WAI-985-000-REP-LC-0056 Revision 0 Page 3 of 21 Waihi North Project – Tailings and Rock Storage – Functional Need Assessment 1 INTRODUCTION The proposed Waihi North Project seeks to extend the life of mining in Waihi by developing ore resources at Wharekirauponga and Gladstone Hill. The Waihi North Project will extend the life of the Waihi mining operation to 2038 and has the potential to add over 1.63 million ounces of gold and 2.2 million ounces of silver production over a 13-year period. The processing of the recovered ore will produce approximately 8.66M tonnes of additional tailings. Mine development to enable the extraction of ore will produce approximately 22M tonnes of surplus rock that requires storage during operation and storage in closure. As such, the ability to provide sufficient tailings and rock storage is fundamental to the feasibility of the Waihi North Project. To achieve the required tailings and rock storage, the Waihi North Project includes the following integral components: • Tailings Storage Facility (“TSF”) 3: A new TSF to the east of the existing TSF1A. • Gladstone Open Pit (“GOP”) and associated in-pit TSF (“GOP TSF”): An open pit mine centred over Gladstone Hill and part of Winner Hill that will be converted into a TSF following the completion of mining. • Northern Rock Stack (“NRS”): A new rock storage facility to the north of existing TSF2. • Willows Rock Stack (“WRS”): A temporary rock storage facility located at Willows Road Farm. The location of these features is illustrated on Figure 1:
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