Press Release Source: Crystallex International Corporation
Crystallex Reports Third Quarter 2004 Results
Wednesday November 10, 5:41 pm ET
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TORONTO, Nov. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Crystallex International Corporation (Amex: KRY; Toronto) today reported financial results of the Company for the third quarter ending September 30, 2004. All dollar figures are in US Dollars unless otherwise indicated.
Commenting on the Company's progress, Todd Bruce, President and Chief Executive Officer of Crystallex said, "Earlier this year, we made investments in our exploration and development programs in Venezuela and we are very pleased with the progress we're making and returns we're seeing on those investments. The 25% increase in the Las Cristinas gold reserves from 10.2 million ounces (246 million tonnes at 1.29 g/t at a gold price of US$325) to 12.8 million ounces (333 million tonnes at 1.20 g/t at a gold price of US$350) based on an infill drilling program costing some US$ 750,000 is a solid example of our progress (Crystallex News Release dated 9th of November, 2004)." Mr. Bruce continued, "We are equally encouraged with the permitting progress for Las Cristinas and the ongoing support from our partner Corporacion Venezolana de Guayana ("CVG") and the local communities. The confirmation of the prerequisite 'Land use Permit' (Crystallex News Release dated 4th August, 2004) reflects the building momentum for the development and successful operation of Las Cristinas project once the second, and final, permit, the permit to impact the environment, is received.
"To that end, we have hired the Las Cristinas General Manager, and the critical operational department heads, the Manager, Mining, the Manager, Processing, the Superintendent of Mine Maintenance and the Superintendent, Electrical and Instrumentation. The department heads have been brought up to Toronto and incorporated in the Las Cristinas design team at SNC Lavalin's offices as we seek to pre-emptively eliminate the risk area with which many emerging producers struggle, being the transition from designing and building a project to operating it. In August 2004 (Crystallex News Release dated 17th of August, 2004) we successfully negotiated the critical risk transition from feasibility study capital cost estimates to a Control Budget Capital Cost. The Control Budget process not only restricted non-discretionary cost increases to 4.9 % but provided us with the opportunity to materially enhance the project by reducing total cash operating costs and by further increasing the project's already robust rate of return. To date, a significant amount of preparatory work for the development of Cristinas has already been done, including the commitment of US$80 million in equipment orders and contracts."