Item 1.Business
GENERAL
Coeur Mining, Inc. (“Coeur”, “the Company”, or “we”), founded in 1928, is a precious metals producer with assets located in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Our common stock is listed on The New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “CDE”.
Coeur’s strategy is to be a well-diversified, growing precious metals producer with a focus on generating sustainable, high-quality cash flow and returns from a balanced, prospective asset base in mining-friendly jurisdictions along with our commitment to exploration and expansions. Our strategy is guided by our purpose statement, We Pursue a Higher Standard, and three key principles: Protect our People, Places and Planet; Develop Quality Resources, Growth and Plans; and Deliver Impactful Results Through Teamwork. We conduct our business with a proactive focus on positively impacting the health, safety and socioeconomic status of our people and the communities in which we operate as well as the environment.
OUR BUSINESS
Operating Segments
We produce and sell precious metals from the following operating segments:
•The Palmarejo gold-silver complex, located in the State of Chihuahua in Northern Mexico, which has been in operation since 2009. The processing facility at the Palmarejo complex is fed by the Guadalupe, Independencia and La Nación underground mines. The Company also carries out exploration activities across the Palmarejo property package.
•The Rochester open pit heap leach silver-gold mine located in northwestern Nevada, which has been in operation since 1986. Coeur Rochester commenced a significant expansion project in 2020 (Plan of Operations Amendment No. 11, or “POA 11”) consisting of construction of a new leach pad, crushing facility, process plant and related infrastructure, which is expected to support an extended mine life. The construction is expected to be completed during 2023. Coeur Rochester also acquired the Lincoln Hill, Gold Ridge, and related exploration assets adjacent to its Rochester mine in 2018.
•The Kensington underground gold mine located north of Juneau, Alaska, which began operations in 2010. Coeur Alaska received a favorable final Record of Decision from the Forest Service for their Plan of Operations Amendment 1 (“POA 1”) on February 24, 2022. POA 1 gives Coeur Alaska the ability to increase tailings and waste rock storage capacity to support an expected longer mine life, reflecting positive exploration results, current metal prices, and ongoing operational efficiencies. Coeur Alaska is now working on supplemental permit requirements following this significant milestone.
•The Wharf open pit heap leach gold mine located near Lead, South Dakota, which was acquired by Coeur in 2015.
In addition, the Company operates the Silvertip underground silver-zinc-lead exploration project located in northern British Columbia, Canada, which was acquired by Coeur in 2017. Silvertip commenced commercial production ramp up in 2018. In February 2020, we announced a suspension of mining and processing activities at Silvertip. While mining activities are suspended, the Company (i) is investing in exploration to potentially further expand the resource and extend the mine life, and (ii) continues to work to pursue a mill expansion to improve the asset’s cost structure and its ability to deliver sustainable cash flow.
The Company has interests in other precious metals exploration projects throughout North America, other mineral interests, strategic equity investments, among other items, which are included in “Other” for segment reporting purposes. The Company sold the La Preciosa project in the first quarter of 2022 and the Crown and Sterling projects in the fourth quarter of 2022.
Metals Prices and Hedging Activities
The results of the Company and its operating segments are substantially dependent upon the market prices of gold and silver, which fluctuate widely. The Company has in the past and may in the future enter into derivative contracts to protect the selling price for certain anticipated gold and silver production and to manage risks associated with foreign currencies. For additional information see “Item 1A – Risk Factors”, “Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk” and “Note 15 – Derivative Financial Instruments in the notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.”
Metal Processing, Marketing and Sales
We produce gold and silver doré, as well as gold concentrate. The doré produced at the Palmarejo complex and Rochester mine, as well as the concentrate product produced by the Wharf mine, is refined by a geographically diverse group of third-party refiners into gold and silver bullion according to benchmark standards set by the London Bullion Market Association, which regulates the acceptable requirements for bullion traded in the London precious metals markets. We then sell gold and silver bullion to multi-national banks, bullion trading houses, and refiners across the globe. Our gold concentrate product from the Kensington mine is sold under a variety of agreements with a geographically diverse group of third-party smelters and traders, and the smelters and traders pay us for the metals recovered from the concentrates.
We believe that the loss of any one smelter, refiner, trader or third-party customer would not materially adversely affect us due to the liquidity of the markets and current availability of alternative trading counterparties.
Commodities
We purchase materials and supplies from third parties to conduct our business, including electricity, fuel, chemical reagents, explosives, steel and concrete. Prices for these commodities are volatile and can fluctuate due to conditions that are difficult to predict, including inflation, currency fluctuations, global competition for resources, consumer or industrial demand and other factors. For most of these commodities, we have existing alternate sources of supply or alternate sources of supply are readily available. We continuously monitor supply and cost trends for these items.
GOVERNMENT REGULATION
General
Our business is subject to extensive federal, state, local and foreign laws governing the protection of the environment, prospecting, development, production, mine closure, taxes, labor standards, occupational health, mine safety, toxic substances, protection of endangered, protected or other specified species and other matters. The costs to comply with these regulatory requirements are substantial and possible future legislation and regulations could cause additional expense, capital expenditures, restrictions and delays in the development and continued operation of our properties, the extent of which cannot be predicted. Expenditures for environmental compliance in 2023 are expected to range from $9.2 million to $10.2 million. We have reviewed and considered current federal legislation relating to climate change and do not believe the legislation to have a material effect on our operations. Future changes in U.S., Mexican or Canadian federal, state or provincial laws or regulations could have a material adverse effect upon us and our results of operations. For additional information regarding key regulatory risks, please see the section titled “Risk Factors” included in Item 1A.
Permitting
The Rochester, Kensington and Wharf mines are subject to extensive U.S. federal and state permitting laws and regulations. Mexico, where the Palmarejo complex is located, and Canada, where the Silvertip exploration property is located, have both adopted laws and guidelines for environmental permitting that are similar to those in effect in the United States. The permitting process in each jurisdiction requires, among other things, a thorough study to determine the baseline condition of the mining site and surrounding area, an environmental impact analysis, and proposed mitigation measures to minimize and offset the environmental impact of mining operations, in addition to consultation requirements with local indigenous groups, in certain instances. We have received all permits required to operate and carry out the current scope of activities at the Palmarejo complex, Rochester, Kensington and Wharf mines, and the Silvertip exploration property. We are in the process of amending existing permits at our Palmarejo complex and Wharf mine to support future planned activities. If we pursue an expansion at Silvertip, it will require new or amended permits.
Maintenance of Mining Claims
All of the jurisdictions where we operate impose federal, state and/or provincial requirements for maintaining mining claims (United States), mining concessions (Mexico) and mineral claims and mining leases (British Columbia), including fees, reporting, and/or evidence of work, among other requirements. Our failure to comply with any of these requirements could result in the loss of our ability to conduct mining activities in a particular location, which could have a material adverse impact on our business.
HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT
Effective human capital management at Coeur is critical to achieving our strategic goals. We aim to be an employer of choice by promoting safety first, proactively developing our people and fostering a diverse and inclusive culture. In 2022, we were proudly named one of Crain’s Chicago’s ‘Best Places to Work.’ At December 31, 2022, we had approximately 2,107 employees (1,091 in the U.S., 74 in Canada and 942 in Mexico) and 1,072 people were working as contractors in support of
Coeur’s operations. Approximately 65% of the employees of Coeur Mexicana are represented by a collective bargaining agreement.
Culture Assessment
We are focused on regular evaluation of our culture. In 2019 and again in 2021, we invited all employees to participate in a culture assessment by completing an anonymous survey. Employee participation in 2021 was over 93%, which exceeded industry benchmarks. Feedback was reviewed by the management team and our Board of Directors (our “Board”). The management team also reviewed the results with employees at each of our operations through facilitated discussions to gain additional insight into the feedback. We developed site-specific action plans to address feedback and monitor progress in the future. The results of the assessment confirmed our belief that we have an ethical, safe, engaged, and proud workforce and also highlighted areas for improvement that are now being addressed. Specific action plans taken in 2022 included diversity, equity and inclusion (“DEI”) training forums with hourly employees, bolstered communications through written and in-person meetings, and implementation of a career progression ladder to provide guidelines for employees’ skill development. The organization will be surveyed again in 2023.
Recruitment
We seek to recruit and retain employees at all levels who embody our purpose statement, We Pursue a Higher Standard, through safe and ethical conduct. Our strong culture of teamwork and our reputation as a responsible company and an engaged community member motivates new employee referrals. We have also created a series of partnership programs in local communities to provide internships, scholarships, and apprenticeships to build a pipeline of potential employees in the next generation. We have maintained an average employee age of 40 years old since 2018 by focusing on building our bench strength and increasing our under 40 population to 34% of our workforce.
Diversity & Inclusion
Our President & CEO, Mitchell Krebs, was the first precious metals mining CEO to sign the CEO ACTION for Diversity & Inclusion pledge. This pledge highlights Coeur’s continuing commitment to fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce, evidenced by programs such as Coeur Heroes, which provided over 80 career opportunities to current and former U.S. Military personnel last year. Fifty percent of our Board members have indicated that they are diverse, 12% of our employees are female, up from 10% in 2020. While we continue to work to increase our overall female population, over 60% of our female employees are supervisor or higher-level positions. In the US and Canada approximately 21% of our workforce is non-white, up from 18% in 2020, Partnerships with organizations like the National Society of Black Engineers and Women in Mining at their U.S. university chapters are providing further avenues for recruiting diverse talent. In order to emphasize the importance of DEI in the workplace, we provided training to our hourly workforce at every operation on topics such as bullying, bystander intervention and education on overall mental wellness to ensure each employee feels respected and included at work.
Employee Development
We periodically solicit feedback on each member of our executive team through 360 assessments. We believe this feedback is important to maintaining a strong culture by effectively assessing leadership performance and development, increasing accountability, facilitating succession planning and identifying areas for improvement and change. We provide opportunities for employees to participate in IMPACT training, an intensive one-year training program we created for front-line supervisors throughout our organizational structure to focus on leadership development and mining as a business. Through IMPACT training, we have invested over 22,124 cumulative hours of leadership training and personal development in almost 200 employees. In 2022, after many employees had graduated from IMPACT training over the last 4 years, we introduced our first Advanced IMPACT training for employees at manager and director levels in the organization.
Succession Planning
We conduct robust succession planning throughout the organization annually, by employing specific talent diagnostics and skills development. High potential performers and diversity discussions, along with action plans, are reviewed starting from the front-line supervisors to the Chief Operating Officer.
Our Board oversees the recruitment, development, and retention of our senior executives. Significant focus is placed on succession planning both for key executive roles and also deeper into the organization. In-depth discussions occur multiple times per year in meetings of the Board, Compensation and Leadership Development Committee and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, including in executive sessions to foster candid conversations. Directors have regular and direct exposure to senior leadership and high-potential employees during Board and committee meetings and through other informal meetings and events held during the year.
Local Hire
Investing in local communities extends beyond financial support. Since 2018, we have hired an average of 60% of our new hires from local communities. During 2022, we provided over 50 apprenticeships and internships and worked with organizations such as By the Hand Club in Chicago to educate youth in our communities about career opportunities in mining. Providing career opportunities to local community members and participating in community initiatives creates a closer connection between our operations and local stakeholders and communities.
Rewards & Wellness
As part of our fundamental need to attract and retain talent, we regularly evaluate our compensation, benefits, and employee wellness offerings. We have determined that our average employee earns over 40% more than the average employee in their local markets according to industry benchmarking. Over 94% of U.S. employees are enrolled in our medical benefit plan, and over 90% of U.S. employees contribute to our 401(k) plan. Supplemental healthcare is provided above government requirements in both Canada and Mexico. We were a leader in the mining industry by providing domestic partner benefits in 2017 and participation has increased 150% since introduction. New in 2022, we have expanded paid parental and primary caregiver leave for US employees.
In addition, we have engaged a third-party mental health care provider for innovative care and counseling resources throughout our footprint. This resource leverages technology and clinical best practices to assist our employees and their families gain fast access to highly effective quality care when needed most. We are also developing a Total Worker Health program, which is expected to be implemented by the end of 2023, that integrates protection from work-related safety and health hazards with promotion of injury and illness-prevention efforts to advance worker well-being both physically and mentally.
RESPONSIBILITY
At Coeur, we strive for best-in-class environmental performance while meeting the needs of today and respecting the needs of future generations. As a precious metals producer, we have the unique opportunity to supply the raw materials that play a key role in the clean energy transition. We work to protect our environment through an approach of responsible production and a focus on best practices. On an ongoing basis, we conduct site-specific environmental risk reviews and utilize a set of key performance indicators (“KPIs”) to evaluate performance results by mine. We believe that this systematic approach leads to awareness, risk mitigation and a pursuit of continuous improvement. Comprehensive environmental management plans in conjunction with topic-specific plans, such as waste management and storm water protection, at each site provide guidance on how to implement our environmental initiatives and meet or exceed regulatory standards.
We recognize that the climate is changing, which may adversely affect the environment, our business and the communities where we operate over the long-term. To that end, we are assessing the extent of these risks and potential opportunities and are taking action to manage our climate-related risks as well as the potential impact we have on climate. For example, we:
•updated our initial greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions intensity reduction target in 2022 to 35% reduction in net intensity by the end of 2024 compared to base-year and tied 20% of the 2022 executive performance share award to achievement of that goal;
•enhanced our climate disclosure in-line with the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (“TCFD”) recommendations;
•conducted site-specific scenario analysis workshops, energy and emissions diagnostics and financial modeling;
•completed an initial scope 3 quantification exercise; and
•continue to incorporate climate risks and opportunities into our long-term business planning and strategy.
