fixed cost absorption per ounce and increased costs for labor, services, equipment maintenance and mining materials.

Combined development for the mines supplying the Paciência Plant totaled 2.0 kilometers during the three months ended March 31, 2012.

Subsequent to the conclusion of the first quarter 2012, the Paciência operations were placed on a care and maintenance program associated with a comprehensive restructuring and turnaround program as previously announced. The operations will continue on care and maintenance while a remediation plan is implemented. The remediation plans for Paciência include an adaptation of the narrow vein overhand stoping methods, a changeover to smaller scale equipment, smaller development headings, reduced stope dimensions and building the developed reserve inventory prior to restarting the plant. Implementation of the plan is expected to result in improved productivity per ounce, reduced mining dilution, reliable and predictable production forecasts, and significant reductions in cash costs per ounce when the mines return to production.

Gurupi Project

During the three months ended March 31, 2012, Jaguar received the installation license which authorizes the construction of the processing plant for the Gurupi open pit project. The license was a critical step in the development of the Project and brings the Company closer to being able to realize the full value of its assets in Northern Brazil.

The licensing decisions for the Project's mining operations, tailings management facilities and other infrastructure are pending subject to the Company's acquisition of surface land rights. The Company is engaging in negotiations with land holders.

Jaguar continued exploration and development during the quarter at Gurupi with a drilling program to further expand the resource base. An updated feasibility study for the Gurupi Project is due for submission to management and the Board in the third quarter of 2012. The Board anticipates that it will make a decision on the development plan, its timing and its financing plan following the receipt of that study.

Exploration

Jaguar's exploration activities during the quarter ended March 31, 2012, focused on completion of the 30,000 meter drilling program at the Gurupi Project as well as the expansion of resources and reserves, laterally and at depth, on targets in and around existing operations.

The table below presents a summary of the Company's exploration drilling program during the quarter:

 ______________________________________________________________
|Region    |Target      |Operation/Project  |  Meters  |  Drill|
|          |            |                   | Drilled  |Holes  |
|__________|____________|___________________|__________|_______|
|Southern  |Ore Bodies A|Turmalina          |   1,370  |    4  |
|Brazil    |and B       |                   |          |       |
|          |____________|___________________|__________|_______|
|          |Faina       |Turmalina          |     878  |   10  |
|          |____________|___________________|__________|_______|
|          |Santa Isabel|Paciàªncia         |   4,304  |   30  |
|          |Mine        |                   |          |       |
|          |____________|___________________|__________|_______|
|          |Ouro Fino   |Paciàªncia         |    1,114 |    8  |
|__________|____________|___________________|__________|_______|
|Northern  |Cipoeiro    |Gurupi Project     |   1,294  |    7  |
|Brazil    |____________|___________________|__________|_______|
|          |Mandiocal & |Gurupi Project     |   2,822  |   11  |
|          |Santa Paz   |                   |          |       |
|__________|____________|___________________|__________|_______|
|                                   Total   |   11,782 |   70  |
|___________________________________________|__________|_______|

Southern Brazil

  • Turmalina - Ore Bodies A and B: As part of a drilling program to test the continuity at depth of the 60(o) dipping and NE-plunging mineralized structure, underground drilling was conducted from a 370-meter long exploration drift located on Mine Level 4. The drilling was completed during the three months ended March 31, 2012 and the results confirmed the continuity of the ore bodies at depth, down to Mine Levels 9 and 10.

  • Paciàªncia - Santa Isabel Mine and NW1 Target: The drilling program at the Santa Isabel Mine continued from the 530-meter long underground exploration drift developed on Mine Level 4. The objective of this program is to confirm the extension of the ore bodies to Mine Levels 6 and 7.

Drilling results have confirmed the continuity of the mineralized structures in all the above mentioned targets, including locally high-grade gold mineralization.

