EX-99.2 3 mda_2014q2.htm MANAGEMENT?S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS FOR THE QUARTER ENDED JUNE 30, 2014 mda_2014q2.htm


Exhibit 99.2
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 


Management’s Discussion and Analysis
For the three and six months ended June 30, 2014
New Gold Inc.
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS

1
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
2
FINANCIAL AND OPERATING HIGHLIGHTS
3
 
Operating highlights
4
 
Development and exploration highlights
4
 
Financial highlights
5
 
Corporate developments
5
2014 OUTLOOK
6
KEY PERFORMANCE DRIVERS AND ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
6
 
Key performance drivers
7
 
Economic outlook
8
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
9
FINANCIAL AND OPERATING RESULTS
9
 
Summary of quarterly financial and operating results
12
 
Summary of year to date financial and operating results
15
 
Review of operating mines
25
DEVELOPMENT AND EXPLORATION REVIEW
28
FINANCIAL CONDITION REVIEW
28
 
Balance sheet review
29
 
Liquidity and cash flow
31
 
Commitments
31
 
Contingencies
32
 
Contractual obligations
32
 
Related party transactions
32
 
Off-balance sheet arrangements
32
 
Outstanding shares
32
NON-GAAP FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE MEASURES
36
ENTERPRISE RISK MANAGEMENT
36
 
General risks
37
 
Financial risk management
41
CRITICAL JUDGMENTS AND ESTIMATION UNCERTAINTIES
44
CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
45
CAUTIONARY NOTES


 
 

 

 

 
Management’s Discussion and Analysis
For the three and six months ended June 30, 2014

The following Management’s Discussion and Analysis (“MD&A”) provides information that management believes is relevant to an assessment and understanding of the consolidated financial condition and results of operations of New Gold Inc. and its subsidiaries (“New Gold” or the “Company”), including its predecessor entities. This MD&A should be read in conjunction with New Gold’s unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for the three and six months ended June 30, 2014 and 2013 and related notes which are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”). This MD&A should also be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated annual financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2013 and the related Management’s Discussion and Analysis. This MD&A contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risk factors set out in a cautionary note contained in this MD&A. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. All dollar figures are in United States dollars and tabular dollar amounts are in millions, unless otherwise noted. This MD&A has been prepared as at July 30, 2014. Additional information relating to the Company, including the Company’s Annual Information Form, is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
 

 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
New Gold is an intermediate gold producer with operating mines in Canada, the United States, Australia and Mexico and development projects in Canada and Chile. With a strong liquidity position, simplified balance sheet and an experienced management and Board of Directors, the Company has a solid platform to continue to execute its growth strategy. During the second quarter of 2014, the New Afton Mine in Canada (“New Afton”), the Mesquite Mine in the United States (“Mesquite”), the Peak Mines in Australia (“Peak Mines”) and the Cerro San Pedro Mine in Mexico (“Cerro San Pedro”), combined to produce 89,460 ounces of gold, 25.5 million pounds of copper and 420,190 ounces of silver as a result of continued strong performances at New Afton and Peak Mines offset by planned quarterly gold production decreases at Mesquite and Cerro San Pedro.

New Gold’s production costs remain very competitive when compared to the broader gold mining space. In the second quarter of 2014, New Gold had total cash costs(1) of $251 per ounce compared to $430 per ounce in the prior-year period and all-in sustaining costs(1) of $745 per ounce compared to $931 per ounce in the same prior-year period. The Company continues to further establish itself as one of the lowest cost producers in the industry. New Gold has been able to maintain its costs at a level it believes is well below the industry average as the Company also produces silver and copper as by-product metals which have historically moved in line with, and acted as an offset to, some of the input cost pressures faced by the mining industry.

On July 7, 2014, New Gold announced a mid-year update of the New Afton C-zone mineral resource. The Measured and Indicated gold resources have increased by 24% and the copper resources by 29% when compared to year-end 2013. The increase in gold and copper was driven by the upgrading of Inferred resources into the Measured and Indicated categories through infill drilling.

New Gold continues to build on its successful portfolio which now consists of four operating mines and three development projects, all located in jurisdictions that are considered favourable to mining activities.














1.
The Company uses certain non-GAAP financial performance measures throughout this MD&A. For a detailed description of each of the non-GAAP measures used in this MD&A and a detailed reconciliation, please refer to the “Non-GAAP Financial Performance Measures” section of this MD&A.

 
1

 


FINANCIAL AND OPERATING HIGHLIGHTS
 
Three months ended June 30
Six months ended June 30
(in millions of U.S. dollars, except where noted)
2014
2013
2014
2013
Operating information:
       
Gold (ounces):
       
   Produced (1)
 89,460
 102,435
 180,777
 197,130
   Sold (1)
 84,736
 98,037
 178,788
 193,218
Silver (ounces):
       
   Produced (1)
 420,190
 500,826
 834,857
 925,644
   Sold (1)
 414,238
 472,266
 830,789
 895,732
Copper (thousands of pounds):
       
   Produced (1)
 25,486
 21,668
 51,377
 37,666
   Sold (1)
 24,344
 19,526
 49,444
 35,392
Average realized price (2):
       
   Gold ($/ounce)
 1,304
 1,276
 1,306
 1,383
   Silver ($/ounce)
 19.53
 21.41
 19.97
 25.12
   Copper ($/pound)
 3.09
 3.06
 3.03
 3.23
Total cash costs per gold ounce sold (2)(3)
 251
 430
 253
 457
All-in sustaining costs per gold ounce sold (2)(3)
 745
 931
 707
 1,010
Total cash costs per gold ounce sold on a co-product basis (2)(3)
 682
 713
 670
 754
All-in sustaining costs per gold ounce sold on a co-product basis (2)(3)
974
1,032
935
1,115
         
Financial Information:
       
Revenues
 178.1
 183.5
 368.6
 385.3
Operating margin(2)
82.8
77.9
 174.8
 173.6
Earnings from mine operations
 30.1
 33.8
 70.5
 91.6
Net earnings (loss)
 16.2
 15.0
 14.4
 51.3
Adjusted net earnings(2)
 8.2
 4.3
 26.4
 24.6
Net cash generated from operations
 59.3
 (22.5)
 140.7
 36.0
Adjusted net cash generated from operations(2)
59.3
43.2
140.7
101.7
Capital expenditures
 60.3
 61.0
 116.9
 137.4
Total assets
 4,279.4
4,207.4
 4,279.4
4,207.4
Cash and cash equivalents
 414.0
562.5
 414.0
562.5
Long-term debt
 870.5
855.5
 870.5
855.5
         
Share Data:
       
Earnings (loss) per share:
       
   Basic
 0.03
 0.03
 0.03
 0.11
   Diluted
 0.03
 0.03
 0.03
 0.11
Adjusted net earnings per basic share (2)
 0.02
 0.01
 0.05
 0.05
Share price as at June 30 (TSX – Canadian dollars)
6.77
6.81
6.77
6.81
Weighted average outstanding shares (basic) (millions)
 504
 477
 504
 477
         

1.
Production is shown on a total contained basis while sales are shown on a net payable basis, including final product inventory and smelter payable adjustments, where applicable.
2.
The Company uses certain non-GAAP financial performance measures throughout this MD&A. Total cash costs and all-in sustaining costs per gold ounce sold, total cash costs and all-in sustaining costs on a co-product basis, average realized price, operating margin, adjusted net earnings and adjusted net earnings per share are non-GAAP financial performance measures with no standard meaning under IFRS. For further information and a detailed reconciliation, please refer to the “Non-GAAP Financial Performance Measures” section of this MD&A.
3.
The calculation of total cash costs and all-in sustaining costs per gold ounce sold is net of by-product silver and copper revenues. Total cash costs and all-in sustaining costs on a co-product basis removes the impact of other metal sales that are produced as a by-product of our gold production and apportions the cash costs to each metal produced on a percentage of revenue basis. If silver and copper revenues were treated as co-products, co-product total cash costs for the three months ended June 30, 2014 would be $9.92 per ounce of silver (2013 - $11.70) and $1.75 per pound of copper (2013 - $1.87). The 2013 comparative figures for silver have been adjusted to include silver at Peak Mines and New Afton. Co-product all-in sustaining costs for the three months ended June 30, 2014 would be $14.29 per ounce of silver (2013 -$17.17) and $2.44 per pound of copper (2013 - $2.66). For the six months ended June 30, 2014 co-product total cash costs would be $9.98 per ounce of silver (2013 - $13.33) and $1.69 per pound of copper (2013 - $1.91). Co-product all-in sustaining costs for the six months ended June 30, 2014 would be $14.04 per ounce of silver (2013 - $20.15) and $2.31 per pound of copper (2013 - $2.78).


 
2

 

 

 
OPERATING HIGHLIGHTS
 
 
•     Gold production for the second quarter of 2014 was 89,460 ounces, compared to 102,435 ounces in the prior-year period. Production increases from New Afton and Peak Mines were offset by planned lower production at Mesquite and Cerro San Pedro. New Afton’s gold production increased by 21% compared to the prior-year period and remained consistent with the record-setting first quarter as a result of increased throughput levels combined with higher grades. Peak Mines’ production increased as a result of higher gold grade compared to the prior-year period.  Mesquite’s gold production was impacted by a lag effect of lower ore tonnes being placed on the leach pad in the first quarter of 2014 compared to the prior-year period as well as increased waste stripping during the quarter, which was consistent with Mesquite’s mine plan. Production at Cerro San Pedro remained consistent with the first quarter, however, was lower than the prior-year period as Cerro San Pedro’s mining activity in the first half of 2014 was primarily focused on waste stripping resulting in fewer ore tonnes. For the first half of 2014, gold production was 180,777 ounces compared to 197,130 ounces in the same prior-year period. As outlined in the Company’s 2014 guidance filed on SEDAR on February 6, 2014, consolidated gold production is scheduled to increase significantly in the second half of 2014 and particularly in the fourth quarter, benefitting from the combination of expected continued strong performances at New Afton and Peak Mines and increased ore tonnes being placed on the heap leach pads at both Mesquite and Cerro San Pedro.
 
•     Gold sales were 84,736 ounces for the second quarter of 2014 compared to 98,037 ounces in the prior-year period. Gold sales were 178,788 ounces for the first half of 2014 compared to 193,218 ounces in the same prior-year period.
 
•     Copper production for the second quarter of 2014 was 25.5 million pounds, compared to 21.7 million pounds in the prior-year period. This increased production was from both New Afton and Peak Mines. New Afton achieved a 12% increase in copper production compared to the prior-year period as a result of increased mill throughput rates and improved grades. Peak Mines achieved a 52% increase in copper production compared to the prior-year period as well as a 16% increase compared to the prior quarter, benefitting from higher copper grade and increased recovery. For the first half of 2014, copper production was 51.4 million pounds compared to 37.7 million pounds in the prior-year period.
 
•     Copper sales were 24.3 million pounds for the second quarter of 2014 compared to 19.5 million pounds in the prior-year period. Copper sales were 49.4 million pounds for the first half of 2014 compared to 35.4 million pounds in the same prior-year period.
 
•     Total cash costs per gold ounce sold, net of by-product sales, decreased to $251 per ounce for the second quarter of 2014, compared to $430 per ounce in the prior-year period. The decrease in cash costs relative to the prior-year period was primarily driven by increased copper by-product revenue and a benefit from foreign exchange movements in all jurisdictions. Total cash costs per gold ounce sold, net of by-product sales, were $253 per ounce for the first half of 2014 compared to $457 per ounce in the prior-year period.
 
•     All-in sustaining costs per gold ounce sold decreased to $745 per ounce for the second quarter of 2014, compared to $931 per ounce in the prior-year period. In addition to the decrease from the cash cost component, all-in sustaining costs decreased due to a reduction in sustaining capital expenditures compared to the prior-year period. All-in sustaining costs per gold ounce sold were $707 per ounce for the first half of 2014 compared to $1,010 per ounce in the prior-year period. Full year all-in sustaining costs are expected to be in line with guidance as capital expenditures at Mesquite are expected to increase in the second half of 2014.
 
 
 
3

 
 

 
DEVELOPMENT AND EXPLORATION HIGHLIGHTS

·     At New Afton, on July 7, 2014, the Company announced that the C-zone Measured and Indicated gold resource has increased by 24% and the copper resource by 29% when compared to year-end 2013. The increase in gold and copper was driven by the upgrading of Inferred resources into the Measured and Indicated categories through infill drilling.
 
·     At the Company’s Rainy River project (“Rainy River”) in Ontario, Canada, positive preliminary assay results support potential for extension of Intrepid Zone to southeast of the current Intrepid resource. Through June 30, 2014, $167.0 million of capital purchases have been committed to which primarily consist of the mobile fleet as well as milling equipment.
 
·     Six prospective areas at the Company’s Blackwater project (“Blackwater”), in Central British Columbia, Canada, are included in the 2014 program with specific drill targets now confirmed through a combination of surface mapping, sampling and geophysical surveys.
 

 
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

     Revenues were $178.1 million for the second quarter of 2014, compared to $183.5 million in the same prior-year period. The benefit from increased copper sales in addition to increased gold and copper prices in the quarter was offset by a decrease in gold and silver sales. The average realized prices for the second quarter of 2014 were $1,304 per ounce of gold, $19.53 per ounce of silver and $3.09 per pound of copper, compared to $1,276 per ounce of gold, $21.41 per ounce of silver and $3.06 per pound of copper in the second quarter of 2013.  Revenues were $368.6 million in the first half of 2014 compared to $385.3 million in the same prior-year period.
 
     Earnings from mine operations were $30.1 million for the second quarter of 2014, compared to $33.8 million in the same prior-year period. The decrease in earnings from mine operations is primarily attributed to lower gold sales. Lower sales occurred at Mesquite, reflecting lower planned ore tonnes mined and Cerro San Pedro, due to increased waste stripping for Phase 5. The reductions were offset by the increased gold and copper sales at New Afton and Peak Mines. For the first half of 2014, earnings from mine operations were $70.5 million and $91.6 million in the same prior-year period.
 
     Net earnings of $16.2 million or $0.03 per basic share for the second quarter of 2014 compared to net earnings of $15.0 million or $0.03 per basic share in the prior-year period. Net earnings were impacted by the change in earnings from mine operations discussed above and the impact of non-operating “Other gains and losses”, where a gain of $8.5 million was recorded for the second quarter of 2014 relative to a gain of $17.4 million in the second quarter of 2013. Other gains and losses consists primarily of foreign exchange gains or losses, and gains or losses on the mark-to-market measurement of the Company’s share purchase warrants. This was offset by lower exploration expense, a decrease in finance costs and a decreased tax expense of $0.8 million in the second quarter of 2014 relative to $4.0 million in the second quarter of 2013. For the first half of 2014, net earnings were $14.4 million or $0.03 per basic share compared to $51.3 million or $0.11 per basic share in the same prior-year period.
 
     Adjusted net earnings were $8.2 million or $0.02 per basic share for the second quarter of 2014, relative to adjusted net earnings of $4.3 million or $0.01 per basic share in the same prior-year period. Adjusted net earnings were impacted by the change in earnings from mine operations offset by lower exploration expense and a decrease in finance costs. For the first half of 2014, adjusted net earnings were $26.4 million or $0.05 per basic share compared to $24.6 million or $0.05 per basic share in the same prior-year period.
 
     Net cash generated from operations was $59.3 million for the second quarter of 2014 compared to a use of $22.5 million in the same prior-year period. While New Afton and Peak Mines added to New Gold’s net cash generated from operations, reduced net cash generated at Mesquite and Cerro San Pedro partially offset the benefit. Additionally, the second quarter of 2014 saw a benefit from lower income taxes paid. There was no adjustment to net cash generated from operations in the second quarter of 2014, however in the prior-year period, net operating cash flow was adjusted by the settlement of the gold hedge contract at Mesquite for $65.7 million resulting in adjusted net cash generated from operations of $43.2 million. In the first half of 2014, net cash generated from operations was $140.7 million compared to $36.0 million ($101.7 million on an adjusted basis) in the same prior-year period.
 
     Cash and cash equivalents were $414.0 million at June 30, 2014 compared to $438.1 million at March 31, 2014 and $414.4 million at December 31, 2013.  In the second quarter of 2014, net cash generated from operations of $59.3 million was offset by cash used in investing activities of $60.1 million. In the first half of 2014, net cash generated from operations of $140.7 million was offset by cash used in investing activities of $116.2 with the remainder used in financing activities.

 
4

 


 
CORPORATE DEVELOPMENTS

The Company continues to pursue disciplined growth both through organic initiatives and value-enhancing mergers and acquisitions. The Company came together through two accretive business combinations in mid-2008 and mid-2009. Since the middle of 2009, New Gold has successfully enhanced the value of its portfolio of assets, while also continually looking for compelling external growth opportunities. The Company continues to evaluate assets in favourable jurisdictions where the asset has the potential to provide New Gold shareholders with meaningful gold production, cash flow and exploration potential, while ensuring that any potential acquisition is accretive on key per share metrics. The Company strives to maintain a strong financial position while continually reviewing strategic alternatives with the view of maximizing shareholder value. In short, New Gold’s objective is to pursue corporate development initiatives that will leave the Company and its shareholders in a fundamentally stronger position.

On July 7, 2014, the Company announced a 24% increase in the New Afton C-zone Measured and Indicated mineral resource. The C-zone is a continuation of the New Afton block cave that extends along strike and below the B-zone reserve that is currently being mined. The mid-year update builds upon the 2013 year-end C-zone mineral resource estimate and includes the results of an additional 15,143 metres of drilling in 20 core holes. New Gold plans to provide the results of the C-zone resource update and preliminary economic evaluation in early 2015.


 
2014 OUTLOOK
 
New Gold is pleased to re-iterate its guidance for 2014 as follows:
 
2014 PRODUCTION AND COST GUIDANCE
 
Gold
Production
Copper
Production
Silver
Production
Total
cash costs
All-in
sustaining costs
 
(thousands of ounces)
(millions of pounds)
(thousands of ounces)
 (per ounce)
(per ounce)
New Afton
102 - 112
78 - 84
 200 - 300
($1,260) – ($1,240)
($620) - ($600)
Mesquite
113 - 123
-
-
$930 - $950
$1,310 - $1,330
Peak Mines
 95 - 105
14 - 16
  50 - 150
$630 - $650
$1,065 - $1,085
Cerro San Pedro
 70 - 80
-
1,100 - 1,300
$1,030 - $1,050
$1,125 - $1,145
Total
 380 - 420
 92 - 100
1,350 - 1,750
$320 - $340
$815 - $835

New Gold’s copper and silver by-product revenue continues to provide an effective natural hedge against the various cost pressures being faced by the broader industry which allows the Company to deliver lower costs.

Assumptions used in 2014 guidance include gold, silver and copper prices of $1,300 per ounce, $20.00 per ounce and $3.25 per pound, respectively, and exchange rates of $0.90 USD/CDN and $0.88 USD/AUD to the Canadian and Australian dollar, respectively and $13.00 MXN/USD. The diesel price assumed for 2014 is $3.25 per gallon, which reflects recent prices being paid at Mesquite. Gold prices, silver prices and average foreign exchange rates were relatively in line with these assumptions during the second quarter.”


 
5

 


 
KEY PERFORMANCE DRIVERS AND ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
 
KEY PERFORMANCE DRIVERS
 
There is a range of key performance drivers that are critical to the successful implementation of New Gold’s strategy and the achievement of its goals. The key internal drivers are production volumes and costs. The key external drivers are spot prices of gold, copper and silver, as well as foreign exchange rates.
 
Production Volumes and Costs
 
New Gold’s portfolio of operating mines produced 89,460 ounces of gold in the second quarter of 2014. Total cash costs and all-in sustaining costs for the second quarter of 2014, net of by-product sales, were $251 and $745 per gold ounce sold, respectively.
 
