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Published Feb 12, 2025 • 92 minute read
Delivered on all key guidance metrics
Achieved record free cash flow of more than $1.3 billion and repaid $800 million of debt
Strong three-year outlook of 2.0 million Au eq. oz. per year
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TORONTO, Feb. 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kinross Gold Corporation (TSX: K, NYSE: KGC) (“Kinross” or the “Company”) today announced its results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 20241.
This news release contains forward-looking information about expected future events and financial and operating performance of the Company. We refer to the risks and assumptions set out in our Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information located on pages 41 and 42 of this release. All dollar amounts are expressed in U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.
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2024 full-year results and 2025 guidance:
| 2024 guidance (+/- 5%) | Q4 2024 results | 2024 full-year results | 2025 guidance (+/- 5%) | |
| Gold equivalent production1 (ounces) | 2.1 million | 501,209 | 2.13 million | 2.0 million |
| Production cost of sales2 Attributable production cost of sales1 ($ per Au eq. oz.) | – $1,020 | $1,098 $1,096 | $1,020 $1,021 | – $1,120 |
| Attributable all-in sustaining cost1 ($ per Au eq. oz.) | $1,360 | $1,510 | $1,388 | $1,500 |
| Capital expenditures3 Attributable capital expenditures1 (million) | – $1,050 | $281 $279 | $1,076 $1,051 | – $1,150 |
- Kinross has forecasted stable production guidance of approximately 2.0 million attributable Au eq. oz. (+/- 5%) in 2026 and 2027.
2024 Q4 and full-year highlights:
- Margins4 of $1,565 per Au eq. oz. sold in Q4 2024, and $1,373 for 2024.
- Operating cash flow5 of $734.5 million in Q4 2024, and $2,446.4 million in 2024.
- Attributable free cash flow1 was $434.4 million in Q4 2024, and $1,340.2 million in 2024, both of which are Company records.
- Reported net earnings6 of $275.6 million in Q4 2024, or $0.22 per share, and $948.8 million, or $0.77 per share, in 2024.
- Adjusted net earnings7,
8 of $240.0 million, or $0.20 per share in Q4 2024, and $838.3 million, or $0.68 per share, in 2024. - Cash and cash equivalents of $611.5 million, and total
liquidity9 of $2.3 billion at December 31, 2024. The Company also continued to prioritize debt reduction, repaying the remaining balance on its term loan on February 10, 2025. - Kinross’ Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.03 per common share payable on March 20, 2025, to shareholders of record at the close of business on March 5, 2025.
- Catherine McLeod-Seltzer has announced that she will not be standing for election. Kelly Osborne, a Board member since 2015, has been approved as Chair of the Board, effective upon his re-election.
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1 Unless otherwise stated, production figures in this news release are on an attributable basis. “Attributable” includes Kinross’ 70% share of Manh Choh production, costs and capital expenditures. Financial figures include 100% of Manh Choh results except when denoted as attributable. Attributable figures are non-GAAP financial measures and ratios. Refer to footnote 7.
2 “Production cost of sales per equivalent ounce sold” is defined as production cost of sales, as reported on the consolidated statements of operations, divided by total gold equivalent ounces sold.
3 Capital expenditures is reported as “Additions to property, plant and equipment” on the consolidated statements of cash flows.
4 “Margins” per equivalent ounce sold is defined as average realized gold price per ounce less production cost of sales per equivalent ounce sold.
5 Operating cash flow figures in this release represent “Net cash flow provided from operating activities,” as reported on the consolidated statements of cash flows.
6 Earnings, net earnings, and reported net earnings figures in this release represent “Net earnings attributable to common shareholders,” as reported on the consolidated statements of operations.
7 These figures are non-GAAP financial measures and ratios, as applicable. They are defined and actual results are reconciled on pages 25 to 31 of this news release. Non-GAAP financial measures and ratios have no standardized meaning under International Financial Reporting Standards “IFRS” and therefore, may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers.
8 Adjusted net earnings figures in this news release represent “Adjusted net earnings attributable to common shareholders.”
9 “Total liquidity” is defined as the sum of cash and cash equivalents, as reported on the consolidated balance sheets, and available credit under the Company’s credit facilities (as calculated in Section 6 Liquidity and Capital Resources of Kinross’ MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2024).
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Operational highlights:
- Tasiast delivered record throughput, production and cash flow in 2024, and was the highest-margin operation.
- Paracatu had another strong year, delivering over 500,000 gold ounces for the 7th consecutive year.
- Fort Knox significantly increased annual production as a result of first gold from Manh Choh in Q3 2024.
