Mill at Valentine. Credit: Equinox Gold
Equinox Gold (TSX, NYSE-A: EQX) shares rose to a high last seen almost five years ago after it made its first pour at the Valentine mine located in Newfoundland, a milestone that the company says would firmly place it amongst Canada’s gold mining elites.
The first pour was achieved earlier than expected on Sept. 14, due to the process plant operating at nearly half (47%) of its nameplate since its commissioning, CEO Darren Hall said. The facility first began processing ore at the end of August and has a capacity of 2.5 million tonnes per year.
Hall adds that the mine, located about 200 km west of Gander, will ramp up to its nameplate in the second quarter of 2026 as planned.
Haywood Capital Markets analyst Jamie Spratt models average annual production of 194,000 oz. at Valentine over a 12-year life.
“Together with Greenstone [in Ontario] the two Canadian…
