UNDERGROUND

Eldorado digs to cut costs

Eldorado Gold is starting construction of a decline at its Lamaque gold mine in Quebec which it expects to cut operating costs and make access to additional underground resources easier.

 Lamaque mine underground workings

Lamaque mine underground workings

The three kilometre tunnel will connect the Sigma mill with the 405m level of the underground workings from where the Triangle deposit is mined.

The company estimates the cost at US$24 million and expects completion by the first half of 2022.

Eldorado expects the tunnel to reduce costs by eliminating surface re-handling and haulage from the Triangle mine to the Sigma mill and by lowering energy requirements for mine ventilation.

The tunnel will also increase safety by creating a secondary egress and ventilation to the Triangle mine. 

It will create underground access for lower cost exploration of the area between Triangle and the historic Sigma and Lamaque mines as well as enable increased production from Triangle and mining of the Parallel deposit.

Eldorado is also exploring adding an underground crushing and conveying system and a mill expansion, with an update expected in the December quarter this year.

 

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the mining sector, brought to you by the Mining Magazine Intelligence team.

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the mining sector, brought to you by the Mining Magazine Intelligence team.

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Exploration Report 2024 (feat. Opaxe data)

A comprehensive review of exploration trends and technologies, highlighting the best intercepts and discoveries and the latest initial resource estimates.

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Future Fleets Report 2024

The report paints a picture of the equipment landscape and includes detailed profiles of mines that are employing these fleets

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Digitalisation Report 2023

An in-depth review of operations that use digitalisation technology to drive improvements across all areas of mining production

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Automation Report 2023

An in-depth review of operations using autonomous solutions in every region and sector, including analysis of the factors driving investment decisions