B2Gold Corp. Reports Strong Q3 2021 Results; Higher than Budgeted Gold Production and Operating Cashflows (of $320 M); Increases Annual Production Guidance Range to 1,015,000 to 1,055,000 oz and Maintains Cost Guidance

Canada NewsWire

VANCOUVER, BC, November 2, 2021

VANCOUVER, BC, November 2, 2021 /CNW/ - B2Gold Corp. (TSX: BTO) (NYSE AMERICAN: BTG) (NSX: B2G) ("B2Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce its operational and financial results for the third quarter and first nine months of 2021. The Company previously released its gold production and gold revenue results for the third quarter and first nine months of 2021. All dollar figures are in United States dollars unless otherwise indicated.

2021 Third Quarter Highlights

   -- Total gold production of 310,261 ounces (including 14,538 ounces of 
      attributable production from Calibre Mining Corp. ("Calibre")), above 
      budget by 7% (20,871 ounces), and consolidated gold production of 295,723 
      ounces from the Company's three operating mines, above budget by 7% 
      (20,083 ounces) 
   -- Consolidated gold revenue of $511 million on sales of 286,650 ounces at 
      an average realized gold price of $1,782 per ounce 
   -- Record quarterly gold production achieved by both the Fekola Mine of 
      165,557 ounces and Otjikoto Mine of 68,959 ounces 
   -- In September 2021, the Fekola Mine produced its 2 millionth ounce of gold, 
      4 years from the commencement of production 
   -- Increased Fekola's and Masbate's production guidance; for full-year 2021, 
      the Fekola Mine is now forecast to produce between 560,000 to 570,000 
      ounces of gold (original guidance was between 530,000 to 560,000 ounces) 
      and the Masbate Mine between 215,000 to 225,000 ounces of gold (original 
      guidance was between 200,000 to 210,000 ounces) 
   -- Consolidated cash flow provided by operating activities from the 
      Company's three operating mines of $320 million 
   -- Total cash operating costs (see "Non-IFRS Measures") (including estimated 
      attributable results for Calibre) of $445 per ounce produced and 
      consolidated cash operating costs from the Company's three operating 
      mines of $418 per ounce produced, both approximately in-line with budget 
   -- Total all-in sustaining costs ("AISC") (see "Non-IFRS Measures") 
      (including estimated attributable results for Calibre) of $795 per ounce 
      sold and consolidated AISC from the Company's three operating mines of 
      $777 per ounce sold, both approximately in-line with budget 
   -- Net income attributable to the shareholders of the Company of $123 
      million ($0.12 per share); adjusted net income (see "Non-IFRS Measures") 
      attributable to the shareholders of the Company of $123 million ($0.12 
      per share) 
   -- On October 25, 2021, the Company entered into an agreement with West 
      African Resources ("WAF") to sell its 81% interest in the Kiaka Project 
      in Burkina Faso for a combination of cash, WAF shares and production 
      royalties 

2021 First Nine Months Highlights

   -- Total gold production of 742,517 ounces (including 43,771 ounces of 
      attributable production from Calibre), above budget by 7% (49,682 ounces), 
      and consolidated gold production of 698,746 ounces from the Company's 
      three operating mines, above budget by 7% (47,161 ounces) 
   -- Consolidated gold revenue of $1.2 billion on sales of 689,051 ounces at 
      an average realized gold price of $1,794 per ounce 
   -- Consolidated cash flow provided by operating activities from the 
      Company's three operating mines of $458 million 
   -- Total cash operating costs (see "Non-IFRS Measures") (including estimated 
      attributable results for Calibre) of $556 per ounce produced and 
      consolidated cash operating costs from the Company's three operating 
      mines of $532 per ounce produced, both approximately in-line with budget 
   -- Total all-in sustaining costs ("AISC") (see "Non-IFRS Measures") 
      (including estimated attributable results for Calibre) of $900 per ounce 
      sold and consolidated AISC from the Company's three operating mines of 
      $887 per ounce sold, both approximately in-line with budget 
   -- Net income attributable to the shareholders of the Company of $283 
      million ($0.27 per share); adjusted net income (see "Non-IFRS Measures") 
      attributable to the shareholders of the Company of $272 million ($0.26 
      per share) 
   -- For full-year 2021, B2Gold has increased its total gold production 
      guidance range to between 1,015,000 - 1,055,000 ounces (including 50,000 
      -- 60,000 attributable ounces projected from Calibre) (original guidance 
      was between 970,000 and 1,030,000 ounces) 
   -- For full-year 2021, the Company's total consolidated cash operating costs 
      are expected to be within the guidance range of between $500 and $540 per 
      ounce and total consolidated AISC are expected to be at the upper-end of 
      the guidance range of between $870 and $910 per ounce 
   -- Based on current assumptions, including an average gold price of $1,800 
      per ounce, the Company now expects to generate cashflows from operating 
      activities of approximately $650 million for the full-year 2021 (original 
      guidance was $630 million) of which approximately $510 million is 
      expected to be generated in the second half of 2021 