 
Commodity Prices
 
 
Gold Prices
The price of gold is the largest single factor affecting New Gold’s profitability and operating cash flows. As such, the current and future financial performance of the Company will be closely related to the prevailing price of gold. For the second quarter of 2014, New Gold achieved an average realized gold price of $1,304 per ounce compared to the London PM fix average gold price of $1,289 per ounce. New Gold achieved a higher realized gold price compared to the London PM fix average primarily as a result of certain sales settling in the second quarter at a higher price than recorded in previous months. For the first half of 2014, New Gold achieved an average realized gold price of $1,306 per ounce compared to the London PM fix average gold price of $1,291 per ounce.
 
The outlook for gold prices remains subject to volatility in the near term, but as interest rates remain low and the economic recovery is uncertain, the fundamentals that support the gold price remain in place. New Gold is in a strong position to operate both in a low gold price environment and to take advantage of a recovery in prices through our growth projects.
 
Copper and silver prices
For the second quarter of 2014, New Gold achieved an average realized copper price of $3.09 per pound compared to the average London Metals Exchange copper price of $3.08 per pound. For the first half of 2014, New Gold achieved an average realized copper price of $3.03 per pound compared to the average London Metals Exchange copper price of $3.14 per pound, primarily impacted by the first quarter of 2014 where shipments and sales were significantly weighted towards the end of the quarter with copper prices fixed through swaps concurrently and as copper prices declined in the latter part of the quarter, the net realized price for copper decreased below the average market price.
 
The Company typically enters into copper swaps at the time of concentrate production to offset pricing choices made by the customer that would otherwise result in a copper price determined several months in the future, with related inter-quarter earnings volatility.
 

 
6

 

For the second quarter of 2014, New Gold achieved an average realized silver price of $19.53 per ounce compared to an average London PM fix price of $19.62 per ounce. For the first half of 2014, New Gold achieved an average realized silver price of $19.97 per ounce compared to an average London PM fix price of $20.05 per ounce.

Foreign Exchange Rates
The Company operates in Canada, the United States, Australia, Mexico and Chile, while revenues are predominantly generated in U.S. dollars. As a result, the Company has foreign currency exposure with respect to costs not denominated in U.S. dollars.

New Gold’s operating results and cash flows are influenced by changes in various exchange rates against the U.S. dollar. The Company has exposure to the Canadian dollar through New Afton, Blackwater and Rainy River, as well as through corporate administration costs. The Company also has exposure to the Australian dollar through Peak Mines and to the Mexican peso through Cerro San Pedro.

The Canadian dollar weakened by approximately 7% compared to the second quarter of 2013 and strengthened by approximately 1% compared to the first quarter of 2014. A weaker Canadian dollar decreases costs in U.S. dollar terms at the Company’s Canadian operations.

The Australian dollar weakened by approximately 7% compared to the second quarter of 2013 and strengthened by approximately 4% compared to the first quarter of 2014. A weaker Australian dollar decreases costs in U.S. dollar terms at the Company’s Australian operations.

The Mexican peso weakened by approximately 4% compared to the second quarter of 2013 and strengthened by approximately 2% compared to the first quarter of 2014. A significant portion of costs at Cerro San Pedro are incurred in U.S. dollars and, as such, the movement in the Mexican peso exchange rate is not a major driver of U.S. dollar-denominated costs.
 

For an analysis of the impact of foreign exchange fluctuations on operating costs in 2014 relative to 2013, refer to the “Review of Operating Mines” sections for New Afton, Cerro San Pedro and Peak Mines for details.
 
ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
Commodities experienced a volatile second quarter of 2014 as markets weighed prospects for economic recovery alongside global tensions including those in the Ukraine and Gaza. The U.S. Federal Reserve’s quantitative easing program looks set to continue to taper through the year, but recovery remains slow and uncertain, and inflation and interest rates show no sign of significant increases in the foreseeable future. As a low cost producer with a pipeline of development projects, New Gold is particularly well-positioned to both manage in a lower gold price environment and to take advantage of a recovery in the gold market.

Economic events can have significant effects on the price of gold, through currency rate fluctuations, the relative strength of the U.S. dollar, supply of and demand for gold and macroeconomic factors such as interest rates and inflation expectations. Management anticipates that the long-term economic environment should provide support for precious metals and for gold in particular, and believes the prospects for the business are favourable. The Company has not hedged foreign exchange rates and metal prices, with the exception of the gold hedge mandated by Mesquite’s 2008 project financing. The hedge position was eliminated on May 15, 2013. New Gold’s growth plan is focused on organic and acquisition-led growth, and the Company plans to remain flexible in the current environment to be able to respond to opportunities as they arise.
 
 
 
7

 
 

 
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
New Gold is committed to excellence in corporate social responsibility. We consider our ability to make a lasting and positive contribution toward sustainable development a key driver to achieving a productive and profitable business.  We will achieve our objectives through the protection of the health and well-being of our people and our host communities as well as environmental stewardship and community engagement and development.

As a partner of the United Nations Global Compact, New Gold’s policies and practices are guided by its principles with reference to Human Rights, Labour, Environmental Stewardship and Anti-Corruption. As a member of the Mining Association of Canada (“MAC”), our Canadian operations adopt the MAC’s Towards Sustainable Mining protocols.

New Gold’s corporate social responsibility objectives include promoting and protecting the welfare of our employees through safety-first work practices, upholding fair employment practices and encouraging a diverse workforce, where people are treated with respect and are supported to realize their full potential. At New Gold, we believe that our people are our most valued assets regardless of gender, race, cultural background, age, religion or sexual orientation. We strive to create a culture of inclusiveness that begins at the top and is reflected in our hiring, promotion and overall human resources practices. We encourage tolerance and acceptance in worker-to-worker relationships. In each of our host communities we are recognized as an employer of choice as a result of our competitive wages and benefits, and our policies of recognizing and rewarding employee performance and promoting from within wherever possible.

We are committed to preserving the long-term health and viability of the natural environments affected by our operations. Wherever New Gold operates – in all stages of mining activity, from early exploration and planning, to commercial mining operations through to eventual closure – we are committed to excellence in environmental management. From the earliest site investigations, we carry out comprehensive environmental studies to establish baseline measurements for flora, fauna, land, air and water. During operations, we promote the efficient use of resources, work to minimize environmental impacts and maintain robust monitoring programs. After mining activities are complete, our objective is to restore the land to a level of productivity equivalent to its pre-mining capacity or to an alternative land-use determined through consultation with local stakeholders. We continually seek new strategies for enhancing our environmental performance including programs to improve energy efficiency, reduce our carbon footprint and minimize our use of water and other resources.

We are committed to establishing relationships based on mutual benefit and active participation with our host communities to contribute to healthy communities and sustainable community development. Wherever our operations interact with Indigenous peoples, we endeavour to understand and respect traditional values, customs and culture. We take meaningful action to serve their development needs and priorities through collaborative agreements aimed at creating jobs, training and lasting socio-economic benefits. We foster open communication with local residents and community leaders and strive to be a full partner in the long-term sustainability of the communities and regions in which we operate. We believe that only by thoroughly understanding the people, their histories, and their needs and aspirations, can we engage in a meaningful development process that will contribute to their cultural and economic health and welfare.
 

 
Environmental Highlights of Q2 2014
 
Community Highlights of Q2 2014
         
·
Cerro San Pedro achieved full international Cyandie
Management Code certification.
 
·
A key Capacity Funding Agreement was signed with a First Nation associated with the Blackwater project.
         
·
Blackwater completed its Environmental Assessment application.
 
 
·
New Afton implemented an Adult Basic Education Program for local First Nations.
·
Report to Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) submitted. 
 
  ·  Cerro San Pedro started community consultation on the Responsible Closure process.
         
         






 
8

 


 
 
FINANCIAL AND OPERATING RESULTS
SUMMARY OF QUARTERLY FINANCIAL AND OPERATING RESULTS

 
Production
New Gold’s consolidated gold production during the second quarter of 2014 was 89,460 ounces compared to 102,435 ounces in the same prior-year period. Production increases from New Afton and Peak Mines were offset by planned lower production at Mesquite and Cerro San Pedro. New Afton’s gold production increased by 21% compared to the prior-year period due to increased throughput levels combined with higher grades, while Peak Mines’ production increased by 13% as a result of higher gold grade compared to the prior-year period.  Mesquite’s gold production was impacted by a lag effect of lower ore tonnes placed on the leach pad in the first quarter of 2014 compared to the prior-year period as well as increased waste stripping during the second quarter, which was consistent with Mesquite’s mine plan. Production at Cerro San Pedro was lower than the prior-year period as Cerro San Pedro’s mining activity in the first half of 2014 was primarily focused on waste stripping at the top of Phase 5 resulting in fewer ore tonnes mined.
 
New Gold’s consolidated copper production during the second quarter increased 18% to 25.5 million pounds from 21.7 million pounds in the same prior-year period attributable to both New Afton and Peak Mines. New Afton benefitted from continued throughput increases, coupled with improved grade compared to the second quarter of 2013, while Peak Mines’ copper production benefitted from higher copper grade and increased recovery.
 
Silver production at Cerro San Pedro decreased during the second quarter with 326,049 ounces in 2014 relative to 424,734 ounces in the same prior-year period, primarily due to planned mining of lower silver grades.
 
Revenues
Revenues were $178.1 million for the second quarter of 2014, compared to $183.5 million in the same prior-year period. Revenues remained consistent with the prior-year period as increased copper sales offset planned lower gold and silver sales volumes. Average realized prices remained consistent with the second quarter 2013 with average gold and copper prices up slightly and silver down marginally. In addition, revenue was negatively impacted by a $6.9 million non-cash charge as the loss incurred on the monetization of the Company’s legacy hedge position in May 2013 is realized into income over the original term of the hedge contract. This compares to $4.7 million in the prior-year period as gold hedging contracts were in place for part of the second quarter in 2013. While New Gold’s operating cash flow should benefit by realizing the spot price for all gold ounces at Mesquite going forward, revenue will continue to be impacted by the quarterly reclassification of the loss on the monetization of the hedge to revenue until the end of 2014 when the reclassification is completed.
 
 
 
9

 
 
Revenue benefitted from copper sales of 24.3 million pounds, compared to 19.5 million pounds in the same prior-year period offset by a decrease in gold and silver sales. Gold sales in the second quarter of 2014 were 84,736 ounces, compared to 98,037 ounces in the same prior-year period and silver sales in the second quarter were 414,238 ounces compared to 472,266 ounces in the same prior-year period. Revenue benefitted from slightly increased average realized gold and copper prices offset by marginally lower average realized silver prices compared to the prior-year period. The average realized prices for the second quarter of 2014 were $1,304 per ounce of gold, $19.53 per ounce of silver and $3.09 per pound of copper, compared to $1,267 per ounce of gold, $21.41 per ounce of silver and $3.06 per pound of copper in the same prior-year period.
 
Operating expenses
Operating expenses were $95.3 million in the second quarter of 2014 compared to $105.6 million in the second quarter of 2013. The reduction in operating expenses is primarily attributable to Mesquite. Mesquite placed more ore tonnes during the latter part of the second quarter of 2014, resulting in a greater proportion of operating costs being deferred to leach pad inventory. Additionally, even with a significant increase in production at New Afton, operating costs decreased reflecting improved operational efficiencies due to improved throughput levels and grades. Partially offsetting this, current quarter operating expenses at Cerro San Pedro were impacted by increased costs from cyanide and reagents in part due to efforts to increase recoveries by implementing side slope leaching.
 
Depreciation and depletion
Depreciation and depletion for the second quarter of 2014 was $52.7 million compared to $44.1 million for the same prior-year period, impacted primarily by increased depreciation at New Afton due to increased production and using an updated mineral reserves base as the denominator in the depreciation calculation.
 
Earnings from mine operations
For the second quarter of 2014, New Gold had earnings from mine operations of $30.1 million compared with $33.8 million in the same prior-year period. The decrease in earnings from mine operations is attributed primarily to lower gold sales and increased depreciation and depletion at New Afton, which was partially offset by reduced operating expenses. While New Afton and Peak Mines contributed significantly to earnings from mine operations, the impact of the lag in ore tonnes placed at Mesquite and lower ore tonnes mined at Cerro San Pedro reduced earnings from mine operations.
 
Corporate administration costs
Corporate administration costs were $7.9 million in the second quarter of 2014 which is consistent with $7.3 million in the same prior-year period.
 
Share-based compensation costs
Share-based compensation costs were $2.3 million in the second quarter of 2014 compared to $1.8 million in the second quarter of 2013. The increase is due to a grant of deferred share units in the second quarter and also reflects the mark-to-market of equity-based liabilities.
 
Exploration and business development
Exploration and business development costs were $4.3 million in the second quarter of 2014 compared to $11.9 million for the same prior-year period, primarily due to decreased exploration activity at New Afton, Peak and Blackwater. In the same prior-year period, New Afton was incurring higher charges as the exploration program on the C-zone was more extensive.
 
Other gains and losses
The following other gains and losses are all added back for the purposes of adjusted net earnings:
 
Non-hedged derivatives
In the second quarter of 2014, the Company recorded a loss of $7.1 million relating to the mark-to-market of the share purchase warrants compared to a gain of $20.6 million in the same prior-year period. The Company’s functional currency is the U.S. dollar, however, the share purchase warrants are denominated in Canadian dollars, and therefore treated as a derivative liability under IFRS. As the traded value of the New Gold share purchase warrants increases or decreases, a related loss or gain on the mark-to-market of the liability is reflected in earnings.
 
Foreign exchange
The Company recognized a foreign exchange gain of $15.8 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2014 compared to a loss of $12.9 million in the same prior-year period. The majority of this gain is due to the Company recognizing a foreign exchange gain of $12.9 million in relation to the translation of the tax basis of the non-monetary assets and liabilities. A large proportion of the Company’s non-monetary balances relate to New Afton, and as the Canadian dollar strengthened compared to the U.S. dollar in the quarter by 1%, the Company recognized a foreign exchange gain. The remaining foreign exchange gain is due to the revaluation of the monetary assets and liabilities to the balance sheet date and the appreciation of the Canadian and Australian dollars during the second quarter of 2014.
 
 
 
10

 
 
Ineffectiveness of hedge instruments
In the second quarter of 2014, there was no gain or loss recorded for the ineffective portion of the gold hedge as New Gold eliminated the remaining hedge position in May 2013. This compares to a loss of $10.0 million for the same prior-year period.
 
Income tax
Income and mining tax expense in the second quarter of 2014 was $0.8 million compared to $4.0 million in the same prior-year period due mainly to the reduction in the net income before tax for the Company. The unadjusted effective tax rate in the second quarter of 2014 was 5% compared to 21% in the same prior-year period. The primary reason for a lower unadjusted effective tax rate is due to the impact of foreign exchange related to the deferred tax on non-monetary assets and liabilities. In the second quarter of 2014 the Company recorded a foreign exchange expense of $0.7 million on non-monetary assets and liabilities, compared to $23.2 million in the same prior-year period with no associated tax recovery. The impact of this foreign exchange was higher than last year primarily as a result of the weaker Canadian dollar compared to the U.S. dollar.
 
On an adjusted net earnings basis, the effective tax rate in the second quarter of 2014 was 47%, compared to 31% in the same prior-year period.  The adjusted effective tax rates exclude the impact of the foreign exchange.
 
Net earnings
For the second quarter of 2014, New Gold had net earnings of $16.2 million, or $0.03 per basic share. This compares with net earnings of $15.0 million, or $0.03 per basic share in the same prior-year period.
 
Adjusted net earnings
For the second quarter of 2014, adjusted net earnings were $8.2 million or $0.02 per basic share, compared to adjusted net earnings of $4.3 million or $0.01 per basic share in the prior-year period.
 
 

Net earnings have been adjusted, including the associated tax impact, for the group of costs in “Other gains and losses” on the condensed consolidated income statement.  Key entries in this grouping are: the fair value changes for share purchase warrants; foreign exchange gain or loss and other non-recurring items. Other adjustments also include the non-cash charge as the loss incurred on the monetization of the Company’s legacy hedge position is realized into income over the original term of the hedge contract, which is included in revenue. Adjusting for these items provides an additional measure to evaluate the underlying operating performance of the Company as a whole for the reporting periods presented.


 
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Quarterly financial and operating information
Selected financial and operating information for the current and previous quarters is as follows:
 
(in millions of U.S. dollars, except per
                 
share amounts and where noted)
Q2 2014
Q1 2014
Q4 2013
Q3 2013
Q2 2013
Q1 2013
Q4 2012
Q3 2012
Q2 2012
Gold sales (ounces)
 84,736
 94,052
 104,523
 94,082
 98,037
 95,181
 109,766
 95,166
 96,928
                   
Revenues
 178.1
 190.5
 198.4
 196.0
 183.5
 201.8
 250.9
 195.5
 176.1
                   
Net earnings (loss)
 16.2
 (1.8)
 (254.7)
 12.2
 15.0
 36.3
 123.9
 17.8
 23.7
Per share:
                 
   Basic
 0.03
 0.00
 (0.51)
 0.02
 0.03
 0.08
 0.26
 0.04
 0.05
   Diluted
 0.03
 0.00
 (0.51)
 0.02
 0.03
 0.08
 0.26
 0.03
 0.05
                   
Adjusted net earnings
 8.2
 18.2
 16.7
 20.0
 4.3
 20.6
 49.7
 42.6
 45.8
Per share:
                 
   Basic
 0.02
 0.04
 0.04
 0.04
 0.01
 0.04
 0.11
 0.09
 0.10
   Diluted
 0.02
 0.04
 0.03
 0.04
 0.01
 0.04
 0.11
 0.09
 0.10
                   
 
 

 
 
SUMMARY OF YEAR TO DATE FINANCIAL AND OPERATING RESULTS
 

 
Production
Gold production for the first half of 2014 was 180,777 ounces compared to 197,130 ounces in the prior-year period. Production increases from New Afton were offset by lower production at Mesquite and Cerro San Pedro. New Afton’s production increased by 46% compared to the prior-year period reflecting increased throughput, higher grades and consistent recoveries. Production at Cerro San Pedro, however, decreased as mining activities in the first half of the year were primarily focused on waste stripping at Phase 5. Additionally, Mesquite was impacted by a planned decrease in ore tonnes placed partially offset by higher grades compared to the prior-year period. Copper production increased from 37.7 to 51.4 million pounds in the first half of 2014, representing a 36% increase due to both New Afton and Peak Mines. Silver production decreased in the first half of 2014 to 834,857 ounces, relative to 925,644 ounces in the same prior-year period.
 

 
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Revenues
Revenues for the first half of 2014 were $368.6 million compared to $385.3 million in the prior-year period. New Afton production significantly benefitted revenues, however, was offset by lower commodity prices in combination with decreased gold and silver sales volume from Mesquite, Peak Mines and Cerro San Pedro. Sales from copper production at New Afton increased 43% to 41.7 million pounds in the first half of 2014 compared to 29.1 million pounds in 2013, while sales from copper production at Peak Mines increased 22% to 7.7 million pounds in the first half of 2014 compared to 6.3 million pounds in the same prior-year period.
 
Operating expenses
Operating expenses for the first half of 2014 were $193.8 million compared to $211.7 million in the prior-year period. The decrease in operating costs is primarily attributable to a reduction in operating costs at New Afton and Peak Mines, despite an increase in production at New Afton reflecting improved operational efficiencies due to improved throughput levels and grades. Partially offsetting this, operating expenses at Cerro San Pedro were impacted by increased costs from cyanide and reagents where they have increased side slope leaching efforts.
 
Depreciation and depletion
Depreciation and depletion for the first half of 2014 was $104.3 million compared to $82.0 million for the prior-year period, primarily due to increased production at New Afton which incurred depreciation and depletion of $65.4 million compared to $41.7 million in the prior-year period.
 
Earnings from mine operations
New Gold had earnings from mine operations of $70.5 million for the first half of 2014 compared to $91.6 million in the prior-year period.  Earnings from mine operations were impacted by a combination of lower average realized commodity prices and lower ore tonnes mined at Mesquite and Cerro San Pedro.
 
