10 April 2014

Vedanta Resources plc

Production Release for the Fourth Quarter and

Full Year ended 31 March 2014

Highlights

·     Full year record production of Oil & Gas, driven by production ramp-up in Rajasthan block

·     Higher integrated refined metal production and stable mined metal production for the full year at Zinc India

·     First metal tapping at the BALCO 325kt aluminium smelter during Q4

·     Strong utilizations at Tuticorin copper smelter; 2nd 80MW unit of power plant commissioned during Q4

Zinc - India


Q4

Q3

Full Year

Particulars(in '000 tonnes, or as stated)

FY2014

FY2013

% change YoY

FY2014

FY2014

FY2013

%
change
YoY

ZINC INDIA








Mined metal content

200

260

(23%)

220

880

870

1%

Concentrate Sales - Zinc (MIC)

-

61

-

-

-

61

-

Refined Zinc - Total

182

182

-

196

749

677

11%

Refined Zinc - Integrated

179

181

(1%)

196

743

660

13%

Refined Zinc - Custom

4

0

-

-

6

17

-

Refined Lead - Total 1

38

35

10%

27

130

125

4%

Refined Lead - Integrated

31

32

(2%)

27

118

107

10%

Refined Lead - Custom

7

3

-

-

12

18

-

Saleable Silver - Total
(in '000 ounces) 2

2,925

3,480

(16%)

2,335

11,241

12,021

(6%)

Saleable Silver - Integrated
(in '000 ounces)

2,180

2,924

(25%)

2,324

9,663

9,267

4%

Saleable Silver - Custom
(in '000 ounces)

745

556

34%

11

1,577

2,754

(43%)

Mined metal production for the year was 880,000 tonnes, marginally higher than the previous year. Production in H2 was lower than what we had planned initially due to slower than expected ramp up of underground mining projects and changes in mining sequence, wherein preference was given to primary mine development.

Integrated production of refined metal during the year was significantly higher due to operational efficiencies and higher availability of our smelters.  Full year integrated production of refined zinc, lead and silver were higher by 13%, 10% and 4% respectively.



Zinc - International


Q4

Q3

Full Year

Particulars(in '000 tonnes, or as stated)

FY2014

FY2013

% change YoY

FY2014

FY2014

FY2013

%
change
YoY

Zinc International

83

102

(19%)

84

364

426

(15%)

Zinc -refined -Skorpion

33

36

(9%)

23

125

145

(14%)

Mined metal content - BMM and Lisheen

50

65

(24%)

62

239

280

(15%)

Refined zinc production at Skorpion was higher than Q3 by 10,000 tonnes consequent to ramp up after an unplanned shutdown in Q3 FY2014. However, this was offset by lower mined metal production at BMM and Lisheen due to lower ore grades. Total production in Q4 remained in line with Q3, and the full year production was lower by 15%. This was lower on account of disruptions in production caused by accidents at Lisheen and BMM in Q1 FY2014 and the unplanned shutdown at Skorpion in Q3.

Oil and Gas


Q4

Q3

Full Year

Particulars

FY2014

FY2013

% change YoY

FY2014

FY2014

FY2013

%
change
YoY

OIL AND GAS (boepd)








Average Daily Gross Operated Production (boepd)

224,429

202,014

11%

224,493

218,651

205,323

6%

Rajasthan

190,881

168,594

13%

186,359

181,530

169,390

7%

Ravva

24,225

27,205

(11%)

27,857

27,386

29,161

(6%)

Cambay

9,323

6,215

50%

10,277

9,735

6,772

44%

Average Daily Working Interest Production (boepd)

142,796

126,623

13%

140,830

137,127

127,843

7%

Rajasthan

133,616

118,016

13%

130,451

127,071

118,573

7%

Ravva

5,451

6,121

(11%)

6,268

6,162

6,561

(6%)

Cambay

3,729

2,486

50%

4,111

3,894

2,709

44%

Total Oil and Gas (million boe)








Oil & Gas- Gross

20.20

18.18

11%

20.65

79.81

74.94

6%

Oil & Gas-Working Interest

12.85

11.40

13%

12.96

50.05

46.66

7%

Average gross production for FY2014 was 218,651 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd), 6% higher than the previous year. During the year, the Rajasthan block achieved a landmark oil production of 200 million barrels, and a 200,000 boepd production milestone in March 2014.

