Victoria Gold Corp. (TSX:VGCX) provides an update on operations along with its second quarter 2023 summary financial and operating results.

Due to fire activity in the area of the Eagle Gold mine, specifically, the East McQuesten wildfire, the operation was partially evacuated on July 30, 2023. Progress was made in managing the fire and, on August 1, 2023, employees returned to work at the Eagle Gold mine. On August 4, 2023, the fire again approached the Eagle Gold mine and employees were evacuated for a second time. The danger to the Eagle mine site posed by the fire has since subsided and the Company is in the process of remobilizing employees back to site. It is expected that the mine will be back to full operation soon. As a result of a separate fire, the Talbot Creek Fire, the nearby Village of Mayo has been evacuated. The Company’s Eagle Gold mine remobilization activities will take into consideration the evolving situation in Mayo. Having just went through the challenging and stressful task of evacuating a large group of people, our thoughts are certainly with the Mayo community.

The Company uses certain non-IFRS performance measures throughout this news release. Please refer to the “Non-IFRS Performance Measures” section of this news release for more information. All currency figures are in Canadian $ unless otherwise indicated.

This release should be read in conjunction with the Company’s Financial Statements and Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the three and six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, available on the Company’s website or on SedarPlus.

“Record second quarter gold production in 2023 is testament to the success of operational improvement initiatives implemented over the past few quarters. While earnings and cash flows are higher quarter over quarter and year over year, we are focused on further improvements. Several cost savings initiatives are underway which have the potential to grow earnings and cash flows going forward,” noted Mr. John McConnell, President and CEO.

Operational highlights – Second Quarter 2023

• Mine production was 2.4 million tonnes of ore in the quarter.
• Ore stacked on the heap leach facility in the quarter was 2.5 million tonnes at an average grade of 0.74 grams per tonne.
• Gold production was 45,568 ounces in the quarter.

Financial highlights – Second Quarter 2023

• Gold sold in the quarter was 44,710 oz, at an average realized price¹ of $2,660 (US$1,981) per oz.
• Recognized revenue was $118.8 million based on sales of 44,710 oz of gold in the quarter.
• Operating earnings were $22.4 million in the quarter.
• Net income was $16.0 million, or $0.24 per share on a basic basis and $0.24 per share on a diluted basis for the quarter.
• Cash costs¹ were US$1,253 per oz of gold sold in the quarter.
• All-in sustaining costs (“AISC”)¹ were US$1,466 per oz of gold sold in the quarter.
• EBITDA¹ were $52.3 million in the quarter, or $0.79 per share¹ in the quarter.
• Free cash flow¹ before adjustments was $14.2 million in the quarter.
• Adjusted free cash flow¹ was a deficiency of $13.5 million in the quarter.
• Cash and cash equivalents were $27.5 million at June 30, 2023.

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¹ Refer to the “Non-IFRS Performance Measures” section.

Second Quarter and First Half-Year 2023 Operating Results

^{Notes – Strip ratio: waste to ore (“w:o”)
              Mining rate: tonnes per day (“tpd”)}

Gold production and sales

During the three months ended June 30, 2023, the Eagle Gold Mine produced 45,568 ounces of gold, compared to the 32,055 ounces of gold production in Q2 2022. The 42% increase in gold production is attributed to year-round stacking and improved heap leach pad operations over the winter period in 2023 and higher gold inventory on the heap leach pad.

During the three months ended June 30, 2023, the Company sold 44,710 ounces of gold, compared to the 28,580 gold ounces sold in Q2 2022. The 56% increase in gold sold is the result of increased gold production.

Mining

During the three months ended June 30, 2023, a total of 2.4 million tonnes of ore was mined, at a waste to ore strip ratio of 0.91:1 with a total of 4.5 million tonnes of material mined. In comparison, a total of 2.2 million tonnes of ore was mined, at a strip ratio of 1.00:1 with a total of 4.3 million tonnes of material mined for the prior comparable period in 2022. Total tonnes mined were 4% higher during the three months ended June 30, 2023.