AVAILABLE INFORMATION
We make available on our website (http://www.coeur.com) our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and Proxy Statements, as well as Forms 3, 4 and 5 with respect to our common stock, including any amendments to any of the foregoing, as soon as reasonably practicable after such reports are electronically filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). These filings are also available at http://www.sec.gov.
Copies of our Corporate Governance Guidelines, charters of the key committees of the Board (Audit, Compensation and Leadership Development, Executive, Nominating and Corporate Governance, and Environmental, Health, Safety, and Corporate Responsibility Committees) and our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, applicable to the Chief Executive Officer,
Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer, among others, are also available on our website. Information contained on our website is not a part of this report.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This report contains numerous forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) relating to our mining business, including anticipated mineral reserve and resource estimates, exploration efforts and expenditures, development, expansion initiatives at Rochester, Kensington and Silvertip, expectations about timing of deliveries against the Kensington prepayment, LCM adjustments at Rochester, permitting, estimated production, costs, capital expenditures, expenses, recoveries, metals prices, sufficiency of assets, ability to discharge liabilities, liquidity management, financing needs, environmental compliance expenditures, environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) and human capital management initiatives, risk management strategies, including hedging, capital resources and use, cash flow maximization, mine life and other strategic initiatives. Such forward-looking statements are identified by the use of words such as “believes,” “intends,” “expects,” “hopes,” “may,” “should,” “plan,” “projected,” “contemplates,” “anticipates” or similar words and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements include: (i) the risk factors set forth below under Item 1A and in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations under Item 7; (ii) the risk that the Rochester expansion project is not completed on a timely basis or requires more capital than currently anticipated for completion; (iii) the risk that anticipated production, cost, expenditure and expense levels at at Palmarejo, Rochester, Wharf and Kensington are not attained; (iv) the risks and hazards inherent in the mining business (including risks inherent in developing and expanding large-scale mining projects, environmental hazards, industrial accidents, weather or geologically-related conditions); (v) changes in the market prices of gold and silver and a sustained lower price or higher treatment and refining charge environment; (vi) the impact of geopolitical conditions, pandemics or epidemics, climate change, extreme weather events and other macro conditions, including disruptions to operations, the need for heightened health and safety protocols, inflation, and disruptions to our vendors, suppliers and the communities where we operate; (vii) the uncertainties inherent in Coeur’s production, exploration and development activities, including risks relating to permitting and regulatory delays (including the impact of government shutdowns), ground conditions, grade and recovery variability; (viii) any future labor disputes or work stoppages (involving us or our subsidiaries or third parties); (ix) the risk of adverse outcomes in litigation; (x) the uncertainties inherent in the estimation of gold, silver, zinc and lead mineral reserves and resources; (xi) impacts from Coeur’s future acquisition of new mining properties or businesses; (xii) the loss of access or insolvency of any third-party refiner or smelter to whom Coeur markets its production; (xiii) the continued effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including impacts to workforce, materials and equipment availability; (xiv) inflationary pressures; (xv) continued access to financing sources; (xvi) government orders that may require temporary suspension of operations at one or more of our sites and effects on our suppliers or the refiners and smelters to whom the Company markets its production and on the communities where we operate; (xvii) the effects of environmental and other governmental regulations and government shut-downs; (xviii) the risks inherent in the ownership or operation of or investment in mining properties or businesses in foreign countries; and (xix) our ability to raise additional financing necessary to conduct our business, make payments or refinance our debt. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. We disclaim any intent or obligation to update publicly these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING DISCLOSURE OF MINERAL PROPERTIES
Mineral Reserves and Resources
We are subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act and applicable Canadian securities laws, and as a result we report our mineral reserves and mineral resources according to two different standards. U.S. reporting requirements, are governed by Item 1300 of Regulation S-K (“S-K 1300”), as issued by the SEC. Canadian reporting requirements for disclosure of mineral properties are governed by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”), as adopted from the definitions provided by the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum. Both sets of reporting standards have similar goals in terms of conveying an appropriate level of confidence in the disclosures being reported, but the standards embody slightly different approaches and definitions.
In our public filings in the U.S. and Canada and in certain other announcements not filed with the SEC, we disclose proven and probable reserves and measured, indicated and inferred resources, each as defined in S-K 1300. The estimation of measured resources and indicated resources involve greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic feasibility than the estimation of proven and probable reserves, and therefore investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of measured or indicated resources will ever be converted into S-K 1300-compliant reserves. The estimation of inferred resources involves far greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic viability than the estimation of other categories of resources, and therefore it cannot be assumed that all or any part of inferred resources will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Therefore,
investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of inferred resources exist, or that they can be mined legally or economically.
Technical Report Summaries and Qualified Persons
The scientific and technical information concerning our mineral projects in this Form 10-K have been reviewed and approved by “qualified persons” under S-K 1300, including our Director, Technical Services, Christopher Pascoe. For a description of the key assumptions, parameters and methods used to estimate mineral reserves and mineral resources included in this Form 10-K, as well as data verification procedures and a general discussion of the extent to which the estimates may be affected by any known environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, sociopolitical, marketing or other relevant factors, please review the Technical Report Summaries for each of the Company’s material properties which are included as exhibits to, and incorporated by reference into, this Report.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
RISKS RELATED TO OUR INDUSTRY
Our results of operations, cash flows and operating costs are highly dependent upon the market prices of gold and silver and of key input commodities used in our business, which are volatile and beyond our control.
Gold and silver are actively traded commodities, and their prices are volatile. During the 12 months ended December 31, 2022, the high and low price for each commodity are set forth in the following table:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Metal | High Price for 2022 | Date | Low Price for 2022 | Date |
Gold (per ounce) | $2,039 | March 8, 2022 | $1,618 | September 28, 2022 |
Silver (per ounce) | $26.18 | March 9, 2022 | $17.77 | September 1, 2022 |
Gold and silver prices are affected by many factors beyond the Company’s control, including U.S. dollar strength or weakness, speculation, global currency values, global and regional demand and production, political and economic conditions and other factors. In addition, Exchange Traded Funds (“ETFs”), which have substantially facilitated the ability of large and small investors to buy and sell precious metals, have become significant holders of gold and silver. Gold and silver prices are also affected by prevailing interest rates and returns on other asset classes, expectations of the future rate of inflation and governmental monetary decisions regarding central bank holdings.
Because we derive a significant portion of our revenues from sales of these metals, our results of operations and cash flows will fluctuate as the prices of these metals change. A period of significant and sustained lower prices would materially and adversely affect our results of operations and cash flows. In response to lower metal price and/or higher treatment and refining charge environments, we may have to revise our operating plans, including reducing operating costs and capital expenditures, terminating or suspending mining operations at one or more of our properties and discontinuing certain exploration and development plans. These types of initiatives may not sufficiently offset reductions in revenues, and we may continue to incur losses associated with sustained lower metals prices.
Operating costs at our mines are also affected by the price of input commodities, such as fuel, electricity, labor, chemical reagents, explosives, steel and concrete. Prices for these input commodities are volatile and can fluctuate due to conditions that are difficult to predict, including global competition for resources, inflation (as was the case during 2022), currency fluctuations, consumer or industrial demand and other factors. An increase in the cost, or decrease in the availability, of input commodities, labor, or equipment, due to factors beyond the Company’s control such as a pandemic or a similar public health threat, may affect the timely conduct and cost of our operations and development projects. Continued volatility in the prices of commodities and other supplies we purchase could lead to higher costs, which would adversely affect results of operations and cash flows.
Volatility in metals prices may also impact the price of our outstanding securities.
Although our results of operations and cash flow will reflect fluctuations in the prices of the metals we produce, short term volatility in the prices of these metals due to speculation in the market may result in significant changes in the price of our securities, which may not be reflective of our operating performance or financial results. For example, the price of silver increased 14% between September 28, 2022 and October 4, 2022, and then decreased by 13% on October 19, 2022. This swing in the price of silver was seemingly attributable to a coordinated effort by market participants to drive up the price of silver and did not reflect changes in the underlying fundamentals that typically drive changes in the price of silver, including supply and demand. The price of our common stock increased by 13% and decreased by 6% during the same periods. The trading volume for shares of our common stock also increased significantly during this period. This volatility in the price of our common stock did not, in our view, reflect any significant change in our business or results of operations during the same period.
The estimation of mineral reserves and mineral resources is imprecise and depends upon subjective factors. Estimated mineral reserves and mineral resources may not be realized in actual production. Our results of operations and financial position may be adversely affected by inaccurate estimates.
The mineral reserve and mineral resource figures presented in our public filings are estimates made by our technical personnel and independent mining consultants with whom we contract. Mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates are a function of geological and engineering analyses that require us to make assumptions about production costs, recoveries and gold, silver, zinc and lead market prices. While the Company believes that its mineral reserve and resource estimates are developed using well-established practices and with appropriate controls, mineral reserve and mineral resource estimation is an imprecise and subjective process. The accuracy of these estimates is a function of the quality of available data and of engineering and geological interpretation, judgment and experience. Assumptions about gold, silver, zinc and lead market prices are subject to great uncertainty as those prices fluctuate widely. Declines in the market prices of gold, silver, zinc or lead
may render mineral reserves and mineral resources containing relatively lower grades of mineralization uneconomic to exploit, and we may be required to reduce mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates, discontinue development or mining at one or more of our properties or write down assets as impaired. Should we encounter mineralization or geologic formations at any of our mines or projects that are different from those predicted, we may adjust our mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates and alter our mining plans. No assurances can be given that any mineral resource estimate will ultimately be reclassified as proven or probable mineral reserves or that inferred resources will be upgraded to measured or indicated resources. Updates to our mining plans or new or updated technical or geological information may also impact anticipated metal recovery rates. Any of these adjustments may adversely affect actual operating performance, production, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
A significant delay or disruption in sales of concentrates or doré as a result of the unexpected disruption in services provided by smelters or refiners or other third parties could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.
We rely on refiners and smelters to refine and process and, in some cases, purchase, the gold and silver doré and gold and silver concentrate produced by our mines. Access to refiners and smelters on economic terms is critical to our ability to sell our products to buyers and generate revenues. We have existing agreements with refiners and smelters, some of whom operate their refining or smelting facilities outside the United States. We believe we currently have contractual arrangements with a sufficient number of refiners and smelters so that the loss of any one refiner or smelter would not significantly or materially impact our operations or our ability to generate revenues. Nevertheless, services provided by a refiner or smelter may be disrupted by new or increased tariffs, duties or other cross-border trade barriers, shipping delays, the bankruptcy or insolvency of one or more refiners or smelters or the inability to agree on acceptable commercial or legal terms with a refiner or smelter. Such an event or events may disrupt an existing relationship with a refiner or smelter or result in the inability to create (or the necessity to terminate) a contractual relationship with a refiner or smelter, which may leave us with limited, uneconomic or no access to refining or smelting services for short or long periods of time. Epidemics, pandemics or natural disasters may also impact refiners, smelters or other third parties with whom we have contractual arrangements or have an indirect effect on our ability to obtain refining, smelting or other third-party services.
Any delay or loss of access to refiners or smelters may significantly impact our ability to sell doré and concentrate products and generate revenues. A default by a refiner or smelter on its contractual obligations to us or an insolvency event or bankruptcy filing by a refiner or smelter may result in the loss of all or part of our doré or concentrate in the possession of the refiner or smelter, and such a loss likely would not be insured by our insurance policies. We cannot ensure that alternative refiners or smelters would be available or offer comparable terms if the need for them were to arise or that it would not experience delays or disruptions in sales that would materially and adversely affect results of operations.
There are significant hazards associated with mining activities, some of which may not be fully covered by insurance.
The mining business is subject to risks and hazards, including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, the encountering of unusual or unexpected geological formations, cave-ins, flooding, earthquakes and periodic interruptions due to inclement or hazardous weather conditions or machine failure. These occurrences could result in damage to, or destruction of, mineral properties or production facilities, personal injury or death, environmental damage, reduced production and delays in mining, asset write-downs, monetary losses and possible legal liability.
We maintain insurance policies that protect against property loss and business interruption in amounts that we believe are reasonable taking into account the nature of, and risks related to, our business and operations as well as the cost of policy premiums. Such insurance is, however, subject to certain exclusions and potential claims could exceed policy limits. There is no guarantee that we will receive insurance proceeds with respect to a particular event or loss. Insurance fully covering many environmental risks, including potential liability for pollution or other hazards as a result of disposal of waste products occurring from exploration and production, is not generally available. Any liabilities that we incur for these risks and hazards could be significant and could adversely affect results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.
RISKS RELATED TO OUR OPERATIONS
Our future growth will depend upon our ability to expand existing mines and develop and start-up new mines, either through exploration at existing properties or by acquisition of other mining companies or properties.
Because mines have limited lives based on proven and probable mineral reserves, our ability to achieve significant additional growth in revenues and cash flows will depend upon our success in further developing and expanding existing properties and the opportunistic acquisition or development and start-up of exploration projects or new mining properties, such as the Silvertip exploration property and the Lincoln Hill project and related assets.