Corporate administration costs
Corporate administration costs for the first half of 2014 were $14.2 million compared to $14.6 million in the prior-year period. These costs were positively impacted by the weaker Canadian dollar.
 
Share-based compensation expenses
Share-based compensation costs for the first half of 2014 were $4.5 million compared to $4.3 million in the prior-year period. This primarily reflects the mark-to-market of equity-based liabilities.
 
Exploration and business development
Exploration and business development costs for the first half of 2014 were $7.4 million, compared with $15.9 million for the prior-year period. New Afton and Peak Mines incurred $0.1 and $1.5 million in exploration expense in the first half of 2014 compared to $6.5 and $4.0 million in the prior-year period, respectively. In the prior-year period, the C-zone exploration program at New Afton was the principle driver of exploration costs which are capitalized in the current year. Increased exploration costs at Mesquite partially offset this decrease and exploration costs at Cerro San Pedro and Blackwater were consistent year on year.
 
Other gains and losses
The following other gains and losses are all added back for the purposes of adjusted net earnings:
 
Non-hedged derivatives
For the first half of 2014, the Company recorded a loss of $4.8 million compared to a gain of $43.2 million in the prior year relating to share purchase warrants. As the share purchase warrants are denominated in Canadian dollars, but the Company’s functional currency is the U.S. dollar, it is a requirement under IFRS to account for them as a liability. The fair value of this liability is assessed at each reporting period. As the traded value of the New Gold share purchase warrants increases or decreases, a related loss or gain on the mark-to-market of the liability is reflected on the financial statements.
 
Foreign exchange
For the first half of 2014, the Company recognized a foreign exchange loss of $3.0 million compared to a loss of $18.5 million in the prior-year period. The primary driver of the expense is the revaluation of monetary assets and liabilities to the balance sheet date. As of June 30, 2014, the Canadian dollar depreciated 4% when compared to the U.S. dollar at December 31, 2013 exchange rate. However, the Australian dollar has remained consistent in comparison to the U.S. dollar from December 31, 2013 to June 30, 2014.
 
Ineffectiveness of hedge instruments
For the first half of 2014, there was no gain or loss recorded for the ineffective portion of the gold hedge as New Gold eliminated the remaining hedge position in May 2013. This compares to a gain of $9.5 million for the prior-year period.
 

 
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Income tax
Income and mining tax expense for the first half of 2014 was $8.1 million compared to $16.4 million in the same prior-year period, reflecting an effective tax rate of 36% compared to 24% in the first half of 2013. The higher effective tax rate in the first half of 2014 is primarily due to the geographic proportion of profits earned in higher tax jurisdictions. In the first half of 2014 a large portion of the profits were earned at the New Afton mine which is effectively taxed at the combined income and mining tax rate of  30%. Secondly the effective tax rates for the first half of 2014 in Mexico and United States were significantly higher compared to 2013 due the impact of permanent items as well as the introduction of mining tax in Mexico.
 
On an adjusted net earnings basis, the effective tax rate for the first half of 2014 was 40% compared to 37% in the same prior-year period. The adjusted effective tax rates exclude the impact of the hedge settlement, as well as the impact of any asset impairments and any associated changes in the recognition of deferred tax assets, specifically fair value changes in share purchase warrants and convertible debentures, as well as the impact of adjustments to uncertain tax positions. The increased adjusted effective tax rate reflects the recognition of a higher mining tax expense in Canada compared to the same prior-year period as production ramps up at the New Afton as well as the impact associated with the introduction of mining tax in Mexico.
 
Net earnings
For the first half of 2014, New Gold had net earnings of $14.4 million, or $0.03 per basic share. This compares with net earnings of $51.3 million, or $0.11 per basic share in the prior-year period.
 
 
Adjusted net earnings
For the first half of 2014, adjusted earnings were $26.4 million or $0.05 per basic share compared to $24.6 million or $0.05 per basic share in the prior-year period.
 
 

Net earnings have been adjusted, including the associated tax impact, for the group of costs in “Other gains and losses” on the condensed consolidated income statement. Key entries in this grouping are: the fair value changes for share purchase warrants, foreign exchange gain or loss and other non-recurring items. Other adjustments also include the non-cash charge as the loss incurred on the monetization of the Company’s legacy hedge position is realized into income over the original term of the hedge contract, which is included in revenue. Adjusting for these items provides an additional measure to evaluate the underlying operating performance of the Company as a whole for the reporting periods presented.
 
See “Non-GAAP Financial Performance Measures” for reconciliation of net earnings to adjusted net earnings.
 

 
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REVIEW OF OPERATING MINES
NEW AFTON MINE, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA
 
 
 
The New Afton gold-copper Mine is located in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. The mine is a large underground gold-copper deposit. New Afton’s property package consists of the nine square kilometre Afton mining lease which centers on the New Afton gold-copper mine as well as 115 square kilometres of exploration licenses covering multiple mineral prospects within the historic Iron Mask mining district. At December 31, 2013, the mine had 0.9 million ounces of Proven and Probable gold Reserves and 904 million pounds of Proven and Probable copper Reserves, with 2.3 million ounces of Measured and Indicated gold Resources, inclusive of Reserves, and 1.99 billion pounds of Measured and Indicated copper Resources, inclusive of Reserves. For a breakdown of reserves and resources by category and further information about reserve and resource estimates, refer to the Company’s Annual Information Form dated March 28, 2014. As of June 2014, the C-zone Measured and Indicated Resources have increased to 0.9 million ounces of gold, 2.1 million ounces of silver and 0.7 billion pounds of copper from 0.7 million ounces of gold, 1.6 million ounces of silver and 0.5 billion pounds of copper. A summary of New Afton’s operating results is provided below:
   
AT-A-GLANCE
 
Q2 2014 Production:
GOLD: 26,312 OUNCES
COPPER: 20.9 MILLION POUNDS
TOTAL CASH COSTS/oz: ($1,262)
ALL-IN SUSTAINING COSTS/oz: ($678)
2014 Production Targets:
GOLD: 102,000 TO 112,000 OUNCES
COPPER: 78 TO 84 MILLION POUNDS
TOTAL CASH COSTS/oz: ($1,260) to ($1,240)
ALL-IN SUSTAINING COSTS/oz: ($620) to ($600)
 
    Three months ended June 30    Six months ended June 30 
(in millions of U.S. dollars, except where noted)
2014
2013
2014
2013
Operating information:
       
Ore mined (thousands of tonnes)
 1,161
 1,035
 2,328
 1,789
Ore processed (thousands of tonnes)
 1,161
 1,006
 2,321
 1,840
Average grade:
       
   Gold (grams/tonne)
 0.83
 0.78
 0.85
 0.73
   Copper (%)
 0.95
 0.96
 0.98
 0.88
Recovery rate (%):
       
   Gold
 84.5
 86.5
 84.7
 85.5
   Copper
 86.0
 87.9
 86.1
 85.4
Gold (ounces)
       
   Produced (1)
 26,312
 21,810
 53,676
 36,746
   Sold (1)
 24,713
 20,109
 51,557
 35,686
Copper (thousands of pounds)
       
   Produced (1)
 20,981
 18,709
 42,999
 30,518
   Sold (1)
 20,029
 17,041
 41,743
 29,110
Silver (ounces)
       
   Produced (1)
 59,655
 49,112
 123,410
 83,915
   Sold (1)
 57,904
 39,635
 118,070
 74,801
Average realized price (2):
       
   Gold ($/ounce)
 1,337
 1,164
 1,334
 1,351
   Copper ($/pound)
 3.09
 3.06
 3.03
 3.22
   Silver ($/ounce)
 18.29
 18.55
 19.26
 22.83
Total cash costs per gold ounce sold (2)(3)
 (1,262)
 (1,104)
 (1,273)
 (958)
All-in sustaining costs per gold ounce sold (2)
 (678)
 (450)
 (671)
 168
Total cash costs on a co-product basis (2)(3)
       
   Gold ($/ounce sold)
 442
 468
 427
 576
   Copper ($/pound sold)
 1.02
 1.23
 0.97
 1.37
All-in sustaining costs on a co-product basis (2)(3)
       
   Gold ($/ounce sold)
643
669
636
953
   Copper ($/pound sold)
1.48
1.76
1.45
2.27
         
Financial Information:
       
Revenues
 88.9
 71.2
 183.2
 134.6
Operating margin (2)
64.2
45.6
134.4
82.4
Earnings from mine operations
 31.9
 22.3
 69.0
 40.7
Capital expenditures (sustaining and growth capital)
 21.6
 20.3
 42.6
 62.3
1.
Production is shown on a total contained basis while sales are shown on a net payable basis, including final product inventory and smelter payable adjustments, where applicable.
2.
The Company uses certain non-GAAP financial performance measures throughout this MD&A. Total cash costs and all-in sustaining costs per gold ounce sold, total cash costs and all-in sustaining costs on a co-product basis, average realized price and operating margin are non-GAAP financial performance measures with no standard meaning under IFRS. For further information and a detailed reconciliation, please refer to the “Non-GAAP Financial Performance Measures” section of this MD&A.
 
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3.
The calculation of total cash costs per gold ounce sold and all-in sustaining costs per gold ounce sold is net of by-product copper revenue while total cash costs and all-in sustaining costs on a co-product basis removes the impact of other metal sales that are produced as a by-product of our gold production and apportions the cash costs to each metal produced on a percentage of revenue basis.
 
 

Quarterly Operating Results
 
Production
In the second quarter of 2014, New Afton remained consistent with the record-setting first quarter and had higher gold and copper production when compared to the prior-year period. Gold production increased 21% while copper production increased 12% compared to the prior-year period as a result of increased throughput levels, higher grades and consistent recoveries. New Afton experienced higher grade ore in the second quarter of 2014, due to mine sequencing.
 
For the first half of 2014, New Afton’s production increased by 46% compared to the prior-year period as a result of higher throughput levels and higher grades.
 
Revenue
Revenue in the second quarter of 2014 increased by 25% when compared to the prior-year period. The increase in revenue is due to increased production and sales of all metals in addition to higher average realized prices of gold and copper. The average realized gold price was $1,337 per ounce compared to $1,164 per ounce in the prior-year period and above the London PM fix average of $1,289 per ounce primarily as a result of certain sales settling in the second quarter at higher prices than recorded in previous months. The average realized copper price was $3.09 per pound compared to $3.06 per pound in the prior-year period and compared to the average London Metals Exchange copper price of $3.08 per pound. At the end of the quarter, the Company’s exposure to the impact of movements in market commodity prices for provisionally priced contracts was 29,000 ounces of gold and 37.8 million pounds of copper. Exposure to these movements in market commodity prices is reduced by 36.0 million pounds of copper swaps outstanding at the end of the quarter with settlement periods ranging from July to December 2014.
 
For the first half of 2014, New Afton’s revenue increased by 36% compared to the prior-year period primarily due to increased production and sales of all metals offset by lower average realized prices of all metals. The average realized gold price was $1,334 per ounce compared to $1,351 per ounce in the prior-year period. The average realized copper price was $3.03 per pound compared to $3.22 per pound in the prior-year period.
 
Total cash costs and all-in sustaining costs
Total cash costs per gold ounce sold, net of by-product sales, were negative $1,262 per ounce for the second quarter of 2014 compared to negative $1,104 per ounce in the same prior-year period. The decrease in cash costs was a result of higher by-product sales and a positive impact from the depreciation of the Canadian dollar, relative to the prior-year period.  All-in sustaining costs per gold ounce sold was negative $678 per ounce for the second quarter of 2014 compared to negative $450 per ounce in the prior-year period as a result of the above-noted positive variance in cash costs, as well as similar sustaining capital expenditures spread over the increased gold production base.
 
For the first half of 2014, total cash costs per gold ounce sold, net of by-product sales was negative $1,273 per ounce compared to negative $958 per ounce in the same prior-year period. All-in sustaining costs per gold ounce was negative $671 per ounce compared to $168 per ounce due to similar reasons as noted above.
 
Earnings from mine operations
New Afton contributed $31.9 million to the Company’s earnings from mine operations for the second quarter of 2014 compared to $22.3 million for the prior-year period. While production improved in the second quarter of 2014, the impact of higher depletion from increased sales partially offset this positive impact.
 
For the first half of 2014, New Afton contributed $69.0 million to the Company’s earnings from mine operations compared to $40.7 million for the prior-year period.
 
Capital expenditures
Capital expenditures for the second quarter of 2014 totalled $21.6 million, of which $14.1 million related to sustaining capital and $7.5 million to non-sustaining, or growth capital. In the second quarter of 2014, sustaining capital expenditures related to the 2014 dam raise project and mine development costs, while growth capital expenditures related primarily to capitalized exploration for the C-zone and the mill expansion. This compares to $20.3 million in the prior-year period, of which $13.0 million related to sustaining capital and $7.3 million to growth capital.
 

 
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Capital expenditures for the first half of 2014 totalled $42.6 million, of which $30.4 million related to sustaining capital and $12.2 to non-sustaining, or growth capital. This compares to $62.3 million in the prior-year period, of which $40.1 million related to sustaining capital and $22.2 million to growth capital.
 
During the second quarter of 2014, over 50% of the detailed engineering for the mill expansion including finalization of the plant layout and equipment requirements has been completed. At the same time, early construction works, including relocation of water supply pipes inside and outside of the mill building, were completed. All of the long lead time equipment has been ordered and the bulk excavation for the tertiary grinding building, located immediately adjacent to the current mill building, has commenced.
 
The expansion project remains on schedule and the Company anticipates benefitting from the combination of the targeted increase in throughput to 14,000 tonnes per day and higher gold and copper recoveries beginning mid-2015. The project also remains on budget with a total capital estimate of $45 million, the majority which is scheduled to be spent in 2014.
 
Impact of Foreign Exchange on Operations
New Afton’s operations continue to be impacted by fluctuations in the valuation of the U.S. dollar against the Canadian dollar. The value of the U.S. dollar in the second quarter of 2014 averaged 0.92 against the Canadian dollar compared to 0.98 in the second quarter of 2013, resulting in a positive impact on cash costs of $84 per gold ounce sold.
 
The value of the U.S. dollar in the first half of 2014 averaged 0.90 against the Canadian dollar compared to 0.98 in the prior-year period resulting in a positive impact on cash costs of $97 per gold ounce sold.
 

Exploration Project Review
 
During the second quarter of 2014, exploration at New Afton continued to focus on delineating additional mineral resources to expand the C-zone resource and potentially extend New Afton’s overall mine life. Drilling during the second quarter totalled 13,436 metres. The C-zone exploration program remains on track for completion during the third quarter. The results of the program will provide the basis for future technical studies for the C-zone and will be incorporated into the Company’s 2014 year-end mineral resource estimate for New Afton.
 
On July 7, 2014, the Company announced a mid-year update of the New Afton C-zone mineral resource. The update resulted in a 24% increase in the Measured and Indicated gold resource, and the copper resource increased by 29% when compared to year-end 2013. The increase in gold and copper was driven by the upgrading of the Inferred resources into the Measured and Indicated categories through infill drilling. The C-zone Measured and Indicated gold and copper grades compare favourably to the B-zone Measured and Indicated grades of 0.65 grams per tonne gold and 0.91% copper.

 


 
17

 


MESQUITE MINE, CALIFORNIA, USA
 
 
 
The Company’s Mesquite Mine is located in Imperial County, California, approximately 70 kilometres northwest of Yuma, Arizona and 230 kilometres east of San Diego, California. It is an open pit, run-of-mine heap leach operation. The mine was operated between 1985 and 2001 by Goldfields Mining Corporation, subsequently Santa Fe Minerals Corporation, and finally Newmont Mining Corporation with Western Goldfields Inc. acquiring the mine in 2003. The mine resumed production in 2008. New Gold acquired Mesquite as part of the business combination with Western Goldfields in mid-2009. At December 31, 2013, the mine had 2.2 million ounces of Proven and Probable gold Reserves and 4.9 million ounces of Measured and Indicated gold Resources, inclusive of Reserves. For a breakdown of reserves and resources by category and further information about reserve and resource estimates, refer to the Company’s Annual Information Form dated March 28, 2014. 
   
AT-A-GLANCE
 
Q2 2014 Production:
GOLD: 18,439 OUNCES
TOTAL CASH COSTS/oz: $993
ALL-IN SUSTAINING COSTS/oz: $1,413
2014 Production Targets:
GOLD: 113,000 TO 123,000 OUNCES
TOTAL CASH COSTS/oz: $930 to $950
ALL-IN SUSTAINING COSTS/oz: $1,310 to $1,330
 
A summary of Mesquite’s operating results is provided below:
  Three months ended June 30    Six months ended June 30 
(in millions of U.S. dollars, except where noted)
2014
2013
2014
2013
Operating information:
       
Ore mined (thousands of tonnes)
 2,753
 2,839
 4,462
 6,345
Waste mined (thousands of tonnes)
 10,031
 10,119
 19,629
 19,008
Ratio of waste to ore
 3.64
 3.56
 4.40
 3.00
Ore to leach pad (thousands of tonnes)
 2,753
 2,839
 4,462
 6,345
Average grade:
       
   Gold (grams/tonne)
 0.39
 0.34
 0.39
 0.33
Gold (ounces)
       
   Produced (1) (2)
 18,439
 25,775
 44,171
 51,279
   Sold (1)
 15,347
 25,368
 43,329
 51,076
Average realized price (3)(4):
       
   Gold ($/ounce)
 1,283
 1,280
 1,290
 1,240
Total cash costs per gold ounce sold (3)
 993
 925
 928
 902
All-in sustaining costs per gold ounce sold (3)
 1,413
 1,370
 1,191
 1,189
         
Financial Information:
       
Revenues
 12.8
 27.8
 42.0
 58.7
Operating margin (3)
(2.3)
4.5
2.2
13.0
(Loss) earnings from mine operations
 (6.7)
 (1.5)
 (8.6)
 1.6
Capital expenditures (sustaining and growth capital)
 4.3
 10.4
 8.1
 13.7

1.
Production is shown on a total contained basis while sales are shown on a net payable basis, including final product inventory, where applicable.
2.
Tonnes of ore processed each period does not necessarily correspond to ounces produced during the period, as there is a time delay between placing tonnes on the leach pad and pouring ounces of gold.
3.
The Company uses certain non-GAAP financial performance measures throughout this MD&A. Total cash costs and all-in sustaining costs per gold ounce sold, total cash costs and all-in sustaining costs on a co-product basis, average realized price and operating margin are non-GAAP financial performance measures with no standard meaning under IFRS. For further information and a detailed reconciliation, please refer to the “Non-GAAP Financial Performance Measures” section of this MD&A.
4.
Average realized price per gold ounce for Mesquite includes realized gains and losses from gold hedge settlements but excludes the revenue reduction related to the hedge monetization over the original term of the hedge.


 
18

 


 

Quarterly Operating Results
 
Production
In the second quarter of 2014, Mesquite’s gold production was lower than the prior-year period as it was impacted by a combination of the lag effect of less ore tonnes being placed on the leach pad during the first quarter of 2014 relative to the first quarter of 2013, and over 40% of the second quarter ore tonnes being placed in June, which, due to timing of recoveries, primarily benefits future periods.
 
In the first half of 2014, Mesquite’s gold production was lower than the prior-year period due to a planned decrease in ore tonnes placed which was partially offset by an increase in gold grade. Mesquite mined lower ore tonnes as a result of transitioning between pits and additional waste stripping, however realized improved grades in the new area. Ore tonnes placed are expected to progressively improve through the remainder of 2014 as the mine approaches historical operating strip ratios.
 