Development project and exploration highlights:
- At Great Bear, the Advanced Exploration (AEX) program is making strong progress with early works underway.
- At Bald Mountain, approved the Redbird pit, extending mine life and adding ~1 million gold ounces to reserves.
- At Lobo-Marte, the dedicated project team is progressing baseline studies to support permitting.
- At Round Mountain Phase X, wide, high-grade intercepts in upper and lower targets, confirming exploration thesis.
- At Curlew, exploration efforts resulted in high-grade, high-quality resource growth.
CEO Commentary:
J. Paul Rollinson, CEO, made the following comments in relation to 2024 fourth-quarter and year-end results:
“2024 marked another excellent year for Kinross and we have, once again, met our production and cost guidance. We delivered record free cash flow7 of $1.3 billion, which more than doubled year-over-year, repaid $800 million of debt, and grew our margins by 37%, significantly outpacing the rise in gold price.
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“Three years ago, in February 2022, we acquired Great Bear through a combination of cash and shares. I’m proud to say that, since then, we have fully repaid the debt associated with that acquisition and have fewer shares outstanding due to our share buyback program. We have also outlined a high-grade resource and published an attractive Preliminary Economic Assessment demonstrating top-tier, high-margin production potential.
“We converted nearly 1 million resource ounces to reserves at Bald Mountain, which, coupled with the receipt of our Juniper permit in 2024, resulted in the decision to proceed with mining at Redbird.
“In Sustainability, we advanced environmental, social and governance initiatives across our host countries and look forward to publishing our detailed 2024 Sustainability Report in May. Highlights from 2024 include:
- Completed more than 15 energy efficiency projects across the portfolio and on track to achieve 30% reduction in emissions intensity by 2030;
- Provided flood relief aid to communities in the south of both Mauritania and Brazil; and
- Recognized as the top gold company and in the top 10% overall in The Globe and Mail’s corporate governance ranking.
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“We are forecasting another strong year of production of approximately 2.0 million gold equivalent ounces while maintaining our consistent operational performance. Our operational focus in 2025 will be on cost control, capital discipline and delivering on planned grades. We are also anticipating additional returns of capital to shareholders later in 2025.”
Financial results
Summary of financial and operating results
| Three months ended | Years ended | |||||||||
| (in millions of U.S. dollars, except ounces, per share amounts, and per ounce amounts) | December 31, | December 31, | ||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||||
| Operating Highlights(a) | ||||||||||
| Total gold equivalent ounces(b) | ||||||||||
| Produced | 514,355 | 546,513 | 2,170,791 | 2,153,020 | ||||||
| Sold | 531,729 | 565,389 | 2,153,212 | 2,179,936 | ||||||
| Attributable gold equivalent ounces(b) | ||||||||||
| Produced | 501,209 | 546,513 | 2,128,052 | 2,153,020 | ||||||
| Sold | 517,980 | 565,389 | 2,111,688 | 2,179,936 | ||||||
| Earnings(a) | ||||||||||
| Metal sales | $ | 1,415.8 | $ | 1,115.7 | $ | 5,148.8 | $ | 4,239.7 | ||
| Production cost of sales | $ | 583.8 | $ | 552.0 | $ | 2,197.1 | $ | 2,054.4 | ||
| Depreciation, depletion and amortization | $ | 284.8 | $ | 271.7 | $ | 1,147.5 | $ | 986.8 | ||
| Impairment charge (reversal) | $ | – | $ | 38.9 | $ | (74.1 | ) | $ | 38.9 | |
| Operating earnings | $ | 501.1 | $ | 193.5 | $ | 1,540.3 | $ | 801.4 | ||
| Net earnings attributable to common shareholders | $ | 275.6 | $ | 65.4 | $ | 948.8 | $ | 416.3 | ||
| Basic and diluted earnings per share attributable to common shareholders | $ | 0.22 | $ | 0.06 | $ | 0.77 | $ | 0.34 | ||
| Adjusted net earnings attributable to common shareholders(c) | $ | 240.0 | $ | 140.0 | $ | 838.3 | $ | 539.8 | ||
| Adjusted net earnings per share(c) | $ | 0.20 | $ | 0.11 | $ | 0.68 | $ | 0.44 | ||
| Cash Flow(a) | ||||||||||
| Net cash flow provided from operating activities | $ | 734.5 | $ | 410.9 | $ | 2,446.4 | $ | 1,605.3 | ||
| Attributable adjusted operating cash flow(c) | $ | 614.1 | $ | 409.6 | $ | 2,143.1 | $ | 1,676.7 | ||