While initial development of the Palmarejo, Rochester, and Kensington mines has been substantially completed, development work continues to expand these mines while leveraging existing infrastructure. Palmarejo completed open pit mining several years ago and evolved to be an underground-only operation, developing new underground mining operations. At
Rochester, a crushing circuit using high pressure grinding roll (“HPGR”) technology was commissioned in 2019, and, in 2020, we obtained permitting for, and began construction of POA 11, which is a significant additional expansion expected to be completed in mid-2023, including the construction of a new leach pad, a crushing facility equipped with two HPGR units and a prescreen, processing facilities and related infrastructure to support the extension of Rochester’s mine life. At Kensington, we completed development and commenced commercial production from a new deposit in 2018 and amended our operating permit to allow for an additional 10 years of mine life by providing for expanded tailings and waste rock storage, increased mill throughput, enhanced infrastructure and other benefits (“POA 1”). Our ability to timely complete these and future mine expansion and mine life extension projects is dependent on numerous factors, many of which are outside of our control, including, among others, availability of funding on acceptable terms, timing of receipt of permits and approvals from regulatory authorities, obtaining materials and equipment and construction, engineering and other services at favorable prices and terms, and disputes with third-party providers of materials, equipment or services. The construction services related to POA 11 are being performed by contractors, which creates a risk of delays or additional costs to the project resulting from, among other factors: inability to negotiate contracts with favorable pricing and terms; delays in performance of the services; failure of a contractor to comply with applicable laws and regulations; termination of a contract by a contractor before completion of the services; failure by a contractor to obtain necessary equipment or materials; mismanagement by a contractor of its workforce; and insolvency or other financial difficulty encountered by a contractor which results in a delay in services or termination of a contract with the contractor. Expected project benefits are based on estimates of a variety of key factors, including mineral reserves and resources, grade, recovery rates, and operating costs among others. However, achieving results in line with those estimates is subject to risks and uncertainties such as variability in grade, recovery rates and cost inputs. For example, in 2022, Rochester experienced lower than expected silver recovery rates from its HPGR-crushed ore, which negatively impacted production, costs and cash flow. We cannot provide assurance that we will be able to successfully expand or extend the lives of existing mining operations, and a completed project may not yield the anticipated operational or financial benefits, such as expected availability, throughput, metal recovery rates, concentrate quality, unit costs, operating margin and/or cash flows, any of which may have a material negative impact on returns on invested capital, operating costs or cash flows.
In addition, we acquired several mining properties in recent years, namely, the Lincoln Hill project and related assets and the Silvertip exploration property. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to successfully develop and start-up new mining properties, restart mining and processing activities at the Silvertip exploration property or acquire additional mining properties on favorable economic terms or at all.
We regularly evaluate and engage in discussions or negotiations regarding acquisition opportunities. Any transactions that we contemplate or pursue would involve risks and uncertainties and would be subject to competition from other mining companies. There can be no assurance with respect to the timing, likelihood or business effect of any possible transaction.
We may be unable to successfully integrate, may not realize the expected benefits of recent or future acquisitions or may face risks associated with divestitures.
We regularly explore opportunities to selectively acquire other businesses or assets or to divest ourselves of all or part of certain assets in support of our growth plans and strategic objectives. There can be no assurance that the anticipated benefits of past acquisitions (including the Silvertip exploration property and Lincoln Hill project) or any future acquisition, will be realized on the originally anticipated timeline or at all. The success and the ability to realize the anticipated benefits of any acquisition will depend upon our ability to effectively manage the integration, performance and operations of entities or properties we acquire. The process of managing acquired businesses or assets may involve unforeseen challenges and may require a disproportionate amount of our resources, which may divert focus and resources from other strategic opportunities and/or from operational matters during this process. As an example, the ramp up of the Silvertip exploration property, acquired in late 2017, was slower and less profitable than originally anticipated, due primarily to more significant mill availability and maintenance challenges than were anticipated at the time Silvertip was acquired, as well as deteriorating zinc and lead market conditions.
In addition to the above, any acquisition would be accompanied by risks, including:
•a significant change in macroeconomic conditions, including commodity prices, treatment and refining charges or stock prices after we have committed to complete the transaction and established the purchase price or exchange ratio;
•additional debt incurred or issued to fund some or all of acquisition consideration (as was the case with Silvertip and Wharf), resulting in increased interest expense and other borrowing costs;
•issuance of equity securities as acquisition consideration (which occurred in the Lincoln Hill and Silvertip project acquisitions), resulting in dilution of our existing stockholders;
•a material ore body may prove to be below our expectations;
•processing facilities may not operate as well as anticipated, and may require significant maintenance, downtime and capital investment, such as the mill at Silvertip;
•difficulties integrating and assimilating the operations and personnel of any acquired companies and supporting expanded operations, realizing anticipated synergies and maximizing the financial and strategic position of the combined enterprise, and maintaining uniform standards, policies and controls across the organization;
•difficulties or loss of social license to operate resulting from failure of efforts to establish positive relationships and/or agreements with local communities or local indigenous peoples; and
•the acquired business or assets may have significant liabilities, such as environmental liabilities, or significant capital expenditures that we failed to discover or have underestimated.
We cannot predict the impact of future acquisitions on the price of our common stock or assure that we will be able to obtain necessary acquisition or development financing on acceptable terms or at all. Unprofitable acquisitions, or additional liabilities, indebtedness or issuances of securities in connection with such acquisitions or any future mine development, may negatively affect our results of operations.
The Company recently sold its interests in the Crown, Sterling and La Preciosa projects. In connection with these dispositions, the Company has provided representations and warranties and indemnities customary for transactions of these types. There may be a risk that the Company may incur liability in the future associated with assets it no longer owns or in which it has a reduced interest.
Significant investment risks and operational costs are associated with exploration and development activities. These risks and costs may result in lower economic returns and may adversely affect our business.
Our ability to sustain or increase current production levels depends in part on successful exploration and development of new ore bodies and expansion of existing mining operations. Substantial expenditures are required to establish mineral reserves, to extract metals from ore and, in the case of new properties, to construct mining and processing facilities.
Our plans include several significant projects to construct or upgrade mining and processing facilities at our existing mining operations or exploration properties, including the POA 11 expansion project at Rochester and the POA 1 planned mine life extension at Kensington, and future plans to develop the Silvertip and Lincoln Hill projects. These projects can take up to several months or years to complete, are complex and require significant capital expenditures. These projects are subject to significant risks described in this Item, any of which may have a material negative impact on returns on invested capital, operating costs or cash flows.
Mineral exploration involves many risks and is frequently unproductive. Even if mineral deposits are found, those deposits may be insufficient in quantity and quality to return a profit from production, or it may take a number of years until production is possible, during which time the economic viability of the project may change. Few properties that are explored are ultimately developed into producing mines. The commercial viability of a mineral deposit, once developed, depends on a number of factors, including: the particular attributes of the deposit, such as size, grade and proximity to infrastructure; government regulations including taxes, royalties and land tenure; land use; importing and exporting of minerals; environmental protection; mineral prices; and issuance and maintenance of necessary permits. Factors that affect adequacy of infrastructure include: reliability of roads, bridges, power sources and water supply; unusual or infrequent weather phenomena; sabotage; and government or other interference in the maintenance or provision of such infrastructure. The exact effect of these factors cannot be accurately predicted, but the combination may result in not receiving an adequate return on invested capital.
In addition, exploration projects, such as the Silvertip or Lincoln Hill projects may have little or no operating history upon which to base estimates of future operating costs and capital requirements. Exploration project items such as estimates of resources and reserves, metal recoveries and cash operating costs are to a large extent based upon the interpretation of geologic data, obtained from a limited number of drill holes and other sampling techniques, and feasibility studies. Estimates of operating costs are then derived based upon anticipated tonnage and grades of ore to be mined and processed, the configuration of the ore body, expected recovery rates of metals from the ore, comparable facility and equipment costs, anticipated climate conditions and other factors. As a result, actual operating costs and economic returns of any and all exploration projects may materially differ from the costs and returns estimated, and accordingly, our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows may be negatively affected.
The Company may be affected by global supply chain disruptions.
The Company may face supply chain disruptions as a result of macroeconomic matters outside of the Company’s control or ability to mitigate, such as natural disasters, transportation disruptions, economic instability, and global pandemics, among others. Most recently, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has resulted in losses of life, displacement of people, and
political and economic disruptions on a global scale. There may be unforeseen impacts from these events globally on commodity prices, liquidity and credit or supply chains, and the Company continues to monitor them closely.
We may be required to write down certain long-lived assets, due to metal prices, operational challenges or other factors. Such write- downs may adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
We review our long-lived assets for recoverability pursuant to the Financial Accounting Standard Board’s Accounting Standards Codification Section 360. Under that standard, we review the recoverability of our long-lived assets, such as our mining properties, upon a triggering event. Such review involves estimating the future undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use and eventual disposition of the asset. Impairment, measured by comparing an asset’s carrying value to its fair value, must be recognized when the carrying value of the asset exceeds these cash flows. We conduct a review of the financial performance of our mines in connection with the preparation of our financial statements for each reported period and determine whether any triggering events are indicated.
If there are significant and sustained declines in relevant metal prices, or if we fail to control production and operating costs or realize the mineable ore reserves at its mining properties, we may terminate or suspend mining operations at one or more properties. These events could require a further write-down of the carrying value of our assets. Any such actions would adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
We may record other types of charges in the future if we sell a property or asset for a price less than its carrying value or have to increase reclamation liabilities in connection with the closure and reclamation of a property. Any additional write-downs of mining properties or other assets could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
Coeur is an international company and is exposed to political and social risks associated with its foreign operations.
A significant portion of our revenues is generated by operations outside the United States. Exploration, development, production and closure activities in many countries are potentially subject to heightened political and social risks that are beyond our control and could result in increased costs, capacity constraints and potential disruptions to our business. These risks include the possible unilateral cancellation or forced renegotiation of contracts in which we, directly or indirectly, may have an interest, unfavorable changes in foreign laws and regulations, royalty and tax increases (including taxes associated with the import or export of goods), risks associated with the value-added tax (“VAT”) and income tax refund recovery and collection process, erection of trade barriers, including tariffs and duties, claims by governmental entities or indigenous communities, expropriation or nationalization of property and other risks arising out of foreign sovereignty over areas in which our operations are conducted. As an example, as disclosed in Note 19 -- Commitments and Contingencies to the Consolidated Financial Statements, we are currently engaged in efforts to recover VAT paid to the Mexican government that is owed to Coeur associated with Coeur Mexicana’s prior royalty agreement, including through international arbitration. While the Company believes that it remains legally entitled to be refunded the full amount of the VAT receivable and intends to rigorously continue its VAT recovery efforts, based on the continued failure to recover the VAT receivable and unfavorable Mexican court decisions, the Company determined to write down the carrying value of the VAT receivable of $26.0 million at September 2021. The right to import and export gold and silver may depend on obtaining certain licenses and quotas, which could be delayed or denied at the discretion of the relevant regulatory authorities, or could become subject to new taxes, tariffs or duties imposed by U.S. or foreign jurisdictions, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, or future prospects. In addition, our rights under local law may be less secure in countries where judicial systems are susceptible to manipulation and intimidation by government agencies, non-governmental organizations or civic groups.
Any of these developments could require us to curtail or terminate operations at our mines, incur significant costs to renegotiate contracts, meet newly-imposed environmental or other standards, pay greater royalties or higher prices for labor or services and recognize higher taxes, or experience significant delays or obstacles in the recovery of VAT or income tax refunds owed, which could materially and adversely affect financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Our operations outside the United States also expose us to economic and operational risks.
Our operations outside the United States also expose us to economic and operational risks. Local economic conditions, as well as epidemics, pandemics or natural disasters, can cause shortages of skilled workers and supplies, increase costs and adversely affect the security of operations. In addition, higher incidences of criminal activity and violence in the area of some of our foreign operations, including drug cartel-related violence in Mexico, could adversely affect our ability to operate in an optimal fashion and may impose greater risks of extortion and theft and greater risks to our personnel, supply of goods and services to our operations and our property. These conditions, including security concerns in certain communities surrounding the Palmarejo complex in 2022 impacting third party deliveries of supplies to Palmarejo, could adversely impact our operations and lead to lower productivity and higher costs, which would adversely affect results of operations and cash flows.
In addition, acts of civil disobedience are not uncommon in areas in Mexico where our operations or projects are located. In recent years, many mining companies have been the targets of actions to restrict their legally entitled access to
mining concessions or property. Such acts of civil disobedience often occur with no warning and can result in significant direct and indirect costs. We cannot provide assurance that there will be no disruptions to site access in the future, which could adversely affect our business.
We sell silver and gold doré, gold concentrate, and silver concentrate in U.S. dollars, but we conduct operations outside the United States in local currency. Currency exchange movements could also adversely affect our results of operations.
Our success depends on developing and maintaining relationships with local communities and other stakeholders.
Our ongoing and future success depends on developing and maintaining productive relationships with the communities surrounding our operations, including indigenous peoples who may have rights or may assert rights to certain of our properties, and other stakeholders in our operating locations. We believe our operations can provide valuable benefits to surrounding communities, in terms of direct employment, training and skills development and other benefits associated with ongoing payment of taxes. In addition, we seek to maintain our partnerships and relationships with local communities, including indigenous peoples, and stakeholders in a variety of ways, including in-kind contributions, volunteer time, sponsorships and donations. There is an increasing level of public concern relating to the perceived effect of mining activities on indigenous communities. Evolving expectations related to human rights, indigenous interests and environmental protection may result in opposition to the Company’s current or future activities. Notwithstanding our ongoing efforts, local communities and stakeholders can become dissatisfied with our activities or the level of benefits provided, which may result in legal or administrative proceedings, civil unrest, protests, direct action or campaigns against us or our operations. Any such occurrences could materially and adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Our mining assets are subject to geotechnical and hydrological risks, and a related incident could materially and adversely impact our production, profitability and financial condition and the value of our common stock.