During three months ended June 30, 2023, mining rates, waste movement and the resultant strip ratio were lower than expected due to mine sequencing which led to longer haul distances and fewer active mining faces. During the remainder of 2023, haul distances are expected to be shorter and active mining faces are expected to increase leading to increased waste movement and strip ratio.

Processing

During the three months ended June 30, 2023, a total of 2.5 million tonnes of ore was stacked on the HLF at a throughput rate of 27.6 k tpd. A total of 2.3 million tonnes of ore was stacked on the HLF at a throughput rate of 25.3 k tpd for the prior comparable period in 2022. Ore stacked on the HLF increased by 9% for the three months ended June 30, 2023 as incremental improvements to the reliability of the material handling circuit have been realized.

Ore stacked for the quarter had an average grade of 0.74 g/t Au, compared to 0.85 g/t Au in the prior comparable period in 2022 in line with the Eagle mine plan. Reconciliation versus the Eagle reserve model remains strong.

During the three months ended June 30, 2023, the Company focused on several fixed plant maintenance programs. These programs were successful in improving preventative maintenance activities but did incur excess costs for parts and contractors.

As at June 30, 2023, the Company estimates there are 100,136 recoverable oz within mineral inventory.

Capital

The Company incurred a total of $17.6 million in capital expenditures during the three months ended June 30, 2023:

1. sustaining capital of $9.0 million, including:
   1. scheduled capital component rebuilds on mobile mining fleet of $3.6 million,
   2. upgrades and capital component rebuilds on material handling system of $3.1 million,
   3. purchases of additional mining fleet equipment of $1.2 million, and
   4. other ongoing sustaining capital initiatives of $1.1 million;
2. $5.8 million spend on growth capital expenditures (primarily due to heap leach pad expansion);
3. capitalized stripping activities of $1.4 million, and;
4. $1.4 million adjustment to the Company’s asset retirement obligation during the quarter.

Second Quarter and First Half-Year 2023 Financial Results

Revenue

For the three months ended June, 2023, the Company recognized revenue of $118.8 million compared to $69.4 million for the previous year’s comparable period. The increase in revenue is attributed to a higher average realized price, a higher number of gold oz sold and a higher C$/US$ exchange rate. Revenue is net of treatment and refining charges, which were $0.5 million for the three months ended June 30, 2023. The Company sold 44,710 oz of gold at an average realized price of $2,660 (US$1,981) (see “Non-IFRS Performance Measures” section), compared to 28,580 oz at an average realized price of $2,427 (US$1,901) (see “Non-IFRS Performance Measures” section), in the second quarter of 2022.

Cost of goods sold

Cost of goods sold was $75.3 million for the three months ended June 30, 2023 compared to $30.3 million for the previous year’s comparable period. The increase in cost of goods sold is attributed to the higher number of gold ounces sold combined with a higher average cost per ounce of gold within inventory. The average cost per ounce of gold in inventory is higher in the current quarter due to inflation combined with higher production costs per ounce compared to the prior comparable quarter.

Depreciation and depletion

Depreciation and depletion was $18.9 million for the three months ended June 30, 2023 compared to $16.2 million for the previous year’s comparable period. Assets are depreciated on a straight-line basis over their useful life, or depleted on a units-of-production basis over the reserves to which they relate.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

At June 30, 2023, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $27.5 million (December 31, 2022 – $20.6 million) and a working capital surplus of $156.7 million (December 31, 2022 – $94.7 million surplus). The increase in cash and cash equivalents of $7.0 million over the year ended December 31, 2022, was due to operating activities ($37.9 million increase in cash) primarily from operating cash flow before working capital adjustments, and financing activities ($26.3 million increase in cash) from draws made on credit facilities and long-term debt and exercises of stock options and warrants. This is partially offset by investing activities ($57.2 million decrease in cash) primarily from the settlement of gold call options and capital expenditures incurred at the Eagle Gold Mine.