| Capital expenditures(d) | $ | 280.7 | $ | 311.3 | $ | 1,075.5 | $ | 1,098.3 | ||
| Attributable capital expenditures(c) | $ | 278.8 | $ | 297.7 | $ | 1,050.9 | $ | 1,055.0 | ||
| Attributable free cash flow(c) | $ | 434.4 | $ | 116.7 | $ | 1,340.2 | $ | 559.7 | ||
| Per Ounce Metrics(a) | ||||||||||
| Average realized gold price per ounce(e) | $ | 2,663 | $ | 1,974 | $ | 2,393 | $ | 1,945 | ||
| Attributable average realized gold price per ounce(c) | $ | 2,665 | $ | 1,974 | $ | 2,391 | $ | 1,945 | ||
| Production cost of sales per equivalent ounce(b) sold(f) | $ | 1,098 | $ | 976 | $ | 1,020 | $ | 942 | ||
| Attributable production cost of sales per equivalent ounce(b) sold(c) | $ | 1,096 | $ | 976 | $ | 1,021 | $ | 942 | ||
| Attributable production cost of sales per ounce sold on a by-product basis(c) | $ | 1,069 | $ | 936 | $ | 988 | $ | 892 | ||
| Attributable all-in sustaining cost per equivalent ounce(b) sold(c) | $ | 1,510 | $ | 1,353 | $ | 1,388 | $ | 1,316 | ||
| Attributable all-in sustaining cost per ounce sold on a by-product basis(c) | $ | 1,490 | $ | 1,328 | $ | 1,365 | $ | 1,284 | ||
| Attributable all-in cost per equivalent ounce(b) sold(c) | $ | 1,868 | $ | 1,709 | $ | 1,739 | $ | 1,634 | ||
| Attributable all-in cost per ounce sold on a by-product basis(c) | $ | 1,854 | $ | 1,699 | $ | 1,725 | $ | 1,619 | ||
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(a) All measures and ratios include 100% of the results from Manh Choh, except measures and ratios denoted as “attributable.” “Attributable” measures and ratios include Kinross’ 70% share of Manh Choh production, sales, cash flow, capital expenditures and costs, as applicable.
(b) “Gold equivalent ounces” include silver ounces produced and sold converted to a gold equivalent based on a ratio of the average spot market prices for the commodities for each period. The ratio for the fourth quarter and full year 2024 was 84.67:1 and 84.43:1, respectively (fourth quarter and full year 2023 – 85.00:1 and 83.13:1, respectively).
(c) The definition and reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures and ratios is included on pages 25 to 31 of this news release. Non-GAAP financial measures and ratios have no standardized meaning under IFRS and therefore, may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers.
(d) “Capital expenditures” is as reported as “Additions to property, plant and equipment” on the consolidated statements of cash flows.
(e) “Average realized gold price per ounce” is defined as gold revenue divided by total gold ounces sold.
(f) “Production cost of sales per equivalent ounce sold” is defined as production cost of sales divided by total gold equivalent ounces sold.
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The following operating and financial results are based on fourth-quarter and year-end 2024 gold equivalent production:
Production: Kinross produced 501,209 Au eq. oz. in Q4 2024, compared with 546,513 Au eq. oz. in Q4 2023.
Over the full year, Kinross produced 2,128,052 Au eq. oz., largely in line with full-year 2023 production of 2,153,020 Au eq. oz.
Average realized gold price10: The average realized gold price in Q4 2024 was $2,663 per ounce, compared with $1,974 per ounce in Q4 2023. For full-year 2024, the average realized gold price per ounce was $2,393, compared with $1,945 per ounce for full-year 2023.
Revenue: During the fourth quarter, revenue increased to $1,415.8 million, compared with $1,115.7 million during Q4 2023. Revenue increased to $5,148.8 million for full-year 2024, compared with $4,239.7 million for full-year 2023. The 21% year-over-year increase is primarily due to the increase in the average realized gold price.
Production cost of sales: Production cost of sales per Au eq. oz.2 sold was $1,098 for Q4 2024, compared with $976 in Q4 2023. Production cost of sales per Au eq. oz.2 sold was $1,020 for full-year 2024, compared with $942 for full-year 2023.
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Attributable production cost of sales per Au eq. oz. sold1 was $1,096 in Q4 2024, compared with $976 in Q4 2023, based on attributable gold sales of 517,980 ounces. Attributable production cost of sales per Au eq. oz. sold1 was $1,021 for full-year 2024, compared with $942 for full-year 2023, based on attributable gold sales of 2,111,688.