Our mining assets are subject to geotechnical and hydrological risks which could impact the structural integrity of our mines, stockpiles, leach pads and tailings storage facilities. No assurances can be given that unanticipated adverse geotechnical and hydrological conditions, such as landslides, pit wall failures or tailings dam instability will not occur in the future or that such events will be detected in advance. Geotechnical and hydrological instabilities can be difficult to predict and are often affected by risks and hazards outside of our control, such as severe weather and considerable rainfall, which may lead to periodic floods, mudslides, wall instability and seismic activity, which may result in slippage of material.
Waste rock in the form of tailings generated as a by-product of processed ore is produced at the Kensington and Palmarejo Mines. We place tailings into engineered containments, underground as structural backfill, and as a dry stack material. In response to several recent tailings dam failures unrelated to our operations that have involved loss of life and resulted in severe property and environmental ecosystem damage, we completed a comprehensive review of our tailings dams and operational practices to characterize our risk profile. We concluded that our tailings dams represent a low exposure risk profile for several reasons, including that our tailings dams were constructed using construction methods recognized in the industry as the most stable tailings dam design using high strength and chemically stable rock in construction. Our dams are continuously monitored and inspected by internal resources as well as third-party industry qualified experts. The significant dam failure events at third party locations that have occurred in recent years may lead to regulatory governance changes stemming from updated laws, regulation or guidance, which could result in increased operational and compliance costs if we need to make changes to existing facilities. The failure of a tailings dam or tailings storage facility at one of our mine sites could result in severe, and in some cases catastrophic, property and environmental damage and loss of life. Geotechnical or hydrological failures could result in limited or restricted access to mine sites, suspension of operations, government investigations, lawsuits filed by parties who suffer injuries or property damage from such events, increased monitoring costs, remediation costs, loss of mineral reserves and resources and other impacts, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial position as well as the value of our common stock.
Our estimates of future production, costs, expenditures and financial results are imprecise, depend upon subjective factors, may not be realized in actual production and such estimates speak only as of their respective dates.
We have in the past, and may in the future, provide estimates and projections of our future production, costs, expenditures and financial results. Any such information is forward-looking. Neither our independent registered public accounting firm nor any other independent expert or outside party compiles or examines these forward-looking statements and, accordingly, do not express any opinion or any other form of assurance on these estimates and projections. Estimates and projections are made by our management and technical personnel and are qualified by, and subject to the assumptions contained or referred in the filing, release or presentation in which they are made, including assumptions about the availability, accessibility, sufficiency and quality of mineralization, recovery rates, our costs of production, the market prices of gold and silver, our ability to sustain and increase production levels, the ability to produce and sell marketable concentrates and doré and related treatment and refining charges, the sufficiency of our infrastructure, the performance of our personnel and equipment, our ability to maintain and obtain mining interests and permits, the state of government and community relations, and our
compliance with existing and future laws and regulations. We sometimes state possible outcomes as high and low ranges which are intended to provide a sensitivity analysis as variables are changed but are not intended to represent that actual results could not fall outside of the suggested ranges. Actual results and experience may differ materially from these assumptions. Any production, cost, expenditure or financial results estimates speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we disclaim any intent or obligation to update such estimates, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Accordingly, these forward-looking statements should be considered in the context in which they are made, and undue reliance should not be placed on them.
Our use of derivative contracts to protect against market price volatility exposes us to risk of opportunity loss, mark-to-market fair value adjustments, potential cash collateral calls and exposure to counterparty credit risk.
We have in the past and in the future may enter into price risk management contracts to protect against fluctuations in the price of gold and silver, foreign currency rates and changes in the prices of fuel and other input costs. These contracts could include forward sales or purchase contracts, futures contracts, purchased or sold put and call options and other derivative instruments. We entered into price risk management contracts on 2021, 2022 and 2023 gold sales after a significant increase in gold prices during 2019 and 2020. We determined to implement these contracts to provide for a minimum level of revenue from the sales of the covered gold ounces in order to mitigate the risk of not being able to fund all or a portion of the costs of several significant projects at existing operations such as POA 11 as well as provide greater certainty in our planning and budgeting process. As of December 31, 2022, contracts with respect to 130,500 ounces of gold were outstanding. See Note 15 — Derivative Financial Instruments in the notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
The use of derivative instruments can expose us to risk of an opportunity loss and may also result in significant mark-to-market fair value adjustments, which may require us to post cash or other collateral or have a material adverse impact on reported financial results. Our exposure may be particularly acute for our derivative instruments accounted for as cash flow hedges, because those contracts are cash net settled on a monthly basis. The ceiling on the gold ounces covered by the price risk management contracts described above, representing the highest price we could realize for those ounces under outstanding contracts, averages approximately $1,957 per ounce for 2023 production. The price ceiling may be lower than actual spot gold prices at the time of sale under those contracts. In early 2023, the Company added 49,998 ounces of gold forward contracts and 3.2 million ounces of silver forward contracts that settle monthly through December 2023. Taking into account the additional gold and silver hedges added in early 2023 the weighted average fixed price on the forward contracts is $1,961 per ounce of gold and $24.55 per ounce of silver. On February 22, 2023, the closing price of gold and silver was $1,836 and $21.86 per ounce, respectively. We are exposed to credit risk with contract counterparties, including, but not limited to, sales contracts and derivative contracts. In the event of nonperformance in connection with a contract, we could be exposed to a loss of value for that contract.
We are dependent upon information technology systems, which are subject to cybersecurity incidents, disruption, damage, failure and other risks associated with implementation and integration.
Our information technology systems used in our operations are subject to disruption, damage or failure from a variety of sources, including, without limitation, computer viruses, security breaches, cyberattacks, natural disasters and defects in design. Cybersecurity incidents, in particular, are evolving and include, but are not limited to, malicious software, attempts to gain unauthorized access to data or machines and equipment, and other electronic security breaches that could lead to disruptions in systems, unauthorized release of confidential or otherwise protected information, the corruption of data or the disabling, misuse or malfunction of machines and equipment. Various measures have been implemented to manage our risks related to information technology systems and network disruptions. However, given the unpredictability of the timing, nature and scope of information or operational technology disruptions, we could potentially be subject to production downtimes, operational delays, operating accidents, the compromising of confidential or otherwise protected information, destruction or corruption of data, security breaches, other manipulation or improper use of our systems and networks or financial losses from remedial actions, any of which could have a material adverse effect on cash flows, financial condition or results of operations.
We could also be adversely affected by system or network disruptions if new or upgraded information technology systems are defective, not installed properly or not properly integrated into operations. Various measures have been implemented to manage the risks related to the system implementation and modification, but system modification failures could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position and results of operations. Although the Company has not experienced any material loss to date relating to cybersecurity, there can be no assurance that the Company will not incur such loss in the future.
We may be expected to continue enhancing our ESG practices to meet evolving and inconsistent standards.
ESG factors, including climate-related initiatives such as GHG emissions targets and climate risk management, are increasingly becoming a metric for institutional shareholders to review and assess the performance of the Company and a significant factor in their investment decisions. We believe we have established ourselves as a leader among peers in ESG and
continued to advance our ESG initiatives in 2022, including publishing our 2021 ESG Report, which included specific, objective goals to continue to improve our industry leading safety record, reduce the net intensity of our GHG emissions across the Company, build on our commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and protect critical habitat. However, there are no assurances that our efforts will be sufficient or meet the standards set by ESG analysts or institutional or other investors.
Our operations may be disrupted, and our financial results may be adversely affected by an outbreak of infectious disease or pandemic.
An outbreak of infectious disease, pandemic or a similar public health threat, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and the response thereto, could adversely impact our business and operations. If a significant portion of our workforce becomes unable to work or travel to our operations due to illness or state or federal government restrictions (including travel restrictions and “shelter-in-place” and similar orders restricting certain activities that may be issued or extended by authorities), we may be forced to reduce or suspend operations at one or more of our mines, which could reduce production, limit exploration activities and development projects and impact liquidity and financial results. While we have implemented several initiatives to protect the health and safety of our employees, contractors and communities to date, some of which have and may result in additional costs to us, there can be no assurance that the Company will remain unaffected by potential future health crises.
Illnesses or government restrictions, including potential closure of national borders, related to COVID-19 or a similar public health threat may disrupt the supply of raw goods, equipment, supplies and services upon which our operations rely.
Third parties with whom we conduct business, including the refiners and smelters that process and, in some cases, purchase the doré and concentrate produced by our mines, are also subject to these risks and may be required to reduce or suspend operations, which could impact our ability to conduct our operations, advance exploration, development and expansion projects, sell our products and generate revenues.
To the extent the COVID-19 or any other pandemic adversely affects our business and financial results, it may also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks described in this “Risk Factors” section as well as those contained in the 2021 10-K, such as those relating to our operations and indebtedness and financing. Because of the highly uncertain and dynamic nature of events relating to the COVID-19 or similar pandemic, it is not currently possible to estimate the full impact of the pandemic on our business. However, these effects could have a material impact on our operations, and we will continue to monitor such situations closely.
Our business depends on good relations with, and the retention and hiring of, employees.
We may experience labor disputes, work stoppages or other disruptions in production that could adversely affect our business and results of operations. Labor disruptions may be used to advocate labor, political or social goals, particularly at non-U.S. mines. For example, labor disruptions may occur in sympathy with strikes or labor unrest in other sectors of local economies. We cannot assure that work stoppages, union organizing activities or other disruptions will not occur in the future. Any such work stoppage or disruption could expose us to significant costs and have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations or financial condition.
We compete with other mining companies to attract and retain key executives, skilled labor, contractors and other employees. We may be unable to continue to attract and retain skilled and experienced employees, which could have an adverse effect on our competitive position or adversely impact our results of operations or financial condition.
Continuation of our mining operations is dependent on the availability of sufficient and affordable water supplies.
Our mining operations require significant quantities of water for mining, ore processing and related support facilities. In particular, our properties in Mexico and Nevada are in areas where water is scarce and competition among users for continuing access to water is significant. Continuous production and mine development is dependent on our ability to acquire and maintain water rights and claims and to defeat claims adverse to current water uses in legal proceedings. Although each of our operating mines currently has sufficient water rights and claims to cover its operational demands, we cannot predict the potential outcome of pending or future legal proceedings relating to enforcement of water rights, claims and uses, or potential pressure from other users of water, government agencies and officials, and/or non-governmental organizations to limit the amount of water made available to or used for mining activities, regardless of legally valid water rights. Water shortages may also result from weather or environmental and climate impacts outside of our control. Shortages in water supply could result in production and processing interruptions. In addition, the scarcity of water in certain regions could result in increased costs to obtain sufficient quantities of water to conduct our operations. The loss of some or all water rights, ongoing litigation to enforce existing water rights, ongoing shortages of water to which we have rights and/or significantly higher costs to obtain sufficient quantities of water could result in our inability to maintain production at current or expected levels, require us to curtail or shut down mining operations and could prevent us from pursuing expansion or development opportunities, which could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition. Laws and regulations may be introduced in some jurisdictions in which
we operate which could also limit access to sufficient water resources, adversely affecting our existing operations or our expansion or development plans.
We may not be able to recognize the benefits of deferred tax assets.
We have accrued deferred tax assets in various jurisdictions from past operating losses, however, we may not be able to utilize part or all of these assets in the future. We recognize the expected future tax benefit from these assets only if it is considered more likely than not that the tax benefit will be realized. Otherwise, a valuation allowance is applied against deferred tax assets that are not more likely than not to be utilized. Assessing the recoverability of deferred tax assets requires management to make significant estimates related to expectations of future taxable income, including application of existing tax laws in each jurisdiction, assumptions about future metals prices, the macroeconomic environment and results of our operations. To the extent that future cash flows and taxable income differ significantly from estimates, our ability to realize deferred tax assets could be impacted. Additionally, future changes in tax laws could limit our ability to obtain the future benefits represented by our deferred tax assets and annual limitations may impact the timeframe over which the net operating loss carryforwards can be used, potentially impacting cash tax liabilities in a future period.
RISKS RELATED TO INDEBTEDNESS AND FINANCING
Our future operating performance may not generate cash flows sufficient to meet debt payment obligations.
As of December 31, 2022, we had approximately $515.9 million of outstanding indebtedness. Our ability to make scheduled debt payments on outstanding indebtedness will depend on future results of operations and cash flows. Our results of operations and cash flows, in part, are subject to economic factors beyond our control, including the market prices of gold and silver, among other factors described in this Item. Although we have been successful in repaying or refinancing debt historically, there can be no assurance that we can continue to do so. We may not be able to generate enough cash flow to meet obligations and commitments under outstanding debt instruments.
If and to the extent liquidity resources are insufficient to support short- and long-term expenditures, we could face substantial liquidity problems and could be forced to reduce or delay investments and capital expenditures, dispose of material assets or operations, incur additional debt or equity capital or restructure or refinance our indebtedness. We cannot predict whether we would be able to refinance debt, issue equity or debt securities or dispose of assets to raise funds on a timely basis or on satisfactory terms, which could have a material adverse impact on the Company. In a rising interest rate environment, the costs of borrowing additional funds or refinancing outstanding indebtedness would also be expected to increase. The agreements governing our outstanding indebtedness restrict our ability to dispose of assets and use the proceeds from those dispositions and may also restrict our ability to raise debt or equity capital to be used to repay other indebtedness when it becomes due. We may not be able to consummate those dispositions or to obtain proceeds in an amount sufficient to meet any debt service obligations then due.
