08-13
Fronteer
Development Group Inc. ("Fronteer" or the "Company")
(FRG – TSX/AMEX) reports its financial and operating results for the
three months ended March 31, 2008. Details of the Company’s
financial results are described in the unaudited consolidated financial
statements and Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the three
months ended March 31, 2008. Further details on each of
Fronteer’s projects and activities can be found on the
Company’s website: http://www.fronteergroup.com and on SEDAR at http://www.sedar.com. All amounts are presented in Canadian
dollars unless otherwise stated.
Overview
The Company is a gold-focused
exploration and development company committed to discovering and advancing
big deposits with strong production potential. The Company’s vision
is to become a multi-billion-dollar, gold-growth Company advancing a
pipeline of projects stretching from exploration through to production.
The Company has
an interest in several major gold and copper-gold projects throughout
Nevada, USA and northwest Turkey. Among its large portfolio of precious
metal mineral rights in Nevada, the company’s key projects include
Northumberland, one of the largest undeveloped Carlin-style gold deposits
in the state; Long Canyon, a discovery defining an entirely new gold trend
in the Eastern Great Basin; and, Sandman, a property which Newmont Mining
Corporation ("Newmont"), subject to finalizing a formal
joint-venture agreement, has the option of advancing to a production decision
within 36 months. In Turkey, Fronteer has built and retained a 40% interest
in a new mineral district that includes two gold deposits and a copper-gold
porphyry deposit, called Agi Dagi, Kirazli and Halilaga, respectively. Fronteer
is also the founding and largest shareholder at 42.2% of Aurora Energy
Resources Inc. ("Aurora") a company focused on advancing a
pipeline of growing uranium deposits in Labrador, Canada. Aurora is
listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol AXU.
Significant
Events
Significant events for the three
months ending March 31, 2008, through the date of this release
are:
- Signing of a letter of intent with
Newmont where Newmont may earn an initial 51% interest in Sandman by
spending a minimum US$14 million on exploration and making a
production decision supported by a bankable feasibility study, a
commitment to fund and construct and, the undertaking to advance
necessary permits within 36 months. Newmont may earn an
additional 9% interest in Sandman by spending a further US$9 million
on development. Fronteer retains a 2% NSR on production of the
first 310,000
ounces at Sandman. Fronteer can also elect to
have Newmont arrange financing for its 40% of development costs.
- Fronteer retains a 100% interest in the
Northumberland Project and through the above mentioned Sandman deal
will gain access to Newmont’s N2TEC flotation technology for
Northumberland.
- The Nunatsiavut government in Labrador voted
eight-to-seven in favour of implementing a three-year moratorium on
the working, production, mining and development of uranium on Labrador
Inuit lands, which directly affects the Company’s investment in
Aurora. Uranium exploration is unaffected by the
moratorium.
Exploration
Projects
Exploration and acquisition
expenditures, net of recoveries but including stock based compensation, for
the three months ended March 31, 2008 and 2007 totaled $305,093 and
$205,392 in Turkey (including costs added to Investment in Turkish
Properties), and $75,085 and $108,548 in the Yukon, Canada, respectively.
For the three months ended March 31, 2008, the Company has also expended
$2,830,107 on its properties in Nevada, USA. The properties in Nevada
were acquired with the purchase of NewWest Gold Corporation in September
2007, and thus there are no expenditures for the corresponding three months
ended March 31, 2007.
The Company has
a cash exploration budget of approximately US$14,000,000 for its Nevada
assets in 2008, while Teck Cominco Limited’s Turkish subsidiary
("TCAM") has proposed a total budget of approximately
US$4,600,000 for the Agi Dagi, Kirazli and Halilaga projects in Turkey,
US$3,000,000 of which relates to Halilaga which will be solely funded by
TCAM. Aurora is currently evaluating its exploration and development
budgets for 2008, in
light of the Nunatsiavut government moratorium decision. Permitting
delays at the southwest portion of Long Canyon, the Central Zone at
Halilaga and Kirazli may delay the start of drilling. However,
drilling has now commenced on the permitted sections of Long Canyon and
Halilaga.
Selected
Financial Data
This summary of selected
financial data should be read in conjunction with the Management Discussion
and Analysis ("MD&A") and the unaudited consolidated
financial statements and related notes thereto for the periods indicated.