2023 Outlook

Note that cost information in this Outlook section, including AISC¹ and capital, are in US currency to allow for ease of comparison with our peers, who often report in US currency.

2023 Production Guidance remains intact at the Eagle Gold Mine and is estimated to be between 160,000 and 180,000 ounces of gold.

Prior to the impacts of the East McQuesten wildfire, which led to the evacuation of the Eagle mine site in late July and early August, the Company expected to achieve annual production toward the top end of the Guidance range. After considering the impact of the evacuation, the Company expects production to be closer to the lower end of the Guidance range. Should wildfire activity in the Yukon cause further disruption to the Eagle mine site, the Company may need to revise Production Guidance.

The seasonality experienced in 2021 and 2022, where gold production was lower in the first half of the year compared to the last half of the year, has been reduced in 2023 as the Company has successfully demonstrated the feasibility of year-round stacking on the heap leach pad. Seasonality is further moderated as gold ounces in inventory, primarily on the heap leach pad, is higher than in previous years and regularly scheduled maintenance periods, which were previously weighted to the first quarter, are now spread over the year.

Cost Guidance for 2023 remains intact and AISC¹ are expected to be between US$1,350 and US$1,550 per oz of gold sold.

As a result of the East McQuesten wildfire and resulting mine site evacuation, the Company expects AISC¹ to be near the top end of the Guidance range. Should wildfire activity in the Yukon cause further disruption to the Eagle mine site, the Company may need to revise Cost Guidance.

Sustaining capital, not including waste stripping, is estimated at C$30 million (US$23 million) for 2023. Sustaining capital during 2023 is materially lower than previous years due to the absence of major one-time infrastructure construction (water treatment plant in 2022 and truck shop in 2021). Major items included in 2023 sustaining capital include mobile equipment rebuilds and fixed maintenance rebuilds.

Capitalized waste stripping is estimated at C$35 million (US$26 million). This is lower than previously estimated (C$50 million) due to timing of waste mining. Capitalized waste stripping is included in AISC¹ but is not included in the sustaining capital above. Waste stripping is expensed or capitalized based on the actual quarterly stripping ratio versus the expected life of mine stripping ratio and may be quite variable quarter over quarter and year over year.

Growth capital related to Eagle Gold Mine expansion initiatives is estimated at C$15 million (US$11 million) for 2023 and includes heap leach pad expansion. In addition, growth exploration spending in 2023 is estimated to be C$10 million (US$8 million).

Qualified Person

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Paul D. Gray, P.Geo, as the “Qualified Person” as defined in National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

About the Dublin Gulch Property

Victoria Gold’s 100%-owned Dublin Gulch gold property (the “Property”) is situated in central Yukon Territory, Canada, approximately 375 kilometers north of the capital city of Whitehorse, and approximately 85 kilometers from the town of Mayo. The Property is accessible by road year round, and is located within Yukon Energy’s electrical grid.

The Property covers an area of approximately 555 square kilometers, and is the site of the Company’s Eagle and Olive Gold Deposits. The Eagle and Olive deposits include Proven and Probable Reserves of 2.6 million ounces of gold from 124 million tonnes of ore with a grade of 0.65 grams of gold per tonne. The Mineral Resource for the Eagle and Olive Gold Deposits has been estimated to host 245 million tonnes averaging 0.59 grams of gold per tonne, containing 4.7 million ounces of gold in the “Measured and Indicated” category, inclusive of Proven and Probable Reserves, and a further 36 million tonnes averaging 0.63 grams of gold per tonne, containing 0.7 million ounces of gold in the “Inferred” category.

Non-IFRS Performance Measures

The Company has included certain non-IFRS measures in this new release. Refer to the Company’s MD&A for an explanation, discussion and reconciliation of non-IFRS measures. The Company believes that these measures, in addition to measures prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards, provide readers with an improved ability to evaluate the underlying performance of the Company and to compare it to information reported by other companies. The non-IFRS measures are intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. These measures do not have any standardized meaning prescribed under IFRS, and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers.