Griffin Mining 2021 Final Results

In 2021, the Company and its subsidiaries (together the “Group”) recorded:

• Revenues increased 61% to $121,648,000 (2020: $75,403,000);
• Operating profit increased 143% to $36,925,000 (2020: $15,148,000);
• Profit before tax increased 152% to $36,526,000 (2020: $14,515,000);
• Profit after tax increased 185% to $25,376,000 (2020: $8,910,000); and
• Basic earnings per share increased 182% to 14.53 cents per share (2020: 5.16 cents).

Record amounts of ore were mined and processed in 2021 which, with improved zinc metal market prices and lower smelter treatment charges (“TCs”), resulted in Group profits before tax increasing 152% from that in 2020 of $14,515,000 to $36,925,000 in 2021.  Group profits after tax increased by 185% from $8,910,000 in 2020 to $25,376,000 in 2021.

Turnover in 2021 of $121,648,000 was up $46,245,000 (61%) on that achieved in 2020 of $75,403,000.  This reflects zinc in concentrate sales up $43,856,000 (83%) with: 41,949 tonnes of zinc metal in concentrate sold in 2021 compared with 32,276 tonnes in 2020, an increase of 30%; and average zinc metal in concentrate prices received in 2021 of $2,311 per tonne compared with $1,645 received in 2020, an increase of 40%.  This price increase reflects an increase in market prices with the average LME zinc metal price of $3,007 per tonne in 2021 compared with $2,268 in 2020, but also a reduction in TCs with average TCs equating to 23.1% of the average LME zinc price in 2021 compared with 27.5% in 2020.

Lead and precious metal in concentrate sales in 2021 of $31,915,000 were up 22.7% on that achieved in 2020 of $25,999,000. This reflects increased gold metal in concentrate sold and increased lead and silver in concentrate prices received despite lower gold prices received.

In 2021, metal in concentrate sales were:

• Zinc 41,949 tonnes (2020: 32,276 tonnes) an increase of 30%;
• Gold 14,417 ozs (2020: 11,218 ozs) an increase of 29%;
• Silver 269,505 ozs (2020: 291,756 ozs) a decrease of 8%; and
• Lead 1,069 tonnes (2020: 1,425 tonnes) a decrease of 25%.

Average prices achieved in 2021 were:

• Zinc metal per tonne of $2,311 (2020: $1,645);
• Gold metal per oz of $1,691 (2020: $1,759);
• Silver metal per oz of $19.8 (2019: $17.7); and
• Lead metal per tonne of $2,074 (2019: $1,339).

Total cost of sales in 2021 of $63,224,000 was up 47.9% on that incurred in 2020 of  $42,737,000. In the main this reflects more tonnes mined, hauled and processed in 2021. Further cost increases occurred with the mine deepening, increasing mine service costs and the distances ore is hauled, whilst processing costs were impacted by tailings disposal issues and increased maintenance costs. Costs were also increased by a 4.5% appreciation of the Renminbi to the US dollar and pay awards to staff.

Administration expenses   rose   $3,981,000   (23%)   from $17,518,000 in 2020 to $21,499,000 in 2021.  Administration costs include a charge of $3,876,000 (2020: 2,943,000) incurred with Yuanrun based upon the profits of Hebei Hua Ao subject to a minimum fee.  Hebei Hua Ao’s administration fees increased by 27% in 2021 with a 4.5% appreciation in the Renminbi exchange rate, pay awards to staff and additional environmental and safety regulatory compliance costs, including that to maintain Caijiaying’ s “Green Mine” status in the PRC. Administration costs outside the PRC were impacted by investor and public relation costs curtailed in previous years and significantly increased insurance premiums.

Foreign exchange losses of $51,000 (2020: gains $22,000) were recorded in 2021, mainly on a weaker sterling. Interest of $236,000 (2020: $108,000) was received on bank deposits in 2021.  Interest of $309,000 (2020: $111,000) was paid on short term bank loans. Finance interest on the  lease of the dry tailings facility at Caijiaying and the London office totalling $11,000 (2020: $171,000) was charged in 2021. Deemed interest on discounted rehabilitation provisions of $84,000 (2020: $77,000) was charged in 2021.

Losses on the disposal of equipment of $293,000 (2020: $1,129,000) were recorded with equipment being replaced to meet higher Chinese environmental standards.

Income taxes of $11,150,000 (2020 $5,605,000) have been charged in 2021.

Basic earnings per share in 2021 was 14.53 cents (2020: 5.16 cents) and diluted earnings per share was 13.47 cents (2020: 4.88 cents).

Cash generated from operations of $42,880,000 (2020: $24,398,000), an increase of 76%,  have been used in further developing the mine and facilities and held pending development of the Zone II area at Caijiaying.

Attributable net assets per share at 31 December 2021 was $1.50 (2020: $1.35), and increase of 11%.

Whilst the Directors do not recommend the payment of a dividend at this time, the Directors have discussed and will further consider a dividend policy later this year when current political, social and economic circumstances permit enabling such a policy to be instituted and executed over a consistent, long term basis.

Chairman’s Statement:

In terms of the Company’s financial and operational performance, it has been a stellar year, even more extraordinary considering Zone II has yet to be fully developed or brought into production and in light of the continuing restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic in China.

In 2021, in comparison to 2020:

• Revenue was 61% higher at $121,648,000;
• Operating profit was 143% higher at $36,925,000;
• Profit before tax was 152% higher at $36,526,000;
• Profit after tax was 185% higher at $25,376,000; and
• Basic earnings per share was 182% higher at14.53 cents per share.