The terms of our debt impose restrictions on our operations.
The agreements governing our outstanding indebtedness include a number of significant negative covenants. These covenants, among other things:
•limit our ability to obtain additional financing, repurchase outstanding equity or issue debt securities;
•require us to meet certain financial covenants including a senior secured leverage ratio, a consolidated net leverage ratio and a consolidated interest coverage ratio;
•require a portion of our cash flows to be dedicated to debt service payments instead of other purposes, which reduces the amount of cash flows available for working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes;
•limit our ability to sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of assets, enter into transactions with and invest capital in affiliates, enter into agreements restricting our subsidiaries’ ability to pay dividends, consolidate, amalgamate, merge or sell all or substantially all of our assets;
•increase our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions;
•limit our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in the industry in which we compete; and
•place us at a disadvantage compared to other, less leveraged competitors.
A breach of any of these covenants could result in an event of default under the applicable agreement governing our outstanding indebtedness that, if not cured or waived, could cause all amounts outstanding with respect to the debt to be due and payable immediately. Acceleration of any debt could result in cross-defaults under our other debt instruments. Our inability to meet any of these covenants may also result in a lender requiring us to agree to additional restrictive covenants which may, among other things, limit our ability to fund our existing operations or incur additional indebtedness. Our assets and cash flow may be insufficient to repay borrowings fully under all of our outstanding debt instruments if any of our debt instruments are accelerated upon an event of default, which could force the Company into bankruptcy or liquidation.
Any downgrade in the credit ratings assigned to us or our debt securities could increase future borrowing costs, adversely affect the availability of new financing and may result in increased collateral requirements under our existing surety bond portfolio.
There can be no assurance that any rating currently assigned by Standard & Poor’s Rating Services or Moody’s Investors Service to us or our debt securities will remain unchanged for any given period of time or that a rating will not be lowered if, in that rating agency’s judgment, future circumstances relating to the basis of the rating so warrant. If we are unable to maintain our outstanding debt and financial ratios at levels acceptable to the credit rating agencies, or should our business prospects or financial results deteriorate, including as a result of declines in gold and silver prices or other factors beyond our control, our ratings could be downgraded by the rating agencies. A downgrade by the rating agencies could adversely affect the value of our outstanding debt securities, our existing debt, and our ability to obtain new financing on favorable terms, if at all, increase borrowing costs, and may result in increased collateral requirements under our existing surety bond portfolio, which in turn may adversely affect our results of operations and financial position.
RISKS RELATED TO APPLICABLE LAWS AND REGULATIONS
We are subject to significant governmental regulations, including the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Act, the Health, Safety and Reclamation Code for Mines under the British Columbia Mines Act and Relevant Sections of the Mexican Official Regulations, and related costs and delays associated with compliance may negatively affect our business.
Mining activities are subject to extensive federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations governing environmental protection, natural resources, prospecting, development, production, post-closure reclamation, taxes, labor standards and occupational health and safety laws and regulations, including mine safety, toxic substances and other matters. The costs associated with compliance with such laws and regulations are substantial. Changes in existing laws, possible future laws and regulations, or more restrictive interpretations of current laws and regulations by governmental authorities, could cause additional expense, capital expenditures, restrictions on or suspensions of operations and delays in the development of new properties.
U.S. surface and underground mines like the Kensington, Rochester and Wharf mines are regularly inspected by the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (“MSHA”). These inspections may lead to written citations or violation notices, which are reported in Exhibit 95.1 to this Report. Recently, MSHA has been conducting more comprehensive inspections of mining operations in general, focusing on miner health and critical safety hazards. Similar inspections are conducted in British Columbia, Canada, at the Silvertip exploration property and in Mexico at the Palmarejo complex by the British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources and the Mexican Secretaria del Trabajo y Prevision Social (Secretary of Labor and Social Safety), respectively.
Failure to comply with applicable laws, regulations and permitting requirements may result in temporary or extended shutdowns, including orders issued by regulatory or judicial authorities causing operations to cease or be curtailed, which may require corrective measures including the payment of fines or penalties, capital expenditures, installation of additional equipment or remedial actions, any of which could have a material, adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
Compliance with environmental regulations and litigation based on environmental regulations could require significant expenditures.
Environmental regulations mandate, among other things, the maintenance of air and water quality standards, land development and land reclamation, and set forth limitations on the generation, transportation, storage and disposal of solid and hazardous waste. Environmental legislation and environmental justice provisions are evolving in a manner that may require stricter standards and enforcement, increased fines and penalties for non-compliance, more stringent environmental assessments of proposed projects, and a heightened degree of responsibility for mining companies and their officers, directors and employees. We may incur environmental costs that could have a material adverse effect on financial condition and results of operations. Any failure to remedy an environmental problem could require us to suspend operations or enter into interim compliance measures pending completion of the required remedy. The environmental standards that ultimately may be imposed at a mine site affect the cost of remediation and could exceed the financial accruals that we have made for such remediation.
The potential exposure may be significant and could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
Moreover, governmental authorities and private parties may bring lawsuits based upon damage to property and injury to persons resulting from the environmental, health and safety impacts of prior and current operations, including operations conducted by other mining companies many years ago at sites located on properties that we currently or formerly owned. These lawsuits could lead to the imposition of substantial fines, remediation costs, penalties and other civil and criminal sanctions. Substantial costs and liabilities, including for restoring the environment after the closure of mines, are inherent in our operations. We cannot assure that any such law, regulation, enforcement or private claim would not have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.
Some of the mining waste from our U.S. mines currently are exempt to a limited extent from the extensive set of EPA regulations governing hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (“RCRA”). If the EPA were to repeal this exemption, and designate these mining wastes as hazardous under RCRA, we would be required to make significant expenditures to manage the waste and to construct hazardous waste storage or disposal facilities. Under the Mercury Export Ban Act of 2008 (“MEBA”), incidental elemental mercury generated at our Rochester mine as part of the processing of ore may not be exported outside of the United States and is required to be stored in a facility capable for long-term mercury management designated by the U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”). The DOE is undergoing processes to designate such a facility and to establish storage and handling fees, which is not yet final. The outcome could result in material cost being incurred to ship and store Coeur Rochester's mercury. In addition, if any of these wastes causes contamination in or damage to the environment at a U.S. mining facility, that facility could be designated as a “Superfund” site under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (“CERCLA”). Under CERCLA, any present owner or operator of a Superfund site or the owner or operator at the time of contamination may be held jointly and severally liable regardless of fault and may be forced to undertake extensive remedial cleanup action or to pay for the cleanup efforts. The owner or operator also may be liable to federal, state and tribal/indigenous governmental entities for the cost of damages to natural resources, which could be substantial. Additional regulations or requirements also are imposed on our tailings and waste disposal areas in Alaska under the federal Clean Water Act (“CWA”), in Nevada under the Nevada Water Pollution Control Law which implements the CWA, in South Dakota under the South Dakota Water Pollution Control Act and the Administrative Rules of the State of South Dakota, in British Columbia (Canada) under the Health, Safety and Reclamation Code for Mines in British Columbia, the British Columbia Environmental Management Act and the Canadian Metal and Diamond Mining Effluent Regulations, and in Mexico under the General Law of Ecological Balance and Protection of the Environment (the "GLEBPE") and the regulations under the GLEBPE related to environmental protection in impact assessment matters.
Airborne emissions are subject to controls under air pollution statutes implementing the Clean Air Act in the U.S., and are regulated under the Environmental Management Act in British Columbia (Canada) and the GLEBPE and the regulations under GLEBPE related to prevention and control of the pollution of the atmosphere in Mexico. In addition, there are numerous legislative and regulatory initiatives related to climate change, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, or energy policy and adoption of these initiatives through legislative actions or administrative policy could have a material adverse effect on results of operations and cash flows.
In addition, U.S. environmental conservation efforts could result in the withdrawal of certain federal lands from mineral entry under the Mining Law, which could have the effect of restricting our current or future planned activities involving our unpatented mining claims on the affected public lands.
We are required to obtain and renew governmental permits in order to conduct operations, a process which is often costly and time-consuming. Our ability to obtain necessary government permits to expand operations or begin new operations may be materially affected by third-party activists.
In the normal course of our business, we are required to obtain and renew governmental permits for exploration, operations and expansion of existing operations and for the development of new projects, such as the permits recently obtained for POA 11 at Rochester, POA 1 at Kensington and at Palmarejo to allow the deposit of future tailings into the legacy open pit rather than expand the current tailings impoundment facility. Obtaining and renewing governmental permits is a complex and time-consuming process. The timeliness and success of permitting efforts are contingent upon many variables not within our control, including the interpretation of permit approval requirements administered by the applicable permitting authority and government and third-party sentiment towards the mining industry generally. We may not be able to obtain or renew permits that are necessary to our operations or the cost and time required to obtain or renew permits may exceed our expectations. Any unexpected delays or costs associated with the permitting process could delay the development or impede the operation of a mine, which in turn could materially adversely affect our revenues and future growth. For example, we experienced prolonged delays by the Mexican federal environmental authority, SEMARNAT, in approving the permit described above to deposit future tailings into the legacy open pit at Palmarejo. As has been publicized in media coverage, we understand that other mining projects in Mexico are also experiencing permitting delays or, in certain circumstances, denials of permits. Any delay in obtaining a permit may require us to revise mine plans or curtail expected production, which could materially adversely affect
results of operations and cash flow. In addition, key permits and approvals may be revoked or suspended or may be changed in a manner that adversely affects our operations.
Private parties such as environmental activists frequently attempt to intervene in the permitting process and to persuade regulators to deny necessary permits or seek to overturn permits that have been issued. Obtaining the necessary governmental permits is a complex and time-consuming process involving numerous jurisdictions and often involving public hearings and costly undertakings. These third-party actions can materially increase the costs and cause delays in the permitting process and could cause us to not proceed with the development or expansion of a mine. In addition, our ability to successfully obtain key permits and approvals to explore for, develop, operate and expand mines and to conduct our operations will likely depend on our ability to develop, operate, expand and close mines in a manner that is consistent with the creation of social and economic benefits in the surrounding communities, which may or may not be required by law. Our ability to obtain permits and approvals and to successfully operate in particular communities may be adversely impacted by real or perceived detrimental events associated with our activities or those of other mining companies affecting the environment, human health and safety of communities in which we operate.
Our business is subject to anti-bribery laws, a breach or violation of which could lead to civil and criminal fines and penalties, loss of licenses or permits and reputational harm.
We operate in certain jurisdictions that have experienced governmental and private sector corruption. The U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, as well as Canadian and Mexican anti-bribery laws generally prohibit companies and their intermediaries from making improper payments for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business or other commercial advantage. Violations of these laws, or allegations of such violations, could lead to civil and criminal fines and penalties, litigation, and loss of operating licenses or permits, and may damage our reputation, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position and results of operations. Our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and other corporate policies mandate compliance with these anti-bribery laws and we provide training and education on these topics to our employees; however, there can be no assurance that our internal control policies and procedures always will protect us from recklessness, fraudulent behavior, dishonesty or other inappropriate acts or violations of laws committed by our affiliates, employees or agents.
We are subject to litigation and may be subject to additional litigation in the future.
We are currently, and may in the future become, subject to other litigation, arbitration (including the current NAFTA arbitration matter involving recovery of Mexican VAT) or proceedings with other parties. If decided adversely to us, these legal proceedings, or others that could be brought against us in the future, could have a material adverse effect on our financial position or prospects. We are currently engaged in litigation with a third party regarding the terms of a royalty impacting a portion of the Kensington mine property. While we believe our claims and counter-claims in this matter are valid, litigation matters are inherently uncertain and there is no guarantee that we will be successful in defending ourselves or that our assessment of the materiality and the likely outcome of this matter will be consistent with the ultimate resolution of the matter. Responding to disputes, even those that are without merit or ultimately decided in our favor, may require us to incur significant expense, devote significant resources, and may generate adverse publicity, which could materially and adversely affect our business. In the event of a dispute arising at our foreign operations, we may be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of foreign courts or arbitral panels or may not be successful in subjecting foreign persons to the jurisdiction of courts or arbitral panels in the United States. Our inability to enforce our rights and the enforcement of rights on a prejudicial basis by foreign courts or arbitral panels could have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial position.
Disputes regarding our mining claims, concessions or surface rights to land in the vicinity of our mining projects could adversely impact operations.
The validity of mining or exploration claims, concessions or rights, which constitute most of our property holdings, is often uncertain and may be contested. We have used commercially reasonable efforts, in accordance with industry standards, to investigate our title or claims to our various properties, however, no assurance can be given that applicable governments will not revoke or significantly alter the conditions of the applicable exploration and mining claims, concessions or rights or that such exploration and mining claims, concessions or rights will not be challenged by third parties. Although we have attempted to acquire satisfactory title to undeveloped properties, in accordance with mining industry practice we do not generally obtain title opinions until a decision is made to develop a property. As a result, some titles, particularly titles to undeveloped properties may be defective. Defective title to any of our exploration and mining claims, concessions or rights could result in litigation, insurance claims and potential losses affecting our business as a whole. There may be challenges to the title of any of the claims comprising our projects that, if successful, could impair development and operations. A defect could result in us losing all or a portion of our right, title, estate and interest in and to the properties to which the title defect relates.
In Mexico, while mineral rights are administered by the federal government through federally issued mining concessions, federally recognized agrarian communities called ejidos control surface or surface access rights to the land. An ejido may sell or lease lands directly to a private entity. While we have agreements or are in the process of negotiating
agreements with the ejidos that impact all of our projects in Mexico, some of these agreements may be subject to renegotiation or legal challenges.