Third Quarter and First Nine Months of 2021 Operational Results

Total gold production in the third quarter of 2021 was 310,261 ounces (including 14,538 ounces of attributable production from Calibre), above budget by 7% (20,871 ounces) and consolidated gold production from the Company's three operating mines was 295,723 ounces, above budget by 7% (20,083 ounces) with solid performances from the Company's three mines, with each mine exceeding its budgeted production for the third quarter of 2021 (see "Operations" section below). Both the Fekola and Otjikoto mines achieved record quarterly gold production in the third quarter of 2021. As planned, with increased throughput at the Fekola mill together with the completion of the significant waste stripping campaigns at both the Fekola and Otjikoto mines in the first half of 2021 (Phase 5 and Phase 6 of the Fekola Pit, and Phase 3 of the Wolfshag and Otjikoto pits), consolidated gold production in the third quarter of 2021 increased significantly by 19% (46,990 ounces) compared to the third quarter of 2020, as mining at Fekola reached the higher-grade zones of the Fekola Pit and mining at Otjikoto reached the higher-grade zone at the base of the Wolfshag Pit. Consolidated gold production also increased significantly by 50% (98,343 ounces) over the second quarter of 2021.

For the third quarter of 2021, total cash operating costs (including estimated attributable results for Calibre) were $445 per ounce produced ($482 per ounce sold) and consolidated cash operating costs from the Company's three operating mines were $418 per ounce produced ($456 per ounce sold), both approximately in-line with budget and comparable with the third quarter of 2020. In the third quarter of 2021, higher than budgeted gold production largely offset the impact of higher than budgeted realized fuel prices, processing costs and stronger local currencies, resulting in an overall cost per ounce which was approximately in-line with budget. Total AISC (including estimated attributable results for Calibre) for the third quarter of 2021 were $795 per ounce sold and consolidated AISC from the Company's three operating mines were $777 per ounce sold, both approximately in-line with budget (attributable to higher than budgeted gold ounces sold, higher than budgeted gains on settled fuel derivatives and lower than budgeted sustaining capital expenditures, largely offsetting higher than budgeted operating costs ) and comparable with the third quarter of 2020. The lower than budgeted sustaining capital expenditures were primarily the result of timing of expenditures and are expected to be incurred in the fourth quarter of 2021.

For the first nine months of 2021, total gold production was 742,517 ounces (including 43,771 ounces of attributable production from Calibre), above budget by 7% (49,682 ounces), and 4% (27,751 ounces) lower than the first nine months of 2020 due to the focus on waste stripping at Fekola and Otjikoto in the first half of 2021. Consolidated gold production from the Company's three operating mines was 698,746 ounces in the first nine months of 2021, above budget by 7% (47,161 ounces).

For the first nine months of 2021, total cash operating costs (including estimated attributable results for Calibre) were $556 per ounce produced ($568 per ounce sold) and consolidated cash operating costs from the Company's three operating mines were $532 per ounce produced ($544 per ounce sold), both approximately in-line with budget. As expected, the Company's consolidated cash operating costs were higher in the first nine months of 2021 compared to $388 per ounce produced ($391 per ounce sold) in the first nine months of 2020, mainly due to the planned lower gold production together with higher realized input costs in the first nine months of 2021 (resulting from higher period stripping activities, higher fuel and processing costs and higher import duties). Total AISC (including estimated attributable results for Calibre) for the first nine months of 2021 were $900 per ounce sold (first nine months of 2020 - $740 per ounce sold) and consolidated AISC from the Company's three operating mines were $887 per ounce sold (first nine months of 2020 - $726 per ounce sold), both approximately in-line with budget.