Photo credit: TVI Resource Development The Board of RTG Mining Inc. is pleased to announce that a comprehensive settlement of all outstanding issues with the Villar Family controlled Sage Capital and TVI Resource Development (Phils.) Inc. (“TVIRD”) has been reached and a binding Memorandum of Agreement signed. On execution of the final documents, expected in the next month, all litigation that RTG had launched will be withdrawn as part of an agreed restructuring of the Mabilo Project. The Villar Family is one of the most prominent families in the Philippines and RTG is pleased to partner with them in the development of the Mabilo Project, which is a significant mining project for the country. The key terms of the agreement for RTG include the following: RTG (through SRM Gold Limited) will retain a 40% interest in Mt. Labo Exploration and Development Corporation (“Mt. Labo”) with the project also developed by Mt. Labo, in line with Philippine regulatory requirements, with Sage Capital (which is owned by TVIRD) holding the remaining 60%; RTG will have a 2% net smelter royalty (“NSR”); RTG’s debt together with interest, currently in the order of US$27M (subject to audit) will be repaid out of the proceeds of Stage 1 of the project, the Direct Shipping Operation subject to customary requirements to address liquidity and ongoing operations of Mt. Labo; Funding arrangements for the project as between the major shareholders of Mt. Labo have been successfully renegotiated, (relieving RTG of a sole funding obligation) and replaced with a pro-rata funding obligation, together with a disproportionate funding obligation of Sage Capital, as set out below; With debt repayments in full and the NSR, RTG will be entitled to approximately 57% of the proceeds of Stage 1, the Direct Shipping Operation; RTG will be entitled to 40% of the operating cashflow of the project, together with the 2% NSR and repayment of its debt, which is currently in the order of US$27M; The first US$5M of expenditure for Mt. Labo (or 12 months of expenditure, whichever occurs the earlier), will be funded pro-rata between the two shareholders (ie RTG will provide 40%) and thereafter, Sage Capital/TVIRD will sole fund the next US$5M of expenditure, with all additional funding thereafter to be provided on a pro-rata basis; All parties are required to act in the best interests of the project and not compete; A shareholders’ agreement will be finalised which will provide typical minority interest protection clauses including reserve matters for voting including annual budgets and appointments of key personnel; Any disputes will be resolved by the Singapore International Arbitration Centre; and On completion of final signed documents, all litigation matters will be withdrawn and settled in full. With the restructuring of the Mabilo Project now agreed, over the balance of this year, the remaining permitting matters and financing plans will be finalised, a review of the 2016 Feasibility Study will be completed, together with finalising the acquisition of surface rights, following which, a commitment to development will be formalised by the Board of Mt. Labo. RTG is pleased with the outcome of the discussions and the co-operative and constructive approach adopted by the Villar Family representatives. RTG believes they can be a strong and positive partner to work with to take the Mabilo Project forward, with both a near term development and future exploration activities to expand the project, which will start to unlock the value of the project for all stakeholders, not only the local communities but for the country as a whole.

Part 1: Mining Operation Challenges and Mine Operations Management Domains 1 & 2. By Mae Ann Cabasag, EM Mining companies encounter numerous challenges throughout their operations. However, initiatives to mitigate these challenges and improve efficiency are often limited. Most of these limitations emanated from a common factor: the challenge of “poor visibility” in mining operations. A viable solution is to adopt digital transformation in mining operations by incorporating available real-time data into an integrated system— capable of ensuring automatic updates and reliable source of information. Through this, mining companies not only understand simulations and plans developed but also anticipate potential outcomes. Various mining industry analysts have found that using non-digital methods in the mining operations can lead to a 27% reduction in production time and 25% increase in data inaccuracy. For a mining company to remain competitive in an industry susceptible to operation challenges, i.e. production processes, workers’ and equipment performances, ore quality and quantity, compliance to regulations, and inter-departmental collaboration, it needs to embrace digital transformation. Dassault Systèmes Mine Operations Management provides transformative digital solution for mining companies to achieve excellence in their operations. Mine Operations Management (MOM) equips mining companies with an integrated system for their mining operations, enabling them to achieve efficient plan and schedule. This system integrates entire operation data into a single repository source of information, known as the “single source of truth”, ensuring complete transparency of the company’s processes from mine to port. By leveraging MOM, we can address the following global mining industry challenges: Maintaining competitiveness amidst market volatility. Eliminating waste materials, poor communication, and error duplication. Improving site productivity and efficiency. Utilizing assets and sharing best practices across the value chain. Ensuring an utmost level of safety. Reducing environmental impacts and achieving sustainable operations. The transformative digital solution, Mine Operations Management, is composed of eight work packages, split across four domains, namely: Data Management, Material Reconciliation, Operational Control, and Assets Performance. These domains help generate valuable insights from integrated operational data for rapid and informed strategic decision-making.  