Revenue
Revenue in the second quarter of 2014 decreased when compared to the prior-year period primarily due to decreased production. Average realized price was consistent compared to the prior-year period. Revenue was offset by a non-cash charge of $6.9 million included in revenue as the loss incurred on the monetization of the Company’s legacy hedge position is realized into income over the original term of the hedge contract. This compares to $4.7 million in the prior-year period as the Company still had the gold hedge contracts in place for part of the prior-year period. The Company sold 5,500 ounces per month at the settlement price of $801 and on May 15, 2013, settled its outstanding gold hedge contracts. The average realized gold price during the second quarter of 2014 was $1,283 per ounce, lower than the London PM fix of $1,289 per gold ounce. This compares to $1,280 per ounce of gold sold in the same prior-year period.
 
Revenues in the first half of 2014 were lower compared to the prior-year period as a result of decreased production.
 
Total cash costs and all-in sustaining costs
Total cash costs per gold ounce sold for the second quarter of 2014 were $993 per ounce, compared to $925 per ounce in the same prior-year period due to the planned decrease in ore tonnes placed, resulting in lower production of saleable ounces. All-in sustaining costs per gold ounce sold were $1,413 per ounce for the second quarter of 2014 compared to $1,370 per ounce for the second quarter of 2013 due primarily to the negative variance in cash costs.
 
Total cash costs per gold ounce sold for the first half of 2014 were $928 per ounce, compared to $902 per ounce in the same prior-year period. All-in sustaining costs were $1,191 per ounce in the first half of 2014 compared to $1,189 per ounce in the prior-year period.
 
(Loss) earnings from mine operations
Mesquite generated a $6.7 million loss from mine operations for the second quarter of 2014, compared to a $1.5 million loss from mine operations in the prior-year period due to the decrease in gold production from lower ore tonnes placed. The increase in ore tonnes placed at the end of the second quarter of 2014 is expected to benefit Mesquite in future periods.
 
For the first half of 2014, Mesquite generated an $8.6 million loss from mine operations compared to $1.6 million in earnings from mine operations in the prior-year period.
 
Capital expenditures
Capital expenditures totalled $4.3 million, all of which is sustaining capital primarily associated with continued infill drilling for the second quarter of 2014. This compared to $10.4 million for the prior-year period. The prior-year period included the purchase of two haul trucks and the development of a leach pad access ramp.
 
For the first half of 2014, capital expenditures totalled $8.1 million, all of which is sustaining capital compared to $13.7 million in the prior-year period.
 

Exploration Project Review
During March 2014, the Company commenced a 24,000 metre delineation and infill drilling program to upgrade the classification status of mineral resources scheduled for mining during 2015. The program was completed during the second quarter of 2014. The results of the program will be incorporated into the Company’s 2014 year-end mineral resource and reserve estimates and 2015 mining and operating plan for Mesquite.

 

 
19

 
 
PEAK MINES, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA
 
 
The Company’s Peak Mines gold-copper mining operation is an underground mine/mill operation located in the Cobar Mineral Field near Cobar, New South Wales, Australia. Peak Mines was originally built by Rio Tinto Plc and commenced production in 1992. At December 31, 2013, the mine had 0.4 million ounces of Proven and Probable gold Reserves and 98 million pounds of Proven and Probable copper Reserves, with 0.8 million ounces of Measured and Indicated gold Resources, inclusive of Reserves, and 158 million pounds of Measured and Indicated copper Resources, inclusive of Reserves. For a breakdown of reserves and resources by category and further information about reserve and resource estimates, refer to the Company’s Annual Information Form dated March 28, 2014. A summary of Peak Mines’ operating results is provided below:
   
AT-A-GLANCE
 
Q2 2014 Production:
GOLD: 27,906 OUNCES
COPPER: 4.5 MILLION POUNDS
TOTAL CASH COSTS/oz: $627
ALL-IN SUSTAINING COSTS/oz: $928
2014 Production Targets:
GOLD: 95,000 TO 105,000 OUNCES
COPPER: 14 TO 16 MILLION POUNDS
TOTAL CASH COSTS/oz: $630 to $650
ALL-IN SUSTAINING COSTS/oz: $1,065 to $1,085
 
 
Three months ended June 30
Six months ended June 30
(in millions of U.S. dollars, except where noted)
2014
2013
2014
2013
Operating information:
       
Ore mined (thousands of tonnes)
 200
 220
 397
 376
Ore processed (thousands of tonnes)
 200
 205
 404
 405
Average grade:
       
   Gold (grams/tonne)
 4.67
 4.02
 4.06
 4.37
   Copper (%)
 1.13
 0.76
 1.04
 0.89
Recovery rate (%):
       
   Gold
 92.9
 93.2
 92.5
 92.2
   Copper
 90.3
 86.3
 90.6
 89.4
Gold (ounces)
       
   Produced (1)
 27,906
 24,669
 48,826
 52,537
   Sold (1)
 27,739
 25,975
 47,536
 53,403
Copper (thousands of pounds)
       
   Produced (1)
 4,504
 2,959
 8,378
 7,148
   Sold (1)
 4,315
 2,485
 7,701
 6,283
Silver (ounces)
       
   Produced (1)
 34,486
 26,980
 66,755
 58,090
   Sold (1)
 33,835
 20,066
 57,947
 47,453
Average realized price (2):
       
   Gold ($/ounce)
 1,294
 1,260
 1,303
 1,431
   Copper ($/pound)
 3.09
 3.06
 3.03
 3.28
   Silver ($/ounce)
 20.12
 13.37
 20.43
 21.81
Total cash costs per gold ounce sold (2)(3)
 627
 948
 681
 882
All-in sustaining costs per gold ounce sold (2)(3)
 928
 1,502
 1,000
 1,438
         
Financial Information:
       
Revenues
 48.2
 38.9
 83.4
 92.9
Operating margin(2)
18.6
8.1
29.6
29.3
Earnings from mine operations
 4.8
 1.0
 5.5
 14.7
Capital expenditures (sustaining and growth capital)
 6.8
 12.0
 12.8
 25.3
1.
Production is shown on a total contained basis while sales are shown on a net payable basis, including final product inventory and smelter payable adjustments, where applicable.
2.
The Company uses certain non-GAAP financial performance measures throughout this MD&A. Total cash costs and all-in sustaining costs per gold ounce sold, total cash costs and all-in sustaining costs on a co-product basis, average realized price and operating margin are non-GAAP financial performance measures with no standard meaning under IFRS. For further information and a detailed reconciliation, please refer to the “Non-GAAP Financial Performance Measures” section of this MD&A.
3.
The calculation of total cash costs per gold ounce and all-in sustaining costs per gold ounce sold is net of by-product copper revenue. Total cash costs and all-in sustaining costs on a co-product basis removes the impact of other metal sales that are produced as a by-product of our gold production and apportions the cash costs to each metal produced on a percentage of revenue basis. If copper revenues were treated as a co-product, the average total cash costs at Peak Mines for the three months ended June 30, 2014 would be $799 per ounce of gold (2013 - $989) and $2.03 per pound of copper (2013 - $2.65). All-in sustaining costs on a co-product basis for the three months ended June 30, 2014 would be $1,016 per ounce of gold (2013 - $1,436) and $2.55 per pound of copper (2013 - $3.73). For the six months ended June 30, 2014 co-product total cash costs would be $841 per ounce of gold (2013 - $986) and $2.09 per pound of copper (2013 - $2.44). All-in sustaining costs on a co-product basis for the six months ended June 30, 2014 would be $1,070 per ounce of gold (2013 - $1,419) and $2.62 per pound of copper (2013 - $3.43).
 
20

 
 

Quarterly Operating Results

Production
In the second quarter of 2014, Peak Mines’ gold production increased 13% and copper production increased 52% compared to the prior-year period. This is due to an increase in gold grade and copper grade, particularly in the New Cobar area of the mine as well as recoveries.
 
In the first half of 2014, gold production at Peak Mines was lower than the prior-year period due to slightly lower grades.
 
Revenue
Revenue for the second quarter of 2014 increased 24% compared to the prior-year period as sales volumes for both gold and copper increased coupled with higher average realized prices. The average realized gold price was $1,294 per ounce, which was above the average London PM fix price of $1,289 per ounce primarily as a result of certain sales settling in the second quarter at higher prices than recorded in previous months. This compares to an average realized gold price of $1,260 per ounce in the second quarter of 2013.  The average realized copper price was $3.09 per pound in the second quarter of 2014, above the average London Metals exchange copper price of $3.08 per pound. This compares to $3.06 per pound in the same prior-year period. At the end of the quarter, the Company’s exposure to the impact of movements in market commodity prices for provisionally priced contracts was 5,750 ounces of gold and 6.4 million pounds of copper. Exposure to these movements in market commodity prices is reduced by 5.8 million pounds of copper swaps outstanding at the end of the quarter with settlement periods ranging from July to October 2014.
 
Revenues in the first half of 2014 were lower compared to the prior-year period as a result of lower production and lower average realized prices.
 
Total cash costs and all-in sustaining costs
Total cash costs per gold ounce sold for the second quarter of 2014 were $627 per ounce compared to $948 per ounce in the same prior-year period. Cash costs decreased primarily as a result of increased copper by-product revenue and a positive foreign exchange impact.  All-in sustaining costs per gold ounce sold were $928 per ounce for the second quarter of 2014 compared to $1,502 per ounce for the prior-year period. In addition to the decrease from the cash cost component, sustaining capital for the quarter was lower than the prior-year period, as the second quarter of 2013 included loader and truck replacement costs.
 
Total cash costs per gold ounce sold for the first half of 2014 were $681 per ounce, compared to $882 per ounce in the same prior-year period. All-in sustaining costs were $1,000 per ounce in the first half of 2014 compared to $1,438 per ounce in the prior-year period.
 
Earnings from mine operations
Peak Mines generated $4.8 million in earnings from operations for the second quarter of 2014, compared to $1.0 million in earnings in the same prior-year period as a result of increased gold and copper production as well as higher average realized prices.
 
For the first half of 2014, Peak Mines generated $5.5 million in earnings from mine operations compared to $14.7 million in earnings from mine operations in the prior-year period.
 
Capital expenditures
Capital expenditures totalled $6.8 million, all of which is sustaining capital for the second quarter of 2014 compared to $12.0 million for the second quarter of 2013.
 
For the first half of 2014, capital expenditures totalled $12.8 million, all of which is sustaining capital compared to $25.3 million in the prior-year period. Capital expenditures in the prior-year period were primarily associated with mine development, loader and truck purchases and capitalized exploration.
 
Impact of Foreign Exchange on Operations
Peak Mines’ operations continue to be impacted by fluctuations in the valuation of the U.S. dollar against the Australian dollar. The value of the U.S. dollar in the second quarter of 2014 averaged 0.93 against the Australian dollar compared to 0.99 in the second quarter of 2013 resulting in a positive impact on cash costs of $69 per gold ounce sold.
 
The value of the U.S. dollar in the second quarter of 2014 averaged 0.91 against the U.S. dollar compared to 1.01 in the first half of 2013 resulting in a positive impact on cash costs of $125 per gold ounce sold.
 

 
21

 


 

Exploration Project Review
During the second quarter of 2014, the Company completed 16,921 metres of exploration and resource delineation drilling at its Peak Mines operation. Approximately 50% of this total was directed at exploration to test potential extensions of the Perseverance and Chesney deposits with the remaining 50% directed at infill drilling to upgrade and convert mineral resources to reserves at the Perseverance, Chesney and New Cobar deposits. The results of this drilling will be incorporated into the Company’s 2014 year-end mineral resource and reserve estimates and 2015 mining and operating plan for Peak Mines.

 


 
22

 



CERRO SAN PEDRO MINE, SAN LUIS POTOSÍ, MEXICO
 
 
 
The Cerro San Pedro Mine is located in the state of San Luis Potosí in central Mexico, approximately 20 kilometres east of the city of San Luis Potosí. The mine is a gold-silver, open pit, run-of-mine heap leach operation. At December 31, 2013, the mine had 0.4 million ounces of Proven and Probable gold Reserves and 15.6 million ounces of Proven and Probable silver Reserves, with 0.4 million ounces of Measured and Indicated gold Resources, inclusive of Reserves, and 15.9 million ounces of Measured and Indicated silver Resources, inclusive of Reserves. For a breakdown of reserves and resources by category and further information about reserve and resource estimates, refer to the Company’s Annual Information Form dated March 28, 2014. Cerro San Pedro achieved ISO 14001 certification of its environmental management system and has a record of compliance with Mexican and international environmental standards. 
   
AT-A-GLANCE
 
Q2 2014 Production:
GOLD: 16,803 OUNCES
SILVER: 0.3 MILLION OUNCES
TOTAL CASH COSTS/oz: $1,169
ALL-IN SUSTAINING COSTS/oz: $1,322
2014 Production Targets:
GOLD: 70,000 TO 80,000 OUNCES
SILVER: 1.1 TO 1.3 MILLION OUNCES
TOTAL CASH COSTS/oz: $1,030 to $1,050
ALL-IN SUSTAINING COSTS/oz: $1,125 to $1,145
A summary of Cerro San Pedro’s operating results is provided below:
Three months ended June 30
Six months ended June 30
 
 (in millions of U.S. dollars, except where noted)
 
2014
2013
2014
2013
 
Operating information:
           
Ore mined (thousands of tonnes)
 
 1,720
 4,465
 2,990
 7,899
 
Waste mined (thousands of tonnes)
 
 7,516
 3,282
 15,035
 6,814
 
Ratio of waste to ore
 
 4.37
 0.74
 5.03
 0.86
 
Ore to leach pad (thousands of tonnes)
 
 1,720
 4,465
 2,990
 7,899
 
Average grade:
           
   Gold (grams/tonne)
 
 0.18
 0.57
 0.23
 0.46
 
   Silver (grams/tonne)
 
 14.93
 26.33
 14.54
 22.78
 
Gold (ounces)
           
   Produced (1)(2)
 
 16,803
 30,181
 34,104
 56,568
 
   Sold (1)
 
 16,937
 26,585
 36,366
 53,053
 
Silver (ounces)
           
   Produced (1)(2)
 
 326,049
 424,734
 644,692
 783,639
 
   Sold (1)
 
 322,499
 412,565
 654,772
 773,478
 
Average realized price (3):
           
   Gold ($/ounce)
 
 1,289
 1,373
 1,290
 1,496
 
   Silver ($/ounce)
 
 19.70
 22.08
 20.05
 25.55
 
Total cash costs per gold ounce sold (3)(4)
 
 1,169
 610
 1,051
 553
 
All-in sustaining costs per gold ounce sold (3)(4)
 
 1,322
 663
 1,193
 631
 
             
Financial Information:
           
Revenues
 
 28.2
 45.6
 60.0
 99.1
 
Operating margin (3)
 
2.3
19.7
8.6
48.9
 
Earnings from mine operations
 
 0.1
 12.0
 4.6
 34.6
 
Capital expenditures (sustaining and growth capital)
 
 9.7
 4.3
 20.9
 7.4
 
 
1.
Production is shown on a total contained basis while sales are shown on a net payable basis, including final product inventory adjustments, where applicable.
2.
Tonnes of ore processed each period does not necessarily correspond to ounces produced during the period, as there is a time delay between placing tonnes on the leach pad and pouring ounces of gold.
3.
The Company uses certain non-GAAP financial performance measures throughout this MD&A. Total cash costs and all-in sustaining costs per gold ounce sold, total cash costs and all-in sustaining costs on a co-product basis, average realized price and operating margin are non-GAAP financial performance measures with no standard meaning under IFRS. For further information and a detailed reconciliation, please refer to the “Non-GAAP Performance Measures” section of this MD&A.
4.
The calculation of total cash costs per gold ounce sold and all-in sustaining costs per gold ounce sold is net of by-product silver revenue. Total cash costs and all-in sustaining costs on a co-product basis removes the impact of other metal sales that are produced as a by-product of our gold production and apportions the cash costs to each metal produced on a percentage of revenue basis. If the silver revenues were treated as a co-product, the average total cash costs at Cerro San Pedro for the three months ended June 30, 2014, would be $1,196 per ounce of gold (2013 - $763) and  $18.28 per ounce of silver (2013 - $12.27). All-in sustaining costs on a co-product basis for the three months ended June 30, 2014 would be $1,315 per ounce of gold (2013 - $805) and $20.09 per ounce of silver (2013 - $12.95). For the six months ended June 30, 2014, co-product total cash costs would be $1,103 per ounce of gold (2013 - $741) and $17.15 per ounce of silver (2013 - $12.66). All-in sustaining costs on a co-product basis for the six months ended June 30, 2014 would be $1,214 per ounce of gold (2013 - $803) and $18.88 per ounce of silver (2013 - $13.72).


 
23

 


 

Quarterly Operating Results
 
Production
For the second quarter of 2014, gold and silver production decreased as per the Company’s plans compared to the same prior-year period. At Cerro San Pedro, the first half of the year is primarily focused on waste stripping to prepare the pit for the final phase of mining. The decrease in ore tonnes mined was partially offset by improved recoveries which benefitted from changes in cyanide concentration and side slope leaching. Production in the second quarter of 2014 was in line with the Company’s plans as less ore tonnes were mined.
 
In the first half of 2014, gold production at Cerro San Pedro was lower than the prior-year period due to reduced ore accessibility as the first half of the year was focused on waste stripping.
 
Revenue
Revenue for the second quarter of 2014 decreased from the prior-year period, due to a combination of lower ounces of gold and silver sold and lower commodity prices. The average realized gold price during the second quarter of 2014 was $1,289 per ounce compared to $1,373 per ounce in the second quarter of 2013. The average realized silver prices per ounce during the second quarters of 2014 and 2013 were $19.70 and $22.08 per ounce, respectively.
 
Revenues in the first half of 2014 were lower compared to the prior-year period as a result of lower production and average realized prices.
 
Total cash costs and all-in sustaining costs
Total cash costs per gold ounce sold for the second quarter of 2014 were $1,169 per ounce compared to $610 per ounce in the same prior-year period. Cerro San Pedro was impacted by a lower realized silver price and lower silver sales volume, negatively impacting by-product revenue. Additionally, Cerro San Pedro experienced increased operating costs relating to cyanide and reagent costs due to the enhanced leaching program and the operation’s fixed costs were attributed to a lower gold sales volume. All-in sustaining costs per gold ounce sold were $1,322 per ounce for the second quarter of 2014 compared to $663 per ounce for the prior-year period, reflecting the negative variance in total cash costs in addition to higher sustaining capital expenditures in the current quarter related to Phase 5 stripping.
 
Total cash costs per gold ounce sold for the first half of 2014 were $1,051 per ounce, compared to $553 per ounce in the same prior-year period. All-in sustaining costs were $1,193 per ounce in the first half of 2014 compared to $631 per ounce in the prior-year period.
 
Earnings from mine operations
Cerro San Pedro generated $0.1 million in earnings from mine operations in the second quarter of 2014 compared to earnings of $12.0 million in the same prior-year period. This is primarily due to lower gold and silver production and sales volume as well as lower average realized prices.
 
For the first half of 2014, Cerro San Pedro generated $4.6 million in earnings from mine operations compared to $34.6 million in earnings from mine operations in the prior-year period.
 
Capital expenditures
Capital expenditures for the second quarter of 2014 totalled $9.7 million, which included $2.4 million of sustaining capital and $7.3 million of growth capital relating to Phase 5. This compares to $4.3 million, which included $1.3 of sustaining capital and $3.0 million of growth capital, for the second quarter of 2013.
 
For the first half of 2014, capital expenditures totalled $20.9 million, of which $4.7 million related to sustaining capital and $16.2 million to growth capital. This compares to $7.4 million in the prior-year period, of which $4.0 million related to sustaining capital and $3.4 million to growth capital.
 
Impact of Foreign Exchange on Operations
Cerro San Pedro was impacted by changes in the value of the Mexican peso against the U.S. dollar. The value of the Mexican peso weakened from 12.48 to the U.S. dollar in the second quarter of 2013 to an average of 13.00 to the U.S. dollar in the second quarter of 2014. This had a positive impact on cash costs of $40 per ounce of gold sold.
 
The value of the Mexican peso weakened from 12.56 to the U.S. dollar in the first half of 2013 to an average of 13.12 to the U.S. dollar in the first half of 2014 resulting in a positive impact on cash costs of $38 per gold ounce sold.
 