In Q4 FY2014, average gross operated production and working interest production were 11% and 13% higher at 224,429 boepd and 142,796 boepd, respectively, driven primarily by the production ramp-up at Rajasthan. In Rajasthan, infill drilling continues across all major fields and has driven a 13% increase in the production rate to 190,881 boepd. Development Area (DA1), which includes the Mangala and Aishwariya fields produced a gross average of 162,245 boepd and DA2, which includes the Bhagyam field produced a gross average of 28,636 boepd.

In Q4 FY2014, production at Cambay was 50% higher yoy at 9,323 boepd, due to the infill drilling campaign that was completed in FY2013. Production at Ravva was lower in Q4 FY2014 at 24,225 boepd though recovery rates continue to be over 47%.



Iron Ore


Q4

Q3

Full Year

Particulars(in million dry metric tonnes, or as stated)

FY2014

FY2013

% change YoY

FY2014

FY2014

FY2013

%
change
YoY

IRON ORE 3








Sales

0.0

-

-

-

0.0

3.1

-

Goa

-

-

-

-

-

3.0

-

Karnataka

0.0

-

-

-

0.0

0.1

-

Production of Saleable Ore

1.5

-

-

-

1.5

3.7

(60%)

Goa

-

-

-

-

-

3.7

-

Karnataka

1.5

-

-

-

1.5

-

-

Production ('000 tonnes)








Pig Iron

133

104

28%

139

510

308

66%

Met Coke

119

94

27%

116

408

331

23%

In Karnataka, we resumed mining on December 28, 2013 and optimized our approved annual capacity of 2.29mtpa, which resulted in a production of 1.5mt this year. However, only 27 kt was sold during the year.

At Goa, we participated in e-auctions of inventory and sold 0.3 million tonnes during the quarter but these were not accounted for as sales since the dispatches did not take place during the quarter. These dispatches have commenced in April.

Regarding mining in Goa, the Expert committee appointed by the Supreme Court submitted its second interim report to the Court on 24 March 2014. The Expert committee, in its report, recommended that 27.5mtpa was a sustainable extraction level in the state, but suggested that the ideal permissible limit be 20mtpa until a scientific study is completed within 12 months. The decision of the Supreme Court is awaited on this matter.

Copper - India and Australia


Q4

Q3

Full Year

Particulars(in '000 tonnes, or as stated)

FY2014

FY2013

% change YoY

FY2014

FY2014

FY2013

%
change
YoY

COPPER- INDIA / AUSTRALIA








Copper -  Cathodes

98

86

14%

99

294

353

(17%)

Copper - Mined metal content

1

7

(85%)

5

18

26

(32%)

Power sales - 2X80MW Tuticorin power plant(million units)

144

35

-

162

601

42

-

The Tuticorin copper smelter performed well at 98% utilisation in Q4. The full year production was 17% lower due to the temporary closure in Q1 FY2014. As announced earlier, we are scheduled to have a maintenance shutdown of this smelter for approximately 22 days in Q1.

The company received the final regulatory approval for the second unit of the 2x80MW power plant in March 2014. Subsequently, we commissioned and capitalized this unit and generated 25 million units.

As announced earlier, production at our Australian mine remained suspended due to a mud rush at one of the stopes in January 2014. We are working with Work Place Standards Authorities at Tasmania to resume operations.



Copper - Zambia


Q4

Q3

Full Year

Particulars(in '000 tonnes, or as stated)

FY2014

FY2013

% change YoY

FY2014

FY2014

FY2013

%
change
YoY

COPPER -ZAMBIA








Mined metal

27

33

(19%)

32

128

159

(19%)

Finished Copper - Total

40

54

(26%)

43

177

216

(18%)

Integrated

28

36

(22%)

31

124

160

(22%)

Custom

12

17

(34%)

12

53

56

(6%)

Mined metal production was 19% lower in Q4, as compared with the corresponding prior period, due to lower ore production at Konkola and Nchanga underground mines. Production at Konkola was affected by unscheduled stoppages at shaft 1 & 4, with the mid-shaft level of shaft 4 resuming operations during the quarter. Shaft 1 became operational in the first week of April. Mined metal production also includes TLP primary copper production of 13,400 tonnes which was 6% lower due to lower grades.