Northern Brazil (Gurupi Project)

During the quarter ended March 31, 2012, Jaguar continued with the 30,000-meter drilling program at the Gurupi Project. The goal is to upgrade "inferred mineral resources" to "indicated mineral resources" in the lateral and deeper portions of the Project's Cipoeiro and Chega Tudo deposits as well as to add mineral resources in targets around the future Cipoeiro Plant.

The results to date confirm the potential to significantly increase gold indicated mineral resources at the Gurupi deposits. The infill drilling at Cipoeiro and Chega Tudo confirms that the mineralization is consistent with the grade and width indicated from previous drilling programs and the step-out drilling demonstrates that the mineralization is open down-dip in both ore bodies as a pervasive pyrite-gold assemblage associated with NW-SE shear zones. At Chega Tudo, six deep drill holes intercepted the extension of the mineralization to a vertical depth of at least 300 meters. Previous resource drilling campaigns at the Projecthad delineated the mineralization down to depths of 130 to 150 meters.

During the quarter, the Company completed the exploration program at the Cipoeiro deposit and initiated a program consisting of infill and exploratory drill holes at the Mandiocal and Santa Paz targets, which are part of 12 identified targets within the Project's concession package in addition to Cipoeiro and Chega Tudo. These 12 additional targets have not been included in any of the Company's resource estimates or feasibility studies related to the Gurupi Project. These targets have been identified as high potential by favorable geology, structures, old artisan mine works, soil and channel sampling anomalies and exploration drilling.

2012 Estimated Production and Cash Operating Cost

Based on the planned implementation of the restructuring and turnaround plan, Jaguar is revising its outlook for both production and cash operating costs in 2012. The Company now expects 2012 gold production in the range of 120,000 to 130,000 ounces. On this new volume, cash operating costs are expected to be in the range of $900 to $1,000 per ounce (based on an assumed exchange rate of R$1.75 per US$) as the planned benefits of the turnaround plan will not be fully realized until 2013. Looking to mid 2013 and beyond, the Company's revised preliminary annual targets for its Southern operations (excluding any Gurupi potential production) is 170,000 to 190,000 ounces at cash operating costs in the range $700 to $800 per ounce.

2012 Estimated Year End Cash and Cash Equivalents

As the Company starts to implement its previously announced restructuring and turnaround plan, management is closely monitoring its cash position and cash needs. Based on the planned implementation and the expected significant resulting cost savings, the Company expects to have cash or cash equivalents of approximately $40 million at the end of 2012.

About Jaguar Mining
Jaguar is a junior gold producer in Brazil with operations in a prolific greenstone belt in the state of Minas Gerais and is developing the Gurupi Project in Northern Brazil in the state of Maranhão. The Company is actively exploring and developing additional mineral resources at its approximate 240,000-hectare land base in Brazil. Additional information is available on the Company's website at www.jaguarmining.com.

Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release constitute "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and Canadian securities legislation. These Forward-Looking Statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning the Company's Restructuring and Turnaround Plan and 2012 production, cost and cash balance guidance. Forward-Looking Statements can be identified by the use of words, such as "are expected", "is forecast", "is targeted", "approximately" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-Looking Statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results or performance to be materially different from any future results or performance expressed or implied by the Forward-Looking Statements.

These factors include the inherent risks involved in the exploration and development of mineral properties, the uncertainties involved in interpreting drilling results and other geological data, fluctuating gold prices and monetary exchange rates, the possibility of project cost delays and overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses, uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, uncertainties related to production rates, timing of production and the cash and total costs of production, changes in applicable laws including laws related to mining development, environmental protection, and the protection of the health and safety of mine workers, the availability of labor and equipment, the possibility of labor strikes and work stoppages and changes in general economic conditions. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in Forward-Looking Statements, there may be other factors that could cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended.

These Forward-Looking Statements represent the Company's views as of the date of this press release. The Company anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause the Company's views to change. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, either written or oral, that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company subsequent to the date of this discussion except as required by law. For a discussion of important factors affecting the Company, including fluctuations in the price of gold and exchange rates, uncertainty in the calculation of mineral resources, competition, uncertainty concerning geological conditions and governmental regulations and assumptions underlying the Company's forward-looking statements, see the "CAUTIONARY NOTE" regarding forward-looking statements and "RISK FACTORS" in the Company's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2011 filed on System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval on March 26, 2012 and available at http://www.sedar.com and the Company's Annual Report on Form 40-F for the year ended December 31, 2011 expected to be filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission on March 26, 2012 and available at www.sec.gov.

Note: As required by applicable Canadian rules, effective Q1 2011, Jaguar has prepared its financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS").

Additional details will be available in the Company's filings on SEDAR and EDGAR, including Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and Consolidated Financial Statements for the period ended March 31, 2012.

The following tables contain unaudited information for the quarter ended March 31, 2012. The data presented are subject to final adjustment, but are believed to be materially accurate. Jaguar's financial statements for the period ended March 31, 2012 are expected to be filed on SEDAR and EDGAR on May 15, 2012. Readers should refer to those filings for the final financial statements and the associated footnotes which are an integral part of the tables.


JAGUAR MINING INC.



Condensed Interim
Consolidated Balance
Sheets

(Expressed in thousands of
U.S. dollars)



Unaudited

                                           March 31,       December 31,
                                                2012               2011



Assets

Current assets:

  Cash and cash                      $        49,863     $       74,475
  equivalents

  Inventory                                   37,262             34,060

  Prepaid expenses and                        28,471             25,541
  sundry assets

                                             115,596            134,076



  Prepaid expenses and                        49,800             48,068
  sundry assets

  Restricted cash                                909                909

  Property, plant and                        394,187            388,675
  equipment

  Mineral exploration                         94,107             88,938
  projects

                                     $       654,599     $      660,666



Liabilities and
Shareholders' Equity

Current liabilities:

  Accounts payable and               $        34,163     $       34,922
  accrued liabilities

  Notes payable                               28,543             22,517

  Income taxes payable                        18,545             18,953

  Reclamation provisions                       2,200              2,082

  Other provisions                             4,664              4,347

  Deferred compensation                          766              2,953
  liabilities

  Other liabilities                            1,226              1,475

                                              90,107             87,249



  Notes payable                              231,367            228,938

  Option component of                         65,606             79,931
  convertible notes

  Deferred income taxes                        7,758              8,635

  Reclamation provisions                      16,621             15,495

  Deferred compensation                        2,012              2,270
  liabilities

  Other liabilities                              510                339

  Total liabilities                          413,981            422,857



Shareholders' equity:

  Share capital                              370,043            370,043

  Stock options                               14,207             14,207

  Contributed surplus                          3,414              3,414

  Deficit                                  (147,046)          (149,855)

  Total equity
  attributable to equity                     240,618            237,809
  shareholders of the
  Company





                                     $       654,599     $      660,666







JAGUAR MINING INC.



Condensed Interim Consolidated Statements of Operations and
Comprehensive Income

(Expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars, except per share amounts)



(Unaudited)

                                        Three Months       Three Months
                                               Ended              Ended
                                           March 31,          March 31,
                                                2012               2011



Gold sales                            $       50,972     $       55,140

Production costs                            (41,399)           (33,057)

Stock-based compensation                          43                  5

Depletion and amortization                  (13,293)           (11,120)

Gross profit (loss)                          (3,677)             10,968



Operating expenses:

   Exploration                                    45                334

   Stock-based compensation                    (808)            (2,691)

   Administration                              6,315              5,256

   Management fees                                30                162

   Amortization                                  289                357

   Other                                         401                836

   Total operating expenses                    6,272              4,254



Income (loss) before the                     (9,949)              6,714
following



Gain on derivatives                                -              (287)

Loss (gain) on conversion
option embedded in convertible              (14,325)              1,340
debt

Foreign exchange gain                        (3,175)            (3,089)

