The Kisladag deposit is hosted by a suite of subvolcanic monzonite porphyry intrusions that are subdivided into Intrusions #1, #2, #2A, and #3. Intrusion #1 is the oldest, and generally best mineralized phase. It forms the core of the system, and is cut by the younger porphyritic intrusions. It is an E-W oriented elongate elliptical body in map view (~1,300 m x ~500 m), and in the subsurface has a sill like form intruding along the contact of the basement and volcanic package (Figure 8-1). At depth the main body extends beyond the current limit of drilling (~1,000 m). Contacts between Intrusion #1 and the surrounding volcanic rocks are generally obscured by alteration. Contacts with younger intrusions, particularly Intrusion #3, are better preserved. Intrusion #1 has a K feldspardominant groundmass with plagioclase phenocrysts (up to 30% of the rock by volume), occurring as tabular crystals ranging in size from 0.1 – 5 mm. Biotite is the second most abundant phenocryst phase (up to 10% of the rock) whereas blocky megacrystic K-feldspar phenocrysts, up to 1 cm, are a characteristic of this unit, but are low in abundance compared to plagioclase and biotite phenocrysts (< 2%). Quartz phenocrysts are rare, and are generally rounded or embayed where present. Intrusion #1 lacks amphibole or pyroxene phenocrysts and primary magnetite.

Intrusion #2 occurs as a WNW-oriented elongate body at depth that splits into two apophyses that form semi-circular stocks (both approximately 150-200 m in diameter) at shallower levels where they cut Intrusion #1. Both apophyses are in contact with and cut by Intrusion #3. The rock is a fine- to medium grained porphyry with abundant (20-30%) plagioclase phenocrysts up to 2 mm in length in a dominantly K-feldspar groundmass. Rare primary biotite and amphibole phenocrysts occur but the unit lacks quartz phenocrysts. Very fine-grained (< 0.2 mm) primary magnetite in the groundmass may be primary.

Intrusion #2A occurs in the southeast corner of the pit and is characterized by a very intense clay (kaolinite-smectite-pyrite) alteration throughout that forms a distinct textural and rheological argillic altered sub-domain termed the friable domain. Intrusion #2A forms a circular stock (250-300 m across) that tapers at depth. It intrudes the margin of Intrusion #1, but contact relationships with Intrusion #3 are not observed. It is a fine- to medium grained porphyritic rock, but the intense pervasive clay alteration obscures the primary mineral assemblage.

Intrusion #3 is the youngest large intrusive body. It forms a semi-circular stock near the center of Intrusion #1, west of the central Intrusion #2 stock and at depth to the west extends into a WNWelongated, subvertical dike like body. Intrusion #3 is a fine-grained porphyritic unit with 20-30% plagioclase phenocrysts up to 4 mm in length, and lesser quartz and biotite phenocrysts (both < 5%). Amphibole phenocrysts (5-10%) are more abundant than in the other intrusions but are commonly altered to chlorite. This intrusion is magnetic due to the presence of very fine-grained disseminated primary magnetite in the groundmass.

Porphyry-style sheeted to stockwork quartz veins occur with the potassic and white mica tourmaline alteration zones. Veinlets range in width from 0.1 mm to 1 cm, with most being 1-3 mm. Gold occurs as non-refractory, very fine free gold grains (typically less than 10 microns in diameter) that are associated with pyrite, and less commonly other sulfide phases (chalcopyrite, and sphalerite), as well as free grains attached to quartz, K-feldspar and albite. Both native gold and electrum (with up to 18 % Ag) have been identified. Other opaque minerals include pyrite, molybdenite, and sphalerite, with minor occurrences of tennantite, tetrahedrite, bournonite, chalcopyrite and gold- and bismuthtelluride. The average copper grade of the deposit is low (~ 200 ppm) but increases to typically between 300 and 500 ppm within potassic alteration (Baker et al., 2016).

The Kisladag open pit mine currently provides ore at a rate of 12.0 Mtpa for three-stage crushing followed by heap leaching. In 2021, a HPGR will replace the tertiary crushers for final comminution. Once the HPGR is commissioned, the ore production rate will increase to 12.6 Mtpa. Annual mine production, inclusive of ore and waste, will peak at 42.5 Mtpa of total material movement in 2022, and will continue until 2034. The life of mine (LOM) stripping ratio is 1.12:1 based on a cut-off of 0.19 recoverable Au g/t.

Mining methods are by conventional open pit techniques with unit operations consisting of drilling, blasting, loading, and hauling by truck.

Ore and waste are mined on 10 m benches. Ore will be hauled to the primary crusher for processing and waste rock will be placed in the south rock dump (SRD) and the north rock dump (NRD). A total of 158.2 Mt of waste rock will be placed in the SRD as the primary location from 2020 until 2026. A total of 34.9 Mt of waste rock will be placed in the NRD over the mine life starting in 2022. Between 2022 and 2026 both rock dumps will be used as best suited.

Mining has been designed in five phases with mining of the first two phases already completed. The mining of phase 3 is ongoing. The final pit will be approximately 1,650 m (east-west) x 1,300 m (north-south) x 565 m deep.

Kisladag is an open pit mine and heap leach operation with a 3-stage crushing plant. The process plant will be modified with the construction of an HPGR unit to replace the tertiary crushing circuit. Concentrated cyanide solution will be added to the crushed ore prior to its stacking. Subject to further investigation, the crushed ore may be agglomerated to enhance percolation in the heap. The upgraded plant will maintain its current capacity to process 12.6 Mt per year, producing approximately 160,000 ounces of gold annually.

Ore is processed in a standard heap leach facility as follows [2019 AR F-40, p 59]:

- All ore is fed into a conventional three-stage crushing and screening plant for size reduction down to 80% passing 6.3mm. There have been periods as recently as 2016 where lower grade ore was blasted to a finer product size and hauled to the leach pad as run of mine, however this practice is not being planned for any future period;

- Crushed ore ........