text: With the completion of the current mining 
  contract scheduled for the end of July 2013, 
  a tender was completed and a new upgraded 
  contract was awarded to Byrnecut which 
  commenced on 1 August 2013. 
  
  Chatree 
  Chatree continued as Kingsgate’s primary 
  production asset throughout the year, 
  producing 133,681 ounces of gold and 
  1,000,569 ounces of silver. The strong produc- 
  tion performance was achieved despite some 
  operational hurdles with slower than anticipated 
  Government approvals, to allow full utilisation of 
  the expanded plant. 
  
  Following the fall in the gold price a strategic 
  review of the Challenger Mine was completed. 
  This resulted in the decision to implement a new 
  mine plan to focus primarily on the higher grade 
  Challenger West orebody. This plan will be 
  implemented over the first quarter of the 2014 
  financial year. 
  
  With the fall in metal prices in late 2013, work 
  and expenditure on the DFS and EIS have been 
  phased to coordinate the two programs with 
  completion and submission now not expected 
  before mid-2014. 
  
  The delay of 63 days in approval of the Plant #2 
  Metallurgical License and lower than expected 
  availability of some of the mining contractor’s 
  major mining equipment negatively impacted 
  the production targets. However, near surface 
  higher grades in Q Prospect mitigated these 
  difficulties resulting in a strong final quarter for 
  the year. 