A gold mine is ready to move from development to construction when its engineering, permits, funding, procurement, schedule and operating plans form a credible, integrated basis for building—not simply because it has published a feasibility study. The owner’s formal decision to proceed is a separate gate, supported by those workstreams; the sequence and required maturity vary by project and jurisdiction.
What does a feasibility study establish?
A feasibility study brings together the proposed mine plan, processing approach, infrastructure, capital and operating assumptions, schedule and economic analysis. It is a decision basis, not a construction authorization. Readers assessing a project should examine the assumptions and qualifications behind its headline economics as well as the study’s scope.
For example, AngloGold Ashanti and Centamin’s 2024 Doropo Gold Project feasibility report sets out a project schedule that includes construction, commissioning and first gold. That kind of schedule helps show the path beyond the study, but a published forecast is not proof that construction has been authorized or that projected dates will be achieved. Read the Doropo technical report.
How mature must engineering be before construction?
Look at the design work completed and what it enables the project team to control: scope, cost, schedule, interfaces and execution. FEED (front-end engineering design), basic engineering and detailed engineering describe stages of definition, but the cited project reports do not establish a universal percentage-complete threshold for construction readiness.
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From study definition to an executable design
Mayfair Gold’s December 19, 2025 Fenn-Gib pre-feasibility study recommends FEED and detailed design work to develop a control-budget estimate before a construction decision. That illustrates why a study estimate and a later execution budget are not automatically interchangeable: additional definition may be needed to support control of cost and scope. Read the Fenn-Gib technical report.
Troilus Mining reported completing basic engineering while detailed engineering, procurement and construction planning continued in its September 2026 update. The distinction matters: “basic engineering complete” describes one stage of work, not necessarily completion of every design package needed to build. Read Troilus’s update.
Choose and define the delivery model
Engineering also needs to fit the chosen execution model and clarify who owns design, procurement and construction interfaces. Vista Gold’s April 16, 2024 Mt Todd feasibility report assumes an engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) model for the project, while allowing that other implementation models could suit selected areas. The appropriate model is a project decision, not a universal milestone with one required answer. Read the Mt Todd feasibility report.
Which permits and stakeholder commitments remain?
Projects should identify which permits are required before construction, which are still outstanding and whether any unresolved approvals sit on the critical path. Stakeholder and Indigenous engagement belongs in this work as a substantive project activity: feedback and commitments can affect both design and approvals.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteThe Fenn-Gib study places permitting and engagement alongside FEED and detailed design. Cariboo provides a jurisdiction-specific example, not a general legal sequence: Osisko said key British Columbia Mines Act and Environmental Management Act permits had been granted in late 2024 before it announced a formal construction decision on September 14, 2026. Requirements and timing depend on a project’s jurisdiction and scope. Read Osisko’s Cariboo announcement.
Are financing and commercial arrangements ready?
A technically defined project still needs a credible plan to fund construction and manage major commercial interfaces. Financing and commercial arrangements are therefore part of construction readiness, rather than issues to consider only after engineering is complete.
In its September 14, 2026 Cariboo announcement, Osisko paired its formal construction decision with a reported strategic investment, offtake agreements and a proposed prepayment facility. Troilus, by contrast, reported that financing was still progressing while it advanced permitting, procurement and site readiness toward a later decision. These company-reported examples show different project positions; neither creates a standard financing sequence for all mines.
What connects engineering to physical construction?
Design has to translate into packages, equipment, work sequences and a site that can support construction. Useful milestones include procurement planning, long-lead equipment commitments, supplier coordination, site access and readiness, construction sequencing, and clear responsibilities among the owner, engineers and contractors.
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Troilus reported that more than 60 procurement packages had been issued or were under evaluation in its September 2026 update, with long-lead procurement underway. The company also described supplier integration into layouts, 3D models and construction sequencing. These are Troilus-specific status details, not industry benchmarks or a general threshold for readiness.
The Mt Todd report’s assumed EPCM approach is another reminder that delivery responsibilities should be deliberately defined. A project should be able to explain how its design, procurement and construction work fit together, regardless of which implementation model it selects.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is the formal construction decision?
The owner’s or board’s formal decision to proceed is a distinct milestone: it authorizes full-scale construction on the basis of the integrated technical, regulatory, commercial and execution case. It should not be conflated with publishing a study, completing an engineering stage or receiving a permit.
Osisko announced a formal construction decision for Cariboo on September 14, 2026. In the announcement, Chairman and CEO Sean Roosen called it “The Board’s formal positive decision to commence full-scale construction” and described it as a defining milestone for the company. That wording reflects the company’s announcement; the underlying principle is that a clear owner decision commits a project to construction, rather than merely signaling that development work is advancing.
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Why plan commissioning and operations before construction ends?
Construction completion is not the same as a functioning mine. Commissioning, systems turnover, operating procedures, staffing, maintenance and broader operational readiness must be coordinated with project execution so that completed facilities can be tested, handed over and operated.
The Doropo feasibility schedule includes commissioning and first gold after construction. Troilus reported advancing commissioning and operational-readiness planning alongside engineering and procurement in its September 2026 update. These are planned project activities, not guarantees of a particular start date or production result.
How can you compare the readiness of two gold projects?
Use the same questions for each project instead of treating a study label, permit announcement or engineering percentage as a proxy for the whole construction case.
- Engineering and estimate: What design work is complete, what remains, and what estimate basis supports control of scope and cost?
- Permits and engagement: Which approvals and stakeholder commitments are secured, and which remain important to the schedule?
- Financing and commercial terms: How credible is the construction funding plan, and what major commercial arrangements are in place or pending?
- Procurement and interfaces: Are packages being prepared or awarded, are long-lead items addressed, and are suppliers integrated into design and sequencing?
- Site and execution: Is the site ready for planned work, and are the delivery model, responsibilities and construction sequence defined?
- Commissioning and operations: Are systems turnover and operating-readiness activities being planned alongside construction?
No cross-project statistic or universal numerical benchmark is established by the cited sources. Company announcements may describe plans and expectations that change; compare the stated milestone, its date and what remains to be done, rather than assuming two similarly named stages represent equal readiness.
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