Issuu

ONE CONUMA NEWS

ABOVE THE BENCH SITE NEWS

WE HAVE SO MUCH TO BE PROUD OF!

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT SITE & A BREAK DOWN OF COAL PRICING

CHECK OUT THE LATEST QUICK WINS!

Image courtesy of Jessica Specht

COMPANY UPDATES GROWING STRONGER TOGETHER

Quintette Permits

We’re pleased to share that the Ministry of Mining and Critical Minerals of British Columbia authorized continue mining in the Windy Pits. Conuma anticipated approval for the full Quintette Mine Restart in September 2025, however strike action by the BC General Employees Union has caused delays. This approach provides continuity of operations.

We value the collaboration that made this milestone possible and look forward to continuing to work with Indigenous Nations, local communities and the Province of BC on the approval of the full Quintette restart.

2 Cardinal Rules: The Most Critical and Non-negotiable Safety Expectations.

Conuma’s Life Saving Rules Policy has been updated to include Cardinal Rule requirements. Cardinal Rules represent the most critical and non-negotiable safety expectations.

Together, the Life Saving Rules and Cardinal Rules form a unified framework that: Identifies the highest-risk work activities. Establishes clear, enforceable standards for safe performance. Differentiates between violations that may be addressed through corrective action and those that are strictly intolerable due to the significant risks involved.

Please take the time to thoroughly review the updated Life Saving Rules Policy, and the newly embedded Cardinal Rules on the Conuma Online Applied Learning (COAL) platform.

Video Announcement: LinkedIn

SITE NEWS

WILLOW CREEK

The Willow has once again surpassing safety milestones!

“I am extremely proud of our safe, dedicated, and hardworking team at Willow Creek for reaching the incredible milestone of 1.5 Million Loss Time Injury free hours as of September 23 , 2025. This achievement is not only a reflection of our team's unwavering commitment to safety and operational excellence, but also a proud moment that firmly establishes our mark in the Canadian mining industry. In an environment that demands constant awareness, discipline, and teamwork, reaching this level of safety performance is a testament to the culture we’ve built together—one where everyone looks out for each other and takes pride in doing things the right way. rd

Congratulations to each and every one of you for setting a standard that truly stands out across the Canadian coal mining industry.” Dudley Miller - General Manager - Willow Creek

QUINTETTE

September 11th marks the one-year anniversary since the restart of the Quintette plant. Over the past year, we’ve faced our fair share of challenges. However, through persistence, focus, and a commitment to continuous improvement, we’ve overcome many of these obstacles and made strong progress in mitigating others. The hard work and dedication have been key to our success.

We are proud to recognize the many achievements made during this first year of operations, including:

Completion of the first phase of the plant rehabilitation W/O LTA

Rehabilitation of Intermediate Module #2 and the Drum Circuit start-up

Construction and commissioning of the new 6,000 TPH Train

Load-Out Facility

First train loaded on September 17, 2024

Intermediate Module #1 brought online in February 2025

Successful start-up of the Overland Conveyor System

Full plant capacity of 900 TPH achieved 100th train loaded on May 7, 2025

Rolled out the Conuma Plant Best Practice Procedure & Audit Process June 2025

Multiple plant performance KPIs meeting or exceeding Conuma Plant Best Practice Procedures

These accomplishments are a testament to the strength of our team and our shared vision for Quintette’s longterm success. As we reflect on this milestone, let’s also look forward to the continued safety, progress, and innovation that will define the next phase of our journey.

Thank you for your hard work, resilience, and commitment. - Kebo Pinson - Director Preparation Plant

In September, a Dam Safety Review was completed for the Tailings Storage Facility, SP12, SP EXP, and SP4B at the Wolverine mine with no major concerns identified – an excellent outcome and a testament to the diligence of the Wolverine team.

A Dam Safety Review is a comprehensive, independent review of dam performance and management practices. It is a key requirement under the Health, Safety and Reclamation Code for mines in BC, which outlines that all DAMs and Tailings Storage Facilities must undergo periodic reviews to confirm that they are being designed, operated, and maintained in a safe manner.

