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The Evolution of the Red Lake Gold Mining Camp

Nov 16, 2021


Photo supplied by Evolution Mining:
Leading the charge and managing Evolution Mining’s Red Lake Operations in Ontario, Canada is Kirsty Liddicoat. Her aspiration as General Manager for the Red Lake Gold Mine is to continue to strengthen her team’s way of thinking when it comes to safety, culture, and innovation.

 

The historic Red Lake Gold Mining district is evolving again into a premier goldmining district in Northern Ontario after a decade long decline - leading the reinvigorated Red Lake mining scene is the appropriately named Evolution Mining.
In the two years since Evolution Mining bought the gold mining assets from Newmont Goldcorp in 2019, the Australian-based company has helped to revive, the dormant mining district with its pledge to keep on investing in the area.

Evolution Mining backed up its commitments by buying Battle North Mining’s Batemen Mine and Mill property in May 2021 and followed quickly with details of how the Red Lake mining turnaround will be funded at the Denver Gold Forum in September 2021.
Addressing the Forum virtually from Australia, Jake Klein, Evolution Mining’s Executive Chairman said:
“Evolution Mining is looking for great turnaround opportunities like in Red Lake, which fits firmly in this category,” Klein told the Forum.

EVOLUTION PICTURE PROPERTIES


“With 11 million oz. in gold resources it also has geological upsides, “said Klein.
Klein explained that Evolution Mining’s growth plan is focusing production in jurisdictions like Canada and avoiding high-risk investments in countries that are politically unstable.
“Canada is an excellent place for doing business,” Klein explained. “Our portfolio is based on investing in countries that have a well-developed rule of law, great mining skills and technology.”
Evolution Mining has a clear commitment to sustainable production. In fact sustainability is integrated into everything they do. One aspect of this is the company’s recent commitment of reducing its emissions by 30 percent by 2030 and achieving zero emissions by 2050.
Evolution’s operations in Canada and Australia are committed to supporting strong partnerships with first nations people  through locally relevant projects and engagement.
Evolution has pledged to build on its record as a safe and sustainable operator for the long-term benefit of a broad range of stakeholders including the local workforce, regional communities and their partners in Wabauskang and Lac Seul First Nations.

In November 2019 Evolution announced its bid to purchase Newmont’s Campbell Red Lake Mine.  The company made a pledge to revitalize mining in Red Lake by implementing a “Turnaround Plan” for it’s Red Lake operations.


“Evolution identified a range of improvement opportunities to reinvigorate the Red Lake Gold Complex with the objective of reducing costs, increasing production and extending mine life,” Klein added.
Evolution’s Turnaround Plan extends over the next three years. More information is available here: https://evolutionmining.com.au/red-lake/
When Evolution Mining took possession of the Campbell Red Lake Gold Mine the goals were to optimize opportunities available in order to create value for the community, investors and people in the region.
After Evolution’s turnaround phase, the Campbell Red Lake operation has  grown into a cornerstone asset which aims for annual production in excess of 200,000 ounces at an AISC below US$1,000 per ounce.
“There is still a lot of work to do at the operation but the turnaround to restore Red Lake to a premier Canadian gold mine is gaining momentum,” said Klein.

Evolution Invests in expansion, improvement and modernization of operations


“We know what to do, we know how to do it; it is now a case of execution and delivery.”
One of those new mining fronts is tapping into new gold systems at the Upper Campbell area of the Red Lake Mine and finishing a decline over the next 12 months to open up that area to production.
Evolution’s geologist are still taking investing in understanding the Red Lake ore body..
The company’s board of directors recently approved a plan with a three-year capital investment timetable for Red Lake with the intent to boost gold production to more than 350,000 ounces a year by 2026 and extend mine life in the prolific northwestern Ontario camp by more than 15 years.
Today Evolution’s Red Lake Operations consists of the Red Lake, Campbell, Cochenour mines and the recently bought Bateman mine following the Battle North Gold Corporation acquisition in May 2021.
Evolution’s the Red Lake, Campbell and Cochenour mines have a joint mineral resource of 11.1 million oz. and an ore reserve of 2.9 million oz. The purchase of the Bateman Mine added another 733,000 oz. of mineral resources and 635,000 oz. of reserves into the picture.

Expansion of Milling Capacity

The company is also working on a study to expand capacity at the Campbell mill to more than 1.5 million tonnes per year over the next three years. Between $30 million and $40 million will go into that upgrade. The added processing capacity from the new Bateman Mill will accelerate the company’s ability to achieve their production goals. Plans are underway to expand the Bateman to 900,000 tonnes per year beyond 2024, giving Evolution combined milling capacity at Red Lake to more than 2.0 million tonnes per year. The company has earmarked between $50 million and $60 million for improvements at Bateman.

Revitalization of Red Lake Community

The revival is welcome news for an Ontario community that had fallen on tough times. Now Evolution’s investments to expand, improve and modernize operations, will boost the local economy with expansion creating prospects of a brighter future for people in Red Lake.
The Red Lake operation is located in northwestern Ontario and is situated in one of the highest-grade Archean gold camps in Canada. Since production started in 1949, the combined Red Lake operation has produced more than 25Moz of gold at an average grade in excess of 20g/t.

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Tags: Northern Ontario / Operational Updates / Gold / All Articles