Trevali Reports Q2-2018 Financial Results

Trevali Mining Corporation (“Trevali” or the “Company”) (TSX:TV; OTCQX:TREVF; Frankfurt:4TI) has released financial results for the three and six months ending June 30, 2018. Second quarter (“Q2”) net income was $23.5 million ($0.03 per share) and EBITDA(1) was $59 million on net revenues of $134 million.

Highlights:

• Consolidated Q2 zinc production of 103.9 million payable pounds. First-half 2018 consolidated zinc production was 202.6 million payable pounds, on-track with 2018 production and cost guidance.
• Total Cash Operating Costs and All-In Sustaining Costs decreased on a quarter to quarter basis to $0.68 and $0.85 per pound of payable zinc produced respectively, net of by-product credits.
• Q2 net revenues of $134 million and $249 million for the six months ending June 30, 2018 – a 16.5% increase in net revenues quarter-to-quarter.
• Net income of $23.5 million ($0.03 per share) in Q2 and first-half 2018 net income of $52 million ($0.06 per share). Net income was adversely affected due to downward provisional pricing adjustments.
• Q2 EBIDTA(1) of $59 million ($0.07 per share) and first-half 2018 EBIDTA(1) of $117 million ($0.14 per share).
• Cash and cash equivalents of $102 million.
• Working capital of $160 million.
• Debt reduction of $16 million year-to-date on the Term Facility as part of the long-term debt repayment schedule.
• Net debt of $149 million as of June 30, 2018; total liquidity, including cash and available credit facilities, of $128.1 million and a 1.1 debt/EBIDTA(1) ratio (0.5 on an annualised basis).
• Continued focus on organic growth and optimization during the quarter – advanced 2018 exploration goals reporting material high grade zinc intercepts at Perkoa, acquired an additional 10% of Rosh Pinah for US$23.1 million (increasing our ownership to 90%) and purchased new power generators at Perkoa.

(1) EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) of a business gives an indication of its current operational profitability and is a non-IFRS measure and is calculated on 100% basis. Please refer to “Use of Non-IFRS Financial Performance Measures” below.

This news release should be read in conjunction with Trevali’s unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and management’s discussion and analysis for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018, which is available on Trevali’s website and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Certain financial information is reported herein using non-IFRS measures. Please refer to “Use of Non-IFRS Financial Performance Measures” below.

“As per plan, we saw increased zinc production in the second quarter and the Company remains on track to achieve both annual production and cost guidance,” stated Dr. Mark Cruise, Trevali’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “The overall improvements, versus the first quarter, reflect continued strong performance at Perkoa, a return to normal capacity at Santander and decreasing seasonal effects at Caribou. Unfortunately, Rosh Pinah had a challenging quarter; however, we anticipate significant improvement in the second half of the year as we focus on optimizing operations, specifically underground mining efficiency and productivity.”

Q2-2018 Financial Results Conference Call:
The Company will host a conference call and webcast at 10:30AM Eastern Time on Thursday, August 9, 2018 to review the Q2-2018 operating and financial results. Participants are advised to dial in 5 minutes prior to the scheduled start time of the call.

Conference call dial-in details:
Date: Thursday, August 9, 2018 at 10:30AM Eastern Time
Toll-free (North America): 1-877-291-4570
International: 1-647-788-4919
Webcast: https://www.gowebcasting.com/9331

Consolidated Financial Results ($ millions, except per-share amounts)

Consolidated Production Results

Consolidated Sales Results

(1) Q2-2017 and six months June 30, 2017 consolidated production and sales are from the Santander and Caribou mines only. Trevali acquired the Perkoa and Rosh Pinah mines on August 31, 2017.
(2) Please refer to “Use of Non-IFRS Financial Performance Measures” below.
(3) Revenues include effects of settlement adjustments on sales from prior quarters and is calculated on a 100% basis.

Perkoa Mine, Burkina Faso:
Q2 production was 46.2 million pounds (20,940 tonnes) of payable zinc. Metal sales for the quarter was 58.8 million pounds (29,687 tonnes) of zinc for revenue of $62 million. The Q2 operational gross profit was $19.5 million, an increase of 97.2% from Q1, with operational costs all materially decreased on a quarter-to-quarter basis.

Mine output and mill throughput for the quarter were 182,551 tonnes and 176,027 tonnes of ore, respectively. Given the strong performance over the first half of 2018, the Company increased its 2018 zinc production guidance by 9 million pounds (4,080 tonnes) to 164-174 million payable pounds (74,400-78,950 tonnes).

Perkoa Production Results

Perkoa Sales Results

(1) Please refer to “Use of Non-IFRS Financial Performance Measures” below.
(2) Revenues include effects of settlement adjustments on sales from prior quarters and is calculated on a 100% basis.