The review provides valuable assurance that our structures are performing as intended and that we are meeting regulatory requirements. It also helps identify opportunities for improvement, ensuring the continued protection of our people, the environment, and downstream communities.

This month’s mine rescue practice focused on tasks currently being undertaken at Wolverine, which are primarily environmental sampling. The team practiced conducting a search and rescue using GPS coordinates transmitted via an In-Reach device. Lee-Ann Fullarton spearheaded this initiative and did an excellent job leading the groups. - Jenn Graham - Mine Manager

WOLVERINE TREND-ROMAN

In September 2025, Conuma conducted a site audit of the water management system at the Trend-Roman Mine (TRM), which remains in Care & Maintenance. The audit identified key areas for targeted improvements to enhance water management practices to minimize impacts to Gordon and Babcock Creeks and for regulatory compliance.

The team at TRM is committed to understanding site-specific water dynamics and implementing measures to protect nearby waterways, including Gordon and Babcock Creeks.

These actions focus on capturing and redirecting water to existing or enhanced water management structures such as capturing water in sumps and directing water to existing sediment ponds, as well as extending ditches to capture seepages to direct to sediment ponds. The planned work aligns with regulatory approvals and does not involve amendments including restarting mining operations.

These improvements support Conuma’s commitment to environmental stewardship and align with existing regulatory authorizations.

~ Amanda Wamsteeker - Principal of Environment & Steve Sercerchi - General Manager

Trend Roman Mine - Ditch leading to SP6 Pond

Trend Roman Mine - SP6 Pond

CORPORATE OFFICE

Through the Protecting our House program, we were asked to share how our products are priced. Ryan Staschuk (Vice President of Marketing & Logistics) has provided a summary on how our products price, market outlook information, and a look at where our customers are located today.

How Conuma’s Products are Priced

Conuma sells two grades of product: Hard Coking Coal (HCC) and Pulverized Coal Injection (PCI).

The prices of Conuma’s products vary with the supply of and demand for other similar steelmaking coals globally. More than 350 million tonnes of steelmaking coal trades on global markets every year. When a seller and a buyer of steelmaking coal barter and agree on a price for a specific amount of coal to be delivered at a specific time, this transaction is often observed by market reporters such as Platts and Argus and is used to report a daily price of steelmaking coal publicly. Producers like Conuma then use these daily reported prices to form a pre-agreed index with a buyer to calculate the price of a given sale to be delivered in the future.

For instance, a negotiated sale of 80,000 tonnes to be delivered 3 months into the future, would typically be agreed to price at an average of the future daily traded Platts price reported 20 days prior to the delivery of cargo to the customer’s ship.

Conuma’s HCC typically prices around 88% of the very highest quality global premium benchmark price for steelmaking coals (Premium Low Vol HCC or PLV HCC), reported by Platts on a daily basis. The exact price Conuma receives for its HCC is a function of the comparative quality of our product to the quality of the PLV HCC benchmark price which is representative of the highest observable grades of steelmaking coals available on markets. Typically, the higher the carbon content in a steelmaking coal, the higher its price will be, as its value in making steel is derived from carbon. For the most part, coal qualities are geologically inherent and cannot be altered. Conuma’s HCC is considered a Premium Mid-Vol HCC, well known globally and sought by many steel producers. The Conuma sales team consistently pushes markets to accept higher pricing and where demand exceeds supply, are often able to raise prices for our coals.

Conuma’s PCI typically prices around 73% of PLV HCC but has seen a change in pricing between Russian supplied markets and markets that don’t accept Russian supply due to sanctions related to the Russia-Ukraine war. Europe and Japan are the two key markets upholding sanctions currently. In these markets, we see our coal trade at around 78% of PLV HCC. In markets like China, however, the same PCI can trade for as low as 60% of PLV HCC. These markets are avoided to maximize revenues for our PCI at Conuma.

