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(The following statement was released by the rating agency) NEW YORK, February 27 (Fitch) Fitch Ratings has assigned a 'BBB-'rating to the proposed $350 million 10-year, senior unsecured notes. Net proceeds of the notes are to be used to repay a portion of the $1 billion term loan due 2017. A complete list of ratings follows at the end of this release. The Rating Outlook is Stable. KEY RATING DRIVERS Kinross' ratings reflect its sizable reserves, average cost position, average geopolitical risk position, and the potential for substantial development spending over the medium term together with Kinross' commitment to maintain a conservative capital structure given its exposure to gold prices. In weak gold markets, the company has the ability to defer development and exploration and focus on cash preservation. Kinross operates in the U.S., Russia, Brazil, Chile, Ghana, and Mauritania, which accounted for 28%, 21%, 19%, 14%, 9% and 9%, respectively, of 2013 attributable gold equivalent production. Gold production has grown at a compound annual growth rate of 2.8% over the past four years. At Dec. 31, 2013, proven and probable gold reserves were 39.7 million oz. calculated at $1,200/oz. which equates to 16x 2013 gold production of 2.5 million oz. The company reported all-in sustaining cost of $1,063 per ounce of gold for the year to date Dec. 31, 2013. Liquidity at Dec. 31, 2013 was strong, with cash on hand of $735 million and utilization of only $31.9 million for letters of credit under the company's $1.5 billion revolver due August 2018. The revolver has a maximum net leverage of 3.5x. Total debt at Dec. 31, 2013 of $2.1 billion to latest 12 months (LTM) operating EBITDA of $1.4 billion was 1.6x, and net debt to LTM operating EBITDA was 1.0x. Liquidity should remain adequate to support Kinross' capital spends which are guided to be $675 million in 2014. The final feasibility study on the mill expansion at Tasiast is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2014 but no decision on the expansion is expected before 2015 at the earliest. Fitch expects Kinross to be free cash flow neutral in 2014 based on $1,200/oz. gold. In 2013, with average gold realizations of $1402/oz., cash flow after $1.3 billion in capital expenditures and $91 million in dividends was negative $590.7 million. Fitch expects Kinross to remain in compliance with its covenants and have sufficient liquidity to support its operations. Fitch estimates scheduled maturities of debt as of Dec. 31, 2013, pro forma for the new notes assuming $350 million repayment of the term loan, to be $60 million in 2014, $60 million in 2015, $270 million in 2016, $650 million in 2017 and $1.1 billion thereafter. The Stable Outlook reflects Fitch's expectation that total debt/EBITDA will not exceed 2x when borrowing is at its peak. Fitch believes that spending for Tasiast will be disciplined. Should internal cash generation fall behind expectations, Fitch expects expenditures to be cut or to be supported by asset sales rather than substantial new debt issuance. RATING SENSITIVITIES Negative: Future developments that may, individually or collectively, lead to negative rating action include: --Gold prices and internally generated cash flow deteriorate without an equal management response in the form of reduced spending, asset sales or the raising of equity; --Expectations that total debt/operating EBITDA will be greater than 3.0x. Positive: Not anticipated given capital spending plans but future developments that may lead to a positive rating action include: --Modest net borrowing and free cash flow positive on average. Fitch currently rates Kinross Gold Corporation as follows: --IDR 'BBB-'; --Revolving Credit Facility 'BBB-'; --Senior Unsecured Term Loan due 2017 'BBB-'; --$250 million Senior unsecured notes due 2016 'BBB-'; --$500 million Senior unsecured notes due 2021 'BBB-'; --$250 million Senior unsecured notes due 2041 'BBB-'. Contact: Primary Analyst Monica M. Bonar Senior Director +1-212-908-0579 Fitch Ratings, Inc. One State Street Plaza New York, NY 10004 Secondary Analyst Christopher M. Collins, CFA Director +1-312-368-3196 Committee Chairperson Sean T. Sexton, CFA Managing Director +1-312-368-3130 Media Relations: Brian Bertsch, New York, Tel: +1 212-908-0549, Email: brian.bertsch@fitchratings.com. Additional information is available at 'www.fitchratings.com'. Applicable Criteria & Related Research: --'Corporate Rating Methodology' (Aug. 2013). 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