Eldorado Gold has produced its first copper-gold concentrate at Skouries in northern Greece and expects the project to reach commercial production in the fourth quarter of 2026, the company said. The September milestone moves Skouries from construction toward production, while commissioning and ramp-up remain near-term challenges.
At the end of September, the project had about 4.8 million tonnes of ore in stockpiles, containing an estimated 176,000 ounces of gold and 61 million pounds of copper. The stockpile provides a buffer during ramp-up, allowing plant commissioning to continue without relying entirely on immediate mine output.
The plant’s ramp-up has been slower than initially anticipated, although a slower start is not unusual for a large processing plant. Permanent grid power is operational, and commissioning of key plant systems, including filter presses, is advancing. The main near-term task is achieving operating stability rather than establishing resource quality.
Skouries holds Strategic Project status under the EU Critical Raw Materials Act as Europe seeks to reduce its dependence on imported copper and other critical raw materials. Copper is used in grid reinforcement, renewable generation, electric vehicles, industrial electrification and defence manufacturing. New European primary supply has strategic value even though its volumes are small relative to global production.
Investors will be watching recovery rates, throughput, concentrate quality, water management, tailings performance and how quickly operating costs normalise. The project’s next two quarters are especially important for demonstrating reliable commercial production. Skouries is also a test of whether strategic project designations and accelerated permitting can lead to dependable output, as Europe pursues a wider mining agenda.
The post Greece’s Skouries produces first concentrate, targets Q4 2026 production appeared first on Mining South East Europe.