 
24

 


 
DEVELOPMENT AND EXPLORATION REVIEW

RAINY RIVER PROJECT, ONTARIO, CANADA
 
 
 
The Rainy River project is a bulk-tonnage gold project located approximately 50 kilometres northwest of Fort Frances, a city of approximately 8,000 people, located in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. The project property is located near infrastructure and is comprised of approximately 167 square kilometres of patented and unpatented mining and surface rights land claims and leasehold interests, which are 100% owned by Rainy River Resources Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. For a breakdown of reserves and resources by category and further information about reserve and resource estimates, refer to the Company’s Annual Information Form dated March 28, 2014.
   
AT-A-GLANCE
 
As at December 31, 2013
Proven and Probable Reserves:
GOLD: 3.8 MILLION OUNCES
SILVER: 9.4 MILLION OUNCES
Measured and Indicated Resources (Inclusive of Reserves):
GOLD: 6.2 MILLION OUNCES
SILVER: 14.6 MILLION OUNCES
 
Project Review
 
Exploration
During the second quarter of 2014, exploration advancements at the Rainy River project included the commencement of drilling to test the potential for additional open pit resources in the immediate mine development area and along extensions of the Intrepid Zone. During the quarter the Company completed 25 exploration holes totalling 8,634 metres. Exploration during the remainder of 2014 will focus on testing the potential for additional mineral resources in the Western and Link Zone areas west of the planned open pit and testing earlier stage targets within the greater project area.

Feasibility Study
On January 16, 2014, New Gold announced the results of its Feasibility Study for the Rainy River project.
Highlights include:
·
First nine years - average annual gold production of 325,000 ounces at total cash costs of $613 per ounce and all-in sustaining costs of $736 per ounce.
·
First nine years - average mill head grade of 1.44 grams per tonne gold.
·
Base case economics - at $1,300 per ounce gold, $22.00 per ounce silver and a 0.95 US$/C$ exchange rate, the Rainy River project has a pre-tax 5% net present value ("NPV") of $438 million, an internal rate of return ("IRR") of 13.1% and a payback period of 5.4 years.
·
Development capital costs of $885 million inclusive of a $70 million contingency.
·
Targeted commissioning in late 2016 with first year of full production in 2017.
·
Fourteen year mine life with direct processing of open pit and underground ore, at a rate of 21,000 tonnes per day, for the first nine years and processing of a combination of stockpile and underground ore thereafter.

Project Advancement
Through June 30, 2014, $167.0 million of capital purchases have been committed to, which primarily consist of the mobile fleet as well as milling equipment. Manufacturing of the mills, crushing equipment and mining equipment are underway and orders were placed during the second quarter of 2014 for long lead and critical equipment. AMEC Consultants Ltd. have continued ramping up their engineering team and establishing project controls and completing the Project Management Plan. Their key initial focus has been expediting the vendor engineering for the critical process equipment and finalizing the piping and instrumentation diagrams to facilitate the initiation of detail engineering. The joint teams are working on the control schedule and control estimate and these deliverables are due for completion in the third quarter of 2014.
 
Environmental and Permitting Activities
The Rainy River project is being reviewed through a coordinated Federal Environmental Assessment (“EA”) and Provincial Individual Environmental Assessment process. On January 17, 2014, the Final Environmental Assessment Report was released to federal and provincial regulatory agencies, Aboriginal groups and the general public for additional comment. The formal comment period ended on March 17, 2014. Comments received during the formal comment period were reviewed and responded to throughout the second quarter of 2014.
 
 
 
25

 
 
The objective of final reclamation for the Rainy River project is to return the site to a productive condition on completion of mining activities. A conceptual closure plan consistent with regulatory requirements was part of the draft EA report issued for review and is also included in the final EA report. The formal Mine Closure Plan document, consistent with the Ontario Mining Act requirements, will be submitted later in the year concurrent with the Minister’s decision on the Provincial Individual EA. Reclamation will be completed progressively during operations as much as possible, consistent with industry best practices. The Draft Mine Closure Plan was released to Aboriginal groups on March 19, 2014 for review and during the second quarter, Aboriginal groups initiated an independent assessment of the Draft Mine Closure Plan. The independent assessment is expected to be complete in August 2014. Comments received from the review of the Draft Mine Closure Plan will be incorporated into the final document as appropriate.
 
As previously reported, on March 22, 2012, Rainy River and six Rainy River area First Nations, being Naicatchewenin First Nation, Rainy River First Nations, Mitaanjigamiing First Nation, Couchiching First Nation, Lac La Croix First Nation and Seine River First Nation (collectively the "First Nations"), entered into a Participation Agreement (“PA”) with respect to the development and operation of the Rainy River project.  The PA was developed with the First Nations in order to define their participation in the development and operation of the Rainy River project.  The PA identifies key project milestones to be met through mutual cooperation and consultation with the First Nations, as the Rainy River project progresses with mine environmental assessment and permitting.  The PA reflects Rainy River’s continued commitment to environmental stewardship, respect for traditional Aboriginal culture and values, and the need for economic sustainability.
 
In support of project permitting, Rainy River has been meeting with Aboriginal groups and expects to complete additional agreements.
 
Project Costs
Capital expenditures totalled $15.3 million for the second quarter of 2014 and $24.1 million for the first half of 2014. There is no comparative for the prior-year period as Rainy River was acquired in the second half of 2013.
 

BLACKWATER PROJECT, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA
 
 
 
Blackwater is a bulk-tonnage gold project located approximately 160 kilometres southwest of Prince George, a city of approximately 80,000 people, in central British Columbia, Canada. The project property position covers over 1,000 square kilometres and is located near infrastructure. For a breakdown of reserves and resources by category and further information about reserve and resource estimates, refer to the Company’s Annual Information Form dated March 28, 2014. New Gold also owns a 100% interest in the Capoose mineral prospect, located approximately 25 kilometres west of the Blackwater deposit.
   
AT-A-GLANCE
 
As at December 31, 2013
Proven and Probable Reserves:
GOLD: 8.2 MILLION OUNCES
SILVER: 60.8 MILLION OUNCES
Measured and Indicated Resources (Inclusive of Reserves):
GOLD: 9.5 MILLION OUNCES
SILVER: 70.1 MILLION OUNCES
 
Project Review
 
Exploration
During the second quarter of 2014, Blackwater project exploration efforts continued with the consolidation of results from the 2013 exploration program. To date, surface exploration work at Blackwater has been conducted over approximately 50% of the over 1,000 square kilometre project land position. This work has resulted in the identification of 14 new prospective target areas meriting future follow-up. The 2014 field program commenced during the second quarter and involves additional surface targeting work in combination with approximately 12,000 metres of exploration drilling directed toward those prospects offering the best potential for a new discovery in the near term.
 
Environmental and Permitting Activities
The following activities related to permitting of the Blackwater project and 2014 exploration were completed:

·
Environmental Assessment report submitted for regulatory screening.
·
Continued key engineering studies for components such as the transmission line, the tailings storage facility and water management, in order to support the broader permitting effort.
·
Continued discussions on Environmental Assessment Cooperation and Participation Agreements for construction and operation of the mine with neighboring key First Nations.
·
Meeting with Community Liaison Committee comprised of local government leaders.
 

 
 
26

 
 
Project Costs
Capital expenditures totalled $2.6 million for the second quarter of 2014, compared to $14.0 million in the prior-year period. For the first half of 2014, capital expenditures totalled $8.3 million compared to $28.7 million in the prior-year period.


EL MORRO PROJECT, ATACAMA REGION, CHILE
 
 
 
The El Morro project (“El Morro”) is a copper-gold development project located in north-central Chile, Atacama Region, and is accessible from the Chilean city of Vallenar, via 129 kilometres of road. El Morro is a world-class project with low expected cash costs and great organic growth potential. For a breakdown of reserves and resources by category and further information about reserve and resource estimates, refer to the Company’s Annual Information Form dated March 28, 2014. The El
   
AT-A-GLANCE
 
As at December 31, 2013
Proven and Probable Reserves:
GOLD: 2.7 MILLION OUNCES
COPPER: 2.0 BILLION POUNDS
 
Morro and La Fortuna deposits represent the principal zones of gold-copper mineralization that have been identified to date. Future exploration efforts will also test the potential bulk-mineable gold and copper production below the bottom of the current La Fortuna open pit.
 
 
New Gold holds a fully carried 30% interest in Sociedad Contractual Minera El Morro (“El Morro”), the Chilean developer and operator of the El Morro project, with the remaining 70% held by Goldcorp Inc. (“Goldcorp”). Pursuant to a carried funding loan agreement between New Gold and Goldcorp, Goldcorp is responsible for funding New Gold's 30% share of the project’s capital costs. The carried funding accrues interest at a fixed rate of 4.58%. New Gold will repay its share of capital plus accumulated interest out of 80% of its share of the project's cash flow with New Gold retaining 20% of its share of cash flow from the time production commences.  New Gold has drawn down $85.6 million of carried funding at June 30, 2014. New Gold had no cash outlay in the second quarters of 2014 and 2013, respectively. New Gold’s 30% of project spending, excluding interest, was $4.2 million and $2.4 million for the second quarters of 2014 and 2013, respectively. For the first half of 2014, project spending, excluding interest was $5.4 million and $8.2 million, respectively.
 
The Chilean Environmental Permitting Authority (“Servicio de Evaluacion Ambiental” or “SEA”), approved the El Morro project’s environmental permit in March 2011.  On April 27, 2012, the Supreme Court of Chile issued a decision suspending the approval of El Morro’s environmental permit.  Based on the Supreme Court’s decision, El Morro suspended all project field work being executed under the terms of the environmental permit.  Activities not subject to the environmental permit, including detailed engineering, design work and architectural planning, continued.  During the period of temporary suspension, El Morro worked with the Chilean authorities and local communities to address any perceived deficiencies in respect of the environmental permit.  El Morro subsequently filed an addendum to its environmental permit and El Morro’s environmental permit was reinstated on October 22, 2013.  Certain local communities and groups filed constitutional actions challenging the reinstated permit, and on November 22, 2013, the Copiapo Court of Appeals granted an injunction suspending development of the El Morro project.  On April 28, 2014, the Copiapo Court of Appeals rejected the constitutional actions and consequently the injunction was lifted. The decision of the Copiapo Court of Appeals was subsequently appealed to the Supreme Court of Chile. The decision of the Supreme Court is expected in the third quarter of 2014.
 
Project activities during 2014 will continue to focus on gathering information to support permit applications and optimization of the project economics, including securing a long-term power supply. El Morro remains committed to continued productive interaction and engagement with the community and authorities.

See the "Contingencies" section of this MD&A for more details.

 
27

 


 
 
FINANCIAL CONDITION REVIEW
SUMMARY BALANCE SHEET
 
June 30
December 31
(in millions of U.S. dollars, except where noted)
2014
2013
Cash and cash equivalents
 414.0
 414.4
Current assets
 289.4
 243.6
Non-current assets
 3,576.0
 3,541.0
Total assets
 4,279.4
 4,199.0
     
Current liabilities
 101.6
 90.2
Non-current liabilities excluding long-term debt
 559.3
 526.4
Long-term debt
 870.5
 862.5
Total liabilities
 1,531.4
 1,479.1
     
Total equity
 2,748.0
 2,719.9
Total liabilities and equity
 4,279.4
 4,199.0

BALANCE SHEET REVIEW
Assets
Total assets were $4,279.4 million at June 30, 2014, compared to $4,199.0 million at December 31, 2013. The 2% increase in total assets is primarily attributable to increases in current assets and mining interests. Current assets increased as receivables included an amount of $21.1 million for a British Columbia Mineral Exploration Tax Credit which is determined as a 30% refundable credit related to eligible greenfield exploration in British Columbia. This specific receivable is related to the 2012 tax year claim related to Blackwater. Mining interests consist of the Company’s mining properties, development projects and property, plant and equipment. During the six months ended June 30, 2014, the Company spent $116.9 million primarily focused on mine development at New Afton, and continued project advancement at Rainy River and Blackwater. Other significant assets include cash and cash equivalents and inventories.
 
Liabilities
Total liabilities were $1,531.4 million at June 30, 2014, compared to $1,479.1 million at December 31, 2013. The 4% increase in liabilities is attributable to reclamation obligations, deferred tax liabilities and long-term debt.
 
Reclamation and Closure Cost Obligations
The Company’s asset retirement obligations consist of reclamation and closure costs for New Afton, Mesquite, Peak Mines, Cerro San Pedro and Blackwater. Significant reclamation and closure activities include land rehabilitation, demolition of buildings and mine facilities, ongoing care and maintenance and other costs.
 
The long-term discounted portion of the liability at June 30, 2014 is $66.3 million compared to $61.4 million at December 31, 2013. Changes in the liability compared to December 31, 2013 is primarily due to decreases in the discount rate used in the fair value calculation of the liability. The Company intends to spend $1.5 million in the current year on reclamation activities, and the remainder in future periods.
 
Long-Term Debt
The majority of the Company’s contractual obligations consists of long-term debt and interest payable. At June 30, 2014, the Company had $870.5 million in long-term debt compared to $862.5 million at December 31, 2013. For the six months ended June 30, 2014, the Company capitalized interest of $16.0 million to qualifying development projects, $9.9 million of which has been allocated to Blackwater and the remaining $6.1 million to Rainy River. This compares to $8.2 million of capitalized interest for the prior-year period, all of which was allocated to Blackwater.
 
On April 5, 2012, the Company issued Senior Unsecured Notes denominated in U.S. dollars, which mature and become payable on April 15, 2020 and bear an interest rate of 7% per annum. At June 30, 2014, the face value of these notes totalled $300 million and the carrying amount totalled $293.7 million. Interest is payable in arrears in equal semi-annual instalments on April 15 and October 15 of each year.
 
On November 15, 2012, the Company issued additional Senior Unsecured Notes denominated in U.S. dollars. These notes mature and become payable on November 15, 2022 and bear interest at a rate of 6.25% per annum. At June 30, 2014, the face value of these notes totalled $500 million and the carrying amount totalled $491.2 million. Interest is payable in arrears in equal semi-annual instalments on May 15 and November 15 of each year.
 
 
 
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On December 14, 2010, the Company entered into an agreement for a $150.0 million revolving credit facility (“the Credit Facility”) with a syndicate of banks. The amount of the Credit Facility will be reduced by $50.0 million if Cerro San Pedro is not operational for 45 consecutive days due to any injunction, order, judgment or other determination of an official body in Mexico as a result of any disputes now or hereafter before an official body in Mexico with jurisdiction to settle such a dispute. However, the full $50.0 million of credit will be reinstated if operations at Cerro San Pedro resume in accordance with the mine plan for 45 consecutive days and no similar disruption event occurs during this period. The Credit Facility is for general corporate purposes, including acquisitions. The Credit Facility, which is secured on the Company’s operating assets at Mesquite, Peak Mines and Cerro San Pedro and a pledge of certain subsidiaries’ shares, expires on December 14, 2014, with annual extensions permitted. The Credit Facility contains various covenants customary for a loan facility of this nature, including limits on indebtedness, asset sales and liens. Significant financial covenants are as follows:
 
   
June 30
December 31
 
Financial
covenant
2014
2013
Minimum tangible net worth ($1.38 billion + 25% of positive quarterly net income)
> $1.5 billion
$3.1 billion
   $3.1 billion
Minimum interest coverage ratio (EBITDA to interest)
> 4.0 : 1
   5.9: 1
         5.7: 1
Maximum leverage ratio (net debt to EBITDA)
< 3.0 : 1
1.3: 1
1.3: 1

Other amendments included a reduction in fees and the use of net debt, rather than total debt, as a measure of leverage for the purpose of covenant tests. As a result of this amendment and extension, the interest margin on drawings under the Credit Facility ranges from 1.25% to 3.50% over LIBOR, the Prime Rate or the Base Rate, based on the Company’s net debt to EBITDA ratio and the currency and type of credit selected by the Company. The standby fees on undrawn amounts under the Facility range between 0.56% and 0.88% depending on the Company’s net debt to EBITDA ratio. Based on the Company’s net debt to EBITDA ratio, the rate for standby fees is 0.63% as at June 30, 2014.
 
As at June 30, 2014, the Company has not drawn any funds under the Credit Facility; however the Credit Facility has been used to issue letters of credit of A$10.3 million for Peak Mines’ reclamation bond for the State of New South Wales, C$3.2 million for New Afton’s commitment to B.C. Hydro for power and transmission construction work (the B.C. Hydro letter of credit will be released over time as New Afton consumes and pays for power in the early period of operations), C$9.5 million for New Afton’s reclamation requirements, C$2.7 million for Blackwater’s reclamation requirements, $1.0 relating to worker’s compensation security at Mesquite and $18.8 million relating to environmental and reclamation requirements at Cerro San Pedro. The annual fees are 1.60% of the value of the outstanding letters of credit which totalled $43.9 million as at June 30, 2014.
 
The Company intends to extend or replace the revolving credit facility prior to the expiry date of December 14, 2014.
 
Current and Deferred Income Taxes
The net deferred income tax liability increased from $210.0 million on December 31, 2013 to $220.9 million on June 30, 2014. This increase is explained by the recognition of a deferred tax liability of $13.0 million as a result of increased profitability at New Afton which utilizes the deferred tax assets that were set off against the net deferred tax liability.

The current income tax receivable balance was $31.8 million at December 31, 2013 compared to $29.0 million at June 30, 2014 as the Company is still awaiting refunds in the U.S., Australia and Mexico from prior year returns.
 
 
LIQUIDITY AND CASH FLOW
As at June 30, 2014, the Company had cash and cash equivalents held by continuing operations of $414.0 million compared to $414.4 million at December 31, 2013. The Company’s investment policy is to invest its surplus funds in permitted investments consisting of treasury bills, bonds, notes and other evidences of indebtedness of Canada, the U.S. or any of the Canadian Provinces with a minimum credit rating of R-1 mid from the DBRS or an equivalent rating from Standard & Poor’s or Moody’s and with maturities of 12 months or less at the original date of acquisition.  In addition, the Company is permitted to invest in bankers’ acceptances and other evidences of indebtedness of certain financial institutions. Surplus corporate funds are only invested with approved government or bank counterparties.
 

 
29

 

The Company’s cash flows from operating, investing and financing activities, as presented in the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows, are summarized in the following table for the three and six months ended June 30:
 
   
Three months ended June 30
Six months ended June 30
(in millions of U.S. dollars)
 
2014
2013
2014
2013
Cash generated from (used by) operating activities
 
 59.3
 (22.5)
 140.7
 36.0
Cash used in investing activities
 
 (60.1)
 (60.8)
 (116.2)
 (137.0)
Cash used by financing activities
 
 (25.7)
 (25.6)
 (25.1)
 (22.2)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents
   2.4
 (1.0)
 0.2
 (2.1)
Change in cash and cash equivalents
 
 (24.1)
 (109.9)
 (0.4)
 (125.3)

Operating activities
Cash generated from operating activities during the three months ended June 30, 2014 increased significantly to $59.3 million. Operational cash flow benefitted from the increased copper production at New Afton and Peak Mines, which together sold an additional 4.8 million pounds of copper compared to the prior-year period as well as higher realized prices of gold and copper. This was partially offset by lower gold and silver sales volumes when compared to the second quarter of 2013. The Company further improved operational cash flow through improved cost management and operational efficiencies at the mine sites. Cash flow additionally benefitted from the settlement of the gold hedge contract in the second quarter of 2013. On May 15, 2013, the Company settled the remaining gold contacts for $65.7 million. This amount was included in the adjusted cash flow from operations for the comparative prior period. The settlement of the hedge has benefitted the current year operational cash flow through the Company no longer being committed to sell 5,500 ounces of gold at $801 per ounce.
 
