Equinox Gold gains key federal permit for South Railroad, kicks off early works

The South Railroad project in Nevada is expected to deliver first production in 2028.

Equinox Gold has obtained a crucial federal permit for its South Railroad project in Nevada, enabling early construction activities and positioning the company for first production in 2028. The Bureau of Land Management's positive decision on the gold project concludes the National Environmental Policy Act permitting process. Equinox President Jason Simpson hailed the milestone as a significant step towards the company's goal of adding 800,000 ounces of annual gold production.

The permit, gained Fast-41 "covered project" status in 2025, marks the first major federal permitting milestone for Equinox since its merger with Orla Mining in July. The South Railroad project, located about 700 km northeast of Las Vegas, is anticipated to produce roughly 104,000 ounces of gold annually over a 10-year period. With a discounted net present value of $783 million and an internal rate of return of 48%, the open-pit heap leach mine could reach a value of $1.7 billion and a 95% IRR at higher gold prices.

The mine boasts 66.6 million tonnes of proven and probable reserves, grading 0.71 grams of gold per tonne and 5.1 grams of silver, containing 1.52 million ounces of gold and 6.2 million ounces of silver. South Railroad is situated within a 25,000-hectare land package on Nevada's Carlin Trend, a region renowned for its prolific gold deposits.

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