The Company’s effective tax rate could be volatile and materially change as a result of changes in tax laws, mix of earnings and other factors.
We are subject to tax laws in the United States and several foreign jurisdictions. U.S. President Biden’s administration (the “Administration”) has called for changes to fiscal and tax policies, which may include comprehensive tax reform.
The Administration has previously proposed an increase in the U.S. corporate income tax rate from 21% to 28%, doubling the rate of tax on certain earnings of foreign subsidiaries, a 15% minimum tax on worldwide book income, and other various tax law changes. If any or all of these (or similar) proposals are enacted into law, in whole or in part, they could have a negative impact on the Company’s effective tax rate.
Additionally, the jurisdictions in which we operate have and may in the future continue to encounter financial difficulties resulting from one or both of lower tax revenue and new and increased costs related to continuing to manage COVID-19 or remedy its impact. National, state or local governments may seek to raise existing taxes or introduce new taxes which may adversely affect our business and financial results.
Currently, the Company incurs losses in certain countries where it does not receive a financial statement benefit, and the Company operates in countries which have different statutory rates. Consequently, changes in the mix and source of earnings between countries could have a material impact on the Company’s overall effective tax rate.
In addition, new tax legislation in certain jurisdictions where we operate could negatively affect us. For example, in Nevada, where the Rochester mine and Lincoln Hill project are located, in response to a significant loss of tourism and gaming revenue during 2020, in June 2021 the Governor signed into law a new excise tax on gross proceeds derived from mining gold and silver. In addition, there have been recent proposals by elected officials in Mexico for even more significant increases in mining taxes, although it is unclear whether those proposals will result in legislation. It is difficult to predict whether proposed changes to tax laws in the jurisdictions where we operate will be passed and if passed, the impact of those changes on the Company. Any additional taxes imposed on us could adversely affect our financial condition.
RISKS RELATED TO OUR COMMON STOCK
We have the ability to issue additional equity securities, including in connection with an acquisition of other companies, which would lead to dilution of our issued and outstanding common stock and may materially and adversely affect the price of our common stock.
The issuance of additional equity securities or securities convertible into equity securities, whether to acquire new companies or businesses or for other strategic benefits, would result in dilution of our existing stockholders’ equity ownership. In March 2022 and December 2022, the Company completed $100.0 million and $50.0 million “at the market” offerings of its common stock, par value $0.01 per share, respectively, and sold a total of 36.8 million shares of common stock at an average price of $4.07 per share.
We are authorized to issue, without stockholder approval, 10.0 million shares of preferred stock in one or more series, to establish the number of shares to be included in each series and to fix the designation, powers, preferences and relative participating, optional, conversion and other special rights of the shares of each series as well as the qualification, limitations or restrictions on each series. Any series of preferred stock could contain dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, terms of redemption, redemption prices, liquidation preferences or other rights superior to the rights of holders of our common stock. If we issue additional equity securities, the price of our common stock may be materially and adversely affected.
Holders of our common stock may not receive dividends.
We have not historically declared cash dividends on our common stock. Holders of our common stock are entitled to receive only such dividends as our Board of Directors may declare out of funds legally available for such payments. We are incorporated in Delaware and governed by the Delaware General Corporation Law. Delaware law allows a corporation to pay dividends only out of surplus, as determined under Delaware law or, if there is no surplus, out of net profits for the fiscal year in which the dividend was declared and for the preceding fiscal year. Under Delaware law, however, we cannot pay dividends out of net profits if, after we pay the dividend, our capital would be less than the capital represented by the outstanding stock of all classes having a preference upon the distribution of assets. Our ability to pay dividends will be subject to our future earnings, capital requirements and financial condition, as well as our compliance with covenants related to existing or future indebtedness and would only be declared in the discretion of our Board of Directors.
Item 2. Properties
MINING OPERATIONS
The following description of the Company’s mining operations is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Technical Report Summary for each of the operations included as exhibits to this Report and incorporated by reference into this Item 2. Operating statistics for mining operations are presented in the section entitled “Operating Statistics” below.
Mexico — Palmarejo
The Palmarejo complex, operated by our wholly-owned subsidiary, Coeur Mexicana, S.A. de C.V. (“Coeur Mexicana”), consists of (1) the Palmarejo processing facility; (2) the Guadalupe underground mine; (3) the Independencia underground mine; (4) the La Nación underground mine; and (5) other nearby deposits and exploration targets. The Palmarejo complex is located approximately 260 miles southwest of Chihuahua, in the state of Chihuahua in Northern Mexico. The coordinates for the centroid of the project are 108° 21.8203’ W longitude and 27° 21.5547’ N latitude (760,781 mE, 3,028,984 mN). Specifically, the Guadalupe mine is located at 108º 21.899’ W longitude and 27º 20.996’ N latitude (760,672 mE, 3,027,949 mN); Independencia is located at 108º 21.752’ W longitude and 27 º 22.078’ N latitude (760,873 mE, 3,029,953 m N); and La Nación is located at 108º 21.809’ W longitude and 27º 21.591’ N latitude (760,797 mE, 3,029,051 mN). All coordinates are in the Universal Transverse Mercator (WSG 84), Zone 12. Access to the property is provided by air, rail, and all-weather paved and gravel roads from the state capitol of Chihuahua.
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Stage: | Production |
Location: | State of Chihuahua, Northern Mexico |
Mine Type: | Underground |
Metals/Mineralization: | Silver and Gold, classified as epithermal deposits and are hosted in multiple veins, breccias, and fractures |
Product: | Doré |
Ownership: | 100% |
Land Position: | 67,279 net acres |
Mineral Tenure: | 71 wholly-owned mining concessions |
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Key Permit Conditions: | Authorizations are in place that regulate typical life of mine functions, including production facilities and utilities, mining operations, tailings and waste rock storage, exploration, surface disturbance, land use, vegetation and change in soil use, air emissions, water use, and reclamation. Major authorizations were obtained through the completion of several MIAs (Manifestación de Impacto Ambiental), permits associated with forestry vegetation disturbance of change in soil use (Cambio de Uso de Suelo en Terrenos Forestales), and the required authorizations from the National Water Commission (Comisión Nacional del Agua or CONAGUA) for water use, effluent discharge, and to construct facilities in federal watersheds. Operational standards and best management practices (BMPs) have been established to maintain compliance with applicable regulatory standards and permits. |
Other: | A portion of the Palmarejo complex is subject to a gold stream agreement with a subsidiary of Franco Nevada Corporation and related property encumbrances |
USA (Nevada) — Rochester
The Rochester mine and associated heap leach facilities, operated by our wholly-owned subsidiary, Coeur Rochester, Inc. (“Coeur Rochester”), is an open pit silver and gold mine located in Pershing County, Nevada, approximately 13 miles northeast of the city of Lovelock. The mine consists of the main Rochester deposit and the adjacent Nevada Packard deposit, southwest of the Rochester mine. The centroid location for the Rochester site is 400600 E, 4460300 N and the centroid of Rochester pit is located at 4002045 E, 4460050 N and Nevada Packard open pit is located at 400600E, 4456675E. All coordinates are in Universal Transverse Mercator (WSG 84), Zone 11T. In November 2018, Coeur Rochester acquired the Lincoln Hill, Gold Ridge and Wilco projects adjacent to Rochester from Alio Gold. The Rochester mine is fully supported with electricity, supplied by a local power company. Ore is mined using conventional open pit methods, with gold and silver recovered by heap leaching of crushed open-pit ore placed on pads located within the Rochester mining area.
Rochester is currently undergoing an expansion under POA 11. The expansion project includes the construction of a new leach pad, a crushing facility equipped with two high-pressure grinding roll units and a prescreen, a Merrill-Crowe process plant, and related infrastructure to support the extension of Rochester’s mine life and is expected to be completed in mid-2023.
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Stage: | Production |
Location: | Near Lovelock, Nevada (West-Central Nevada, USA) |
Mine Type: | Open Pit Heap Leach |
Metals/Mineralization: | Silver and Gold; mineralization is hosted in folded and faulted volcanic rocks of the Rochester Formation and overlying Weaver Formation. Silver and gold, consisting of silver sulfosalt minerals, argentite, silver-bearing tetrahedrite and minor native gold, are contained in zones of multiple quartz veins and veinlets (vein, vein swarms and stockworks) with variable amounts of pyrite |
Product: | Doré |
Ownership: | 100% |
Land Position & Mineral Tenure | Coeur Rochester lands, including the Lincoln Hill and related assets, consist of approximately 43,441 net acres •1,465 owned and 337 leased Federal unpatented lode claims and 6 owned federal unpatented placer claims, appropriating approximately 29,938 net acres of public land; •23 patented lode claims, consisting of approximately 392 acres; •Interests owned in approximately 6,929 gross acres of additional real property; and •Certain rights in and to approximately 6,182 acres, held either through lease, letter agreement or license. |
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Key Permit Conditions: | The Rochester Mine has in place and operates subject to all necessary environmental permits and licenses from the appropriate local, state, and federal agencies for typical life of mine functions involving exploration, the open pit mines, heap leach pads, processing infrastructure, and all necessary support facilities. Operational standards and best management practices have been established to maintain compliance with applicable regulatory standards and permits. Major permits or approvals are in place from the U.S. Department of Interior Bureau of Land Management, Nevada Division of Water Resources, the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, as well through other federal, state, and local entities. The environmental effects of the operation were comprehensively evaluated through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) through Environmental Impact Statements. Monitoring programs are in place, and there is an approved reclamation and closure plan that reflects current mining, mitigation, and site facilities. |
Other: | •A security interest in the Rochester mine has been granted in favor of the lenders under the RCF (as defined below) •Certain royalty interests have been granted with respect to the Rochester property |
USA (Alaska) — Kensington
The Kensington underground gold mine and associated milling facilities, operated by our wholly-owned subsidiary, Coeur Alaska, Inc. (“Coeur Alaska”), are located on the east side of the Lynn Canal about 45 miles north-northwest of Juneau, Alaska. The mine consists of the (i) Kensington Main deposit, (ii) Elmira, and (iii) other nearby deposits and exploration targets. The mine is accessed by a horizontal tunnel and utilizes conventional and mechanized underground mining methods. Coordinates for the project centroid are 0494796 E, 652068 N and the Kensington Portal is located at 0494796 E, 6530584 N. All coordinates are in Universal Transverse Mercator (NAD 1983), Zone 8V.
Kensington is currently undertaking a planned expansion under POA 1, which would increase tailings and waste rock storage capacity to support an expected longer mine life, reflecting positive exploration results, improved metal prices and ongoing operational efficiencies.
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Stage: | Production |
Location: | Juneau, Alaska (Southeast Alaska, USA) |
Mine Type: | Underground |
Metals/Mineralization: | Gold; gold-bearing mesothermal, quartz, carbonate and pyrite vein swarms and discrete quartz-pyrite veins hosted in Cretaceous-aged Jualin diorite. Most of the gold is contained in calaverite (AuTe2) that occurs in association with native gold as inclusions in and interstitial to pyrite grains and in microfractures in pyrite. |
Product: | Gold Concentrate |
Ownership: | 100% |
Land Position & Mineral Tenure | •The Kensington Group, totaling approximately 3,972 net acres, consists of 51 patented lode and patented mill site claims comprising approximately 766 net acres, 291 Federal unpatented lode claims covering approximately 3,141 net acres, and 13 State of Alaska mining claims covering approximately 95 net acres. •The Jualin Group, totaling approximately 8,366 net acres, is comprised of 23 patented lode and patented mill site claims covering approximately 388 net acres, 444 Federal unpatented lode claims and 75 Federal unpatented mill site claims appropriating approximately 7,814 net acres, a State of Alaska upland mining lease comprising approximately 682 acres, one State of Alaska mining claim comprising approximately three acres and four State-selected mining claims covering approximately 60 acres. •14 of the 23 patented lode claims cover private surface estate only. The mineral estate to these 14 patented lode claims is owned by the State of Alaska, the mineral rights to which are secured by a State of Alaska upland mining lease •The Company controls properties comprising the Jualin Group, under a lease agreement with Hyak Mining Company, which is valid until August 5, 2035 and thereafter, provided mining and production are actively occurring within and from the leased premises. |
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Key Permit Conditions: | The Kensington Mine has in place and operates subject to all necessary environmental permits and licenses from the appropriate local, state, and federal agencies for typical life of mine functions involving mine operations and production/processing facilities and infrastructure, tailings and waste rock storage, exploration, surface disturbance, air emissions, water use, marine transport, and reclamation. Operational standards and best management practices have been established to maintain compliance with applicable regulatory standards and permits. Major permits or approvals are in place from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Forest Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, State of Alaska, as well through other federal, state, and local entities. The environmental effects of the operation were comprehensively evaluated through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) through Environmental Impact Statements. Monitoring programs are in place, and there is an approved reclamation and closure plan that reflects current mining, mitigation, and site facilities. |
Other: | •A security interest in the Kensington mine has been granted in favor of the lenders under the RCF •Certain royalty interests have been granted with respect to the Kensington property |
USA (South Dakota) — Wharf
The Wharf mine, operated by our wholly-owned subsidiaries, Wharf Resources (U.S.A.) Inc. (“Wharf”) and Golden Reward Mining Limited Partnership (“Golden Reward”), is located in the northern Black Hills of western South Dakota, approximately four miles southwest of the city of Lead, South Dakota. Coordinate for the project centroid are 44°20’03”N Latitude, 103°50’06”W Longitude and the Wharf Mine coordinates are 44°20’39”N Latitude, 103°51’02”W Longitude. All coordinates are in Universal Transverse Mercator (WSG 84). Access is established by paved road with power supplied by a local power company.
