On track to becoming one of Canada’s largest gold mines
Equinox Gold Corp. and its partner, Orion Mine Finance Group, made significant construction progress at their Greenstone Mine during the first half of 2022.
Construction activities during the first quarter focused primarily on earthworks. Plant Site earthworks and the Goldfield Creek Diversion are nearing completion, and the Tailings Management Facility and Highway 11 realignment are ahead of schedule.
Activities during the summer months are focused on concrete foundations and steel erection so that key buildings can be enclosed before winter.
Foundation and steel erection work are underway for the Process Plant, Power Plant and Truckshop. The Permanent Effluent Treatment Plant and M1 Pond are well advanced and operations personnel are moving into the newly completed Administration Building.
A milestone was achieved with commissioning of the MacLeod High Tailings (MHT) seepage collection system, designed to collect surface and groundwater from tailings from historical operations so water can be treated at the Temporary Effluent Water Treatment Plant. This marks the beginning of remediating Kenogamisis Lake, which is a very popular lake in the Greenstone region. To date, the Temporary Effluent Water Treatment Plant has treated over 92 million liters of water with 2.5 million liters originating from the MHT.
Mine Pre-Production planning activities ramped up during the first half of 2022 with the intention of commencing blasting and open-pit mining activities in Q4 2022.
Decommissioning of the historic MacLeod Headframe was completed in July to allow for the installation of dewatering pumps required for mine operations. Greenstone Mine looks forward to working with the local community to establish an appropriate MacLeod Headframe commemoration.
Mine mobile equipment components began arriving in June, and assembly of Greenstone Mine’s first 240-ton haul trucks is underway. The first 29 m3 shovel and drill are scheduled to arrive during Q3 2022.
Major construction activities in the second half of the year include advancing concrete, structural steel, mechanical, piping and electrical work for the Process Plant and Power Plant with a focus on closing in the majority of the buildings so the team can work indoors during winter months. Work on the natural gas pipeline, Highway 11 realignment and MTO Patrol Building Yard will continue for the rest of the year. The Truckshop, Pit Fuel Station and Permanent Effluent Treatment Plant will be ready for use by year end to support mine pre-production requirements.
To support the ramp up of activities, Greenstone Mine is actively recruiting for many career opportunities. Greenstone Mine Human Resources team members are looking forward to attending the Central Canada Resources Expo in September and connecting with prospective employees who may be interested in working with the dynamic Greenstone Mine team. The Operations Procurement team will also be on hand to meet with existing and prospective suppliers, vendors and contractors to support pre-production activities this fall.
Greenstone Mine will be one of the largest gold mines in Canada, producing approximately 400,000 ounces of gold per year and more than 5 million ounces of gold in total over an initial 14-year mine life. The project is being advanced in a 60/40 partnership by Equinox Gold and Orion Mine Finance Group.
Equinox Gold is a growth-focused Canadian mining company operating entirely in the Americas, with seven operating gold mines and a clear path to achieve more than one million ounces of annual gold production from a pipeline of development and expansion projects. Equinox Gold’s common shares are listed on the TSX and the NYSE American under the trading symbol EQX.
Tags: Northern Ontario / Operational Updates / Gold / All Articles