Margins4: Kinross’ margin per Au eq. oz. sold was $1,565 for Q4 2024, compared with the Q4 2023 margin of $998. Full-year 2024 margin per Au eq. oz. sold was $1,373, compared with $1,003 for full-year 2023.
Attributable all-in sustaining cost1: Attributable all-in sustaining cost per Au eq. oz. sold was $1,510 in Q4 2024, compared with $1,353 in Q4 2023. Full-year attributable all-in sustaining cost per Au eq. oz. sold was $1,388, compared with $1,316 for full-year 2023.
In Q4 2024, attributable all-in sustaining cost per Au oz. sold on a by-product basis1 was $1,490, compared with $1,328 in Q4 2023. Attributable all-in sustaining cost per Au oz. sold on a by-product basis1 was $1,365 for full-year 2024, compared with $1,284 in 2023.
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Operating cash flow5: Operating cash flow was $734.5 million for Q4 2024, compared with $410.9 million for Q4 2023. Operating cash flow for full-year 2024 was $2,446.4 million, compared with $1,605.3 million for full-year 2023, primarily due to the increase in margins and favourable working capital movements.
Attributable adjusted operating cash flow1 for Q4 2024 was $614.1 million, compared with $409.6 million for Q4 2023. Attributable adjusted operating cash flow1 for full-year 2024 was $2,143.1 million, compared with $1,676.7 million in 2023.
Attributable free cash flow1: Record attributable free cash flow was $434.4 million in Q4 2024, compared with $116.7 million in Q4 2023. Record attributable free cash flow for full-year 2024 was $1,340.2 million compared with attributable free cash flow of $559.7 million in 2023.
Earnings6: Reported net earnings were $275.6 million for Q4 2024, or $0.22 per share, compared with reported net earnings of $65.4 million, or $0.06 per share, for Q4 2023. Full year reported net earnings in 2024 were $948.8 million, or $0.77 per share, compared with reported net earnings of $416.3 million, or $0.34 per share, in 2023.
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Adjusted net earnings7, 8 were $240.0 million, or $0.20 per share, for Q4 2024, compared with $140.0 million, or $0.11 per share, for Q4 2023. Full-year adjusted net earnings7, 8 were $838.3 million, or $0.68 per share, compared with $539.8 million, or $0.44 per share, for full-year 2023.
Attributable capital expenditures1: Attributable capital expenditures were $278.8 million for Q4 2024, compared with $297.7 million for Q4 2023. Attributable capital expenditures for full-year 2024 were $1,050.9 million, compared with $1,055.0 million in 2023, which included the start of Phase S development at Round Mountain, continued work at Great Bear, and increased capital development at Tasiast for West Branch 5.
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10 “Average realized gold price per ounce” is defined as gold revenue divided by total gold ounces sold.
Balance sheet
The Company continued to strengthen its balance sheet by repaying $250.0 million on its term loan in the quarter, totalling $800.0 million during 2024. The Company repaid the remaining $200.0 million on February 10, 2025, completing repayment of the $1.0 billion term loan.
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Kinross had cash and cash equivalents of $611.5 million as of December 31, 2024, compared with $352.4 million at December 31, 2023.
The Company had additional available credit11 of $1.65 billion as of December 31, 2024, and total liquidity9 of approximately $2.3 billion.
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11 “Available credit” is defined as available credit under the Company’s credit facilities and is calculated in Section 6 Liquidity and Capital Resources of Kinross’ MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2024.
Return of capital
Kinross is committed to enhancing shareholder returns through its continuing quarterly dividend. The dividend of $0.03 per common share is payable on March 20, 2025, to shareholders of record as of March 5, 2025.
Kinross is currently in the process of renewing its normal course issuer bid with the Toronto Stock Exchange, and at current gold prices, intends to reinstate a share buyback program later in 2025.
Operating results
Mine-by-mine summaries for 2024 fourth-quarter and full-year operating results may be found on pages 19 and 23 of this news release. Highlights include the following:
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Tasiast had another excellent year in 2024, achieving record annual production and cash flow. The record annual production was mainly a result of record throughput following the completion of the Tasiast 24k project in the second half of 2023. Quarter-over-quarter, production was lower as a result of planned lower grades and mill maintenance, partially offset by improvements in recovery.
Tasiast’s full-year cost of sales per ounce sold was higher year-over-year primarily due to higher royalties as a result of the increase in gold prices and higher labour costs, largely offset by a higher proportion of costs allocated to capital development. Cost of sales per ounce sold increased quarter-over-quarter, mainly due to the decrease in production.
