08:29 AM EDT, 06/06/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Generation Mining Limited ( GENMF ) on Thursday said it continues to advance the Marathon Palladium-Copper Project in Northwestern Ontario through project design optimizations.

As the company works to complete the permitting process and obtain the necessary government approvals to commence construction, it has engaged a construction-focused engineering firm to support design optimizations for the project, a statement noted. "The intent is to improve on the designs for Project constructability, to decrease initial capital costs, and to reduce the operating-phase costs."

GENM said the work will include optimizing design, supply and construction strategies with the assistance of original equipment manufacturers, contractors and construction consultants, to "help improve the overall cost and construction efficiency of designs". The focus, it added, will be on ensuring that the plant and infrastructure designs are 'fit-for-purpose' and "leverage the improved understanding of actual site conditions to reduce the quantities of building steel and foundation concrete".

The company said it is also concurrently evaluating alternative pit sequencing options that "further exploit the benefit of the ore body's proximity to surface". This mine planning optimization, it added, is intended to produce higher cash flows in the early years of production by maximizing plant feed grades and reducing the initial stripping requirements until later in the mine life.

Jamie Levy, President and CEO, said, " I am confident this optimization work will further enhance the economics and construction readiness of the Marathon Project. We have continued to advance our permitting program and are making great strides towards having all necessary government permits and approvals for the construction phase. The goal of this work is ultimately to improve upon the initial capital requirements and cash flows from operations in the early years following start-up, without impacting the fundamentals of the design."

GENM said the work has commenced as of late-April and will continue throughout the coming months. The company added it will provide further updates on the optimization initiatives when completed.