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Our Meadowbank project in Nunavut has probable gold reserves of 3.6 million ounces. With a large additional gold resource, the project remains open for expansion and we see potential for this to be a 5.0 million ounce gold deposit. Annual gold production at Meadowbank is estimated to average 350,000 ounces over a nine-year mine life.
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| 2008 In Review |
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Mine construction continued at Meadowbank, serviced by a 110-kilometre, all-season road from the Baker Lake port. The mill, powerhouse and service buildings are fully enclosed. Development of the East Dyke, which will permit the start of production from the Portage open pit, is also well advanced.
We entered into a water compensation agreement with the Kivalliq Inuit Association which will cover the life of the Meadowbank project. The agreement is the first of its kind for the Kivalliq Region since the inception of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement which gives the Inuit of Nunavut rights over land and water in parts of the Nunavut territory.
Mine commissioning and first gold production from the Portage open pit is expected in early 2010. In preparation, outstanding mill and mining equipment, as well as consumables, will be delivered during the 2009 sea-lift season. Construction of the Bay-Goose dykes is scheduled for 2009 and 2010. Completion of these dykes will enable the extension of the Portage pit and access to the higher-grade ore of the Goose Island open pit by 2011.
An $11 million exploration program is in progress, with five drill rigs operating on site. The focus is on resource conversion and on expansion of the Vault, Goose South and Portage zones.
A scoping study is under way to consider an increase to the proposed production rate at Meadowbank from 8,500 tonnes to 10,000 tonnes per day. The additional production would come initially from accelerated development of the Goose Island and Portage open pits and potentially from an underground operation on the southern end of the deposit. Study results are scheduled for late 2009. |
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