Derivative futures markets, which set prices for future deliveries of PLV HCC, give a clear signal of where prices may be headed. The prices are reported daily based on the agreed fixed prices that buyers and sellers of PLV HCC are willing to agree in future months, brokered through the Singapore Commodity Exchange (SGX). These prices are graphed in the black dotted line on the chart below, giving us the current indication that pricing is overall expected to rise above $200/t by the end of this year.

Note: caution should be used relying on this future indicator of pricing as new changes in supply and demand driven by global events occurring daily can affect these future prices substantially.

Global Steelmaking Coal Market Outlook: Current Drivers that Impact Prices

China’s Steel Production Uncertainty:

A drop in China’s domestic steel demand has created global pricing uncertainty. Excess Chinese steel production not demanded in China is being sold internationally at lower prices. China currently produces more than 50% of the world steel This combination reduces global demand for new steel production and impacts coal prices.

Chinese Production Regulations:

New coal production limits in China are improving short-term trade volumes and pricing. Restrictions on Chinese coal mining increase demand for imported steelmaking coal. Producers like Conuma benefit from higher import demand.

Low Current Prices and Global Supply Risk

Current steelmaking coal prices are historically low. Many producers are operating at a loss due to high production costs. If these producers shut down, global supply will tighten — likely driving prices up.

India’s Long-Term Growth

India’s steel production capacity is expanding rapidly. Planned and ongoing projects will more than double their current capacity in the coming decades. This strong long-term demand is expected to offset short-term uncertainty from China.

Conuma’s Diversified Sales Strategy

Conuma continues to expand sales across multiple global markets. This diversification helps stabilize revenues and maintain flexibility. It enables Conuma to prioritize customers and regions, offering the best pricing.

Conuma’s Global Market Reach (3 Years of Conuma Sales):

Conuma has an increasingly diverse range of customers to take advantage of supply and demand imbalances favoring increased pricing in different global markets. With decreased supply from Russia, Conuma has increasingly focused on Europe in recent years, despite a shipping distance disadvantage, because of the higher pricing paid for same grades of coals versus other global markets.

AMERICA

PRINCE RUPERT NEBC

ABOVE THE BENCH

Congratulations to Jessie Dyer on achieving his red seal Industrial Mechanic (Millwright) certification. We’re incredibly proud of your achievement!

Shout out to Layton Koenig for taking on the role of on Health and Safety Coordinator at Willow Creek.

Congratulations to Kevin Hazelwood Quintette’s new Plant Maintenance Supervisor!

CELEBRATING GROWTH & CAREER DEVELOPMENT!

Riley Nikic has been promoted to Conveyor Supervisor. Well done!

2025 HEO PROGRAM

The Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO) Program supports and trains employees as they grow their skillset and career with Conuma. Since January of 2025, sixty three (63) Heavy Equipment Operators have participated in the HEO program.

Madison Webb has been promoted to Senior Human Resources Advisor. Keep up the great work!

Jessica Specht - has stepped up to take on the role of Acting Health & Safety Manager at the Willow.

Shout out to Rayna Hewitt as she moves into her new role of Training Coordinator at the Willow.

Congratulations Lyndsay Ross, Willow Creeks new Operations Administrator.

Jemari Pangilinan is back at the Willow in new role - Human Resources Advisor.

LEADERSHIP UPDATES

Matt Brown - Director of Engineering & Geology His depth of knowledge, problem-solving capabilities, and ability to drive results will continue to contribute to Conuma’s success and growth.

Steve Sercerchi - General Manager of Trend Roman brings a forward-thinking approach to every challenge and a commitment to drive success.

Winston Ho - Senior Manager of Warehouse and Purchasing. Winston has been a fantastic member of the finance team for 5 years. With his previous experience in other industries, and skill set, he was ideally suited to step up and into managing Conuma procurement. The value he brings and his proactiveness are a great combination for this role.

Growing From Within: Building Our Future Together

Brett MacKenzie - Senior Environmental Manager at Brule, Wolverine, and Trend Roman. Brett brings extensive knowledge and an unwavering commitment to the success of Conuma.

Did you know that 167 of our employees have stepped up to take on new roles in 2025!