At Paracatu, full-year production decreased compared with 2023, mainly as a result of lower grades due to planned mine sequencing into harder material in the southwest area of the pit. Cost of sales per ounce sold was higher year-over-year due to lower production, higher drilling contractor and blasting supply costs, partially offset by favourable foreign exchange rates. Production decreased quarter-over-quarter mainly due to the lower throughput from the timing of mill maintenance and mine sequencing. Cost of sales per ounce sold was higher quarter-over-quarter due to the decrease in production, partially offset by favorable foreign exchange rates. In 2025, annual production is expected to increase as the site moves into higher-grade portions of the mine plan.
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At La Coipa, full year production decreased compared with 2023 due to a decrease in silver grades and throughput, partially offset by an increase in gold grades. Production increased quarter-over-quarter due to higher throughput. Cost of sales per ounce sold was higher in both comparable periods primarily due to a lower proportion of mining activities related to capital development in 2024 and higher mill maintenance costs and optimization, partially offset by favourable foreign exchange rates. Kinross continues to progress permitting work for mine life extensions at La Coipa.
Full-year production at Fort Knox increased significantly compared with 2023, primarily due to first production from the higher-grade, higher-recovery ore from Manh Choh in the second half of 2024. Cost of sales per ounce sold was in line with 2023. Quarter-over-quarter production decreased and cost of sales per ounce sold increased due to the timing of processing Manh Choh ore, which was more heavily weighted to Q3 2024.
At Round Mountain, full-year production decreased compared with 2023 due to fewer ounces recovered from the heap leach pads, partially offset by higher mill production. Cost of sales per ounce sold was in line with 2023. Quarter-over-quarter, production was in line and cost of sales per ounce sold increased largely due to higher cost ounces produced from the heap leach pads.
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At Bald Mountain, full-year production increased compared with 2023 due to higher grades. Full-year cost of sales per ounce sold decreased mainly due to lower supplies costs and higher production, partially offset by a lower proportion of mining activities related to capital development. Quarter-over-quarter, production was largely in line and cost of sales per ounce sold was lower mainly due to the timing of sales.
Development projects
Great Bear
At Great Bear, Kinross continues to progress its AEX program and Main Project permitting.
For the AEX program, early works, including tree clearing and earthworks, has commenced with the necessary permits received for all current activities. The two remaining permits required for full AEX completion and operation are under review by the regulatory authorities and are expected to be received later in the year, when they are required. Detailed engineering and procurement continue to advance.
The Company is focused on progressing AEX activities including construction of the exploration decline planned to commence in late 2025.
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For the Main Project, Kinross is advancing detailed engineering and execution planning. The selection of design partners is well underway and work is planned to commence in Q1 2025. This work will provide key engineering information for permitting and construction.
The Company continues to work with the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada on advancing its Impact Statement, which is planned to be submitted later in 2025. Consultation continues with designated Indigenous communities, including discussions to finalize related agreements.
In 2025, Kinross has shifted from deep underground resource drilling to regional exploration work with the goal of identifying new open pit and underground deposits.
Kinross released its Preliminary Economic Assessment for Great Bear on September 10, 2024. The Project is expected to produce over 500,000 ounces per year at an all-in sustaining cost of approximately $800 per ounce during the first 8 years through a conventional, modest capital 10,000 tonne per day mill. In parallel, Kinross also released an updated mineral resource estimate increasing the inferred resource estimate by 568 koz. to 3.9 Moz. which was in addition to the M&I resource estimate of 2.7 Moz.
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Bald Mountain Redbird
Kinross is pleased to announce plans to proceed with mining at the Redbird pit at Bald Mountain, which contains approximately 1 million oz. of gold reserve, following the receipt of the Juniper permit in the second half of 2024.
Kinross has approved mining of Phase 1 at Redbird, which contains 270 koz. and is expected to produce approximately 175 koz., extending production into 2028. Phase 2, unlocking another 680 koz. contained, could begin in 2026 and extend production from Bald Mountain through 2031.
Phase 1 lowers the initial capital risk by leveraging existing heap leach infrastructure, pulls forward production into 2027, and can progress in 2025 while work continues on optimizing the design and execution plan for Phase 2.
Phase 1 initial capex of $120 million is primarily pre-strip mining cost, and the project has an all-in sustaining cost of approximately $1,500/oz.
Lobo-Marte
Kinross is progressing baseline studies to support the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Lobo-Marte project. Lobo-Marte continues to be a potential large, low-cost mine and Kinross is committed to progressing next steps to advance the project.
