Wesdome Gold Mines isn’t slacking off on reaching its production target for 2020.
Despite making some pandemic-related moves to cut down on the number of people at their Eagle River complex near Wawa, company president-CEO Duncan Middlemiss said their production guidance of 90,000 to 100,000 ounces is still good to go.
In releasing their first quarter production totals on April 16, Middlemiss said in a statement that “due to flexibility in stope sequencing” they are maintaining their full year’s guidance even with a reduction in activity on the property.
Want to read more stories about business in the North? Subscribe to our newsletter.
The Eagle River Complex, 50 kilometres west of Wawa, consists of the Eagle River underground mine, the Mishi open pit mine, and a mill facility.
A few weeks ago, as a precaution, mining at the pit was stopped but activity continued underground.
During the first quarter, Eagle River produced 25,122 ounces, most of it coming from the underground portion. That’s up 36 per cent from the same time last year.
Revenue generated was $57.3 million, up 76 per cent compared to the same quarter in 2019.
With the COVID-19 pandemic occurring at the end of the quarter, and all the health and safety protocols being followed, Middlemiss expects “slightly lower” production numbers in the second quarter.
Over in western Quebec, Wesdome expects to resume exploration drilling and mine development work at their Kiena project, a former gold mine near Val d’Or, sometime during the week of May 4.
The company said the impact of the six-week shutdown there impacted their timeframe to reaching a restart decision by year’s end.
