Paulo Misk
Analyst · Morgan Stanley. Please go ahead
Thank you, Alex, and welcome everyone to our quarterly update conference call. I will begin the call by highlighting some of the company's ongoing and preventive measures associated with the global COVID pandemic. We continue to measure the rapidly developing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to take all possible actions to help minimize the impact on the company, its people, and on the community of Maracás. Our thoughts continue to be with those affected by this virus. Operations at the Maracás Menchen Mine continued during Q1 2020 and the company maintained its 2020 production, sales and cost guidance on a business as usual basis. At this time, there has been no significant disruption to the company ability to ship products from site and the supply chain for its operation and the level of critical consumables remained at normal levels. Additionally, not a single employee or contractor has tested positive for the virus and we believe that the risk to our operating team in Maracás continues to remain relatively low. To-date the restrictions imposed by the government in Brazil have not significantly impacted the company operation, but the potential future impact of these restrictions and other restrictions globally on the company's operations, sales efforts and logistics is unknown, but could be significant. The federal government in Brazil has declared mining operations, including activities of mining, ore treatment, production, sales, transportation, and the supply of mineral goods as essential to the country. These activities will continue despite local government restrictions on business activity and the circulation of people. The company has also implemented additional safety protocols including travel restrictions, health screening, the increased hygiene measures in our efforts to minimize the spread of the COVID-19. The company continues to follow the recommendations provided by the health authorities and all corporate office personnel have been instructed to work from their homes where possible. The company has stopped its critical functions at the mine site and has encouraged those on non-essential roles to work from home. In our effort to mitigate some of the effects relating to the COVID-19 in our local communities, the company has provided four ventilators and purchased and donated COVID-19 test kits to local hospitals. In addition, we have donated PPE materials such as protective coveralls, safety boots, masks and safety glasses as well as 4,500 food baskets to families in the State of Bahia to further help with impacts caused off the COVID-19 pandemic. We continue to do our part to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and help ease the effects caused by the virus. Largo produced 2,831 tonnes of vanadium in Q1 2020 representing an increase of 35% over Q1 2019. This increase was largely due to the company expansion project that was completed in Q4 2019 and the kiln maintenance performed in Q1 2019. Production on Q1 2020 was however 6% lower than Q4 2019 as a result of the hotspots in the cooler’s shell which required number of stoppage for maintenance on the refractory. The company’s Q1 2020 global V2O5 recovery was 79.9%, was in line with both Q1 2019 and the budget with strong recovery levels in both the crushing and milling areas of the plant. The annual kiln and cooler shutdown to replace the refractory and the planned improvements to the kiln and cooler to increase capacity that was scheduled for April 2020 has been deferred to later in 2020 as a result of the cautionary measures taken by the company in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. This work is not expected to have an impact in the company's production later this year. The company instead performed enhanced preventive maintenance program in the chemical plants for approximately 15 days. And as a result, production in April 2020 was 480 tonnes of V2O5. The company performed well on a unit cost basis, achieving a cash operating cost excluding royalties of $2.79 per pound in Q1 2020, which represents a decrease of 18% over Q1 2019. For Q1 2020, total cash costs were $3.01 per pound of V2O5. We are very pleased to report the company’s achieved commercial independence in April 3, 2020 following the expiration of its off-take agreement. We are over 85% committed on our annual sales guidance for 2020 and the company expects the balance will be sold in the spot market and be used to build safety stocks in strategic regional hubs. The company expects Q2 2020 to be a transition quarter where sales will be lower and inventory may increase mainly due to a longer period of time between production and revenue recognition as a compared to the terms under our previous off-take agreement. The company continues the necessary work required for the construction of its V2O3 processing plant, which is expected to commence in Q1 2021. The company’s V2O3 processing plant at Maracás Menchen Mine is expected to increase sales in the high purity aerospace market, chemical industry and vanadium electrolyte used in the vanadium redox flow batteries. The company expects the ramp up and commissioning of the plant to conclude in Q3 2021 and total capital expenditure to be in the range of approximately US$10 million to US$11 million with US$9 million being incurred in 2020. The company is also evaluating the timing for the construction of its ferrovanadium conversion plant, including the deferral of planned 2020 capital expenditures in light of the COVID-19. This deferral will not impact the company's commercial strategy in 2020, as it will continue to utilize third-party convertors around the globe. In addition, precautionary measures regarding COVID-19 has caused delays in the start of the company's 2020 drilling program and work will commence as soon as the drill contractor and the company are able to mobilize people and equipment to the mine site based on the government recommendations. In summary, we believe the transition away from our previous off-take agreement will prove beneficial both strategically and economically for the company, as we begin to sell our vanadium products internally. The Maracás Menchen Mine has a proven track record of premium product quality and operational stability, which allows Largo to provide its customers with reliable source of vanadium supply for the global steel and high purity markets. Largo is now an even more important player in the global vanadium industry, and we look to continue maximizing value for all of our shareholders as the industry’s preferred producer and supplier for vanadium. With that, let me turn the call to Ernest who will provide highlights from our Q1 2020 financial performance.