TORONTO, ON - August 14, 2012 - Global Alumina Corporation (TSX: GLA.U) (the "Company" or "Global Alumina"), a corporation participating in a joint venture to develop an alumina refinery, mine and associated infrastructure in the bauxite-rich region of the Republic of Guinea (the "Project"), announced today its financial and operating results for the three and six month periods ended June
30, 2012. The text of the quarterly unaudited financial statements and management's discussion and analysis can be viewed or printed from the Company's SEDAR reference page at www.sedar.com.
All dollar amounts are in U.S. dollars.
Second Quarter 2012 Financial Highlights
• In the first six months of 2012 the joint venture partners contributed capital of $33.0 million towards the approved Project budget with the Company contributing its $11.0 million one-third share.
• At June 30, 2012, Guinea Alumina Corporation, Ltd. (the joint venture company) had capitalized into construction in progress approximately $719.9 million, of which approximately $8.8 million relates to the second quarter of 2012.
• As of June 30, 2012, the Company had unrestricted cash of $4.1 million and escrowed cash totalling $5.7 million in its escrow account to fund future Project capital calls.
• During the second quarter, Guinea Alumina Corporation's board of directors approved additional project funding of $5.4 million through August 2012. Global Alumina will be responsible for its one-third share.
• For the three and six months ended June 30, 2012, respectively, the Company reported a net loss of $4,803,496 million ($0.03 per share) and $6,300,932 ($0.03 per share), compared to a net loss of $5,587,619 ($0.03 per share) and $14,965,783 ($0.08 per share) for the same periods in
2011.
At usage rates that the Company currently expects in 2012, funds in escrow will be sufficient to meet its one-third share of Project equity requirements through October 2012, and unrestricted funds will be sufficient to enable it to meet its corporate operating expense requirements through August 2013. The Company currently is considering whether or not to raise additional capital. If the Company is unwilling or unable to raise additional capital it does not expect to provide further funding to the Project after October 2012.
The Project joint venture partners have been unable to agree on the timing of development of the Project. Currently the joint venture partners are discussing options regarding restructuring ownership in the Project.
About Global AluminaGlobal Alumina is in a joint venture through its wholly owned subsidiary, Global Alumina International, Ltd., with BHP Billiton, Dubai Aluminium Company Limited and Mubadala Development Company PJSC, to develop an alumina refinery in the bauxite-rich region of the Republic of Guinea.
Global Alumina is headquartered in Saint John, New Brunswick and has administrative offices in New York, London and Montreal. For further information visit the Company's website at www.globalalumina.com.
Forward Looking Information
Certain information in this press release is "forward
looking information", which reflects management's
expectations regarding the Company's future growth,
results of operations, performance and business prospects and
opportunities. In this release, the words "may",
"would", "could", "should",
"will", "intend", "plan",
"anticipate", "believe",
"seek", "propose", "estimate"
and "expect" and similar expressions, as they
relate to the Company and its assets and interests, are
often, but not always, used to identify forward looking
information. Such forward looking information reflects
management's current beliefs and is based on information
currently available to management. Forward looking
information involves significant risks and uncertainties,
should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or
results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of
whether or not or the times at, or by which, such performance
or results will be achieved. In particular, this release
contains forward looking information pertaining to the
following: the decision to proceed with the Project and the
ability of the joint venture partners to agree on timing of
development of the Project; the adequacy of the
Company's cash resources and its ability to continue to
fund its Project obligations beyond October 2012; the
decisions of the joint venture with respect to conduct of the
Project; fair value estimates of the Project; expectations
regarding the financing of the Project, the amount, nature
and timing of capital expenditures to complete the Project;
future production levels; expectations regarding the
negotiation of contractual rights; prices for alumina and
aluminium; operating and other costs; political developments
in Guinea and recognition by the new political regime in
Guinea of historical agreements negotiated by the previous
government, general business strategies and plans of
management with respect to the Project. A number of factors
could cause actual results to differ materially from the
results discussed in the forward looking information,
including, but not limited to: the inability of the Company
to fund its on-going expenses pending a sale of the Company
and/or restructuring of Project ownership interests; ongoing
political events in Guinea and the transition to a new
government and the policies of such new government; the
current political and economic risks of investing in a
developing country; a decision by the joint venture partners
not to proceed with the Project or a decision by the joint
venture partners to restructure ownership in the Project;
material changes to the cost estimates and time estimates for
development of the Project; unanticipated liabilities of
Global Alumina at the corporate level and the inability of
the Company to obtain additional financing to fund corporate
expenses; the accuracy of the assumptions used to determine
the fair value of the Project; the possibility that the value
of the Company's assets could deteriorate; operational
risks such as access to infrastructure and skilled labour;
the limited control by the Company of the assets and
operations of the Project and its inability to make major
decisions with respect to the Project without agreement from
the other joint venture partners; the inability of the
Company to raise additional financing to fund the Project to
complete development; the inability of the Company to raise
sufficient financing to fund its share of the development
costs of the Project; the Company's dependence on an
interest in a single asset; the possible forfeiture of the
690 square kilometre mining concession area near Sangarédi in
certain circumstances; construction risks such as cost
overruns, delays and shortages of labour, materials or
equipment; currency fluctuations; price volatility of
alumina, aluminium or raw materials and certain other factors
related to the Project and the factors related to the
business of the Company discussed under the heading
"Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual
Information Form.
The forward looking information contained in this release is
based on the following principal assumptions: that the data,
estimates and projections in the bankable feasibility study
of the Project are within the range of accuracy suggested
therein and the conclusions reached therein are still valid
as of the date of this release; that general economic and
political conditions will not be adverse to proceeding with
and completing financing for the Project and will have no
material adverse impact on the Project; that once the
decision is made to proceed with the Project, the Company
will be sold or will sell its interest in the Project prior
to a decision to proceed with the Project being approved;
that the negotiations with prospective Project lenders and
between the prospective Project lenders and the Guinean
government will resume and be successfully concluded; that
the bidding process for contracted work in connection with
the Project will be completed in a competitive manner and
that actual costs to complete work will be within the range
of quotes provided by contractors to date; that the joint
venture will be able to acquire necessary labour at currently
assumed labour costs and productivity rates; that once
approved the development plan for the Project is conducted
according to schedule; that general economic factors and
trends relating to construction costs remain constant or
improve and that the future political and economic climate in
Guinea has no material adverse effect on the Project and the
new
political regime arising from the transition to a new
government continues to recognize agreements negotiated by
the previous government. Although the forward looking
information contained in this release is based upon what
management of the Company believes are reasonable
assumptions, Global Alumina cannot assure investors that
actual results will be consistent with this forward looking
information. If the assumptions underlying forward looking
information prove incorrect or if other risks or
uncertainties materialize, actual results may vary materially
from those anticipated in this release. This forward looking
information is made as of the date of this release, and
Global Alumina assumes no obligation to update or revise it
to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by
applicable law.
For further information, please contact:
Michael Cella
Global Alumina
212 351 0010 cella@globalalumina.com
Susan Borinelli
Breakstone Group
646 330 5907 sborinelli@breakstone-group.com
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