Island Gold Mine Canada

Island Gold’s underground operations are currently accessed via a ramp system. The primary mining method is longitudinal retreat long-hole stoping. Ore is hauled by truck to the Kremzar mill located approximately 0.8 kilometres from the portal of the ramp.

The Phase 3+ expansion of the operation to 2,400 tpd is expected to be completed in 2026. Long-hole open stoping will continue to be utilized as the primary mining method with increased underground development and infrastructure changes including the installation of a shaft, paste plant, and an expansion of the mill. The shaft will be sunk to an initial depth of 1,373 metres. The hoisting plant is designed for an ultimate depth of 2,000 metres providing flexibility to accommodate future exploration success. Following the completion of the shaft construction in 2026, the operation will transition from trucking ore and waste to skipping ore and waste to surface through the new shaft infrastructure, driving production higher and costs significantly lower.

Ore is processed through a conventional gold mill using a carbon-in-pulp (CIP) process, with circuits for crushing, grinding, gold cyanidation and two electrowinning cells. The high-grade electrowinning concentrate is sent to a bullion furnace for smelting of doré bars on site. As part of the Phase I expansion of the operation, the capacity of the mill was upgraded to approximately 1,200 tpd in 2018.

With the Phase 3+ expansion, the mill capacity will be further expanded to 2,400 tpd. The expanded mill will contain a number of changes including a new two-stage crushing plant, the addition of a second ball mill, a new packaged five tonne ADR and the conversion of the existing CIP circuit to CIL while adding three new tanks.