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Company Guidance
The following section of the news release represents forward-looking information and users are cautioned that actual results may vary. We refer to the risks and assumptions contained in the Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information on pages 41 and 42 of this news release.
This Company Guidance section below references attributable production cost of sales per equivalent ounce, attributable all-in sustaining cost per equivalent ounce sold, and sustaining, non-sustaining and attributable capital expenditures, which are non-GAAP ratios and financial measures, as applicable, with no standardized meaning under IFRS and therefore, may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. The definitions of these non-GAAP ratios and financial measures and comparable reconciliations are included on pages 25 to 31 of this news release.
Attributable1 production guidance
In 2025, Kinross expects to produce 2.0 million attributable Au eq. oz.12 (+/- 5%) from its operations. Production is expected to remain stable at 2.0 million attributable Au eq. oz.12 (+/- 5%) for each of 2026 and 2027. In 2024, Kinross produced 2.13 Au eq. oz.
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| Annual attributable1 gold equivalent production guidance (+/- 5%) | |
| 2025 | 2.0 million oz. |
| 2026 | 2.0 million oz. |
| 2027 | 2.0 million oz. |
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12 Attributable gold equivalent ounce production guidance for 2025 includes approximately 4.3 million ounces of silver.
Attributable1 cost guidance
Attributable production cost of sales is expected to be $1,120 per Au eq. oz.1 (+/- 5%) for 2025. In 2024, production cost of sales2 and attributable production cost of sales1 were $1,020 per Au eq. oz. and $1,021 per Au eq. oz., respectively. The moderate year-over-year increase in 2025 is mainly due to lower overall production with a change in sales mix, including lower production at Tasiast, and inflationary impacts.
The Company expects its attributable all-in sustaining cost1 to be $1,500 per Au eq. oz. (+/- 5%) for 2025. In 2024, attributable all-in sustaining cost1 was $1,388 per Au eq. oz. sold. The expected increase in 2025 is largely a result of the increase in attributable production cost of sales.
2025 attributable1 production and cost guidance
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| Q4 2024 results | 2024 full-year results | 2025 guidance (+/- 5%) | |||
| Gold equivalent basis | |||||
| Production (Au eq. oz.) | 501,209 | 2.13 million | 2.0 million11 | ||
| Attributable production cost of sales per Au eq. oz. sold1 | $1,096 | $1,021 | $1,120 | ||
| Production cost of sales per Au eq. oz. sold2 | $1,098 | $1,020 | |||
| Attributable all-in sustaining cost per Au eq. oz. sold1 | $1,510 | $1,388 | $1,500 | ||
2025 attributable1 production and cost guidance by country
| Country | 2025 attributable production guidance (Au eq. oz.)1, 12 (+/-5%) | Percentage of total forecast production13 | 2025 attributable production cost of sales guidance (per Au eq. oz. sold)1,12 (+/-5%) | 2024 production cost of sales (per Au eq. oz. sold)2 | 2024 attributable production cost of sales (per Au eq. oz. sold)2 | ||||
| Mauritania | 500,000 | 25% | $860 | $681 | $681 | ||||
| Brazil | 585,000 | 29% | $1,025 | $1,039 | $1,039 | ||||
| Chile | 230,000 | 12% | $1,060 | $959 | $959 | ||||
| United States | 685,000 | 34% | $1,420 | $1,295 | $1,313 | ||||
| TOTAL | 2.0 million | 100% | $1,120 | $1,020 | $1,021 |
Material assumptions used to forecast 2025 guidance, most notably relating to production cost of sales, are as follows:
- a gold price of $2,500 per ounce;
- a silver price of $30 per ounce;
- an oil price of $80 per barrel;
- foreign exchange rates of:
- 5.25 Brazilian reais to the U.S. dollar;
- 900 Chilean pesos to the U.S. dollar;
- 37.50 Mauritanian ouguiyas to the U.S. dollar; and
- 1.35 Canadian dollars to the U.S. dollar;
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Taking into account existing currency and oil hedges:
- a 10% change in foreign currency exchange rates14 would be expected to result in an approximate $25 impact on attributable production cost of sales per equivalent ounce sold1;
- specific to the Brazilian real, a 10% change in this exchange rate would be expected to result in an approximate $45 impact on Brazilian attributable production cost of sales per equivalent ounce sold1;
- specific to the Chilean peso, a 10% change in this exchange rate would be expected to result in an approximate $50 impact on Chilean attributable production cost of sales per equivalent ounce sold1;
- a $10 per barrel change in the price of oil would be expected to result in an approximate $3 impact on fuel consumption costs on attributable production cost of sales per equivalent ounce sold1; and
- a $100 change in the price of gold would be expected to result in an approximate $5 impact on attributable production cost of sales per equivalent ounce sold1 as a result of a change in royalties.