Accretion expense                                595                570

Interest expense                               7,123              5,682

Interest income                              (1,858)            (1,466)

Gain on disposition of property                (278)              (719)

Other non-operating expense                     (27)                  -
recoveries

Total other expenses (income)               (11,945)              2,031



Income before income taxes                     1,996              4,683

Income taxes

   Current income taxes                          319                504

   Deferred income taxes                     (1,132)                455
(recoveries)

Total income taxes (recoveries)                (813)                959



Net income and comprehensive          $        2,809     $        3,724
income for the period





Basic and diluted earnings per        $         0.03     $         0.04
share



Weighted average number of
common shares outstanding -               84,409,648         84,373,648
basic

Weighted average number of
common shares outstanding -               84,431,344         84,385,392
diluted









JAGUAR MINING INC.



Condensed Interim
Consolidated Statements
of Cash Flows

(Expressed in thousands
of U.S. dollars)



(Unaudited)

                                        Three Months       Three Months
                                               Ended              Ended
                                           March 31,          March 31,
                                                2012               2011



Cash provided by (used
in):

  Operating activities:

    Net income and
comprehensive income                  $        2,809     $        3,724
for the period

    Adjustments to
reconcile net earnings
to net cash provided
from

     (used in)
operating activities:

      Unrealized                             (5,053)            (2,794)
foreign exchange gain

      Stock-based
compensation expense                           (851)            (2,696)
(recovery)

      Interest expense                         7,123              5,682

      Accretion of                                 -               (94)
interest income

      Accretion expense                          595                570

      Deferred income                        (1,132)                455
taxes

      Depletion and                           13,582             11,477
amortization

      Unrealized loss
(gain) on option                            (14,325)              1,340
component of
convertible note

      Inventory                                (828)                  -
write-down (recovery)

    Reclamation                                (103)               (18)
expenditure (recovery)

                                               1,817             17,646

Change in non-cash
operating working
capital:

      Inventory                              (2,080)              2,267

      Prepaid expenses                       (2,783)            (2,056)
and sundry assets

      Accounts payable                       (1,378)                430
and accrued liabilities

      Income taxes                             (408)              1,009
payable

      Other provisions                           317                254

      Deferred
compensation                                 (1,612)              (161)
liabilities

                                             (6,127)             19,389

Financing activities:

    Repayment of debt                        (1,100)            (3,818)

    Increase in debt                           6,000             99,313

    Interest paid                            (3,152)              (361)

    Other liabilities                           (79)               (61)

                                               1,669             95,073

Investing activities:

    Mineral exploration                      (5,162)            (2,345)
projects

    Purchase of
property, plant and                         (18,976)           (17,868)
equipment

                                            (24,138)           (20,213)



Effect of foreign
exchange on non-U.S.
dollar denominated

    cash and cash                              3,984              2,071
equivalents

Increase (decrease) in
cash and cash                               (24,612)             96,320
equivalents

Cash and cash
equivalents, beginning                        74,475             39,223
of year

Cash and cash
equivalents, end of                   $       49,863     $      135,543
year

Note 1 - Fair Valuation of Derivative Financial Instruments - Option Component of Convertible Notes

IFRS requires that derivative financial instruments be valued on a periodic basis. The option components of the Company's convertible notes are considered derivative financial instruments and are fair valued using the Crank - Nicolson valuation model using inputs, such as volatility and credit spread.

The carrying amount of the option components of the convertible notes was $65.6 million at March 31, 2012 (December 31, 2011 - $79.9 million). The change in fair value of $14.3 million for the period ended March 31, 2012 is shown as a gain on conversion option embedded in convertible debt in the Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Period ended March 31, 2011 - $1.3 million loss).

Roger Hendriksen, Vice President, Investor Relations
603-410-4888
rhendriksen@jaguarmining.com

Valeria Rezende DioDato Director of Communication
011-55-31-4042-1249
valeria@jaguarmining.com