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Three months ended March 31,
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2008
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2007
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Net loss
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(6,223,412)
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(1,142,677)
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Basic and diluted
earnings per share
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(0.07)
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(0.02)
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Cash used in operations
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(2,481,501)
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(1,264,441)
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Cash invested in
mineral properties and deferred exploration
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1,693,286
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563,853
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Cash generated by
financing activities
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97,800
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62,686,357
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As at
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March 31, 2008
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December 31, 2007
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Cash and cash equivalents
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98,523,118
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99,039,334
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Working capital
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98,463,531
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96,903,057
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Investment in Aurora (1)
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76,317,901
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76,696,684
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Investment in Turkish Properties (2)
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12,634,985
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12,957,378
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Exploration
properties & deferred exploration expenditures
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226,547,378
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223,852,971
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Total assets
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419,648,592
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426,437,437
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Asset retirement obligations
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1,282,493
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1,252,254
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Shareholders’ equity
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360,796,401
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366,849,777
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(1)
The Company accounts for its investment
in Aurora using the equity method of accounting. At March 31, 2008,
the Company owns 42.2% (December 31, 2007-42.3%) of Aurora. Total
market capitalization of Aurora at March 31, 2008, was approximately $395
million (December 31, 2007 - $989 million).
(2)
The Company began to account for its
investments in the Agi Dagi, Kirazli and Halilaga projects as an equity
accounted investment in 2007. The Company owns 40% of three TCAM
subsidiaries.
Company’s net loss for the three months ended
March 31, 2008 was $6,223,412 or $0.07 per share compared to net loss of
$1,142,677 or $0.02 for three months ended March 31, 2007.
Contributing to the period-over-period differences was the recognition of
increased operating expenses such as, stock-based compensation, wages and
benefits, property investigation, office and general, and accounting and
audit. Also the Company experienced increases in other expenses such
as foreign exchange and changes in the fair value of financial
instruments. Offsetting the above noted increases in operating
expenses were the recognition of a gain on the sale of a long term
investment and increased interest income on cash reserves.
Stock-based compensation expense (a non-cash expense)
for the three months ended March 31, 2008 increased to $4,063,294 from
$144,367 for the three months ended March 31, 2007. Stock-based
compensation expense is comprised of the fair value of stock options
granted to employees, directors and consultants, using the Black-Scholes
option pricing model. The Company also recognized an unrealized
foreign exchange loss of $1,621,421, primarily relating to the translation
of a US$ denominated future income tax liability.
During the quarter, the Company realized a gain of $1,768,235,
on the sale of shares of Latin American Minerals Inc. ("LAT").
Liquidity
At
March 31, 2008, the Company had cash on its balance sheet of $98,523,118
and working capital of $98,463,531 as compared to cash of $99,039,334 and
working capital of $96,903,057 at December 31, 2007. The change in
cash and working capital of $516,216 and $1,560,474, respectively, is
primarily due to cash exploration expenditures of $1,693,286 and cash used
in operations of $2,481,501 during the period, offset by the sale of the
Company’s investment in LAT which brought in proceeds of $5,295,450.
The Company currently has no operating revenues other
than interest income and relies primarily on equity financing as well as
the exercise of options to fund its exploration and administrative
costs.
About Fronteer
Fronteer
is an exploration and development company with a track record of making big
discoveries. Fronteer has a 40% interest in three excellent gold and
copper-gold projects in western Turkey, an extensive portfolio of advanced
stage gold projects in Nevada, and a 42.2% interest in Aurora Energy
Resources (TSX – AXU), a leading Canadian uranium company. For
further information on Fronteer visit www.fronteergroup.com
or contact:
Mark O’Dea, Ph.D, P.Geo President and CEO
Sean Tetzlaff, Chief Financial Officer
PH) 604-632-4677 or Toll Free 1-877-632-4677
info@fronteergroup.com
Except for the statements of historical fact
contained herein, certain information presented constitutes
"forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United
States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such
forward-looking statements, including but not limited to, those with
respect to potential expansion of mineralization, potential for production, potential timing of receipt of permits and
exploration, project registration and classification of future mineral
resources and potential size
of mineralized zones/deposits, timing of resource estimate and size and
type of exploration program involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties
and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or
achievement of Fronteer to be materially different from any future results,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking
statements. Such factors include, among others, risks related to
international operations and joint ventures , the actual results of current
exploration activities, conclusions of economic evaluations, uncertainty in
the estimation of ore reserves and mineral resources, changes in project
parameters as plans continue to be refined, future prices of gold, silver
and copper, environmental risks and hazards, increased infrastructure
and/or operating costs, labor and employment matters, relationships with
aboriginal peoples and government regulation as well as those factors
discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in Fronteer’s
Annual Information form and Fronteer’s latest Form 40-F on file with
the United States Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, D.C.
Although Fronteer has attempted to identify important factors that could
cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that
cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be
no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual
results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in
such statements. Fronteer disclaims any intention or obligation to update
or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise. Accordingly, readers should not
place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
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