167

Their hard work, dedication, and fresh perspectives are helping us grow stronger together. Every time someone steps into a new challenge, it brings new energy and ideas to our team —driving our success and shaping our future.

Congratulations to everyone embracing new opportunities and helping our company thrive!

ORGANIZATION

STRUCTURE UPDATES

The realignment of the former RISE department (Regulatory, Innovation, Strategy, and Environment) are designed to ensure we remain well-positioned for long-term success by strengthening collaboration, aligning expertise, and empowering our teams to continue to drive Conuma forward.

Sam Payment - Regulatory & Permitting

Sam is leading the regulatory and permitting team who collaborates closely with Technical Services, Environment, and the Indigenous, Communities and Land Strategy teams to advance projects and obtain the necessary approvals that sustain Conuma’s operations.

Indigenous, Communities and Land Strategy (ICLS)

Led by Lisa Risvold, Vice President of ICLS (Formerly Indigenous & Community Affairs), now includes Conuma’s reclamation program as well as collaborating with Indigenous Nations and local stakeholders on land use.

Luke Kempers - Vice President of Technical Services

In addition to Engineering and Geology, Luke will oversee: Business Development – Led by Neal Smith, Director of Projects

Environmental Management –Led by Brett MacKenzie (Brule, Wolverine and Trend-Roman) and Trudy Miller (Quintette), TBD (Willow Creek)

Water Management – Led by Amanda Wamsteeker, Principal Environment

TUMBLER RIDGE READING PROGRAM

Tumbler Ridge Library hosted a summer reading program to encourage and engage young readers to dive into their imaginations with reading contests, crafts, and fun activities for all! Brian and Lisa joined in the fun by sharing a story with the kids.

Throughout the summer, children logged over 65,000 minutes of reading and 300 new children’s books were added to the library collections.

IMW - TR CARES GOLF TOURNAMENT

KELLY LAKE PARTNER GATHERING & CAREER FAIR

Derek and Elizabeth were grateful to attend the Kelly Lake Partner Gathering— an inspiring opportunity to hear and share stories of collaboration and success, where industry meets community.

Danny joined in at the accompanying Job Fair brought together 22 vendors and 5 service providers, creating a dynamic space for networking and meaningful connections.

A heartfelt thank-you to Kelly Lake for hosting two outstanding events that truly showcased the strength of partnership and community spirit!

MCLEOD LAKE AGA & CAREER FAIR

Gavin, Brett, Kristin, and Kim represented Conuma at the 2 Annual Tumbler Ridge Cares Golf Tournament. TR Cares is a society dedicated to supporting Tumbler Ridge residents with travel for medical appointments in Dawson Creek and Chetwynd. nd

McLeod Lake Indian Band AGA & Career Fair Lisa Risvold and Elizabeth Ross were honoured to attend the celebration and join in the Corporate Career fair. McLeod Lake Indian Band welcomed every member home to the land, and to the community.

PROTECTING OUR HOUSE

To encourage everyone to report wildlife sightings at site, let’s make it a contest! Whomever submits the most Wildlife Sighting Forms in a month will win a prize and bragging rights! ~ Ashley - Trend Roman

Test Sodium Hydroxide in the MBBR process to precipitate out elements from within the water being treated prior to running it through the UF membranes. This would prevent membrane fouling and lower maintenance as well.

This is an exceptional idea to reduce SPO’s to below permit requirements. Thank you Kyle for bringing this forward.

That’s a great idea! We can do a test run at Trend Roman for the month of November, and invite other sites to participate next month!

Bring back the 4x3 schedule! Living in NEBC means travelling to health care appointments in the middle of the day, leaving work early is not an option. We need a better balance to take care of ourselves and our family.

We hear you! We are working diligently with the sites to implement a schedule that provides NEBC - 5x2 employees with a better work-life balance.

The modified 5x2 schedule is coming soonNEBC employees will work four 9-hour days and one 8-hour day each week, with every other Friday off to recharge.

Coverage has been increased for Prescription Safety Glasses! Eligible employees can submit a Custom PPE Claim for up to $300 reimbursement every two years.

