Artemis Gold Inc. provided an update on third quarter construction progress at the Blackwater Mine in central British Columbia. The project remains fully funded, within the guidance for initial capital expenditure, and on schedule for first gold pour in second half 2024. At September 30, 2023, overall construction was 45% complete, and approximately CAD 280 million of the guided initial capital expenditure of CAD 730 to CAD 750 million had been spent.

The lag between the spend and percentage of completion is as planned and consistent with a typical project S-curve. Earthworks continued in priority infrastructure areas, with approximately 505 hectares logged and cleared. Over 90% of access roads needed for Phase 1 construction are now operable.

Construction of the site water management facilities, including the water management pond and Davidson Creek diversion, is well advanced. Total major works man-hours worked up to September 30, 2023, were more than 440,000 man-hours with a zero LTIFR and an AIFR of 138.97. Process plant construction progressed well on a number of fronts, including the mill building foundation preparation, reagents building, ball mill pedestals, carbon in leach (CIL) tanks, and the primary, secondary, and tertiary crushers structures, as well as the reclaim tunnel civil works.

Hydro testing of the first CIL tank has been completed. Construction of the run-of-mine (ROM) wall surpassed 75% complete at the end of September 2023 and is scheduled to be completed by the end of October 2023, with the ROM dump slab civil works scheduled to begin shortly thereafter. The construction fleet has been expanded to include 60- and 100-tonne rigid frame haul trucks and 150-tonne excavators, providing more material movement capability to key areas.

Initial deliveries of the owner mining fleet are well advanced, including 400-tonne hydraulic backhoe excavators and three 240-tonne rigid frame haul trucks which have arrived and are in various stages of assembly. Fleet assembly is expected to be sufficiently advanced by year end in preparation for pre-stripping and earthworks support in 2024. The remainder of the fleet to support operations will arrive predominately in the first half of 2024.

At the end of September 2023, the Sedgman EPC contract works passed 61% complete overall, with engineering and design over 95% complete. Procurement is 96% complete and progressing toward the conclusion of package awards. Key mechanical equipment packages are in various stages of delivery, including the primary, secondary and tertiary crushers and associated dry screens, while the wet plant vibrating screens, ADR plant, gravity concentrator(s) and intensive leach reactor are all on site.

The major ball mill components, including the shell and head segments, are in transit and expected to arrive in October. The electrical machinery control centre fabrication is complete and will undergo factory testing in early fourth quarter 2023. Contracts are being finalized for explosives supply, mine fleet tire supply and the assay laboratory, while proposals for the oxygen plant and water treatment plants are in the final stages of being evaluated.

Right-of-way clearing and construction of the 135km 225kV transmission line is scheduled to begin in fourth quarter 2023. With Phase 1 fully funded and 45% complete at the end of September 2023, a study to evaluate the benefits of advancing the Phase 2 expansion earlier than contemplated in the September 2021 Feasibility Study is progressing well. The results of this study are expected to be released in early 2024.