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13 The percentages are calculated based on the mid-point of country 2025 forecast production.
14 Refers to all of the currencies in the countries where the Company has mining operations, fluctuating simultaneously by 10% in the same direction, either appreciating or depreciating, taking into consideration the impact of hedging and the weighting of each currency within our consolidated cost structure.
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Attributable capital expenditures15
guidance
Attributable capital expenditures for 2025 are forecast to be approximately $1,150 million (+/- 5%) and are summarized in the table below. In 2024, capital expenditures3 and attributable capital expenditures were $1,076 million and $1,051 million, respectively.
Kinross’ attributable capital expenditures outlook for 2026 and 2027 is approximately expected to be in line with 2025, subject to ongoing inflationary impacts.
| Country | Forecast 2025 sustaining capital15 (+/-5%) (attributable) (million) | Forecast 2025 non-sustaining capital15 (+/-5%) | Total 2025 forecast capital15 (+/-5%) (attributable) (million) | 2024 sustaining capital15 (million) | 2024 non-sustaining capital15 (million) | 2024 total capital15 (consolidated) | 2024 total capital15 (attributable) (million) | ||||||
| Mauritania | $105 | $255 | $360 | $64 | $280 | $344 | $344 | ||||||
| Brazil | $195 | $0 | $195 | $141 | $0 | $141 | $141 | ||||||
| Chile | $50 | $10 | $60 | $66 | $15 | $81 | $81 | ||||||
| U.S. | $185 | $200 | $385 | $257 | $211 | $468 | $443 | ||||||
| Canada and other | $0 | $150 | $150 | $(1) | $43 | $42 | $42 | ||||||
| TOTAL | $535 | $615 | $1,150 | $527 | $549 | $1,076 | $1,051 |
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2025 sustaining capital15 includes the following forecast spending estimates:
| • | Mine development: | $55 million (United States), $10 million (Chile), $20 million (Mauritania) | |
| • | Mobile equipment: | $65 million (United States), $90 million (Brazil), $5 million (Chile), $35 million (Mauritania) | |
| • | Mill facilities: | $5 million (United States), $25 million (Brazil), $20 million (Chile), $10 million (Mauritania) | |
| • | Leach facilities: | $25 million (United States), $5 million (Chile) | |
| • | Tailings facilities: | $5 million (United States), $75 million (Brazil), $5 million (Chile), $10 million (Mauritania) | |
2025 non-sustaining capital15 includes the following forecast spending estimates:
| • | Tasiast West Branch stripping: | $255 million | |
| • | Great Bear AEX construction, detailed engineering and other: | $150 million | |
| • | Bald Mountain Redbird 1: | $75 million | |
| • | Round Mountain Phase S: | $75 million |
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15
Forecast 2025 sustaining, non-sustaining and total forecast capital expenditures are on an attributable basis and include Kinross’ share of Manh Choh (70%) capital expenditures. Actual results as reported for the year ended December 31, 2024, for sustaining, non-sustaining and total capital expenditures (refer to footnote 3) are on a total basis and include 100% of Manh Choh capital expenditures. Sustaining, non-sustaining and attributable capital expenditures are non-GAAP financial measures (refer to footnote 7) and are defined and reconciled on pages 30 and 31 of this news release.