Please contact your site HR team for a copy of the reimbursement request form.

QUINTETTE'S "5 QUICK WINS": PROTECTING OUR HOUSE AND LIGHTING UP THE PATH TO A BRIGHTER FUTURE

In the heart of the Quintette preparation plant, where the hum of machinery never sleeps, a familiar orangeyellow glow has lit the way since the 1980s. Back then, high-pressure sodium fixtures—known as Lucalox—were the gold standard. These powerhouse lights delivered unmatched efficiency, 20,000+ hour lifespans, and the safest illumination for round-the-clock industrial operations.

But as technology marched on, so did our needs. High-intensity LEDs now outshine Lucalox in every way— brighter, more efficient, and more reliable. That's where Protecting Our House, our employee suggestion program, stepped in. Quintette team members spoke up: "Too many areas are dim—burned-out fixtures with no quick replacements." These suggestions sparked action.

Conuma has partnered with BC Hydro to engineer a $2+ million LED lighting overhaul. Fully designed and budgeted, this plant-wide transformation will slash energy use when fully implemented. But, while the big project moves through engineering, planning, procurement and execution, we couldn't wait — there were areas of the plant that needed quicker attention.

Enter "5 Quick Wins": A blitz led by Ward Phillips and Iona McKenzie, backed by Quintette's electricians and the Projects Team. This effort wasn't about waiting for the "big fix." It was about resilient problem-solving at every level—spotting low-hanging fruit and picking it.

Here's how we turned ideas into illumination:

1.Plant crews identified areas for improvement, and the electrical team has stepped up to make it happen.

2.Replaced 15 burned-out Lucalox bulbs in high-traffic zones. Instant brightness boost—no more squinting!

3.Added temporary LED work lights to conveyor and prep areas.

4.Retrofitted 8 fixtures with drop-in LED kits 50% energy savings starting now!

5.Cleaned and repositioned existing lights for maximum coverage.

In a short span, these tweaks transformed dark corners into well-lit workspaces. Energy consumption will decrease, and morale and safety margin improves. Stacked together, these small victories prove: Improvements don't need a multimillion-dollar budget to shine.

"Protecting Our House is about ingenuity, not just ideas. We listened, acted, and won—5 times over." - Ward Phillips

The full LED project will roll out soon by the Projects Team, delivering even bigger savings. But "5 Quick Wins" shows the real power of our culture: Every employee is a problem-solver. These opportunities hide in plain sight across every Conuma site—spot them, suggest them, action them.

Thank you to Ward, Iona, the electricians, and every voice in Protecting Our House. You've lit the way forward.

GIVING BACK

PINE VALLEY MOTO-CROSS

MCLEOD LAKE INDIAN BAND BACK TO SCHOOL BBQ

The Back to School BBQ, was held at the McLeod Lake’s beautiful new gazebo and playground. The event brought families together for an afternoon of entertainment and great food! It was a wonderful way to celebrate the start of a new school year and strengthen community connections.

Conuma was proud to support youth in outdoor recreation through the Pine Valley Moto Cross event in Chetwynd — a win-win that encourages healthy activity, skill-building, and community connection.

TR DAYS SOCIETY

Conuma was happy to sponsor the Fall Fair in Tumbler Ridge that showcased small businesses, music, community spirit, and more!

The TR Ridge Riders amped up summer fun with their 2nd Annual FMX Show — a day of freestyle snowmobiles, FMX stunts, music, food, and family excitement at the Tumbler Ridge Fairgrounds. The group hopes to make this high-flying event a yearly tradition while supporting local non-profits.

FMX SHOW

DISTRICT OF TUMBLER RIDGE

The Tumbler Ridge Economic Development office, represented the NEBC region at the 2025 Alberta Snowmobile, ATV, and Off-Road Tradeshow promoting tourism and showcasing the beauty of our region.

Their booth was a great success, featuring representatives from our local outdoor recreation groups who helped tell the Tumbler Ridge story.

TR LADIES GOLF WRAP UP

Celebrating a great season of camaraderie and community spirit. Events like this bring people together and highlight the importance of supporting local recreation.