During the quarter, cash taxes paid by the Company were $1.4 million compared to $16.2 million in the prior-year period. The decrease in cash tax payments is primarily due to the geographical mix of profits. Specifically, a higher proportion of profits for the second quarter of 2014 was earned in Canada where the Company is utilizing its tax attributes compared to the prior-year period where a greater proportion of profits was earned in the U.S., Australia and Mexico.
 
For the six months ended June 30, 2014, the Company generated operational cash flow of $140.7 million from $36.0 million in the prior-year period. Cash flow is positively impacted by the significant increase in copper sales, however this is offset by the decrease in gold and silver sales. On an adjusted basis, cash flow from operations increased to $140.7 million from $101.7 million in the prior-year period.
 
Investing activities
Cash used in investing activities is primarily for the continued capital investment in our operations. Spending was consistent with the second quarter of 2013, with the Company outlaying $60.3 million during the second quarter of 2014. The amount of expenditure is consistent with the prior-year period, however spending at Blackwater has reduced as the Company continues to consolidate results from the 2013 exploration program, and spending has increased at Rainy River as the project expedites development. Investing at the other mine sites is due to timing of expenditures based on project requirements.
 
The following table summarizes the capital expenditures (Mining Interest per the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows) for the three and six months ended:
 

   
Three months ended June 30
Six months ended June 30
(in millions of U.S. dollars)
 
2014
2013
2014
2013
New Afton
 
 21.6
 20.3
 42.6
 62.3
Mesquite
 
 4.3
 10.4
 8.1
 13.7
Peak Mines
 
 6.8
 12.0
 12.8
 25.3
Cerro San Pedro
 
 9.7
 4.3
 20.9
 7.4
Rainy River
 
 15.3
 -
 24.1
 -
Blackwater
 
 2.6
 14.0
 8.3
 28.7
Corporate
 
 -
 -
 0.1
 -
   
60.3
61.0
116.9
137.4

In the opinion of management, the working capital at June 30, 2014, together with cash flows from operations, are sufficient to support the Company’s normal operating requirements on an ongoing basis. New Gold is not required to fund any of the development capital for El Morro, as under the agreement with Goldcorp, the Company’s 30% share is fully funded and both principal and interest will be repaid solely from future cash generated from New Gold’s share of El Morro’s distributable cash flows. The Company also expects it will not need external financing to repay its outstanding debt in 2020 and 2022, assuming the continuation of prevailing commodity prices, exchange rates and operations per mine plans.
 
 
30

 
 
However, the Company’s future profits and cash position are highly dependent on metal prices, including gold, silver and copper. Taking into consideration volatile equity markets, global uncertainty in the capital markets and cost pressures, the Company is continually reviewing expenditures in order to ensure adequate liquidity and flexibility to support its growth strategy while continuing production at its current operations. In addition, cash projections may require revision if any further acquisitions or external growth opportunities are realized.

COMMITMENTS
The Company has entered into a number of contractual commitments for capital items related to operations and development. At June 30, 2014, these commitments totalled $195.3 million, $150.5 million of which are expected to fall due over the next 12 months. This compares to a balance of $44.5 million at December 31, 2013. The increase is due to Rainy River signing the Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management contract with AMEC Consultants Ltd. and commitments for long lead items.
 
CONTINGENCIES
In assessing the loss contingencies related to legal proceedings that are pending against the Company or unasserted claims that may result in such proceedings, the Company and its legal counsel evaluate the perceived merits of any legal proceedings or unasserted claims as well as the perceived merits of the amount of relief sought or expected to be sought. If the assessment of a contingency suggests that a loss is probable, and the amount can easily be estimated, then a loss is recorded. When a contingent loss is not probable but is reasonably possible, or is probable but the amount of the loss cannot be reliably estimated, then details of the contingent loss are disclosed. Loss contingencies considered remote are generally not disclosed unless they involve guarantees, in which case the Company discloses the nature of the guarantees. Legal fees incurred in connection with pending legal proceedings are expensed as incurred. If the Company is unable to resolve these disputes favourably, it may have a material adverse impact on our financial condition, cash flow and results of operations.
 
El Morro Project
SEA, the Chilean environmental permitting authority, approved the El Morro project’s environmental permit in March 2011. However, a constitutional action was filed against the SEA in May 2011 by the Comunidad Agricola Los Huasco Altinos (“CAHA”) seeking annulment of the environmental permit. El Morro, the Chilean company jointly held by the Company and Goldcorp and which owns and operates the El Morro project, participated in the legal proceedings as an interested party and beneficiary of the environmental permit. In February 2012, the Court of Appeals of Antofagasta ruled against approval of the environmental permit, for the primary reason that the SEA had not adequately consulted or compensated the Indigenous people that form the CAHA. SEA and El Morro appealed the ruling; however, the ruling was confirmed by the Supreme Court of Chile on April 27, 2012. Based on the Supreme Court’s decision, El Morro immediately suspended all project field work being executed under the terms of the environmental permit. On June 22, 2012, SEA initiated the administrative process to address the deficiencies identified by the Chilean Court and on October 22, 2013, El Morro’s environmental permit was reinstated.  Certain local communities and groups filed constitutional actions challenging the reinstated permit, and on November 22, 2013 the Copiapo Court of Appeals granted an injunction suspending development of the El Morro project.  On April 28, 2014, the Copiapo Court of Appeals rejected the constitutional actions and consequently the injunction was lifted. The decision of the Copiapo Court of Appeals was subsequently appealed to the Supreme Court of Chile. The decision of the Supreme Court is expected in the third quarter of 2014.

Cerro San Pedro Mine
In March 2011, the municipality of Cerro de San Pedro approved a new municipal land use plan, after public consultation, which clearly designates the area of the Cerro San Pedro Mine for mining. New Gold believes this plan resolves any ambiguity regarding the land use in the area in which Cerro San Pedro is located, and which has had a history of ongoing legal challenges related to the environmental authorization (“EIS”) for the mine. In April 2011, a request was filed for a new EIS based on the new Municipal Plan and on August 5, 2011 a new EIS was granted.  The new EIS is subject to a number of ongoing conditions that will need to be fulfilled through the continued operation and eventual closure of the mine. In addition, some authorizations necessary for the operation of the Cerro San Pedro Mine have durations of one year or one quarter, or other periods that are shorter than the remaining mine life.  While historically these authorizations have been renewed, extended or re-issued without incident, in late 2013 the annual construction and operations licenses issued by the Municipality of Cerro de San Pedro in San Luis Potosi were subject to numerous inappropriate conditions. The application of the conditions was suspended by the State Contentious and Administrative Tribunal.  As of July 30, 2014, MSX remains in a dispute with the Municipality regarding certain conditions relating to the annual licenses. MSX may not ultimately prevail in court proceedings regarding the terms and conditions of such licenses.  This could result in a suspension or termination of operations at the Cerro San Pedro Mine and/or additional costs, any of which could adversely affect the Company’s production, cash flow and profitability.
 
 
 
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CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS
The following is a summary of the Company’s payments due under contractual obligations:
 
 
Payments due by period
 
 
(in millions of U.S. dollars)
Less than 1 year
2 - 3 years
4 - 5 years
After 5 years
Total
 
 
Long-term debt
 -
 -
 -
 885.6
 885.6
 
 
Interest payable on long-term debt
 52.3
 104.5
 104.5
 130.4
 391.7
 
 
Operating lease commitments(1)
 8.4
 16.3
 0.6
 1.5
 26.8
 
 
Capital expenditure commitments(1)
 150.5
 44.8
 -
 -
 195.3
 
 
Reclamation and closure cost obligations
 1.6
 2.9
 6.9
 74.6
 86.0
 
 
Total contractual obligations
 218.5
 168.5
 112.0
 1,092.1
 1,591.1
 
 
1.
Certain contractual commitments may contain cancellation clauses however, the Company discloses the contractual maturities of these commitments based on management’s intent to fulfill the contract.
   
The majority of the Company’s contractual obligations consist of long-term debt and interest payable. Long-term debt obligations are comprised of Senior Unsecured Notes issued on April 5, 2012 and November 15, 2012. Refer to the section “Financial Condition Review – Balance Sheet Review – Long-term debt” for further details.
 
RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
The Company did not enter into any related party transactions for the quarter ended June 30, 2014.
 
OFF-BALANCE SHEET ARRANGEMENTS
The Company has no off-balance sheet arrangements.
 
OUTSTANDING SHARES
As at July 30, 2014, there were 503,896,155 common shares of the Company outstanding. The Company had 11,324,626 stock options outstanding under its share option plan, exercisable for 11,324,626 common shares. In addition, the Company had 27,899,865 common share purchase warrants outstanding exercisable for 27,899,865 common shares.


 
NON-GAAP FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE MEASURES
Total Cash Costs per Gold Ounce
“Total cash costs per gold ounce” is a common financial performance measure in the gold mining industry but with no standard meaning under IFRS. New Gold reports total cash costs on a sales basis. The Company believes that, in addition to conventional measures prepared in accordance with IFRS, certain investors use this information to evaluate the Company’s performance and ability to generate liquidity through operating cash flow to fund future capital expenditures and working capital needs. The measure, along with sales, is considered to be a key indicator of a company’s ability to generate operating earnings and cash flow from its mining operations.
 
Total cash costs figures are calculated in accordance with a standard developed by The Gold Institute, a worldwide association of suppliers of gold and gold products that ceased operations in 2002. Adoption of the standard is voluntary and the cost measures presented may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies. Total cash costs include mine site operating costs such as mining, processing and administration costs, royalties, production taxes and realized gains and losses on fuel contracts, but are exclusive of amortization, reclamation, capital and exploration costs and net of by-product sales. Total cash costs are then divided by gold ounces sold to arrive at the total cash costs per ounce sold.
 
The Company produces copper and silver as by-products of its gold production. The calculation of total cash costs per gold ounce for Cerro San Pedro is net of by-product silver sales revenue, and the calculation of total cash costs per gold ounce sold for Peak Mines and New Afton is net of by-product copper sales revenue. New Gold notes that in connection with New Afton, the copper by-product revenue is sufficiently large to result in negative total cash costs on a single mine basis. Notwithstanding this by-product contribution, as a company focused on gold production, New Gold aims to assess the economic results of its operations in relation to gold, which is the primary driver of New Gold’s business. New Gold believes this metric is of interest to its investors, who invest in the Company primarily as a gold mining company.  To determine the relevant costs associated with gold only, New Gold believes it is appropriate to reflect all operating costs, as well as any revenue related to metals other than gold that are extracted in its operations.
 
 
32

 
 
To provide additional information to investors, we have also calculated total cash costs on a co-product basis, which removes the impact of other metal sales that are produced as a by-product of our gold production and apportions the cash costs to each metal produced on a percentage of revenue basis, and subsequently divides the amount by the total ounces of gold or silver or pounds of copper sold, as the cost may be, to arrive at per ounce or per pound figures. Unless indicated otherwise, all total cash cost information in this MD&A is net of by-product sales.
 
Total cash costs are intended to provide additional information only and do not have any standardized definition under IFRS and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other mining companies. They should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. The measure is not necessarily indicative of cash flows from operations under IFRS or operating costs presented under IFRS.
 
All-in Sustaining Costs per Gold Ounce
“All-in sustaining costs per gold ounce” is a non-GAAP measure based on guidance announced by the World Gold Council (“WGC”) in June 2013. The WGC is a non-profit association of the world’s leading gold mining companies established in 1987 to promote the use of gold to industry, consumers and investors. The WGC is not a regulatory body and does not have the authority to develop accounting standards or disclosure requirements.  The WGC has worked with its member companies, including New Gold, to develop a measure that expands on IFRS measures such as operating expenses and non-GAAP measures to provide visibility into the economics of a gold mining company. Current IFRS measures used in the gold industry, such as operating expenses, do not capture all of the expenditures incurred to discover, develop and sustain gold production. New Gold believes the all-in sustaining costs measure provides further transparency into costs associated with producing gold and will assist analysts, investors and other stakeholders of the Company in assessing its operating performance, its ability to generate free cash flow from current operations and its overall value.
 
All-in sustaining costs per gold ounce is intended to provide additional information only and does not have any standardized definition under IFRS and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other mining companies. It should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. The measure is not necessarily indicative of cash flows from operations under IFRS or operating costs presented under IFRS.
 
New Gold defines all-in sustaining costs per ounce as the sum of total cash costs, capital expenditures that are sustaining in nature, corporate general and administrative costs, capitalized and expensed exploration that is sustaining in nature, and environmental reclamation costs, all divided by the total gold ounces sold to arrive at a per ounce figure. To determine sustaining capital expenditures, New Gold uses cash flow related to mining interests from its statement of cash flows and deducts any expenditures that are classified as growth.  Capital expenditures to develop new operations or capital expenditures related to major projects at existing operations where these projects will materially increase production are classified as growth and are excluded.  The table “Sustaining Capital Expenditure Reconciliation” reconciles New Gold’s sustaining capital to its cash flow statement.  The definition of sustaining versus growth is similarly applied to capitalized and expensed exploration costs.  Exploration costs to develop new operations or that relate to major projects at existing operations where these projects are expected to materially increase production are classified as growth and are excluded.
 
Costs excluded from all-in sustaining costs are growth capital expenditures and exploration costs, financing costs, tax expense, transaction costs associated with mergers and acquisitions, and any items that are deducted for the purposes of adjusted earnings.
 
By including total cash costs as a component of all-in sustaining costs, the measure deducts by-product revenue from gross cash costs. Refer to the discussion above regarding total cash costs per gold ounce for the discussion of deduction of by-product revenue.
 
To provide additional information to investors, we have also calculated all-in sustaining costs on a co-product basis, which removes the impact of other metal sales that are produced as a by-product of our gold production and apportions the all-in sustaining costs to each metal produced on a percentage of revenue basis, and subsequently divides the amount by the total ounces of gold or silver or pounds of copper sold, as the cost may be, to arrive at per ounce or per pound figures.

 
33

 


 
TOTAL CASH COSTS AND ALL-IN SUSTAINING COSTS PER OUNCE RECONCILIATION
The following table reconciles these non-GAAP measures to the most directly comparable IFRS measure. The reconciliation of total cash costs to all-in sustaining costs is below.
 
   
Three months ended June 30
Six months ended June 30
 
 
(in millions of U.S. dollars, except where noted)
2014
2013
2014
2013
 
 
Operating expenses from continuing operations
 95.3
 105.6
 193.8
 211.7
 
 
Treatment and refining charges on concentrate sales
 8.7
 6.8
 17.5
 14.1
 
 
Adjustments(1)
 0.5
 (0.3)
 0.4
 (0.7)
 
 
Total cash costs before by-product revenue
 104.5
 112.1
 211.7
 225.1
 
 
By-product copper and silver sales
 (83.2)
 (69.9)
 (166.5)
 (136.8)
 
 
Total cash costs net of by-product revenue
 21.3
 42.2
 45.2
 88.3
 
 
Ounces of gold sold
 84,736
 98,037
 178,788
 193,218
 
 
Total cash costs per gold ounce sold ($/ounce)
 251
 430
 253
 457
 
 
Total cash costs per gold ounce sold on a co-product basis(2) ($/ounce)
 682
 713
 670
 754
 
 
Total cash costs net of by-product revenue
 21.3
 42.2
 45.2
 88.3
 
 
Sustaining Capital Expenditures(3)
 26.5
 36.1
 54.1
 81.2
 
 
Sustaining exploration - expensed & capitalized
 4.2
 3.7
 6.3
 6.6
 
 
Corporate G&A including share-based compensation(4)
 9.9
 8.9
 18.3
 18.4
 
 
Reclamation expenses
 1.3
 0.4
 2.6
 0.7
 
 
Total all-in sustaining costs
 63.2
 91.3
 126.5
 195.2
 
 
All-in sustaining costs per gold ounce sold ($/ounce)
 745
 931
 707
 1,010
 
 
All-in sustaining costs per gold ounce sold on a co-product basis(2) ($/ounce)
 974
1,032
935
1,115
 
 
1.
Adjustments include non-cash items related to royalties and asset retirement obligations.
2.
Amounts presented on a co-product basis remove the impact of other metal sales that are produced as a by-product of our gold production and apportions the cash costs to each metal produced on a percentage of revenue basis.
3.
See “Sustaining Capital Expenditure Reconciliation” below to reconcile sustaining capital expenditures to mining interests per the statement of cash flows.
4.
This is the sum of corporate administration costs and share-based payment expense per the income statement, net of any non-cash depreciation within those figures.

SUSTAINING CAPITAL EXPENDITURE RECONCILIATION
   
Three months ended June 30
Six months ended June 30
 
 
(in millions of U.S. dollars, except where noted)
2014
2013
2014
2013
 
 
Mining Interests per statement of cash flows
60.3
61.0
116.9
137.4
 
 
Blackwater growth capital expenditure
 (2.6)
 (14.0)
 (8.3)
 (28.7)
 
 
New Afton growth capital expenditure (1)
 (7.5)
 (7.3)
 (12.2)
 (22.2)
 
 
Cerro San Pedro growth capital expenditure (2)
 (7.3)
 (3.0)
 (16.2)
 (3.4)
 
 
Rainy River growth capital expenditure
 (15.3)
 -
 (24.1)
 -
 
 
Sustaining capitalized exploration included in mining interests
 (1.1)
 (0.6)
 (2.0)
 (1.9)
 
 
Sustaining Capital Expenditures
26.5
36.1
54.1
81.2
 
 
1.
Current quarter growth capital expenditure at New Afton relates to the mill expansion and the preliminary economic assessment and exploration for the C-zone. Prior period costs relate to east cave development and costs relating to the gyratory crusher.
2.
Growth capital expenditure at Cerro San Pedro is the capitalized stripping costs related to the Phase 5.
 
Adjusted Net Earnings and Adjusted Net Earnings per Share
“Adjusted net earnings” and “adjusted net earnings per share” are non-GAAP financial measures with no standard meaning under IFRS which excludes the following from net earnings:
 
·
Impairment losses;
·
Gains (losses) on Fair Value through Profit and Loss financial assets;
·
Ineffectiveness of hedging instruments;
·
Fair value changes on the share purchase warrants;
·
Gains (losses) on foreign exchange; and
·
Other non-recurring items.
 
 
 
34

 
 
Net earnings have been adjusted, including the associated tax impact, for the group of costs in “Other gains and losses” on the condensed consolidated income statement.  Key entries in this grouping are: the fair value changes for share purchase warrants, foreign exchange gain or loss and other non-recurring items. Other adjustments also include the non-cash accounting charge as the loss incurred on the monetization of the Company’s legacy hedge position is realized into income over the original term of the hedge contract, which is included in revenue. The adjusted entries are also impacted for tax to the extent that the underlying entries are impacted for tax in the unadjusted net earnings. As the loss on the fair value change of non-hedged derivatives is only minimally tax affected in unadjusted net earnings, the reversal of tax on an adjusted basis is also minimal. The current period adjusted tax excludes an adjustment for the impact of the increase in the Chilean Category 1 income tax rate which was enacted in the second quarter of 2013, as well as the impact of adjustments to uncertain tax positions. Also, the prior period tax is adjusted for the foreign exchange impact of deferred tax on non-monetary assets.
 
The Company uses this measure for its own internal purposes. Management’s internal budgets and forecasts and public guidance do not reflect fair value changes on senior notes and non-hedged derivatives, foreign currency translation and fair value through profit or loss and financial asset gains/losses. Consequently, the presentation of adjusted net earnings enables investors and analysts to better understand the underlying operating performance of our core mining business through the eyes of management. Management periodically evaluates the components of adjusted net earnings based on an internal assessment of performance measures that are useful for evaluating the operating performance of our business and a review of the non-GAAP measures used by mining industry analysts and other mining companies.
 
Adjusted net earnings is intended to provide additional information only and does not have any standardized definition under IFRS and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. It should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. The measure is not necessarily indicative of operating profit or cash flows from operations as determined under IFRS.
 
The following table reconciles this non-GAAP measure to the most directly comparable IFRS measure. The reconciliation of net earnings to adjusted net earnings is below.