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Stage: | Production |
Location: | Lead, South Dakota, USA |
Mine Type: | Open Pit Heap Leach |
Metals/Mineralization: | Gold and Silver by-product; a structurally controlled disseminated gold deposit |
Product: | Electrolytic Cathodic Sludge |
Ownership: | 100% |
Land Position & Mineral Tenure | •The Wharf Group is comprised of 362 patented lode claims, 35 government lots, 123 subdivided lots, and 59 federal unpatented lode claims. These interests cover approximately 3,585 net surface acres, 652 net mineral acres where both the Precambrian and younger formations are owned or controlled, 3,243 net mineral acres of non-Precambrian mineral estate, 1,603 net mineral acres of Precambrian mineral estate and 287 net acres of federal unpatented lode claims. •The Golden Reward Group encompasses 218 patented lode claims, 14 government lots, 19 subdivided lots and 34 federal unpatented lode claims. The Golden Reward Group is comprised of approximately 1,564 net acres of surface estate, 2,988 net mineral acres of mineral estate where both the Precambrian and younger formations are owned or controlled, 357 net mineral acres of Non-Precambrian mineral estate, 153 net mineral acres of Precambrian mineral estate and 25 net acres of federal unpatented lode claims. |
Key Permit Conditions: | The Wharf Mine has in place and operates subject to all necessary environmental permits and licenses from the appropriate local, state, and federal agencies for typical life of mine functions involving exploration, the open pit mines, heap leach pads, processing infrastructure, and all necessary support facilities. Operational standards and best management practices have been established to maintain compliance with applicable state and federal regulatory standards and permits. Major permits or approvals are in place from the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Lawrence County, as well through other federal, state, and local entities. Monitoring programs are in place, and there is an approved reclamation and closure plan that reflects current mining, mitigation, and site facilities. |
Other: | •A security interest in the Wharf mine has been granted in favor of the lenders under the RCF •Certain royalty interests have been granted with respect to the Wharf property |
MINING PROJECTS
Canada (British Columbia) — Silvertip
The Silvertip silver-zinc-lead exploration property owned by our wholly-owned subsidiary, Coeur Silvertip Ltd. (“Coeur Silvertip”), is an underground project located in northern British Columbia, Canada just south of the Yukon border. The project centroid coordinates in UTM (NAD 27) are 6,643,900 N and 425,200 E. The project is accessible via a 25-kilometer mine access road off the Alaska Highway.
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Stage: | Exploration |
Location: | Northern British Columbia, Canada (10 miles south of the Yukon Territory Border) |
Mine Type: | Underground |
Metals/Mineralization: | Silver, Zinc and Lead; carbonate-hosted massive sulfide deposit |
Product: | Concentrate |
Ownership: | 100% |
Land Position & Mineral Tenure: | •Sixty-six (66) contiguous mineral claims containing approximately 39,375 hectares (97,298 acres) and two mining leases containing approximately 1,528 hectares (3,777 acres). In total, the Silvertip mine covers an area of approximately 40,904 hectares (101,076 acres) |
Other: | •Suspended operating activities in February 2020; ongoing exploration and technical work to evaluate and support a potential expansion and restart •Certain royalty interests have been granted with respect to the Silvertip property |
OTHER PROPERTIES
The Company has interests in several other exploration-stage properties in North America, as well as leased or owned real property for office space.
OPERATING STATISTICS
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| Palmarejo | | Rochester |
| 2022 | | 2021 | | 2020 | | | | 2022 | | 2021 | | 2020 | | |
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Gold produced (oz.) | 106,782 | | | 109,202 | | | 110,608 | | | | | 34,735 | | | 27,051 | | | 27,147 | | | |
Silver produced (oz.) | 6,708,689 | | | 6,820,589 | | | 6,269,206 | | | | | 3,061,924 | | | 3,158,017 | | | 3,174,529 | | | |
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| Kensington | | Wharf |
| 2022 | | 2021 | | 2020 | | | | 2022 | | 2021 | | 2020 | | |
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Gold produced (oz.) | 109,061 | | | 121,140 | | | 124,867 | | | | | 79,768 | | | 91,136 | | | 93,056 | | | |
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| Silvertip | | |
| 2022 | | 2021 | | 2020 | | | | | | | | | | |
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Silver produced (oz.) | — | | | — | | | 139,287 | | | | | | | | | | | |
Zinc produced (lb.) | — | | | — | | | 2,459,756 | | | | | | | | | | | |
Lead produced (lb.) | — | | | — | | | 2,176,847 | | | | | | | | | | | |
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MINERAL RESERVES AND MINERAL RESOURCES
Internal Controls
The company’s internal controls are designed to provide reasonable assurance that information and processes utilized in assessing its exploration results as well as mineral resource and reserve estimation are reasonable and in line with industry best practices. These internal controls include quality assurance and quality control (“QA/QC”) programs in the collection, analysis, verification, storage, reporting and use of drillhole, assay, metallurgical and other technical and scientific information, including the following:
•Third-party fully certified labs are used for assays used in public disclosure or resource models ;
•Drill programs include insertion of blank, duplicate, and certified reference materials;
•QA/QC program with sufficient results for the analytical programs;
•All core and reverse-circulation samples have been cataloged and stored in secure and designated areas on company property;
•Data is subject to validation, which includes checks on downhole surveys, collar coordinates, geological data, and assay data;
•Prior to use in mineral resource or mineral reserve estimation, the selected data to support estimation are downloaded from the database into a project file and reviewed for improbable entries and high values;
•Written procedures and guidelines are used to support estimation methods and approaches;
•Completion of annual technical statements on each mineral resource and mineral reserve estimate by qualified persons. These technical statements include evaluation of modifying and technical factors, incorporate available reconciliation data, and are based on a cashflow analysis; and
•Internal reviews of block models, mineral resources and mineral reserves using a “layered responsibility” approach with Qualified Person involvement at the site and corporate levels.
Internal controls are discussed where required in the relevant chapters of the technical report summary. The following sub-sections summarize the types of procedures, protocols, guidance and controls that Coeur has in place for its exploration and mineral resource and reserve estimation efforts, and the type of risk assessments that are undertaken.
Exploration and Drilling
Coeur has the following internal controls protocols in place for exploration data:
•Written procedures and guidelines to support preferred sampling methods and approaches, with periodic compliance reviews of adherence to such written procedures and guidelines;
•Maintenance of a complete chain-of-custody, ensuring the traceability and integrity of the samples at all handling stages from collection, transportation, sample preparation and analysis to long-term sample storage;
•Geological logs are checked and verified, and there is a physical sign-off to attest to the validation protocol required;
•Quality control checks on collar and downhole survey data for errors or significant deviations;
•Third-party fully certified labs are used for assays used in public disclosure or resource models;
•Appropriate types of quality control samples are inserted into the sample stream at appropriate frequencies to assess analytical data quality;
•Regular inspection of analytical and sample preparation facilities by appropriately experienced Coeur personnel;
•QA/QC data are regularly verified to ensure that outliers, sample mix-ups, contamination, or laboratory biases during the sample preparation and analysis steps are correctly identified, mitigated or remediated. Changes to database entries are required to be documented; and
•Database upload and verification procedures to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the data being entered into the project database(s). These are typically performed using software data-checking routines. Changes to database entries are required to be documented. Data are subject to regular backups.
Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve Estimates
Coeur has the following internal controls protocols in place for mineral resource and mineral reserve estimation:
•Prior to use in mineral resource or mineral reserve estimation, the selected data to support estimation are downloaded from the database into a project file and reviewed for improbable entries and high values;
•Written procedures and guidelines are used to support estimation methods and approaches;
•Completion of annual technical statements on each mineral resource and mineral reserve estimate by qualified persons. These technical statements include evaluation of modifying and technical factors, incorporate available reconciliation data, and are based on a cashflow analysis; and
•Internal reviews of block models, mineral resources and mineral reserves using a “layered responsibility” approach with qualified person involvement at the site and corporate levels.
Development of our mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates use tools and processes such as mine design, scheduling and geostatistical tools that conform to industry best practices and are regularly reviewed and reconciled by internal and external parties. There are internal and external audit processes for mineral resource and mineral reserve estimation.
Mineral resources and mineral reserves are estimates that contain inherent risk and depend upon geologic interpretation and statistical inferences drawn from drilling and sampling analysis, which may prove to be unreliable. See Risk Factors in Item 1A for additional information.
MINERAL RESERVES | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Summary Gold Mineral Reserves at End of the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2022(1)(2)(3)(8) |
| | Proven Mineral Reserves | | Probable Mineral Reserves | | Total Mineral Reserves |
| Coeur Ownership | Tons (000s) | | Grade (oz./ton) | | Ounces (000s) | | Tons (000s) | | Grade (oz./ton) | | Ounces (000s) | | Tons (000s) | | Grade (oz./ton) | | Ounces (000s) |
Mexico | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Palmarejo(4) | 100% | 4,081 | | | 0.059 | | | 241 | | | 14,119 | | | 0.050 | | | 712 | | | 18,200 | | | 0.052 | | | 953 | |
United States | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Rochester(5) | 100% | 425,748 | | | 0.003 | | | 1,079 | | | 38,001 | | | 0.002 | | | 93 | | | 463,749 | | | 0.003 | | | 1,172 | |
Kensington(6) | 100% | 939 | | | 0.180 | | | 169 | | | 1,273 | | | 0.189 | | | 240 | | | 2,212 | | | 0.184 | | | 409 | |
Wharf(7) | 100% | 6,379 | | | 0.031 | | | 199 | | | 27,328 | | | 0.026 | | | 709 | | | 33,707 | | | 0.027 | | | 908 | |
Total Gold | | 437,147 | | | 0.004 | | | 1,688 | | | 80,721 | | | 0.022 | | | 1,754 | | | 517,868 | | | 0.007 | | | 3,442 | |
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| | Summary Silver Mineral Reserves at End of the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2022(1)(2)(3)(8) |
| | Proven Mineral Reserves | | Probable Mineral Reserves | | Total Mineral Reserves |
| Coeur Ownership | Tons (000s) | | Grade (oz./ton) | | Ounces (000s) | | Tons (000s) | | Grade (oz./ton) | | Ounces (000s) | | Tons (000s) | | Grade (oz./ton) | | Ounces (000s) |
Mexico | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Palmarejo(4) | 100% | 4,081 | | | 4.21 | | | 17,172 | | | 14,119 | | | 3.44 | | | 48,565 | | | 18,200 | | | 3.61 | | | 65,737 | |
United States | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Rochester(5) | 100% | 425,748 | | | 0.39 | | | 166,172 | | | 38,001 | | | 0.36 | | | 13,803 | | | 463,749 | | | 0.39 | | | 179,975 | |
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Total Silver | | 429,829 | | | 0.43 | | | 183,344 | | | 52,120 | | | 1.20 | | | 62,368 | | | 481,949 | | | 0.51 | | | 245,712 | |
(1) Certain definitions:
The term “reserve” means that part of a mineral deposit that can be economically and legally extracted or produced at the time of the reserve determination. The term “proven (measured) reserves” means reserves for which (a) quantity is computed from dimensions revealed in outcrops, trenches, workings or drill holes, grade and/or quality are computed from the results of detailed sampling; and (b) the sites for inspection, sampling and measurements are spaced so closely and the geologic character is sufficiently defined that size, shape, depth and mineral content of reserves are well established. The term “probable (indicated) reserves” means reserves for which quantity and grade and/or quality are computed from information similar to that used for proven (measured) reserves, but the sites for inspection, sampling and measurement are farther apart or are otherwise less adequately spaced. The degree of assurance, although lower than that for proven (measured) reserves, is high enough to assume continuity between points of observation. The term “cutoff grade” means the lowest grade of mineralized material considered economic to process. Cutoff grades vary between deposits depending upon prevailing economic conditions, mineability of the deposit, by-products, amenability of the mineralized material to silver or gold extraction and type of milling or leaching facilities available.
(2) Assumed metal prices for 2022 Mineral Reserves were $21.00 per ounce of silver, $1,600 per ounce of gold, $1.15 per pound of zinc, $0.95 per pound of lead. Except for Kensington at $1,700 per ounce of gold.
(3) The Mineral Reserve estimates are current as of December 31, 2022, are reported using the definitions in Item 1300 of Regulation S-K and were prepared by the company’s technical staff.
(4) Mineral Reserve estimates use the following key input parameters: assumption of conventional longhole underground mining; reported above a variable gold equivalent cut-off grade that ranges from 2.02–2.07 g/t AuEq and an incremental development cut-off grade of 1.05 g/t AuEq; metallurgical recovery assumption of 90.5% for gold and 82.5% for silver; mining dilution assumes 0.4-1.0 meter of hanging wall waste dilution; mining loss of 20% was applied; variable mining costs that range from US$44.74–US$47.13/tonne, surface haulage costs of US$4.01/tonne, process costs of US$29.17/tonne, general and administrative costs of US$12.56/tonne, and surface/auxiliary support costs of US$3.24/tonne. Excludes the impact of the Franco-Nevada gold stream agreement at Palmarejo in calculation of Mineral Reserves.
