Eldorado Gold Crushes First Ore at Skouries, Eyes Q3 Production
Event summary
- First ore crushed at Eldorado Gold's Skouries copper-gold project in Northern Greece, marking a key commissioning milestone.
- Ore stockpile of approximately 3.9 million tonnes built ahead of schedule to support plant ramp-up.
- Final site energization pending Greek power authority inspection and sign-off; interim generators added to maintain progress.
- First copper-gold concentrate production targeted for Q3 2026, with commercial production expected in Q4 2026.
The big picture
Eldorado Gold's progress at Skouries comes amid broader industry trends of delayed project timelines due to regulatory hurdles and supply chain constraints. The successful crushing of first ore positions the company to capitalize on rising copper-gold demand, though final energization remains a critical path dependency. The project's scale—with a 3.9 million-tonne stockpile—underscores its strategic importance in Eldorado's portfolio.
What we're watching
- Regulatory Timelines
- Whether Greek power authority can complete final inspections and sign-off to enable full site energization.
- Commissioning Progress
- The pace at which Eldorado advances wet and dry commissioning activities across crushing, grinding, flotation, and tailings circuits.
- Production Ramp-Up
- How the 3.9 million-tonne ore stockpile will support a controlled ramp-up of processing plant operations through 2026.
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