Operationally, record amounts of ore were mined and processed in 2021 and metal production of our 2 largest revenue producers, zinc and gold, were substantially higher than in the previous year:

• Ore mined was up 14% at 971,492 tonnes;
• Ore hauled was up 19% at 979,783 tonnes;
• Ore processed was up 20% at 985,404 tonnes;
• Zinc metal in concentrate produced was up 28% at 41,587 tonnes; and
• Gold metal in concentrate produced was up 28% at 14,447 ounces;

This bodes very well for the future results of the Company when Zone II is commissioned and in full production. Since the grant of the new mining licence over Zone II in January 2021, the Company has been working continuously and tirelessly on obtaining approval for the design and development of Zone II. That approval is expected shortly and drive development is planned to begin on the 1^st July 2022. In the interim, the first drill platform for resource drilling at Zone II was constructed in September 2021 and diamond drilling commenced in early October 2021.

What makes the above results truly exceptional is the continuing Covid-19 crisis in China and the quarantine procedures the various levels of government have put in place making the transport of materials, employees and contractors over Provincial borders at the least, extraordinarily difficult and, at the most, impossible. Furthermore, China has prevented the entrance of any foreign national into the country who does not have a pre-existing work permit and then, only with 28 days hotel quarantine. What this reinforces in simple terms is the dedication and loyalty of both our on-site staff and our ex-pat staff. The former who, in effect, now live permanently at camp as they are wary of not being permitted to return to the Caijiaying Mine site should quarantine be imposed unilaterally at local, county, city or Provincial level. The latter ex-pats, who now spend 3 to 6 months away from their partners, children and extended family, allow the Company to keep operating. I should add, all this when there is a 30,000 person shortage in the Australian mining industry where most of our ex pat staff are based. In particular, and most of all, I would like to thank John Steel, our new Chief Operating Officer, Paul Benson, our Chief Geologist, and Wendy Zhang, our site Chief Financial Officer, for their Herculean efforts over the past 12 months. All these on-site and ex-pat individuals have displayed the extent of their loyalty and I am grateful on behalf of everyone involved with the Company.

Needless to say, the safety and welfare of the Company’s workforce remains the overwhelming priority of the Company. Underground and surface operations operated safely and consistently in 2021 without any major incidents. With the Company’s extensive Covid-19 pandemic controls, there have been no outbreaks of Covid-19 at the Caijiaying Mine to date. With assistance from local Chinese authorities all personnel have received Chinese manufactured Covid-19 vaccinations.

Operational highlights throughout the year included the acquisition of land for the construction of new Tailings Dam 4 and the completion of the construction of the bridge to provide access to the area, the installation and extension of the paste pipe reticulation system and the continuation of the programme to further modernise and increase safety at the Caijiaying Mine. This included the introduction of 10 specific PRC Kuang Anquan (“KA”) wet brake vehicles for personnel transportation underground, further increasing mine safety, traffic management and the underground environment. In addition, a new 40 tonne low emission boiler used to heat the site processing, administration and other buildings as well as the underground workings was commissioned and a new electrical boiler was installed and commissioned at the Caijiaying Mine Camp reducing the Company’s carbon emissions footprint.

Importantly, probably the most significant non-operational event of the past year was the activism of the major shareholders of the Company to effect change at the board level with the intention of seeking to extract greater value from the Company and their shareholding. To that end, 3 new independent directors were appointed to the board. Clive Whiley was appointed to the board in August 2021 and Linda Naylor and Dean Moore in May 2022. I would like to welcome all 3 formally to the board and wish them every success and a productive and enjoyable time on the board.

With this substantial change to the board I’d like to state that I will always be enormously grateful and humbled by the contribution and comradery the directors, whom I’m proud to call “my friends”, gave so freely, warmly, genuinely and passionately. It made this impossible dream possible and bearable and I shall always be so grateful I had this journey with these amazing individuals – the deceased Rupert Crowe and Bill Mulligan, the mining thoroughbred Dal Brynelsen and the indefatigable Roger Goodwin. To quote Bill Curry, an American football star, “It’s not for the bucks that I drive myself to the limits of my ability. It’s so that I can go back to the locker room, after having gone those last 35 yards and won the game and walk back in there with my arm around a teammate and know that we did that together, that we both gave it a little more than we really had. Now that may sound real phony but I promise you it’s the reason we play.”

To the shareholders, my overwhelming wish is that Covid-19 disappears from concern, that there be peace in Eastern Europe, the World economy avoids severe recession and inflation, that the zinc price remains high and Zone II hits our long awaited full production target. May the Year of the Tiger make it just so.

About Griffin Mining Limited 

Griffin Mining Limited’s shares are quoted on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange (symbol GFM). Griffin Mining Limited owns and operates in China, through its 88.8% owned Joint Venture stock company, the Caijiaying Zinc Gold Mine, a profitable mine producing zinc, gold, silver, and lead metals in concentrates. For more information, please visit the Company’s website www.griffinmining.com.

Further information

Griffin Mining Limited

Mladen Ninkov – Chairman 

Telephone: +44(0)20 7629 7772                                                                                                                           

Roger Goodwin – Finance Director

Panmure Gordon (UK) Limit  Telephone: +44 (0)20 7886 2500

John Prior

Ailisa MacMaster      

Berenberg                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Telephone: +44(0)20 3207 7800                                                                                                                                                       

Matthew Armitt

Jennifer Wyllie 

Deltir Elezi

BlytheRay

Tim Blythe                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Telephone:  +44(0)20 7138 3205

Swiss Resource Capital AG

Jochen Staiger

info@resource.capital.ch

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