Rosh Pinah Mine, Namibia:

Q2 production was 20.8 million pounds (9,449 tonnes) of payable zinc, 2.1 million pounds (974 tonnes) of payable lead and 28,388 ounces of payable silver. Metal sales for the quarter were 17.5 million pounds (7,946 tonnes) of zinc, 4.4 million pounds (2,006 tonnes) of lead and 54,050 ounces silver for revenue of $21.6 million.

Mine output and mill throughput for the quarter was 159,797 tonnes and 173,082 tonnes, respectively. Performance for the quarter was below expectation; specifically, mine production did not achieve targeted levels due to non-optimal operational practices. Consequently, 2018 production guidance has been reduced by 10 million pounds (4,540 tonnes) to 95-105 million payable pounds (43,100-47,640 tonnes) of zinc. The Company is actively addressing this issue and continues to onboard key skills, advance workforce training, provide operational support and implement compliance tracking.

Rosh Pinah Production Results

Rosh Pinah Sales Results

(1) Please refer to “Use of Non-IFRS Financial Performance Measures” below.
(2) Revenues include effects of settlement adjustments on sales from prior quarters and is calculated on a 100% basis.

Caribou Mine, Canada:
Q2 production was 20.5 million pounds (9,315 tonnes) of payable zinc, 6.5 million pounds (2,937 tonnes) of payable lead and 178,753 ounces of payable silver. Metal sales for the quarter were 21.7 million pounds (9,858 tonnes) of zinc, 6.9 million pounds (3,114 tonnes) of lead and 196,829 ounces silver for revenue of $29.7 million.

Mine production for the quarter was 266,500 tonnes, an operational record, and mill throughput was 247,222 tonnes. As expected, the winter impacts experienced in the first quarter decreased in the second quarter, which continues to positively impact zinc recoveries.

Caribou Production Results

Caribou Sales Results

(1) Please refer to “Use of Non-IFRS Financial Performance Measures” below.
(2) Revenues include effects of settlement adjustments on sales from prior quarters.

Santander Mine, Peru:
Q2 production was 16.4 million pounds (7,434 tonnes) of payable zinc, 1.9 million pounds (867 tonnes) of payable lead and 130,659 ounces of payable silver. Metal sales for the quarter were 16.2 million pounds (7,333 tonnes) of zinc, 1.9 million pounds (851 tonnes) of lead and 125,576 ounces silver for revenue of $20.6 million.

After completing the scheduled major mill maintenance program in March 2018, the mill achieved throughput of 223,884 tonnes (an operational record) and mine output of 198,318 tonnes during the second quarter. With the Santander mill now operating at approximately 2,500 tonnes per day (above design capacity), the Company increased its 2018 zinc production guidance by 1 million pounds (500 tonnes) to 55 – 58 million payable pounds (24,950 – 26,320 tonnes).

Santander Production Results

Santander Sales Results

(1) Please refer to “Use of Non-IFRS Financial Performance Measures” below.
(2) Revenues include effects of settlement adjustments on sales from prior quarters.

Q2-2018 OPERATING COSTS AND ANNUAL COST GUIDANCE (1, 2, 3)

Q2-2018 Operating Costs and Annual Cost Guidance (US$ per tonne)

(1) Constitutes forward-looking information; see “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements”.
(2) Trevali’s ownership interest is 90% of Perkoa and 90% of Rosh Pinah.
(3) Costs are preliminary and subject to adjustment.

2018 CONSOLIDATED PRODUCTION GUIDANCE

Production guidance for the year remains unchanged at 400-to-427 million pounds (181,450-193,760 tonnes) of payable zinc, 43.8-to-46.0 million pounds (19,900-20,900 tonnes) of payable lead and 1.40-to-1.47 million ounces of payable silver.

The Company increased its zinc production guidance at Perkoa and Santander by an aggregate of 10 million pounds (4,540 tonnes) of payable zinc offset by the lower zinc production guidance at Rosh Pinah of 10 million pounds (4,540 tonnes). There will be moderate fluctuations on a quarter-to-quarter basis due to normal-course mine scheduling.

2018 Quarterly zinc production guidance (mid-range) versus actual zinc production.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/78e18cc8-4357-4b79-8566-d1ff4b1c2e92

2018 Consolidated Production Guidance (1, 2)

(1) Constitutes forward-looking information; see “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements”.
(2) Trevali’s ownership interest is 90% of Perkoa and 90% of Rosh Pinah.

Exploration Update – Second Quarter:
Trevali’s 2018 exploration program is focused on brownfield and near-mine exploration targets. The primary aim is to expand and discover new mineral resources adjacent to existing mine infrastructure, replace mined inventory, grow sustainable production, extend expected mine life and ultimately, contingent on success, provide production growth optionality to the operations.