The Data Management consists of Master Data Model and Integration Framework packages essential for material tracking, stockpile management, task and workforce management, machine performance, and asset maintenance. It enables users to manage master data objects such as Site, Material, Location, Equipment, and Operator through manual data entry or third-party source systems.  With this, mining companies can ensure efficient and integrated management of critical data required for seamless operations. Material Reconciliation, on the other hand, consists of Material Tracking and Stockpile Management packages. Material Tracking enables us to track material movements across different stages, i.e. from the least accurate grade estimated in geological model to the most precise information on shipped material quantity and quality, to account for any inaccuracies. While in the Stockpile Management, users not only can calculate daily stockpile balance, add Survey or Sampling data, analyze inventory levels and trends, create graphical representation of the stockpile balances and movements, calibrate stockpile using volumetric survey and sampling, enables comparison of different models, track movement genealogy and review stockpile slices for stockpiles with LIFO and FIFO calculation type but can create a different type of analysis such as actual vs plan vs model. In the upcoming article, we will explore the two remaining domains of Mine Operations Management to where assigning operational tasks, tracking compliance to plan, monitoring equipment down to workers’ performance are feasible in the mining operations. To know more about MOM, mining innovations and solutions, contact Dassault Systèmes Value Solutions Partner: Paramina Earth Technologies Inc. through paramina_solutions@paramina.com   References: Make it happen for mine execution excellence: Dassault Systèmes®. MEGATrends. (n.d.).  https://events.3ds.com/make-it-happen-for-mine-execution-excellence  Dassault Systèmes. (2021, August 12). Digging deeper: The virtual solution for Mining Operational Excellence. Dassault Systèmes. https://discover.3ds.com/virtual-mining-operational excellence  dassault3ds. (2022, June 16). The mining industry needs to adapt, but how? Dassault Systèmes blog. https://blog.3ds.com/brands/delmia/the-mining-industry-needs-to-adapt-but-how/

Photo: Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Region II Regional Director Mario Ancheta joined barangay and municipal government officials and Didipio Mine employees in the groundbreaking of a farm-to-market road project in Ifugao Village, Diffun, Quirino last February 2023. The road project is part of the Mine’s Community Development Fund (CDF), which aims to share the benefits of the Didipio Mine outside its immediate communities. The Didipio Mine’s Community Development Fund (CDF) entered a new phase this year as different projects under the Fund are now in various stages of development and implementation. “We are pleased to share that the Didipio Mine’s Community Development Fund (CDF) is now into full implementation phase as different projects have been breaking ground since December 2022,” Atty. Joan D. Adaci-Cattiling, President of OceanaGold (Philippines), Inc., said. “From the drawing board to its launching last year, we are on our way to expanding the reach of the benefits brought by the Didipio Mine to more beneficiary communities in our host provinces of Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino,” she added. Caption: The Community Development Fund’s (CDF) Steering Committee and Technical Working Group members that includes DENR Region II Regional Executive Director Dr. Gwendolyn Bambalan CESO III, MGB Region II Regional Director Mario Ancheta, OceanaGold (Philippines) Inc. President Atty. Joan Adaci-Cattiling, DILG Region II Regional Director Jonathan Paul Leusen, Jr. CESO III, CHR Region II Regional Director Jimmy Baliga, and other key stakeholders pose during the launching of the Fund last July 2022 in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan. The CDF aims to build community capacity and resilience as part of the additional terms and conditions of the Didipio Mine’s Financial or Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA) renewal. The funding is from the additional 1.0 per cent of the gross mining revenue to meet the identified needs of the communities. Launched in July 2022, the CDF operates under seven pillars of benefit-sharing: Infrastructure Enterprise Development Socio-cultural or IP Program Capacity Building Disaster Response/Management and Environment Health Education The CDF emphasizes collaboration and partnership with relevant local government units (LGUs), community groups, organizations, Indigenous peoples, or Indigenous cultural communities to determine the plan and implementation. The Fund is underpinned by the widespread participation among multiple community stakeholders to deliver programs that have broad benefits and purpose, and to build effective partnerships to foster learning and continuous improvement. “These projects are identified through consultations with different groups and involve government agencies and organizations in the technical working group and steering committee for the implementation of the CDF, so it is participatory and inclusive,” Marjorie Idio, External Affairs and Communications Manager, said. “And as we expand the CDF’s reach beyond the host and neighboring barangays, more and more communities in the greater Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino provinces stand to benefit from it. “We look forward to the completion, inauguration, and turnover of these projects,” she added. The other additional program for community development under the FTAA renewal is the Provincial Development Fund (PDF), which is 0.5 percent of the gross mining revenue. The PDF will benefit the provincial local government units of Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino.