Eldorado Gold has produced its first copper-gold concentrate at the Skouries project in northern Greece, advancing the operation from construction into commissioning and ramp-up ahead of planned commercial production in the fourth quarter of 2026. The milestone follows the start-up of the project’s crushing, grinding, flotation, tailings thickening and concentrate thickening systems, bringing the processing plant into operation.
Ore stockpile supports commissioning
Skouries’ ore stockpile has grown to more than 4.6 million tonnes, with material above reserve grade providing sufficient feed for more than seven months of processing throughput. The available stockpile gives Eldorado material for commissioning while the company works on plant stability, metallurgical recoveries and concentrate quality without immediately relying on full mining rates.
The project is also awaiting connection to Greece’s national electricity grid, which is expected during September, subject to final inspections, testing and installation of metering equipment.
Copper and gold production capacity
Permanent grid power is expected to support the transition toward steady-state operations as commissioning progresses. Over its mine life, Skouries is designed to produce average annual output of approximately 140,000 ounces of gold and 30,400 tonnes of copper. The project adds new primary copper production to the European market at a time when the region remains dependent on imported copper and concentrates.
Skouries advances European copper supply
European copper demand is expected to increase alongside investment in electricity grids, renewable energy generation, electric vehicles and data centres, all of which require copper across related infrastructure. Against this backdrop, Skouries represents a new domestic source of copper and gold as Europe continues to face challenges moving major mining projects from permitting and financing into production. The production of first concentrate marks the transition into the operating phase, although Eldorado must still ramp up the processing plant to design throughput while maintaining targeted recoveries and concentrate specifications.
Commercial production targeted for Q4 2026
Key operational milestones include the pace of commissioning, flotation-circuit performance, permanent grid connection and progress toward commercial production. The 4.6-million-tonne-plus ore stockpile provides flexibility during commissioning as operating parameters are refined. Eldorado is targeting commercial production in Q4 2026, which represents the next major milestone for the Skouries development.