The annual exploration program includes approximately 60,000 metres of diamond drilling for surface and underground targeting in-to-near mine resource growth with a minimum committed budget of $13 million.

Exploration and resource conversion drilling totaled approximately 26,500 metres during the quarter.

At Perkoa, 2,900 metres of underground resource expansion drilling continued to return exceptionally high-grade zinc results up to 240 metres below the current modelled mining level and confirms the high-grade mineralization remains open at depth. Highlights include:

• 9.4 metres at 26.6% zinc, including 2.6 metres at 39.3% zinc and 3.3 metres at 31.8% zinc;
• 10.3 metres at 18.7% zinc, including 5.0 metres at 30% zinc;
• 19.6 metres at 16.5% zinc, including 9.1 metres at 23.1% zinc.

The exploration group continues to test the depth extents of Perkoa system and is planning to mobilize a second UG diamond drill rig to site.

Regionally, the Company continues to advance high priority targets along the approximately 25-kilometre strike of the Perkoa Mine Horizon identified to date. Using a multi-disciplinary mineral system approach the Company has identified significant priority VMS targets, intersected semi-massive to massive sulphide mineralization – a first for this frontier district, and identified areas of surface to near-surface gossanous material (evidence of the presence of semi-massive to massive sulphide mineralization).

Initial drill testing of the AF1 target intersected thick zones of VMS alteration (silica – sericite – pyrite) within which semi-massive to narrow massive sulphides occur. Currently interpreted as the top of a VMS system, this is the first VMS and zinc mineralization intersected outside of the Perkoa deposit and is potentially indicative of the presence of a productive VMS belt. Downhole geophysics will be used to vector future drill testing. At the Byrhado prospect, 5 stacked gossan horizons are hosted within a folded package of siliceous felsic volcanics, tuffs and sediments that are cross cut by an intense quartz stockwork.  All samples collected to date are highly geochemically anomalous with similar trace element pathfinder geochemistry as the Perkoa deposit. Drill testing will occur in Q4 following the end of the wet season. The Company classifies the target as early stage. Significant drill testing is required and there is no guarantee that base metal sulphides will be intersected in subsequent drill testing.

At Santander, exploration drilling continues to test the Magistral deposit extensions approximately 300 vertical metres below current development, in addition to continuing to extend the emerging Pipe target at depth. Geochemical assay results from second quarter drilling will be released in upon receipt, anticipated in late August – early September. The approximately 45-square-kilometre Santander exploration block remains under-explored and several priority exploration targets will be tested during the second half of the year.

At Rosh Pinah, ongoing underground exploration continues to define the emerging NW extension in the Western Orefield that remains open for expansion. During the quarter the Company re-targeted the deposit from first principals with a focus on the historically mined Eastern Orefield. The exploration initiative identified numerous priority targets in an area previously or largely considered geologically closed. The Company has hired additional dedicated exploration specialists and an initial approximately 10,000-metre discovery drill program will commence in H2. Regional and district targeting continues to advance in the belt.

In the Bathurst Mining Camp, Trevali completed resource definition drilling on its Restigouche deposit in addition to metallurgical and geotechnical drilling on the Murray Brook property with partner Puma Exploration. The results of both programs will facilitate advanced engineering and production studies for future Caribou mill feed. Late in the quarter a 12,000-metre exploration and definition drill program commenced at the Caribou deposit to target the down-dip extensions of the East Limb, Hinge Zone, and the newly discovered CX Zone, all of which remain open for extension.

Senior Vice President Corporate Development / IR
Alex Terentiew will be joining Trevali in September 2018 as Senior Vice President, Corporate Development/Strategy and Investor Relations. Alex spent over 12 years in the investment industry as a mining and commodity research analyst at Scotia, Credit Suisse, Raymond James and most recently at BMO Capital Markets. At BMO he was a top-ranked analyst covering the base metals sector in addition to providing insightful research focused papers of long-term growth potential, value margins and commodity research. Prior to his career in research, he was a licensed Professional Geoscientist in the Province of Ontario. Mr. Terentiew holds an MBA degree from the Rotman School of Management, a Master of Applied Science in Civil Engineering and a Bachelor of Science from the Department of Geology, both from the University of Toronto.

Qualified Person and Quality Control/Quality Assurance
EurGeol Dr. Mark D. Cruise, Trevali’s President and CEO, and Paul Keller, P.Eng, Trevali’s Senior Vice President – Major Projects & Technical Support, are qualified persons as defined by NI 43-101, and have supervised the preparation of the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for this news release. Dr. Cruise is not independent of the Company as he is an officer, director and shareholder. Mr. Keller is not independent of the Company as he is an officer and shareholder.

ABOUT TREVALI MINING CORPORATION
Trevali is a zinc-focused, base metals company with four mines: the wholly-owned Santander mine in Peru, the wholly-owned Caribou mine in the Bathurst Mining Camp of northern New Brunswick, the 90% owned Rosh Pinah mine in Namibia and the 90% owned Perkoa mine in Burkina Faso.

The shares of Trevali are listed on the TSX (symbol TV), the OTCQX (symbol TREVF), the Lima Stock Exchange (symbol TV), and the Frankfurt Exchange (symbol 4TI). For further details on Trevali, readers are referred to the Company’s website (www.trevali.com) and to Canadian regulatory filings on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors of
TREVALI MINING CORPORATION
“Mark D. Cruise” (signed)
Mark D. Cruise, President

Contact Information:
Steve Stakiw, Vice President – Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
Email: sstakiw@trevali.com
Phone: (604) 488-1661 / Direct: (604) 638-5623

Use of Non-IFRS Financial Performance Measures
Trevali uses non-IFRS measures such as EBITDA and Cash Operating Costs (per Tonne milled), among other measures. Management uses these measures internally to evaluate the underlying operating performance of the Company for the reporting periods presented. The use of these measures enables management to assess performance trends and to evaluate the underlying business of the Company. We believe that these measures reflect the Company’s performance and are useful indicators of its expected performance in future periods. This data is intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation of or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS.

In this news release, we present EBITDA, which we define as profit attributable to shareholders before net finance expense, foreign exchange gains and losses, income and resource taxes, other income and expense, and depreciation, depletion and amortization. Our calculation of EBITDA may be different from the calculation used by other companies, including our competitors in the mining industry, so our measures may not be comparable to those of other companies.

We also present in this news release Site Cash Operating Cost (per Tonne milled), which includes mine operating production expenses such as mining, processing, administration, indirect charges such as surface maintenance and camp expense, and inventory stock movement divided by tonnes milled. Site Cash Operating Cost (per Tonne milled) does not include smelting and refining, distribution (freight), royalties, by-product revenues, depreciation, depletion, amortization, reclamation, and capital sustaining and exploration expenses.

See “Cautionary Notes Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” below as well as “Use of Non-IFRS Financial Performance Measures” in our Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of the Canadian securities legislation and “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the United States Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, or in releases made by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, all as may be amended from time. Statements containing forward-looking information express, as at the date of this news release, the Company’s plans, estimates, forecasts, projections, expectations, or beliefs as to future events or results. Such forward-looking statements and information include, but are not limited to statements as to: the timing and amount of estimated future production; the estimation of mineral resources and mineral reserves; costs and timing of development; operating efficiencies, including the ability to manage water while reducing power consumption, costs and expenditures; expectations regarding milling operations and metal production shortfalls; metal output and throughput rates; cost guidance and anticipated annual results; anticipated results of future exploration; and forecast future metal prices.

These statements reflect the Company’s current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. If any assumptions are untrue, it could cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, including commodity prices, anticipated costs and ability to achieve goals.

Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause the Company’s actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: risks related to joint venture operations; fluctuations in spot and forward markets for silver, zinc, base metals and certain other commodities (such as natural gas, fuel oil and electricity); fluctuations in currency markets; risks related to the technological and operational nature of the Company’s business; changes in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls or regulations and political or economic developments in Canada, the United States, Peru, Namibia, Burkina Faso, or other countries where the Company may carry on business in the future; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected geological or structural formations, pressures, cave-ins and flooding); risks relating to the credit worthiness or financial condition of suppliers, refiners and other parties with whom the Company does business; inadequate insurance, or inability to obtain insurance, to cover these risks and hazards; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability and increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses and permits and the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; diminishing quantities or grades of Mineral Resources as properties are mined; global financial conditions; business opportunities that may be presented to, or pursued by, the Company; the Company’s ability to complete and successfully integrate acquisitions and to mitigate other business combination risks; challenges to, or difficulty in maintaining, the Company’s title to properties and continued ownership thereof; the actual results of current exploration activities, conclusions of economic evaluations, and changes in project parameters to deal with unanticipated economic or other factors; increased competition in the mining industry for properties, equipment, qualified personnel, and their costs, as well as other risks as more fully described in the Company’s annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2017, which is available on the Company’s website (www.trevali.com) and filed under our profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com). Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty or reliance on forward-looking statements. Although the Company 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, described or intended. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements or information, other than as required by applicable law.

Note to United States Investors
In accordance with applicable Canadian securities regulatory requirements, all mineral resource estimates of the Company disclosed or incorporated by reference in this news release have been prepared in accordance with Canadian National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, classified in accordance with Canadian Institute of Mining Metallurgy and Petroleum’s “CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves Definitions and Guidelines”.

The Company uses the terms “measured mineral resources”, “indicated mineral resources” and “inferred mineral resources”. While these terms are recognized by Canadian securities regulatory authorities, they are not recognized by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. US investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of the material in these categories will ever be converted into reserves.

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