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Other 2025 guidance
| Category | 2025 Guidance | Summary | |||
| Exploration and Business Development ($M) | $200 (+/- 5%) | 2025 guidance includes approximately $175 million of exploration spend on brownfields, minex and greenfields exploration targets (2024 – $166.4 million). For details about the 2025 exploration program, see page 11. | |||
| General and Administrative ($M) | $125 (+/- 5%) | In line with 2024 results. | |||
| Other Operating Costs ($M) | $125-$150 | Primarily relates to studies and permitting activities that do not meet the criteria for capitalization, as well as care and maintenance and reclamation activities at non-operating sites. | |||
| Effective Tax Rate (ETR)16 | 32% – 37% | ETR based on adjusted net earnings. | |||
| Taxes paid (cash) ($M) | $330 | Taxes paid is expected to increase by approximately $4 million for every $100/oz movement in the realized gold price. | |||
| DD&A ($/oz.)17 | $540 (+/- 5%) | In line with 2024 results. | |||
| Interest paid ($M) (incl. capitalized interest) | $75 | Includes approximately $20 million of capitalized interest and $55 million of interest expense. Interest expense excludes accretion of the Company’s reclamation and remediation obligations, as well as lease liabilities, which for 2024 totaled $42.3 million. (2024 – Total interest paid of $128.2 million, of which $92.6 million was capitalized. The 2025 decrease is due to the full repayment of the term loan on February 10th, 2025.) |
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16 The forecast ETR range for 2025 assumes gold price, foreign exchange and tax rates in the jurisdictions in which the Company operates remain stable and within 2025 guidance assumptions. The ETR does not include the impact of items which the Company believes are not reflective of the Company’s underlying performance, such as the impact of net foreign currency translations on tax deductions and taxes related to prior periods. Management believes that the ETR range provides investors with the ability to better evaluate the Company’s underlying performance. However, the ETR range is not necessarily an indicator of tax expense recognized under IFRS. The rate is sensitive to the relative proportion of sales between the Company’s various tax jurisdictions and realized gold prices.
17 DD&A ($/oz) is defined as depreciation, depletion and amortization, as reported on the consolidated statements of operations, divided by total gold equivalent ounces sold.
Sustainability
Kinross continued to deliver strong sustainability performance throughout the year, reflected in strong Sustainability scores as measured by MSCI, LSEG, Moody’s, and Sustainalytics, and was named to the S&P 2025 Global Sustainability Yearbook for the 12th time since 2012.
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Kinross’ robust approach to environmental performance includes advancing its climate change strategy. The Company is on track to achieve its greenhouse gas (GHG) target of reducing emissions intensity by 30% by 2030 from its 2021 baseline. In 2024, Kinross implemented more than 15 energy efficiency projects across sites, including haul route optimization, switching from diesel generators to electricity at fuel islands and lime silos, incorporation of electric buses, and other energy efficiency initiatives. The Company also advanced its estimation of Scope 3 GHG emissions and completed outreach with the suppliers representing the majority of total spend to understand their approaches to emissions reduction.
Kinross engages directly with local communities around its operations to understand their economic, social and development goals, working together to ensure that meaningful, long-term benefits are realized through job creation, training programs, procurement, tax payments, and targeted community programs. Flood relief aid was provided to communities in the south of both Mauritania and Brazil, including essential food supplies and emergency shelter. Paracatu worked with the World Gold Council to publish a video demonstrating the positive impact of community partnerships to support programs and projects that enhance the well-being of local people, with a particular focus on sustainability after mine closure. Kinross was also recognized with a 2024 award for Business Achievement in Sustainability by the Canadian Council for the Americas.
Kinross’ robust corporate governance standards for its Board of Directors continue to be driven by a focus on delivering value through a mix of skills and experience, diversity, director independence and succession planning. Kinross was the top scoring gold mining company in The Globe and Mail’s annual corporate governance ranking and increased its score by four points from 2023, ranking in the top 10% of companies overall.
Exploration update
In 2024, approximately 318,000 metres of drilling was completed for all exploration projects (brownfields, minex and greenfields).
Brownfields and minex exploration
The Company’s brownfields and minex exploration efforts – which accounted for approximately 85% of the Company’s exploration – continued to focus within the footprint of existing mines and projects during 2024.
Great Bear
Kinross’ exploration efforts at Great Bear in 2024 primarily focused on directional drilling beyond the 1,000-metre depth to show the underground potential of the asset, resulting in the addition of 568 koz. to the inferred resource, which was updated in September along with the release of a PEA.
The 2024 drilling intersected mineralization beyond the current resource and PEA inventory across multiple zones up to a vertical depth of 1,600 metres, demonstrating the system is still open with continuation of high-grade mineralization at depth and highlighting the potential for further resource additions.
Given the costs of drilling to this depth from surface and the significant resource already identified, late last year the exploration focus shifted to regional exploration work on the ~120 square kilometre land package to look for additional open pit and underground opportunities. In parallel, work on the AEX decline will be progressed to support future exploration at LP from underground.
Round Mountain
At Phase X, drilling in Q4 expanded infill drilling into the upper zone of the primary exploration target, with results showing numerous intercepts with strong widths and grades, supporting the thesis of potential for bulk mining at Phase X. Approximately 21,000 metres have been drilled at Phase X since starting the exploration decline in 2023. The program in 2024 successfully intersected both the upper and lower exploration targets, demonstrating continuous wide mineralization with strong grades, confirmin
