Golden Minerals Company (TSX:AUM)

[basserdan]

Golden Minerals Reports 2011 Year-End Results

March 08, 2012 17:51 ET

GOLDEN, CO--(Marketwire - Mar 8, 2012) - Golden Minerals Company ("Golden Minerals" or the "Company") (NYSE Amex: AUMN) (TSX: AUM) announces 2011 year-end results.

For the period January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011, Golden Minerals recorded revenue of $1.8 million from the sale of metals and a net loss from operations of $62.7 million. The portion of the net loss related to the Company's mining operations totaled $6.1 million for the cost of metals sold, which included $3.8 million of write-downs of metals inventory to net realizable value. The remainder of the net loss included $27.3 million of expense associated with advancement of the El Quevar project, $17.8 million of exploration expense, $8.7 million of corporate general and administrative expenses and $7.2 million of costs associated with the ECU transaction, consisting primarily of professional fees and severance related costs for several ECU executives. Other income of $11.6 million related primarily to net proceeds received from the settlement of an arbitration claim.

The Company's cash and cash equivalents balance totaled $48.6 million at December 31, 2011. The decrease in cash and short-term investments in 2011 resulted primarily from the $67.1 million in expenses described above, $15.7 million advanced to ECU for operating costs prior to the business combination and $20.9 million following the ECU transaction to retire ECU's debt obligations. These expenditures were partially offset by the Company's receipt of approximately $30.6 million net proceeds from the private placement of common stock to The Sentient Group and the $11.6 million in settlement proceeds referenced in the preceding paragraph. If the Company achieves production in 2012 as projected in its recent guidance, and assuming that silver, gold, zinc and lead prices continue at current levels, the Company expects to have sufficient cash to advance its long term business strategy in 2012, including investing approximately $24 million in capital and development costs for the phased expansion at the Velardeña operations.

The Company has previously announced its strategic focus on increasing production from Velardeña with the objective of becoming self funding for future growth. As part of that strategy, the Company plans to rationalize its large portfolio of exploration properties in Mexico, Peru and Argentina with the objective of monetizing those properties where appropriate and reducing expenditures at other properties.

About Golden Minerals

Golden Minerals is a Delaware corporation based in Golden, Colorado, primarily engaged in the ramp-up and expansion of existing production at the Velardeña and Chicago Mines in Mexico and advancement of the evaluation stage El Quevar project in Argentina.

http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/golden-minerals-reports-2011-year-end-results-nyse-amex-aumn-1629969.htm
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Click on the link below to view the MD&A (Management's Discussion and Analysis} in AUMN's Annual Report.

http://biz.yahoo.com/e/120308/aumn10-k.html