Newmont Mining Sees Higher Costs, Reports Profit Decline

(REUTERS) -- Newmont Mining said it expects a rise in costs for gold and copper in 2012, mainly due to higher labor and power prices and estimated lower production at a mine in Indonesia.

The world's second-biggest gold producer said attributable gold production in 2012 is expected to be about 5 million ounces to 5.2 million ounces, with attributable copper production of 150 million pounds to 170 million pounds.

Attributable gold and copper production were 5.2 million ounces and 206 million pounds respectively in 2011.

In 2012, costs applicable to sales for gold are expected to be between $625 and $675 per ounce, and copper between $1.80 and $2.20 per pound. They were $591 per ounce and $1.26 per pound respectively in 2011.

Denver-based Newmont said the outlook also reflects lower expected production at its Batu Hijau mine in Indonesia, where the company is currently engaged in stripping and plans to process lower grade stockpiles until late 2013.

A company spokesperson had told Reuters last month that the company was digging more rock containing lower-grade ore in order to gain access to part of the mine with higher grades during the process of stripping.

Newmont said it currently plans to spend about $3 billion to $3.3 billion in attributable capital expenditures in 2012.

The company's fourth-quarter net loss was $1.02 billion, or $2.08 per basic share, compared with a profit of $812 million, or $1.65 per basic share.

Adjusted net income was $1.17 per basic share. By that measure analysts were expecting $1.27, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Newmont shares were down 1 percent at $63.61 in extended trading. They closed at $63.80 on Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange.