.jpg;w=690)
Alamos Gold has wrapped up a multi-year expansion at one of its northeastern Ontario mines.
The Toronto miner announced July 8 that it has completed the lower mine expansion at Young-Davidson with the successful commissioning of the Northgate shaft.
The underground crusher and conveyor system have also been successfully commissioned.
Mining rates are expected to ramp up through the second half of the year to 7,500 tonnes per day by the end of 2020.
Young-Davidson is located outside Matachewan and is 60 kilometres west of Kirkland Lake in northeastern Ontario.
Want to read more stories about business in the North? Subscribe to our newsletter.
The highly-automated lower mine infrastructure is designed to operate at 8,000 tonnes per day and replace the existing mid-mine infrastructure, designed for 6,000 tpd. The transition to the lower mine infrastructure is expected to drive gold production higher and costs lower starting in the second half of 2020.
“This marks a significant milestone for Young-Davidson and turning point for Alamos as we transition from a reinvestment phase to a period of strong free cash flow growth," said Alamos president-CEO John A. McCluskey in a statement.
"I would like to congratulate the entire team at Young-Davidson for this historic achievement which will unlock the full potential of the operation. With a 13-year mineral reserve life, large resource base, and significant exploration potential, Young-Davidson is well positioned to deliver solid free cash flow over the long term."
Alamos also operates the Island Gold Mine, near Wawa, and the Mulatos Mine in the Mexican state of Sonora, along with a pipeline of mine development projects in Canada, the U.S., Mexico and Turkey.
