Property Developments
This section provides recent updates for our principal properties as reported by the operators, either directly to us or in their publicly available documents.
Stream Interests
Andacollo
Gold stream deliveries from Andacollo were approximately 3,200 ounces for the three months ended September 30, 2022, compared to approximately 6,400 ounces for the three months ended September 30, 2021. The decrease in deliveries resulted primarily from Andacollo experiencing lower gold grades and lower gold recoveries, as well as differences in the timing of shipments and settlements during the periods.
As reported by Teck Resources Limited (“Teck”), a significant rainfall event in July caused operations to shut down for five days. We expect the impact of this shutdown will affect stream deliveries in the first quarter of 2023.
Gold production at Andacollo has trended lower since the beginning of 2021 due to lower ore grades, as anticipated in the mine plan. According to Teck, the period of lower grades is expected to last through 2023, and the mine plan then anticipates a transition to higher grade ore as the next phase of mining is developed over the following years. Teck has reported that the current life of mine for Andacollo is expected to continue until 2035 and that additional permits or permit amendments will be required to execute the life of mine plan.
Khoemacau Project
Silver stream deliveries from Khoemacau were approximately 290,700 ounces for the three months ended September 30, 2022. First concentrate was shipped from Khoemacau in mid-July 2021 and silver stream deliveries to us were approximately 105,800 ounces for the three months ended September 30, 2021.
According to Khoemacau Copper Mining (Pty.) Limited (“KCM”), the operator of Khoemacau, ramp-up of operations continued and average monthly underground production increased consistently during the quarter ended September 30, 2022, from approximately 7,300 tonnes per day (8,000 tons per day) in June to approximately 8,000 tonnes per day (8,800 tons per day) in September 2022. Production has reached the target mining rate of 10,000 tonnes per day (11,000 tons per day) for short periods during the ramp up period but has not yet been consistently sustained at this level. KCM expects to reach the target mining rate on a sustained basis toward the end of December 2022 and into the first quarter of 2023.
KCM continues to expect that at full production Khoemacau will produce 155,000 to 165,000 tonnes (171,000 to 182,000 tons) of high-grade copper and silver concentrate a year, containing approximately 60,000 to 65,000 tonnes (66,000 to 72,000 tons) of payable copper and 1.8 to 2.0 million ounces of payable silver per year, over an approximate 20-year mine life from Zone 5.
Mount Milligan
Gold stream deliveries from Mount Milligan were approximately 18,400 ounces for the three months ended September 30, 2022, compared to approximately 10,800 ounces for the three months ended September 30, 2021. Increased gold deliveries resulted from differences in the timing of shipments and settlements during the periods and gold grade variability in the concentrate shipments.
Copper stream deliveries from Mount Milligan were approximately 4.5 million pounds during the three months ended September 30, 2022, compared to approximately 2.6 million pounds during the three months ended September 30, 2021. Increased deliveries resulted from differences in the timing of shipments and settlements during the periods.
Stream deliveries during the quarter from Mount Milligan provided for complete repayment of the $781.5 million advance deposit made by Royal Gold to Thompson Creek Metals Company, Inc. (“Thompson Creek”), a subsidiary of Centerra Gold Inc. (“Centerra”). Royal Gold contributed three advance payments prior to and during the development of the mine in 2010 through 2012, in return for the right to acquire 52.25% of the payable gold produced from Mount Milligan. Royal