For the full year, mined metal production was lower primarily due to suspension of mining operations at COP F&D since January 2013.

We are focussed on increasing volumes at the Konkola mine, with recent progress made towards augmenting talent in the underground mining team, and implementing productivity improvement measures. Custom volumes remained constrained by blending challenges and underlying commercial issues of recovery of VAT credit from the Zambian government.

Aluminium


Q4

Q3

Full Year

Particulars(in '000 tonnes, or as stated)

FY2014

FY2013

% change YoY

FY2014

FY2014

FY2013

%
change
YoY

ALUMINIUM








Alumina-Lanjigarh

227

-

-

181

524

527

(1)%

Total Aluminum Production

200

195

2%

200

794

774

3%

Jharsuguda-I

135

133

1%

136

542

527

3%

Korba-II

64

62

3%

64

251

247

2%

Korba-III 4

1

-

-

-

1

-

-

The Lanjigarh alumina refinery operated at 91% of its rated capacity and produced 227,000 tonnes in Q4 FY2014, 25% higher than Q3. Full year production was 524,000 tonnes, after restarting the refinery in July 2013. This resulted in a steady increase of alumina feed from Lanjigarh to our smelters, contributing to 28% of the smelters' alumina requirements in FY2014 and 49% in Q4.

In Q4, production at Jharsuguda Plant I and Korba Plant II smelters continued to remain stable and both these plants operated above their rated capacities.



We commenced the Korba-III 325kt smelter with the first metal tapping in Q4. We produced around

900 tonnes of aluminium with power sourced from the BALCO 270MW power plant. We expect to ramp up significantly during FY2015 consequent to the commissioning of the 1,200MW power plant, which expects to receive regulatory approvals in Q1 FY2015. 

Power


Q4

Q3

Full Year

Particulars(in million units)

FY2014

FY2013

% change YoY

FY2014

FY2014

FY2013

%
change
YoY

POWER








Total Power Sales

2,093

2,638

(21%)

2,196

9,374

10,129

(7%)

Jharsuguda 2,400MW 5

1,701

2,073

(18%)

1,827

7,625

7,530

1%

BALCO 270MW

84

282

(70%)

75

390

1,241

(69%)

MALCO

231

204

13%

236

911

847

8%

HZL Wind Power

77

78

(2)%

59

448

511

(12%)

Power sales were 20% lower in Q4 as compared to corresponding prior period, primarily due to lower sales at our Jharsuguda 2,400MW and BALCO 270MW power plants on account of weak market demand and evacuation constraints. The Jharsuguda 2,400MW operated at a plant load factor of 35%.

The boiler light up of the first 660MW unit of the 1,980MW Talwandi Sabo power plant was achieved in Q3 and synchronization was completed subsequently. Coal logistics were established in Q4 and we expect to commence trial runs in Q1 FY2015.



Production Summary (Unaudited)

(in '000 tonnes, except as stated)

Particulars

Q4

Q3

Full Year

FY 2014

FY 2013

% change YoY

FY 2014

FY 2014

FY 2013

%
change
YoY

Zinc India








Mined metal content

200

260

(23%)

220

880

870

1%

Concentrate Sales- Zinc (MIC)

-

61

-

-

-

61

-

Refined Zinc ( Total)

182

182

0%

196

749

677

11%

Refined Zinc ( Integrated)

179

181

(1%)

196

743

660

13%

Refined Zinc ( Custom)

4

0

-

-

6

17

-

Refined Lead ( Total) 1

38

35

10%

27

130

125

4%

Refined Lead ( Integrated)

31

32

(2%)

27

118

107

10%

Refined Lead ( Custom)

7

3

-

-

12

18

-

Saleable Silver ( Total )
(in '000 ounces) 2

2,925

3,480

(16%)

2,335

11,241

12,021

(6%)

SaleableSilver( Integrated)
(in '000 ounces)

2,180

2,924

(25%)

2,324

9,663

9,267

4%

SaleableSilver( Custom)
(in '000 ounces)

745

556

34%

11

1,577

2,754

(43%)

Zinc International(Total)

83

102

(19%)

84

364

426

(15%)

Zinc -refined Skorpion

33

36

(9%)

23

125

145

(14%)

Mined metal content( BMM and Lisheen)

50

65

(24%)

62

239

280

(15%)

