OceanaGold closes out hedgebook to create 100% unhedged gold producer
4:17 AM ET, March 31, 2010
MELBOURNE, Australia, Mar 31, 2010 (Canada NewsWire via COMTEX) -- /NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO U.S. PERSONS AND NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES/
OceanaGold Corporation (OGC) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company has successfully closed out all remaining hedge facilities resulting in the Company immediately becoming a 100% unhedged gold producer.
In conjunction with the previously announced institutional equity raising that was undertaken in February and overwhelmingly approved by shareholders on March 25th, the Company has bought back all remaining fixed forward contracts and call options that were set to mature throughout the remainder of 2010. In total, 74,880 fixed forward contracts averaging NZ$773 (US$549) per ounce and 78,018 call option contracts averaging NZ$1062 (US$754) per ounce have been closed out for a total cost of C$73,005,298 (US$71,612,357).
The hedgebook closeout means that OceanaGold will now sell all of its gold production into the spot market for the remainder of 2010 resulting in cash operating margins increasing by approximately 200% compared to recent margins.
Paul Bibby, CEO commented, "The elimination of the hedge contracts is transformational for OceanaGold. The robust margins that will now be generated from our New Zealand operations annual production base of 270,000 - 290,000 ounces will be substantially improved going forward. The Company is now in a position to generate considerable cashflow which will further strengthen our balance sheet, increase our attractiveness as a gold investment vehicle in the global marketplace and provide a multitude of new opportunities for us to consider in order to further grow the business."
About OceanaGold
OceanaGold Corporation is a significant Pacific Rim gold producer with projects located on the South Island of New Zealand and in the Philippines. The Company's assets encompass New Zealand's largest gold mining operation at the Macraes goldfield in Otago which is made up of the Macraes open pit and the Frasers Underground mines. Additionally on the west coast of the South Island, the Company operates the Reefton open-pit mine. OceanaGold is currently producing 270,000 - 300,000(1) ounces of gold per annum from the New Zealand operations. The Company also owns the Didipio Gold-Copper Project in northern Luzon, Philippines.
OceanaGold is listed on the Toronto, Australian and New Zealand stock exchanges under th
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