(5) Mineral Reserve estimates are tabulated within a confining pit design and use the following input parameters: Rochester oxide variable recovery Au = 77.7-93.7% and Ag = 59.4%; Rochester sulfide variable recovery Au = 15.2-77.7% and Ag = 0.0-59.4%; with a net smelter return cutoff of $3.25/st oxide and US$3.35/st sulfide; Nevada Packard oxide recovery Au = 92.0% and Ag = 61.0%; with a net smelter return cutoff of $4.40/st for oxide, where the NSR is calculated as resource net smelter return (NSR) = silver grade (oz/ton) * silver recovery (%) * (silver price ($/oz) - refining cost ($/oz)) + gold grade (oz/ton) * gold recovery (%) * (gold price ($/oz) - refining cost ($/oz)); variable pit slope angles that approximately average 43º over the life-of-mine.
(6) Mineral Reserve estimates use the following key input parameters: assumption of conventional underground mining; gold price of $1700/oz; reported above a gold cut-off grade of 0.133-0.135 oz/st Au; metallurgical recovery assumption of 94%; gold payability of 97.5%; mining dilution varies from 15-23%; mining loss of 5% was applied; variable mining costs that range from US$87.13–90.00/ton mined; process costs of US$54.38/ton processed; general and administrative costs of US$54.76/ton processed; and concentrate refining and shipping costs of US$88.39/oz sold.
(7) Mineral Reserve estimates use the following key input parameters: assumption of conventional open pit mining; reported above a gold cut-off grade of 0.010 oz/ton Au; average metallurgical recovery assumption of 79.1%; royalty burden of US$64/oz Au; pit slope angles that vary from 34–50º; mining costs of US$2.39/ton mined, process costs of US$11.91/ton processed (includes general and administrative costs).
(8) Rounding of short tons, grades, and troy ounces, as required by reporting guidelines, may result in apparent differences between tons, grades, and contained metal contents.
MINERAL RESOURCES
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| | Summary Gold Mineral Resources at End of the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2022(1)(2)(3)(11) |
| | Measured Mineral Resources | | Indicated Mineral Resources | | Measured + Indicated Mineral Resources | | Inferred Mineral Resources |
| Coeur Ownership | Tons (000s) | | Grade (oz./ton) | | Ounces (000s) | | Tons (000s) | | Grade (oz./ton) | | Ounces (000s) | | Tons (000s) | | Grade (oz./ton) | | Ounces (000s) | | Tons (000s) | | Grade (oz./ton) | | Ounces (000s) |
Mexico | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Palmarejo Mine, Mexico(4) | 100% | 4,030 | | | 0.066 | | | 267 | | | 16,704 | | | 0.054 | | | 907 | | | 20,734 | | | 0.057 | | | 1,174 | | | 5,633 | | | 0.067 | | | 380 |
United States | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Rochester Mine, USA(7) | 100% | 94,296 | | | 0.002 | | | 187 | | | 15,507 | | | 0.002 | | | 27 | | | 109,803 | | | 0.002 | | | 214 | | | 77,001 | | | 0.002 | | | 148 |
Kensington Mine, USA(5) | 100% | 2,412 | | | 0.276 | | | 665 | | | 1,309 | | | 0.293 | | | 384 | | | 3,721 | | | 0.282 | | | 1,049 | | | 1,246 | | | 0.282 | | | 351 |
Wharf Mine, USA(6) | 100% | 1,166 | | | 0.022 | | | 26 | | | 13,303 | | | 0.020 | | | 267 | | | 14,469 | | | 0.020 | | | 293 | | | 3,149 | | | 0.020 | | | 63 |
Lincoln Hill Project, USA(9) | 100% | 4,642 | | | 0.012 | | | 58 | | | 27,668 | | | 0.011 | | | 306 | | | 32,310 | | | 0.011 | | | 364 | | | 22,952 | | | 0.011 | | | 255 |
Wilco Project, USA(10) | 100% | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | 25,736 | | | 0.021 | | | 531 |
Total Gold | | 106,546 | | | 0.011 | | | 1,203 | | | 74,491 | | | 0.025 | | | 1,891 | | | 181,037 | | | 0.017 | | | 3,094 | | | 135,717 | | | 0.013 | | | 1,728 | |
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| | Summary Silver Mineral Resources at End of the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2022(1)(2)(3)(11) |
| | Measured Mineral Resources | | Indicated Mineral Resources | | Measured + Indicated Mineral Resources | | Inferred Mineral Resources |
| Coeur Ownership | Tons (000s) | | Grade (oz./ton) | | Ounces (000s) | | Tons (000s) | | Grade (oz./ton) | | Ounces (000s) | | Tons (000s) | | Grade (oz./ton) | | Ounces (000s) | | Tons (000s) | | Grade (oz./ton) | | Ounces (000s) |
Mexico | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Palmarejo Mine, Mexico(4) | 100% | 4,030 | | | 4.39 | | | 17,689 | | | 16,704 | | | 3.42 | | | 57,062 | | | 20,734 | | | 3.61 | | | 74,751 | | | 5,633 | | | 3.19 | | | 17,948 |
United States | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Rochester Mine, USA(7) | 100% | 94,296 | | | 0.33 | | | 31,452 | | | 15,507 | | | 0.34 | | | 5,332 | | | 109,803 | | | 0.33 | | | 36,784 | | | 77,001 | | | 0.34 | | | 26,151 | |
Lincoln Hill Project, USA(9) | 100% | 4,642 | | | 0.34 | | | 1,592 | | | 27,668 | | | 0.31 | | | 8,655 | | | 32,310 | | | 0.32 | | | 10,247 | | | 22,952 | | | 0.36 | | | 8,163 | |
Wilco Project, USA(10) | 100% | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | 25,736 | | | 0.13 | | | 3,346 | |
Canada | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Silvertip Mine, Canada(8) | 100% | 680 | | | 11.46 | | | 7,798 | | | 6,375 | | | 8.21 | | | 52,317 | | | 7,055 | | | 8.52 | | | 60,115 | | | 1,873 | | | 7.70 | | | 14,414 |
Total Silver | | 103,648 | | | 0.56 | | | 58,531 | | | 66,254 | | | 1.86 | | | 123,366 | | | 169,902 | | | 1.07 | | 181,897 | | | 133,195 | | | 0.53 | | | 70,022 | |
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| | Summary Zinc Mineral Resources at End of the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2022(1)(2)(3)(11) |
| | Measured Mineral Resources | | Indicated Mineral Resources | | Measured + Indicated Mineral Resources | | Inferred Mineral Resources |
| Coeur Ownership | Tons (000s) | | Grade (%) | | Pounds (000s) | | Tons (000s) | | Grade (%) | | Pounds (000s) | | Tons (000s) | | Grade (%) | | Pounds (000s) | | Tons (000s) | | Grade (%) | | Pounds (000s) |
Canada | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Silvertip Mine, Canada(8) | 100% | 680 | | | 9.9 | % | | 134,462 | | | 6,375 | | | 9.7 | % | | 1,230,898 | | | 7,055 | | | 9.7 | % | | 1,365,360 | | | 1,873 | | | 10.1 | % | | 378,088 | |
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| | Summary Lead Mineral Resources at End of the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2022(1)(2)(3)(11) |
| | Measured Mineral Resources | | Indicated Mineral Resources | | Measured + Indicated Mineral Resources | | Inferred Mineral Resources |
| Coeur Ownership | Tons (000s) | | Grade (%) | | Pounds (000s) | | Tons (000s) | | Grade (%) | | Pounds (000s) | | Tons (000s) | | Grade (%) | | Pounds (000s) | | Tons (000s) | | Grade (%) | | Pounds (000s) |
Canada | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Silvertip Mine, Canada(8) | 100% | 680 | | | 7.7 | % | | 104,870 | | | 6,375 | | | 4.8 | % | | 617,279 | | | 7,055 | | | 5.1 | % | | 722,149 | | | 1,873 | | | 4.4 | % | | 165,985 | |
(1)Certain definitions:
The term “resource” means that it is a concentration or occurrence of material of economic interest in or on the Earth’s crust in such form, grade or quantity that there are reasonable prospects for economic extraction. Inferred, Indicated, and Measured resources are in order of increasing confidence based on level of underlying geological evidence. The term ‘inferred resource’ is that part of a mineral resource for which quantity and grade or quality are estimated on the basis of limited geological evidence and sampling. The term “limited geological evidence” means evidence that is only sufficient to establish that geological and grade or quality continuity is more likely than not. The level of geological uncertainty associated an inferred mineral resource is too high to apply relevant technical and economic factors likely to influence the prospects of economic extraction in a manner useful for evaluation of economic viability and must have a reasonable expectation that the majority of inferred mineral resources could be upgraded to indicated or measured mineral resources with continued exploration.
(2)Mineral Resource estimates are reported exclusive of mineral reserves, are current as of December 31, 2022, are reported using definitions in Item 1300 of Regulation S-K and were prepared by the company’s technical staff.
(3)Assumed metal prices for 2022 estimated Mineral Resources were $25.00 per ounce of silver, $1,800 per ounce of gold, $1.30 per pound of zinc, $1.00 per pound of lead, unless otherwise noted.
(4)Mineral Resource estimates use the following key input parameters: Assumption of conventional longhole underground mining; reported above a variable gold equivalent cut-off grade that ranges from 1.75-1.84 g/t AuEq; metallurgical recovery assumption of 90.5% for gold and 82.5% for silver; variable mining costs that range from US$42.50–US$47.13/tonne, surface haulage costs of US$4.01/tonne, process costs of US$29.17/tonne, general and administrative costs of US$12.56/tonne, and surface/auxiliary support costs of US$3.24/tonne. Excludes the impact of the Franco-Nevada gold stream agreement at Palmarejo in calculation of Mineral Resources.
(5)Mineral Resource estimates use the following key input parameters: assumption of conventional longhole underground mining; reported above a variable gold cut-off grade that ranges from 0.125–0.191 oz/ton Au; metallurgical recovery assumption of 94%; gold payability of 97.5%, variable mining costs that range from US$87.13–175.48/ton mined; process costs of US$54.38/ton processed; general and administrative costs of US$54.76/ton processed; and concentrate refining and shipping costs of US$88.39/oz sold.
(6)Mineral Resource estimates use the following key input parameters: assumption of conventional open pit mining; reported above a gold cut-off grade of 0.010 oz/ton Au; average metallurgical recovery assumption of 78.7% across all rock types; royalty burden of US$64/oz Au; pit slope angles that vary from 34–50º; mining costs of $2.39/ton mined, process costs of US$11.91/ton processed (includes general and administrative costs).
(7)Mineral Resource estimates are tabulated within a confining pit shell and use the following input parameters: Rochester oxide variable recovery Au = 77.7-93.7% and Ag = 59.4%; Rochester sulfide variable recovery Au = 15.2-77.7% and Ag = 0.0-59.4%; with a net smelter return cutoff of $3.25/st oxide and US$3.35/st sulfide; Nevada Packard oxide recovery Au = 92.0% and Ag = 61.0%; with a net smelter return cutoff of $4.40/st for oxide, where the NSR is calculated as resource net smelter return (NSR) = silver grade (oz/ton) * silver recovery (%) * (silver price ($/oz) - refining cost ($/oz)) + gold grade (oz/ton) * gold recovery (%) * (gold price ($/oz) - refining cost ($/oz)); variable pit slope angles that approximately average 43º over the life-of-mine.
(8)Underground Mineral Resource estimates are reported using a net smelter return (“NSR”) cutoff of US$130/tonne. Mineral Resources are reported insitu using the following assumptions: The estimate use the following key input parameters: lead recovery of 89-90%, zinc recovery of 82-83% and silver recovery of 83-84%. Lead concentrate grade of 53-54%; zinc concentrate grade of 56-57%; mining costs of US$68.77/tonne; processing costs of US$58.20/tonne and US$46.49/tonne, where the NSR ($/tonne) = tonnes x grade x metal prices x metallurgical recoveries – royalties – TCRCs – transport costs over the life of the mine.
(9)Open Pit Mineral Resource estimates are reported in-situ and are contained within a confining pit shell and use the following key input parameters: reported above an oxide gold equivalent cutoff of 0.15 ounces per ton and 0.20 oz ounces per ton assuming a silver to gold ratio of 60:1; gold recoveries of 64%; silver recoveries of 59%; mining costs of US$3.10/ton; process costs of US$3.60/ton; general and administrative costs of $1.50/ton processed; average pit slope angles of 45º over the life-of-mine. The technical and economic parameters are those that were used in the 2018 Resource Estimation. Based on the QPs review of the estimate, there would be no material change to the Mineral Resource if a gold price of US$1,700/oz, a silver price of US$22/oz or economic parameters were updated. Therefore the 2018 Mineral Resource is considered current and is presented unchanged.
(10)Open Pit Mineral Resource estimates are reported using an equivalent gold cutoff of 0.20 ounces per ton assuming a silver to gold ratio of 60:1. Resources are reported in-situ and contained withed a conceptual measured, indicated and inferred optimized pit shell. Silver price of US$20/oz, gold price of US$1,400/oz. Average oxide and sulfide gold recovery is 70%, average carbonaceous gold recovery is 50%. Average oxide and sulfide gold recovery is 60%. Average carbonaceous silver recovery is 50%. Open pit mining cost is US$1.50/ton, processing and processing and G&A cost is US$5.46/ton; average pit slope angles of 50º. The technical and economic parameters are those that were used in the 2018 Resource Estimation. Based on the QPs review of the estimate, there would be no material change to the mineral resources if a gold price of US$1,700/oz, a silver price of US$22/oz or economic parameters were updated. Therefore the 2018 Mineral Resource report is considered current and is presented unchanged.
(11)Rounding of short tons, grades, and troy ounces, as required by reporting guidelines, may result in apparent differences between tons, grades, and contained metal contents.