ADJUSTED NET EARNINGS RECONCILIATION
 
Three months ended June 30
 Six months ended June 30
(in millions of U.S. dollars, except where noted)
2014
2013
2014
2013
Net earnings (loss) before taxes
 17.0
 19.0
 22.5
 67.7
Loss on foreign exchange
 (15.8)
 12.9
 3.0
 18.5
Unrealized loss (gain) on share purchase warrants
 7.1
 (20.6)
 4.8
 (43.2)
Loss on hedge monetization over original term of hedge
6.9
4.7
 13.7
       4.7
Other
0.2
(9.7)
(0.1)
(8.5)
Adjusted net earnings before tax
 15.4
 6.3
 43.9
 39.2
         
Income tax expense
 (0.8)
 (4.0)
 (8.1)
 (16.4)
Income tax adjustments
 (6.4)
 2.0
 (9.4)
 1.8
Adjusted income tax expense
 (7.2)
 (2.0)
 (17.5)
 (14.6)
         
Adjusted net earnings
 8.2
 4.3
 26.4
 24.6
Adjusted earnings per share (basic)
 0.02
 0.01
 0.05
 0.05
Adjusted effective tax rate
47%
31%
40%
37%

 
ADJUSTED NET CASH (USED) GENERATION FROM OPERATIONS
 
Three months ended June 30
Six months ended June 30
(in millions of U.S. dollars, except where noted)
2014
2013
2014
2013
Net cash (used) generated from operations
 59.3
  (22.5)
 140.7
 36.0
Add back: Settlement payment of gold hedge contracts
 -
 65.7
 -
 4.7
Adjusted net cash generation from operations
 59.3
43.2
 140.7
101.7

Cash generated from operations, excluding working capital changes and income taxes paid
“Cash generated from operations, excluding working capital changes and income taxes paid” is a non-GAAP financial measure with no standard meaning under IFRS, which management uses to further evaluate the Company’s results of operations in each reporting period.
 
Cash generated from operations, excluding working capital changes and income taxes paid, is intended to provide additional information only and does not have any standardized definition under IFRS; it should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. Other companies may calculate this measure differently and this measure is unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies.

 
35

 


CASH GENERATED FROM OPERATIONS, EXCLUDING WORKING CAPITAL CHANGES AND INCOME TAXES PAID RECONCILIATION
 
 
Three months ended June 30
Six months ended June 30
(in millions of U.S. dollars, except where noted)
2014
2013
2014
2013
Net cash generated from operations
 59.3
 (22.5)
 140.7
 36.0
Add back: Change in non-cash operating working capital
 12.6
 4.2
 21.3
 17.1
Add back: Income taxes paid
 1.4
 16.2
 1.5
 25.9
Cash generated from operations, excluding working capital changes and income
 73.3
 (2.1)
 163.5
 79.0
 
Operating Margin
“Operating margin” is a non-GAAP financial measure with no standard meaning under IFRS, which management uses to further evaluate the Company’s results of operations in each reporting period. Operating margin is calculated as revenues less operating expenses and therefore does not include depreciation and depletion.
Operating margin is intended to provide additional information only and does not have any standardized definition under IFRS; it should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. Other companies may calculate this measure differently and this measure is unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies.

OPERATING MARGIN RECONCILIATION
 
 
Three months ended June 30
Six months ended June 30
(in millions of U.S. dollars, except where noted)
2014
2013
2014
2013
Revenues
 178.1
 183.5
 368.6
 385.3
Less: Operating expenses
 (95.3)
 (105.6)
 (193.8)
 (211.7)
Operating margin
 82.8
 77.9
174.8
173.6

Average Realized Price
“Average realized price per ounce of gold sold” is a non-GAAP financial measure with no standard meaning under IFRS. Management uses this measure to better understand the price realized in each reporting period for gold, silver, and copper sales. Average realized price includes realized gains and losses from gold hedge settlements up until May 15, 2013 but excludes from revenues unrealized gains and losses on non-hedged derivative contracts and the revenue reduction related to the non-cash accounting charge as the loss incurred on the monetization of the Company’s legacy hedge position is realized into income over the original term of the hedge contract.

Average realized price is intended to provide additional information only and does not have any standardized definition under IFRS; it should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. Other companies may calculate this measure differently and this measure is unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies.

AVERAGE REALIZED PRICE RECONCILIATION
 
 
 Three months ended June 30
Six months ended June 30
(in millions of U.S. dollars, except where noted)
2014
2013
2014
2013
Revenues from gold sales
110.5
125.1
233.5
267.3
Ounces of gold sold
 84,736
 98,037
 178,788
 193,218
Average realized price per ounce of gold sold
 1,304
 1,276
 1,306
 1,383


 
ENTERPRISE RISK MANAGEMENT
Readers of this MD&A should give careful consideration to the information included or incorporated by reference in this document and the Company’s unaudited consolidated financial statements and related notes, as well as other continuous disclosure documents. Significant risk factors for the Company are metal prices, government regulations, foreign operations, environmental compliance, the ability to obtain additional financing, risk relating to recent acquisitions, dependence on management, title to the Company’s mineral properties, and litigation. For details of risk factors, please refer to the 2013 year end audited consolidated financial statements and our latest Annual Information Form, dated March 28, 2014 and filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
 
GENERAL RISKS
 
Environmental Risk
The Company is subject to environmental regulation in Canada, the United States, Australia and Mexico, where it operates, as well as in Canada and Chile with respect to its development properties.  In addition, the Company will be subject to environmental regulation in any other jurisdictions where it may operate or have development properties. These regulations address, among other things, endangered and protected species, emissions, noise, air and water quality standards, land use and reclamation. They also set out limitations on the generation, transportation, storage and disposal of solid, liquid and hazardous waste.
 
 
36

 

Environmental legislation is evolving in a manner which will require, in certain jurisdictions, 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 companies and their officers, directors and employees. No certainty exists that future changes in environmental regulation, or the application of such regulations, if any, will not adversely affect the Company’s operations or development properties. The Company cannot give any assurance that, notwithstanding its precautions, breaches of environmental laws (whether inadvertent or not) or environmental pollution will not materially and adversely affect its financial condition and results from operations.  Environmental hazards may exist on the Company’s properties which are unknown to management at present and which have been caused by previous owners or operators of the properties.
Failure to comply with any applicable laws, regulations or permitting requirements may result in enforcement actions against the Company, including orders issued by regulatory or judicial authorities causing operations to cease or be curtailed, and may include corrective measures requiring capital expenditures, installation of additional equipment or remedial actions.  The Company could be forced to compensate those suffering loss or damage by reason of its mining operations or exploration or development activities and could face civil or criminal fines or penalties imposed for violations of applicable laws or regulations.  Any such regulatory or judicial action could materially increase the Company’s operating costs and delay or curtail the Company’s operations.
 
Other Regulatory Risk
The Company is and will also be subject to other government regulations such as tax reforms. New Gold is continuing to monitor the progress of changes in tax reform in the Company’s mining jurisdictions.
 
The 2014 Chilean Tax Reform Bill was announced on April 1 2014. This has not been enacted yet however if the proposals are enacted as proposed then the deferred tax liability in relation to the purchase price bump relating to the El Morro and the Rio Figueroa mines could increase materially.
 
FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT
The Company holds a mixture of financial instruments, which are classified and measured as follows. For a discussion of the methods used to value financial instruments, as well as any significant assumptions, refer to Note 2 of the audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2013.

 
As at June 30, 2014
(in millions of U.S. dollars)
Loans and
receivables
at amortized
cost
Fair Value
through
Profit & Loss
Available for
 sale at fair
value
Financial
liabilities at
amortized
cost
Total
Financial assets
         
   Cash and cash equivalents
 414.0
-
-
-
 414.0
   Trade and other receivables
 53.2
-
-
-
 53.2
   Provisionally prices contracts
-
 4.3
-
-
 4.3
   Copper swap contracts
-
 (5.0)
-
-
 (5.0)
   Investments
-
-
 0.6
-
 0.6
Financial liabilities
         
   Trade and other payables
-
-
-
 100.0
 100.0
   Long-term debt
-
-
-
 870.5
 870.5
   Warrants
-
 32.4
-
-
 32.4
   Share award units
-
 2.0
-
-
 2.0


 
37

 
 
 
As at December 31, 2013
 
(in millions of U.S. dollars)
Loans and
receivables
at amortized
cost
Fair Value
through
Profit & Loss
Available for
sale at fair
value
Financial
liabilities at
amortized
cost
Total
 
Financial assets
           
   Cash and cash equivalents
 414.4
-
-
-
 414.4
 
   Trade and other receivables
 20.5
-
-
-
 20.5
 
   Provisionally priced contracts
-
 1.3
-
-
 1.3
 
   Copper swap contracts
-
 (2.5)
-
-
 (2.5)
 
   Investments
-
-
 0.5
-
 0.5
 
Financial liabilities
           
   Trade and other payables(1)
-
-
-
 88.6
 88.6
 
   Long-term debt
-
-
-
 862.5
 862.5
 
   Warrants
-
 27.8
-
-
 27.8
 
   Performance share units
-
 0.8
-
-
 0.8
 
   Share award units
-
 0.9
-
-
 0.9
 
 
(1)
Trade and other payables excludes the short term portion of reclamation and closure cost obligation.
 
The Company examines the various financial instrument risks to which it is exposed and assesses the impact and likelihood of those risks. These risks may include credit risk, liquidity risk, market risk and other price risks. Where material, these risks are reviewed and monitored by the Board of Directors.
 
Credit Risk
Credit risk is the risk of an unexpected loss arising if a party to the Company’s financial instruments fails to meet its contractual obligations. The Company’s financial assets are primarily composed of cash and cash equivalents, investments and trade and other receivables. Credit risk is primarily associated with trade and other receivables and investments; however, it also arises on cash and cash equivalents. To mitigate exposure to credit risk, the Company has established policies to limit the concentration of credit risk, to ensure counterparties demonstrate minimum acceptable credit worthiness, and to ensure liquidity of available funds.

The Company closely monitors its financial assets and does not have any significant concentration of credit risk. The Company sells its gold exclusively to large international organizations with strong credit ratings. The historical level of customer defaults is minimal and, as a result, the credit risk associated with gold and copper concentrate trade receivables at June 30, 2014 is not considered to be high.

The Company’s maximum exposure to credit risk at June 30, 2014 and 2013 is as follows:
 
 
June 30
December 31
(in millions of U.S. dollars)
2014
2013
Cash and cash equivalents
 414.0
 414.4
Trade receivables
 52.5
 19.3
Total financial instruments subject to credit risk
 466.5
 433.7

The aging of accounts receivable at June 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013 is as follows:
           
June 30
December 31
(in millions of U.S. dollars)
0-30
days
31-60
days
61-90
days
91-120
days
Over 120
days
2014
Total
2013
Total
New Afton(1)
 3.0
 4.3
 -
 1.7
 -
 9.0
 5.9
Mesquite
 0.7
 -
 -
 -
 -
 0.7
 0.4
Peak Mines(1)
 3.1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 3.1
 3.0
Cerro San Pedro
 2.0
 1.9
 1.9
 1.8
 10.0
 17.6
 8.5
Rainy River
 0.4
 -
 -
 -
 -
 0.4
 0.8
Blackwater
 21.4
 -
 -
 -
 -
 21.4
 0.5
Corporate
 0.3
 -
 -
 -
 -
 0.3
 0.2
Total trade receivables
 30.9
 6.2
 1.9
 3.5
 10.0
 52.5
 19.3
 
(1)
 
Unsettled provisionally priced concentrate contracts and copper swap contracts are expected to settle between July 2014 to January 2015.
 
 
A significant portion of the Company’s cash and cash equivalents is held in large Canadian financial institutions. Short-term investments (including those presented as part of cash and cash equivalents) are composed of financial instruments issued by Canadian banks with high investment-grade ratings and the governments of Canada and the U.S.
 
The Company employs a restrictive investment policy as detailed in the capital risk management section, which is described in Note 20 to our audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2013.
 
 
 
38

 
 
The Company sells its gold and copper concentrate production from New Afton to six different customers under off-take contracts. The Company sells its gold and copper concentrate production from Peak Mines to one customer under an off-take contract. While there are alternative customers in the market, loss of this customer or unexpected termination of the off-take contract could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
 
The Company is not economically dependent on a limited number of customers for the sale of its gold because gold can be sold through numerous commodity market traders worldwide.
 
Liquidity risk
Liquidity risk is the risk that the Company will not be able to meet its financial obligations as they fall due. The Company manages liquidity risk through the management of its capital structure and financial leverage, as outlined in Note 20 to our audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2013.
 
The following are the contractual maturities of debt commitments.  The amounts presented represent the future undiscounted principal and interest cash flows, and therefore, do not equate to the carrying amounts on the consolidated statements of financial position.
 
          
June 30
December 31
(in millions of U.S. dollars)
Less than
1 year
2-3
4-5
years
After 5
years
2014
Total
2013
Total
 years
Trade and other payables
 101.3
 0.3
 -
 -
 101.6
 90.2
Long-term debt
 -
-
 -
 885.6
 885.6
 878.4
Interest payable on long-term debt
 52.3
 104.5
 104.5
 130.4
 391.7
 417.8
Provisionally priced contracts net of copper swap contracts
 (0.7)
 -
 -
 -
 (0.7)
 (2.5)
 
 153.1
 104.8
 104.5
 1,016.0
 1,378.4
 1,383.9
 
Taking into consideration the Company’s current cash position, volatile equity markets, global uncertainty in the capital markets and increasing cost pressures, the Company is continuing to review expenditures in order to ensure adequate liquidity and flexibility to support its growth strategy while maintaining production levels at its current operations. A period of continuous low gold and copper prices may necessitate the deferral of capital expenditures which may impact production from mining operations. These statements are based on the current financial position of the Company and are subject to change if any acquisitions or external growth opportunities are realized.
 
Currency Risk
The Company operates in Canada, the United States, Australia, Mexico and Chile. As a result, the Company has foreign currency exposure with respect to items not denominated in U.S. dollars. The three main types of foreign exchange risk for the Company can be categorized as follows:
 
i. Transaction exposure
The Company’s operations sell commodities and incur costs in different currencies. This creates exposure at the operational level, which may affect the Company’s profitability as exchange rates fluctuate. The Company has not hedged its exposure to currency fluctuations.
 
ii. Exposure to currency risk
The Company is exposed to currency risk through the following assets and liabilities denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar: cash and cash equivalents; investments; accounts receivable; reclamation deposits; accounts payable and accruals; reclamation and closure cost obligations; and long-term debt. The currencies of the Company’s financial instruments and other foreign currency denominated liabilities, based on notional amounts, were as follows:
 
As at June 30, 2014
(in millions of U.S. dollars)
Canadian dollar
Australian dollar
Mexican peso
Chilean peso
Cash and cash equivalents
 27.4
 1.7
 3.0
-
Trade and other receivables
 28.7
 3.1
 17.6
 -
Trade and other payables
 (33.4)
 (12.2)
 (24.1)
 -
Reclamation and closure cost obligations
 (19.4)
 (17.9)
 (18.7)
 -
Warrants
 (32.4)
 -
 -
 -
Share award units
 (0.7)
 (0.5)
 (0.6)
 -
Gross balance exposure
 (29.8)
 (28.6)
 (22.8)
 -

 
39

 

 
As at December 31, 2013
(in millions of U.S. dollars)
Canadian dollar
Australian dollar
Mexican peso
Chilean peso
Cash and cash equivalents
 61.5
 2.0
 0.8
 -
Trade and other receivables
 7.3
 3.0
 8.6
 -
Trade and other payables
 (41.3)
 (22.2)
 (22.6)
 -
Reclamation and closure cost obligations
 (17.3)
 (15.6)
 (18.6)
 -
Warrants
 (27.8)
 -
 -
 -
Share award units
 (1.6)
 -
 -
 -
Gross balance exposure
 (19.2)
 (32.8)
 (31.8)
 -

iii. Translation exposure
The Company’s functional and reporting currency is U.S. dollars. The Company’s operations translate their operating results from the host currency to U.S. dollars. Therefore, exchange rate movements in the Canadian dollar, Australian dollar, Mexican peso and Chilean peso can have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated operating results. A 10% strengthening (weakening) of the U.S. dollar against the following currencies would have decreased (increased) the Company’s net loss from the financial instruments presented by the amounts shown below.
 
  
June 30
December 31
(in millions of U.S. dollars)
2014
2013
Canadian dollar
 (3.0)
 (1.9)
Australian dollar
 (2.9)
 (3.3)
Mexican peso
 (2.3)
 (3.2)
Chilean peso
-
-
Total translation risk exposure
 (8.1)
 (8.4)

Interest Rate Risk
Interest rate risk is the risk that the fair value or the future cash flows of a financial instrument will fluctuate because of changes in market interest rates. All of the Company’s outstanding debt obligations are fixed and are therefore not exposed to changes in market interest rates. The Credit Facility interest is variable; however, the Credit Facility is undrawn as at June 30, 2014.

The Company is exposed to interest rate risk on its short-term investments which are included in cash and cash equivalents. The short-term investment interest earned is based on prevailing money market and bank account interest rates which may fluctuate. A 1.0% change in the interest rate would result in an annual difference of approximately $4.0 million in interest earned by the Company. The Company has not entered into any derivative contracts to manage this risk.

Price Risk
The Company’s earnings and cash flows are subject to price risk due to fluctuations in the market prices of gold, silver and copper. Gold prices have historically fluctuated widely. Gold prices are affected by numerous factors beyond the Company’s control, including:

·
the strength of the U.S. economy and the economies of other industrialized and developing nations;
·
global or regional political or economic conditions;
·
the relative strength of the U.S. dollar and other currencies;
·
expectations with respect to the rate of inflation;
·
interest rates;
·
purchases and sales of gold by central banks and other large holders, including speculators;
·
demand for jewellery containing gold; and
·
investment activity, including speculation, in gold as a commodity.

For the quarter ended June 30, 2014, the Company’s revenues and cash flows were impacted by gold prices in the range of $1,243 to $1,319 per ounce, and by copper prices in the range of $2.99 to $3.18 per pound. There is a time lag between the shipment of gold and copper and final pricing, and changes in pricing can significantly impact the Company’s revenue and working capital position. As at June 30, 2014, working capital includes unpriced gold and copper concentrate receivables totalling 34,700 ounces of gold and 44.2 million pounds of copper. A $100 change in the gold price per ounce would have an impact of $3.5 million on the Company’s working capital. A $0.10 change in the copper price per pound would have an impact of $4.4 million on the Company’s working capital position.
 
The Company is also subject to price risk for fluctuations in the cost of energy, principally electricity and purchased petroleum products. The Company’s costs are affected by the prices of commodities and other inputs it consumes or uses in its operations, such as lime, sodium cyanide and explosives.  The prices of such commodities and inputs are influenced by supply and demand trends affecting the mining industry in general and other factors outside our control. Increases in the price for materials consumed in the Company’s mining and production activities could materially adversely affect its results of operations and financial condition. The Company has no fuel hedge contracts at this time.
 
 
 
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The Company is also subject to price risk for changes in the Company’s common stock price per share. The Company has implemented, as part of its long-term incentive plan, a share award unit plan that the Company is required to satisfy in cash upon vesting. The amount of cash the Company will be required to expend is dependent upon the price per common share at the time of vesting. The Company considers this plan a financial liability and is required to fair value the outstanding liability with the resulting changes included in compensation expense each period.
 
