Equinox Gold has begun processing ore through a 2.5-million-tonne-per-annum facility at its Valentine open-pit gold mine in central Newfoundland and Labrador, about 80 kilometres southwest of Millertown.  

“We expect to pour first gold within the next month, marking another important milestone for Equinox Gold,” said Darren Hall, CEO of Equinox Gold in an Aug. 28 press release.  

Hall added that the Equinox team is on track to ramp-up operations to nameplate capacity during the second quarter of 2026. By that time, Valentine is expected to produce between 175,000 and 200,000 ounces of gold annually for the first 12 years of its 14-year reserve life. 

Equinox Gold acquired Valentine through its merger with Calibre Mining, completed earlier in June. Once fully operational, it will be Equinox’s second-largest mine and the largest gold mine in Atlantic Canada.  

Valentine is Equinox’s second cornerstone Canadian operation, following the Greenstone open-pit gold mine in Ontario. 

Equinox also shared that ramp-up at Greenstone continues to progress as the mine nears nameplate capacity. Greenstone first reached commercial production on Nov. 6, 2024.