Northern Star hits 600,000oz annual run-rate

Bill Beament says Northern Star Resources shareholders should be gearing up for a surge in free cashflow as the company reaches its targeted run-rate of 600,000 ounces per annum of gold.

Kristie Batten*

Bill Beament says Northern Star's free cashflow will soar

Gold sold in the March quarter was 119,976oz at all-in sustaining costs of A$1,075 per ounce, taking year-to-date sales to 387,254oz at AISC of $1,053/oz.

The company narrowed full-year guidance to 540,000-560,000 from 525,000-575,000oz, with AISC guidance left unchanged at $1,000-1,050/oz.

June quarter production is expected to jump to 150,000oz of gold.

"They say the journey is better than the arrival, but for Northern Star, nothing could be further from the truth," Beament said on a conference call this morning.

"We're about to arrive at our stated destination of 600,000ozpa … arrival at this destination is going to be highly rewarding."

Northern Star generated underlying free cashflow of A$32 million for the March quarter after investing around $33 million in expansionary capital.

Beament said cashflow was set to surge as the company completed its expansion phase.

"Increasing production is just a means to growing our financial returns," he said.

Northern Star closed the quarter with cash and equivalents of $439.1 million after paying $19 million in cash for the acquisition of the South Kalgoorlie operations from Westgold Resources and $7.3 million for listed investments.

Drilling increased during the March quarter and Beament said the company would continue to invest in exploration.

A resource and reserve upgrade is due out in early August.

Shares in Northern Star dropped by 0.2% to $6.36. The stock hit an all-time high of $6.97 last month.

*Kristie Batten is editor of www.miningnews.net