Equinox Gold Achieves Commercial Production at Valentine Gold Mine, Driving Canadian Gold Production Growth into 2026

Core Viewpoint - Equinox Gold has achieved commercial production at its Valentine Gold Mine, marking a significant milestone in expanding its Canadian operations and contributing to gold production growth in Canada through 2026 [1][2]. Production Performance - The Valentine process plant has averaged 5,451 tonnes per day (tpd) over the last 60 days, achieving 80% of its nameplate capacity of 6,850 tpd, with gold recovery rates exceeding 93% on lower-grade commissioning feed of 1.2 grams per tonne gold [3]. - The mine is expected to produce between 15,000 to 30,000 ounces of gold in Q4, with projections for 150,000 to 200,000 ounces in 2026 as it reaches nameplate capacity by Q2 2026 [4]. Future Expansion Plans - The company is advancing Phase 2 studies that could increase mill throughput to 5 million tonnes per year, effectively doubling the current nameplate capacity from 4 million tonnes as per the 2022 feasibility study [4]. Company Overview - Equinox Gold is a Canadian mining company focused on growth, with a portfolio of high-quality, long-life gold operations in Canada and the Americas, alongside a pipeline of development and expansion projects [5].