SKOURIES (GREECE)

Growth capital invested totalled $82.7 million in Q3 2024 and $227.1 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2024. At September 30, 2024, the growth capital invested towards the overall capital estimate of $920 million totalled $411.9 million. 

In 2024, the expected capital spend has been lowered to between $350 and $380 million from the original guidance of $375 and $425 million. The lowered capital is not expected to impact first production as it is primarily related to rescheduled work that has been shifted to a later phase of the project that is not on the critical path, and reflects a slower than expected ramp-up of contractor mobilization during the first three quarters of 2024.

First production of the copper-gold concentrate is expected in Q3 2025, with expected 2025 gold production of 50,000 to 60,000 ounces and copper production of 15 to 20 million pounds.The project remains on track for commercial production at the end of 2025.

Overall construction progress is 79% when including the first phase of construction. 

Work continues to advance on the filtered tailings building which is on the critical path. In September, the first contract for the filtered tailings building was awarded for the structure and mechanical installations. For efficiency, the contract was split into two components: 

1)    filtered tailings building structure and mechanical installations, and
2)    piping, electrical and instrumentation.

Piling has been completed for the filtered tailings building and concrete work is progressing to enable construction of the structural steel. With three active drills on site, the piles for the filtered tailings facility ancillary buildings continue to progress. To date, 388 piles have been completed out of a total of 871. As previously announced, the fabricated frames for the filter press plates arrived on site during Q2 2024, and all filter press components have now been delivered to site. 

Primary Crusher Building
Progress continued to advance on the foundation construction of the primary crusher with retaining walls and stabilized excavations nearing completion. Construction of the crusher building structure will commence in November. 

Process plant
Work in the process plant continues to progress. Re-lining of the flotation tanks was completed as planned and structural and mechanical work is in progress. Off-site pipe spool fabrication continues and delivery of high-density polyethylene piping to site has commenced. Scaffolding is advancing to support electrical cable tray and piping installations and the contractor continues to ramp up to support increasing levels of activity. Work has also commenced on support infrastructure including the process control room building, process plant sub-station, water pump station, lime plant, air blowers building, compressor building and flotation reagent areas.

Thickeners
Construction of the three thickeners progressed on plan during the quarter. Major concrete pours are complete for the foundations of the first two thickeners. Support columns are complete on the first thickener and over 50% complete for the second thickener. Construction of the third thickener will start in Q4 2024 following completion of the first thickener.

Integrative Extractive Waste Management Facility (the "IEWMF")
During Q3 2024, construction continued to progress at the coffer dam site with excavation of the spillway and foundation preparation. Embankment fill material has been stockpiled for final placement in October 2024. By the end of 2024, the Company expects to have completed the first of two water management ponds, coffer dam and significantly advanced the earthworks. Work continues to progress with foundation preparation for the KL Embankment (tailings embankment) and the fill placement for water management pond 2 has advanced on plan for completion at year end. Excavations for water management pond 1 continue and development of the low-grade ore stockpile advanced with foundation preparation, drain construction and fill placement. 

Underground Development 
Progress has been made on the underground with expansion of the underground services for water management, ventilation and electrical distribution. Approximately 70% of the equipment and operator licenses have been received to date and development mining is ramping up. Access to the test stopes is advancing at the upper level as planned and the priority for the balance of the year is to advance the main decline and gain access to the bottom elevations of the test stopes. The schedule to receive all licenses and permits was later than planned and while the contractor is ramping up, it has delayed the completion of the expected 2,200 metres of underground development for 2024. The underground development for 2024 is now expected to be between 500 and 600 metres. While the metres are not on track with guidance the underground is not on the critical path for first production, in addition, this does not impact the overall timing for the two test stopes which are expected to be completed in Q3 2025.

Engineering
As engineering works are now at 78% and are nearing substantial completion, the focus has been on finalizing engineering to support the construction schedule. The release of structural steel for fabrication is nearing completion and steel deliveries have commenced to site to support steel construction in the process plant and filtered tailings building.

Procurement
At the end of Q3 2024, procurement is substantially complete, with all long-lead items procured and the focus on managing fabrication and deliveries. 

Operational Readiness 
A key focus of the operational readiness team is to establish a strong, risk-based operational readiness plan. Key departmental plans have been developed, an overarching governance framework established, and weekly leadership forums and monthly steering committee reviews established. Specialized support has been engaged to focus on processing operationalization, and readiness support. Further work is ongoing to establish detailed readiness plans for support and shared services. Priority focus areas have been identified and resource allocation adjusted accordingly.

The development of the Management Operating System (MOS) is currently focused on providing frontline supervisor and worker practices and procedures to the open pit operations team. These practices and procedures are established to ensure adherence to standards as well as establishing best practices and overall transparency across planning, execution, reporting and remediation to the frontline team. Several workshops were held with the heads of functions and initial departmental workflows were established. 

The training department’s short-term priority was developing a training plan for the open pit excavation activities in line with the recently adopted competency-based framework. The competency-based framework identifies specific competencies per role and then assesses the employee’s performance against specific performance criteria on knowledge, skills and attitude. This competency-based framework will ensure improved individual performance compared to the previous time in role-based competency framework only. Training material as well as training providers are in place and four (4) CAT 6020B hydraulic excavator operators commenced training during October 2024. This program will be expanded with the arrival of additional mining equipment in H1 2025. The Mavres Petres main training building structural upgrade has been completed and the focus for the coming quarter will be to equip practical training workbenches for basic skills training and assessment as well as for refresher training.

Operations
The operations team completed their labour strategy and associated organizational designs. Recruitment is underway at local and national levels. Several local and national job fairs are planned for Q4 2024 to attract as many as possible potential employees.  

The CAT 6020B hydraulic excavator was assembled during the quarter and training of operators commenced in October 2024. Most of the remaining open pit mining fleet will arrive during H1 2025. The first operational plan was prepared that combines the completion of construction pre-stripping and the start of open pit mining in H1 2025. A similar plan is being prepared for the underground mine and the expectation is that both the surface and underground mining will be operationalized during Q4 2024. 

Other operational, commercial and administrative departments made progress in recruiting their leadership and supervision employees and setting up operating and commercial processes.

Workforce
In addition to the Operational Readiness team, as at September 30, 2024, there were approximately 1,000 personnel working. Thus far the construction workforce productivity is slightly ahead of our assumptions. We are making steady progress towards our year-end target of 1,300 workers on site. Our focus once we have the additional personnel onsite will turn to integrating them at our assumed productivity levels to maintain the schedule and budget. We are managing this closely and taking proactive measures to mitigate potential challenges in a tight construction labour market.