Compañía de Minas Buenaventura S.A.A. (NYSE:BVN) Q4 2023 Earnings Call Transcript

Leandro Garcia: Yes, Aldo, please go ahead.

Aldo Massa: Okay. Thank you, Leandro. Yes, Tanya. We’re still in the process of selling the royalty. We have received five nonbinding offers, February 15. The idea is to elect the one who pass the ROFR of Newmont and maybe make a potential visit to Yanacocha on March — at the end of March. And finally, the idea is to receive the binding offers on April 15 and then choose one and go ahead.

Tanya Jakusconek: Okay. So it seems as though Newmont is not involved. It’s just other players besides Newmont and you would like to finalize by April 15.

Aldo Massa: Yeah. This is the idea.

Tanya Jakusconek: Okay. And then I’d like to come just to San Gabriel, if I could. I just wanted to understand, I see the picture of the camp, 1,000 beds. So is the camp done? And what are the critical items for 2024? And then at the Investor Day, we were also told that we would be getting updated capital and operating costs. Can you remind me whether that’s coming?

Leandro Garcia: Yes, Daniel. I turn the microphone to Renzo, our Vice President of Projects.

Renzo Macher: Hi, Tanya. The campsite is — we have 1,000 beds ready. And besides those beds, we already have another 1,000 beds in the vicinity of the project. So that will not be a problem. What you see in the picture is finalizing sidewalks and finalizing the power — emergency power plant at the site, those little things that are missing. The main contractor for steel piping and mechanical will arrive in the next month. So we’re going to have everything done by that date. In the second part of your question about what should we expect in 2024? Well, the first concrete pour should be in the second quarter and then power line construction should start as well in the second quarter of this year. In the third quarter, we think we’re going to be starting with electrical and signal contractor and finally finishing the year with a very good advance with the water dam before the rainy season starts.

And I think your last question was about the updated CapEx. As Leandro was saying, we are currently working on that. In the next quarter, we’re going to be giving the definite estimate numbers.

Tanya Jakusconek: Okay. So when you report your Q1, so sometime in April, the end of April maybe, we will be getting an updated CapEx? And what about the operating cost?

Renzo Macher: The OpEx, we are going to be finishing in the third quarter of this year, towards the end of…

Tanya Jakusconek: At the end of Q3?

Renzo Macher: Yes.

Leandro Garcia: The update in CapEx should be for the conference call of the second quarter.

Tanya Jakusconek: Conference call of Q2, so it’s going to be sometime in July.

Leandro Garcia: Yes.

Tanya Jakusconek: CapEx in July and then OpEx in Q3, so October?

Leandro Garcia: Yes.

Tanya Jakusconek: Okay. Thank you so much for that, so we’ll look forward to getting those. Because those numbers, as you know, are quite stale. They’ve been there for a long, long time. And then my final question, if I can, is just on Trapiche. I’m just wanting to know if you started the public assembly — sorry, are they still going to be starting in Q2? And is the feasibility still on track to the end of 2026?

Renzo Macher: So yes, we — our environmental impact assessment was submitted and public assemblies should happen in April — in the April [indiscernible]. And yes, we’re still on track for a feasibility study towards 2026. [Multiple Speakers] Go ahead.

Tanya Jakusconek: Yeah. And would it be fair to assume that once you have the feasibility study in hand, that is when you are going to be looking for a joint venture partner?

Aldo Massa: Yes, Tanya. This is the idea. As soon as we have the feasibility study done, the idea is to choose for a partner or look for a partner.

Tanya Jakusconek: Okay. Thank you so much for taking all my questions. I could go on all day, but let me pass it on to somebody else. I really appreciate it.

Operator: Thank you. And our next question today comes from Omar Avellaneda with Prima AFP. Please go ahead.

Omar Avellaneda: Good morning to all. Thanks for the call. I have a couple of questions. I guess, I missed a little part of the call, so maybe you have answered this. But I would like to know what is it needed to have a fully operational Yumpag since the second quarter of 2024? And my second question and last one is regarding Cerro Verde. What is your expectations on CapEx for this unit on a [indiscernible] basis for the next three years? Thank you.

Leandro Garcia: Thank you, Omar. Thank you for your participation. In terms of Yumpag, fully operations, we expect to begin in the second quarter of this year. We are just waiting for the operational permit that allow us to resume the operations in Yumpag. In the case of Cerro Verde, we have reviewed the figures budgeted for this year. And the CapEx today that is approved and planned is around $300 million, in line with the CapEx that we have been used to in the last couple of years. That is the CapEx we know today. The other projects are in the evaluation, I hope — I think.

Omar Avellaneda: Okay. So just to add an additional question, this news that we saw in Gestión related to the $600 million of CapEx in Cerro Verde does not change any at all of your views regarding dividends coming from these units, right?