An increase in gold, copper and silver prices would increase the Company’s net earnings whereas an increase in fuel or share unit award prices would decrease the Company’s net earnings. A 10% change in commodity prices would impact the Company’s net earnings before taxes and other comprehensive income before taxes as follows:

 
Three months ended June 30
 
2014
2014
2013
2013
(in millions of U.S. dollars)
Net earnings
Other
Comprehensive
Income
Net earnings
Other
Comprehensive
Income
Gold price
 11.0
 -
 12.5
 -
Silver price
 0.6
-
 6.0
-
Copper price
 7.5
-
 0.9
-
Fuel price
 1.6
-
 3.4
-
Warrants
 3.2
-
 3.4
-
Share aware units
 0.5
-
 0.4
-
Total price risk exposure
 24.4
 -
 26.6
 -
         
 
Six months ended June 30
 
2014
2014
2013
2013
(in millions of U.S. dollars)
Net earnings
Other
Comprehensive
Income
Net earnings
Other
Comprehensive
Income
Gold price
 23.4
 -
 27.3
 -
Silver price
 1.3
-
 2.0
-
Copper price
 14.9
-
 12.2
-
Fuel price
 3.4
-
 5.1
-
Warrants
 3.2
-
 3.4
-
Share aware units
 0.5
-
 0.4
-
Total price risk exposure
 46.7
 -
 50.4
 -


 
CRITICAL JUDGMENTS AND ESTIMATION UNCERTAINTIES
The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with IFRS requires the Company’s management to make judgments, estimates and assumptions about the future events that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and related notes to the financial statements. Estimates and assumptions are continually evaluated and are based on management’s experience and other facts and circumstances. Revisions to estimates and the resulting effects on the carrying amounts of the Company’s assets and liabilities are accounted for prospectively.
 
The areas which require management to make significant judgments, estimates and assumptions in determining carrying values include, but are not limited to:
 
CRITICAL JUDGMENTS IN THE APPLICATION OF ACCOUNTING POLICIES
 
(i) Commencement of commercial production
Prior to the period when a mine has reached management’s intended operating levels, costs incurred as part of the development of the related mining property are capitalized and any mineral sales during the commissioning period are offset against the costs capitalized. The Company defines the commencement of commercial production as the date that a mine has achieved a consistent level of production. Depletion of capitalized costs for mining properties begins when operating levels intended by management have been reached.
 
 
 
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There are a number of factors the Company considers when determining if conditions exist for the commencement of commercial production of an operating mine. Management examines the following when making that judgment:
 
 
·
All major capital expenditures to bring the mine to the condition necessary for it to be capable of operating in the manner intended by management have been completed;
 
·
The completion of a reasonable period of testing of the mine plant and equipment has occurred;
 
·
The mine or mill has reached a pre-determined percentage of design capacity; and
 
·
The ability to sustain ongoing production of ore has been attained.
 
The list is not exhaustive and each specific circumstance is taken into account before making the decision.

(ii) Functional currency
The functional currency for each of the Company’s subsidiaries and equity investments is the currency of the primary economic environment in which the entity operates. The Company has determined the functional currency of each entity as the U.S. dollar. Determination of the functional currency may involve certain judgments to determine the primary economic environment, and the Company reconsiders the functional currency of its entities if there is a change in events and conditions which determines the primary economic environment.
 
(iii) Determination of economic viability
Management has determined that exploratory drilling, evaluation, development and related costs incurred on the Blackwater and Rainy River development projects have future economic benefits and are economically recoverable. In making this judgment, management has assessed various criteria including but not limited to the geologic and metallurgic information, history of conversion of mineral deposits to Proven and Probable Mineral Reserves, operating management expertise, existing permits, the expectation of receiving additional permits and life-of-mine plans.
 
(iv) Carrying value of long-lived assets and impairment charges
In determining whether the impairment of the carrying value of an asset is necessary, management first determines whether there are external or internal indicators that would signal the need to test for impairment. These indicators consist of but are not limited to the prolonged significant decline in commodity prices, unfavourable changes to the legal environment in which the entity operate and evidence of long-term reduced production of the asset. If an impairment indicator is identified, the Company compares the carrying value of the asset against the recoverable amount. These determinations and their individual assumptions require that management make a decision based on the best available information at each reporting period.
 
Indicators of impairment existed at the Cerro San Pedro cash generating unit (“CGU”). At Cerro San Pedro the Company updated its Reserves and Resources statement, which has reduced the Resource estimate at the CGU, and updated the Life of Mine plan, which revised the expected production profile going forward. Additionally a 7.5% tax-deductible mining duty was enacted in Mexico during the second quarter of 2014, which will affect the cash flows at the mine site. The Rainy River and Blackwater projects have also recently published their feasibility studies and, as is standard practice in the industry, the Company tested the projects for impairment. The results of the assessment, including the significant estimates and assumptions used, are set out in Note 11 of the audited consolidated financial statements.
 
(v) Impairment of available for sale securities
In assessing whether there is any objective evidence that suggests that equity securities are impaired, management considers factors which include the length of time and extent the fair value has been below cost, along with management’s assessment of the financial condition, business and other risks of the issuer. Management weighs all these factors to determine the impairment, but to the extent that management judgment may differ from the actual experience of the timing and amount of the recovery of the fair value, the estimate for impairment could change from period to period based upon future events that may or may not occur, and the conclusion for the impairment of the equity securities may differ.
 
(vi) Determination of CGU
In determining a CGU, management had to examine the smallest identifiable group of assets that generates cash inflows largely independent of cash inflows from other assets or groups of assets. The Company has determined that each mine site and development project qualify as an individual CGU. Each of these assets generates cash inflows that are independent of the other assets and therefore qualify as an individual asset for impairment testing purposes.
 
(vii) Determination of purchase price allocation
Business combinations require the Company to determine the identifiable asset and liability fair values and the allocation of the purchase consideration over the fair value of the assets and liabilities. This requires management to make judgments and estimates to determine the fair value, including the amount of Mineral Reserves and Resources acquired, future metal prices, future operating costs, capital expenditure requirements and discount rates. The Company employs third party independent valuators to assist in this process.
 
 
 
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KEY SOURCES OF ESTIMATION UNCERTAINTY IN THE APPLICATION OF ACCOUNTING POLICIES
 
(i) Revenue recognition
Revenue from sales of concentrate is recorded when the rights and rewards of ownership pass to the buyer. Variations between the prices set in the contracts and final settlement prices may be caused by changes in the market prices and result in an embedded derivative in the accounts receivable. The embedded derivative is recorded at fair value each reporting period until final settlement occurs, with changes in the fair value being recorded as revenue. For changes in metal quantities upon receipt of new information and assays, the provisional sales quantities are adjusted as well.
 
(ii) Inventory valuation
Management values inventory at the average production costs or net realizable value (“NRV”). Average production costs include expenditures incurred and depreciation and depletion of assets used in mining and processing activities that are deferred and accumulated as the cost of ore in stockpiles, ore on leach pad, work-in-process and finished metals inventories. The allocation of costs to ore in stockpiles, ore on leach pads and in-process inventories and the determination of NRV involve the use of estimates. Costs are removed from the leach pad based on the average cost per recoverable ounce of gold and silver on the leach pad as gold and silver are recovered. Estimates of recoverable gold and silver on the leach pads are calculated from the quantities of ore placed on the pads, the grade of ore placed on the leach pads and an estimated percentage of recovery. Timing and ultimate recovery of gold contained on leach pads can vary significantly from the estimates.
 
(iii) Mineral Reserves and Resources
The figures for Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources are determined in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (“CIM”) standards as required under National Instrument 43-101, “Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects”, issued by the Canadian Securities Administrators. There are numerous estimates in determining the Mineral Reserves and estimates. Such estimation is a subjective process, and the accuracy of any Mineral Reserve or Resource estimate is a function of the quantity and quality of available data and of the assumptions made and judgments used in engineering and geological interpretation. Differences between management’s assumptions including economic assumptions such as metal prices and market conditions could have a material effect in the future on the Company’s financial position and results of operation.
 
(iv) Estimated recoverable ounces
The carrying amounts of the Company’s mining properties are depleted based on recoverable ounces. Changes to estimates of recoverable ounces and depletable costs including changes resulting from revisions to the Company’s mine plans and changes in metal price forecasts can result in a change to future depletion rates.
 
(v) Deferred income taxes
In assessing the probability of realizing income tax assets recognized, management makes estimates related to expectations of future taxable income, applicable tax planning opportunities, expected timing of reversals of existing temporary differences and the likelihood that tax positions taken will be sustained upon examination by applicable tax authorities. In making its assessments, management gives additional weight to positive and negative evidence that can be objectively verified. Estimates of future taxable income are based on forecasted cash flows from operations and the application of existing tax laws in each jurisdiction. Forecasted cash flows from operations are based on life-of-mine projections internally developed and reviewed by management. The Company considers tax planning opportunities that are within the Company’s control, are feasible and can be implemented without significant obstacles. Examination by applicable tax authorities is supported based on individual facts and circumstances of the relevant tax position examined in light of all available evidence. Where applicable tax laws and regulations are either unclear or subject to ongoing varying interpretations, it is possible that changes in these estimates can occur that materially affect the amounts of income tax asset recognized. At the end of each reporting period, the Company reassesses unrecognized income tax assets.
 
(vi) Reclamation and closure cost obligations
The Company’s provision for reclamation and closure cost obligations represents management’s best estimate of the present value of the future cash outflows required to settle the liability which reflects estimates of future costs, inflation, movements in foreign exchange rates and assumptions of risks associated with the future cash outflows, and the applicable risk-free interest rates for discounting the future cash outflows. Changes in the above factors can result in a change to the provision recognized by the Company.

FUTURE CHANGES IN ACCOUNTING POLICIES
 
Financial instruments
The IASB intends to replace IAS 39 – Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement (“IAS 39”) in its entirety with IFRS 9 – Financial Instruments (“IFRS 9”), however, no mandatory effective date has currently been defined. IFRS 9 requires that all financial assets be classified and subsequently measured at amortized cost or at fair value based on the company’s business model for managing financial assets and the contractual cash
 
 
 
43

 
 
flow characteristics of the financial assets. Financial liabilities are classified as subsequently measured at amortized cost except for financial liabilities classified as at fair value through profit or loss (“FVTPL”), financial guarantees and certain other exceptions. The Company is currently evaluating the impact the final standard is expected to have on its consolidated financial statements.
 

 
CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
DISCLOSURE CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
The Company’s management, with the participation of and under the supervision of its Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, has evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures. Based on that evaluation, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that, as at the end of the period covered by this MD&A, the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective to provide reasonable assurance that the information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports it files is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the appropriate time periods.
 
MANAGEMENT’S REPORT ON INTERNAL CONTROLS OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING
The Company’s management, including the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal controls over financial reporting. Internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, the Company’s principal executive and principal financial officers and effected by the Company’s Board of Directors, management and other personnel, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The Company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that:
 
 
·
Pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company;
 
·
Provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the Company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the Company; and
 
·
Provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detections of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

The Company’s management, including its Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, believe that any internal controls and procedures for financial reporting, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met. Furthermore, the design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints and the benefits of controls must be considered relative to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, they cannot provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, within the Company have been prevented and/or detected. These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision-making can be faulty and breakdowns can occur because of simple error or mistake. Additionally, controls can be circumvented by the individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more people, or by unauthorized override control. The design of any system of controls is also based in part upon certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions. Accordingly, because of the inherent limitations in a cost effective control system, misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and not be detected.
 
The Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (“COSO”) has released an updated version of its Internal Control – Integrated Framework in May 2013 which sets the criteria on which management bases its assessment of the Company’s Internal Control for Financial Reporting. The updated Framework is intended to strengthen the existing Control Framework by taking into account changes in the business environment and operations by developing a more formal structure for the design and evaluation of the effectiveness of internal controls.
 
The updated Framework is effective on December 15, 2013 and management will comply with the new 2013 update COSO Framework on or before December 15, 2014.
 
The Company’s management, under the supervision of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, assessed the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as at June 30, 2014. In making this assessment, it used the criteria set forth in the Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by COSO. Based on its assessment, management has concluded that, as at June 30, 2014, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting is effective based on those criteria.
 
 
 
44

 
 
The Company’s internal control over financial reporting as at December 31, 2013 has been audited by Deloitte LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm who also audited the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2013. Deloitte LLP as stated in their report that immediately precedes the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2013, expressed an unqualified opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
 
CHANGES IN INTERNAL CONTROLS OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING
There has been no change in the Company’s design of internal controls and procedures over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting during the period covered by this MD&A.


 
CAUTIONARY NOTES
 
CAUTIONARY NOTE TO U.S. READERS CONCERNING ESTIMATES OF MINERAL RESERVES AND MINERAL RESOURCES
Information concerning the properties and operations of New Gold has been prepared in accordance with Canadian standards under applicable Canadian securities laws, and may not be comparable to similar information for United States companies. The terms “Mineral Resource”, “Measured Mineral Resource”, “Indicated Mineral Resource” and “Inferred Mineral Resource” used in this MD&A are Canadian mining terms as defined in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (“CIM”) Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves adopted by CIM Council on May 10, 2014 and incorporated by reference in National Instrument 43-101 (“NI 43-101”).  While the terms “Mineral Resource”, “Measured Mineral Resource”, “Indicated Mineral Resource” and “Inferred Mineral Resource” are recognized and required by Canadian securities regulations, they are not defined terms under standards of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.  As such, certain information contained in this MD&A concerning descriptions of mineralization and Resources under Canadian standards is not comparable to similar information made public by United States companies subject to the reporting and disclosure requirements of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
 
An “Inferred Mineral Resource” has a great amount of uncertainty as to its existence and as to its economic and legal feasibility.  Under Canadian rules, estimates of Inferred Mineral Resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an “Inferred Mineral Resource” will ever be upgraded to a higher confidence category. Readers are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an “Inferred Mineral Resource” exists or is economically or legally mineable.
 
Under United States standards, mineralization may not be classified as a “Reserve” unless the determination has been made that the mineralization could be economically and legally produced or extracted at the time the Reserve estimation is made.  Readers are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of the Measured or Indicated Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves will ever be converted into Mineral Reserves. In addition, the definitions of “Proven Mineral Reserves” and “Probable Mineral Reserves” under CIM standards differ in certain respects from the standards of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
 
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain information contained in this MD&A, including any information relating to New Gold’s future financial or operating performance are “forward looking”. All statements in this MD&A, other than statements of historical fact, that address events, results, outcomes or developments that New Gold expects to occur are “forward-looking statements”. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “targeted”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, “projects”, “potential”, “believes” or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “should”, “might” or “will be taken”, “occur” or “be achieved” or the negative connotation of such terms. Forward-looking statements in this MD&A include those under the headings “2014 Outlook”, “Economic Outlook”, “Liquidity and Cash Flow” and “Contractual Obligations”, and include, among others, statements with respect to: guidance for production; total cash costs and all-in sustaining costs, expected mining activities; exploration potential, planned exploration and drilling activities and the goals and expected results of exploration efforts; the adequacy of liquidity and capital resources including cash flows; the estimation of Mineral Reserves and Resources and the realization of such estimates; the results of the Rainy River Feasibility Study, including expected production, costs, mine life, mining and processing methods and rates, grades, stockpiling plan, NPV, IRR, and payback period (and related sensitivities); the timing of permitting activities and environmental assessment processes; expected timing of project development activities, including targeting timing for commissioning and full production at Rainy River; targeted throughput increase at New Afton; timing for commissioning and full production related to the New Afton mill expansion; project activities at El Morro; expected reclamation and closure costs; the outlook for gold prices; and goals for corporate development activities and corporate social responsibility.
 
 
 
45

 
 
All forward-looking statements in this MD&A are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and are subject to important risk factors and uncertainties, many of which are beyond New Gold’s ability to control or predict. Certain material assumptions regarding such forward-looking statements are discussed in this MD&A, New Gold’s Annual Information Form and its Technical Reports filed at www.sedar.com. In addition to, and subject to, such assumptions discussed in more detail elsewhere, the forward-looking statements in this MD&A are also subject to the following assumptions: (1) there being no significant disruptions affecting New Gold’s operations; (2) political and legal developments in jurisdictions where New Gold operates, or may in the future operate, being consistent with New Gold’s current expectations; (3) the accuracy of New Gold’s current Mineral Reserve and Resource estimates; (4) the exchange rate between the Canadian dollar, U.S. dollar, Australian dollar and Mexican peso being approximately consistent with current levels; (5) prices for diesel, natural gas, fuel oil, electricity and other key supplies being approximately consistent with current levels; (6) labour and materials costs increasing on a basis consistent with New Gold’s current expectations; (7) permitting and arrangements with First Nations and other Aboriginal groups with respect to the Rainy River and Blackwater projects being consistent with New Gold’s current expectations; (8) all environmental approvals (including the environmental assessment processes for the Rainy River and Blackwater projects), required permits, licenses and authorizations being obtained from the relevant governments and other relevant stakeholders within the expected timelines; and (9) the results of the feasibility studies for the Rainy River project and the Blackwater project being realized.
 
Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on estimates and assumptions that are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, without limitation: significant capital requirements; price volatility in the spot and forward markets for commodities; fluctuations in the international currency markets and in the rates of exchange of the currencies of Canada, the United States, Australia, Mexico and Chile; discrepancies between actual and estimated production, between actual and estimated Reserves and Resources and between actual and estimated metallurgical recoveries; changes in national and local government legislation in Canada, the United States, Australia, Mexico and Chile or any other country in which New Gold currently or may in the future carry on business; taxation; controls, regulations and political or economic developments in the countries in which New Gold does or may carry on business; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, including the risks of obtaining and maintaining the validity and enforceability of the necessary licenses and permits and complying with the permitting requirements of each jurisdiction in which New Gold operates, including, but not limited to: in Canada, obtaining the necessary permits for the Rainy River and Blackwater projects; in Mexico, where Cerro San Pedro has a history of ongoing legal challenges related to our environmental authorization (EIS); and in Chile, where certain activities by El Morro have been delayed due to litigation relating to its environmental permit. The lack of certainty with respect to foreign legal systems, which may not be immune from the influence of political pressure, corruption or other factors that are inconsistent with the rule of law; the uncertainties inherent to current and future legal challenges New Gold is or may become a party to; diminishing quantities or grades of Reserves; competition; loss of key employees; additional funding requirements; rising costs of labour, supplies, fuel and equipment; actual results of current exploration or reclamation activities; uncertainties inherent to mining economic studies including the feasibility studies for the Rainy River and Blackwater projects; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; accidents; labour disputes; defective title to mineral claims or property or contests over claims to mineral properties; unexpected delays and costs inherent to consulting and accommodating rights of First Nations and other Aboriginal groups; uncertainties with respect to obtaining all necessary surface and other land use rights or tenure for the Rainy River project; uncertainties and unanticipated delays associated with obtaining and maintaining necessary licenses, permits and authorizations and complying with permitting requirements, including those associated with the environmental assessment processes for the Rainy River and Blackwater projects. In addition, there are risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining, including environmental events and hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins, flooding and gold bullion losses (and the risk of inadequate insurance or inability to obtain insurance to cover these risks) as well as “Risk Factors” included in New Gold’s disclosure documents filed on and available at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results and future events could materially differ from those anticipated in such statements. All of the forward-looking statements contained in this MD&A are qualified by these cautionary statements. New Gold expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, events or otherwise, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
 
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
The scientific and technical information contained in this MD&A has been reviewed and approved by Mark A. Petersen, Vice President, Exploration, at New Gold. Mr. Peterson is an AIPG Certified Professional Geologist and a “Qualified Person” under National Instrument 43-101.
 
 
 
46

 
 
The estimates of Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources discussed in this MD&A may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, sociopolitical, marketing and other relevant issues. New Gold’s Annual Information Form dated March 28, 2014, New Gold’s December 12, 2013 news release entitled “New Gold Announces Blackwater Feasibility Study Results” and the related Technical Report filed on January 22, 2014, New Gold’s January 16, 2014 news release entitled “New Gold Announces its Rainy River Feasibility Study Results” and related Technical Report filed on February 14, 2014 and the NI 43-101 Technical Reports for its other material properties, all of which are available at www.sedar.com, contain further details regarding Mineral Reserve and Resource estimates, classification and reporting parameters for each of New Gold's mineral properties.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
47