CONUMA PROUDLY SUPPORTED ORGANIZATIONS & EVENTS:

TR Minor Hockey Association

Halfway River First Nations Gala & Rodeo

Saulteau First Nations Cultural Camp

Kelly Lake Golf Tournament

District of Tumbler Ridge - Arena

Duz Cho Fishing Derby

Saulteau First Nations Golf Tournament

SHOUT OUT...

TR Community Gardens & Composting Society

Chetwynd Recreation Centre

Johnny Malcolm Foundation Rink Hockey Academy

Mackenzie Figure Skating Club

TR Royal Canadian Legion

Peace Predators Female Rep Hockey

TR Medical Conference

BC Mine Safety Association Appoints Kristin Farnsworth to Executive at Large

We’re proud to share that Kristin Farnsworth has been appointed Executive at Large with the BC Mine Safety Association (BCMSA).

Over the past year, Kristin has played a key role in advancing several important initiatives that have strengthened and grown the Association. Her dedication and leadership have made a lasting impact on our Mine Rescue program and the broader health and safety community.

Thank you Kristin for all you have contributed to Mine Rescue

THE HOPE TRUCK

9,285 +

$151,917.44

We are proud to partner with Industrial Metal Works on The Hope Truck initiative — a project that is impactful, meaningful, lasting, and built with transparency.

This effort continues to grow, creating opportunities within our communities to celebrate Indigenous culture, education, sports, music, language, and more — with a focus on youth.

In its first year, The Hope Truck has exceeded every expectation. Thanks to the support of community and 44 industry sponsors, an incredible $151,917.44 was raised; resulting in $37,979.36 being donated each of the following communities: Saulteau First Nations District of Tumbler Ridge District of Chetwynd West Moberly First Nations

We couldn’t be more proud of what has been accomplished, or more grateful to everyone who contributed to making this initiative a reality. A special thank-you goes to the Quintette site — from maintenance to operations — for turning this vision into action, ensuring The Hope Truck kept moving and making a difference.

THANKYOUFORYOURSUPPORT!

At its heart, The Hope Truck is about creating real connections between communities, industry, and people. And this is just the beginning!

To learn more about the Hope Truck, and the community programs that will be funded, visit:

YOUR BENEFITS

As a mom of two, raising kids who can understand and manage their emotions is really important to me But the truth is, it’s not always easy. Big feelings show up, and the tools we try to teach don’t always land in the middle of those tough moments.

I’m excited to share something that my kids have been loving lately...

In partnership with Sparrow, our Employee and Family Assistance Program, Mightier offers an at-home, play-based program that supports children’s mental health by helping them explore emotions and practice coping skills.

Visualize Emotions. Children wear a bluetooth heart rate sensor while playing games on the Mightier app. The in-game emotion meter helps children visualize their heart rate when they become overexcited, frustrated, or stressed while playing.

Practice Calming Skills. Children learn and practice evidence-based calming skills, such as deep breathing, to lower their heart rate so they can return to gameplay.

Play, Practice, Apply. By practicing calming skills in the game, children build a toolbox of skills to use in their everyday life. Over time, children internalize these skills and can readily apply them in any situation.

Mightier—an annual savings of up to $480!

Clinically validated to help kids ages 4 to 14 build stronger emotional regulation abilities

Over 25 games, worlds to explore, and characters to make learning fun

Specifically helpful for children with diagnoses such as ADHD, Anxiety, ASD and ODD, as well as for children who struggle with irritability, frustration and emotional reactivity

Educational programming, community support, and player progress updates for caregivers

Connect with the Sparrow team. Email childrensmentalhealth@team.mysparrow.ca, providing your first and last name, personal email, phone number, shipping address and let them know you are a Conuma employee with benefits coverage through GroupSource! It’s easy to get started...

Wait for your kit. The Mightier kit, including a heart rate sensor and conversation cards, will be shipped directly to you!

Download the Mightier app to start playing! The Mightier program includes games, resources and activities to improve emotional wellness at home.