Oil and Gas








Average Daily Gross Operated Production (boepd)

224,429

202,014

11%

224,493

218,651

205,323

6%

Rajasthan

190,881

168,594

13%

186,359

181,530

169,390

7%

Ravva

24,225

27,205

(11%)

27,857

27,386

29,161

(6%)

Cambay

9,323

6,215

50%

10,277

9,735

6,772

44%

Average Daily  Working Interest Operated Production (boepd)

142,796

126,623

13%

140,830

137,127

127,843

7%

Rajasthan

133,616

118,016

13%

130,451

127,071

118,573

7%

Ravva

5,451

6,121

(11%)

6,268

6,162

6,561

(6%)

Cambay

3,729

2,486

50%

4,111

3,894

2,709

44%

Total Oil and Gas (million boe)








Oil & Gas - Gross

20.20

18.18

11%

20.65

79.81

74.94

6%

Oil & Gas ( Working Interest)

12.85

11.40

13%

12.96

50.05

46.66

7%

Iron Ore 3 








Sales

0.0

-

-

-

0.0

3.1

-

Goa

-

-

-

-

-

3.0

-

Karnataka

0.0

-

-

-

0.0

0.1

-

Production of Saleable Ore

1.5

-

-

-

1.5

3.7

(60%)

Goa

-

-

-

-

-

3.7

-

Karnataka

1.5

-

-

-

1.5

-

-

Production ('000 tonnes)








Pig Iron

133

104

28%

139

510

308

66%

Met Coke

119

94

27%

116

408

331

23%



Particulars

Q4

Q3

Full Year

FY 2014

FY 2013

% change YoY

FY 2014

FY 2014

FY 2013

%
change
YoY

Copper( India / Australia








Copper ( Mined metal content)

1

7

(85%)

5

18

26

(32%)

Copper ( Cathodes )

98

86

14%

99

294

353

(17%)

Power sales - 2X 80MW Tuticorin power plant(million units)

144

35

-

162

601

42

-

Copper - Zambia








Mined Metal

27

33

(20%)

32

128

159

(19%)

Copper - Total

40

54

(26%)

43

177

216

(18%)

Integrated

28

36

(22%)

31

124

160

(22%)

Custom

12

17

(34%)

12

53

56

(6%)

1.     Including captive consumption of 1,991 tonnes in Q4 FY2014 vs 1,777 tonnes in Q4 FY2013, and 7,262tonnes in FY2014 vs 6,500 tonnes in

FY2013     

2.     Excluding captive consumption of 334,000 ounces in Q4 FY2014 vs 297,000 ounces in Q4 FY2013 and 1,232,000 ounces in FY2014 vs 1,088,000 ounces in FY2013

3.     Iron Ore sales include internal consumption of nil in Q4 FY2014 vs nil in Q4 FY2013 and nil in FY2014 vs 0.17 million tonnes in FY2013.

4.     Production under trial run

5.     Includes production under trial run of nil in Q4 FY2014 vs. nil in Q4 FY2013 and nil in FY2014 vs 795 million units in FY2013.                                                               



For further information, please contact:

Investors

Ashwin Bajaj

Senior Vice President - Investor Relations

Vedanta Resources plc

ir@vedanta.co.in

Tel:  +91 22 6646 1531

Media

Gordon Simpson

Tel:  +44 20 7251 3801

About Vedanta Resources plc

Vedanta Resources plc ("Vedanta") is a London listed diversified global natural resources major. The group produces aluminium, copper, zinc, lead, silver, iron ore, oil & gas and commercial energy. Vedanta has operations in India, Zambia, Namibia, South Africa, Ireland, Liberia, Australia and Sri Lanka. With an empowered talent pool globally, Vedanta places strong emphasis on partnering with all its stakeholders based on the core values of entrepreneurship, excellence, trust, inclusiveness and growth. For more information, please visitwww.vedantaresources.com.

Disclaimer

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" - that is, statements related to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "should" or "will." Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain. For us, uncertainties arise from the behaviour of financial and metals markets including the London Metal Exchange, fluctuations in interest and or exchange rates and metal prices; from future integration of acquired businesses; and from numerous other matters of national, regional and global scale, including those of a political, economic, business, competitive or regulatory nature. These uncertainties may cause our actual future results to be materially different that those expressed in our forward-looking statements. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements.


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