Work continues toward the fist gold pour by mid-2024 at the Greenstone gold mine near Geraldton, Ont. The project is a joint venture of Equinox Gold (TSX:EQX), which holds 60% and is the operator, and Orion Mine Finance (40%).
By the end of September 2023, construction was 90% complete. Almost all the equipment has been installed at the plant site, and the piping, electrical, and instrumentation teams are focused on the final connections, terminations, and programming. Conveyors are erected, the large wall for the primary crusher is complete, and cladding on the geodesic ore storage dome is nearing completion. Ore stockpiling will begin by the end of 2023.
Pre-commissioning has started in part of the crushing circuit. Hot commissioning will begin early in 2024.
Equinox says the project reached a major milestone during the quarter with the commissioning of the natural-gas fired generators. Thermal energy recovered from the engines and a glycol distribution loop will provide heat to the process buildings and the truck shop.
Work continues on the tailings management facilities.
Third quarter pre-production mining activities are ramping up and have been operating 24/7 since the fourth quarter 2022 with 12.2 million tonnes of material moved to date. By the end of this year, the fleet will consist of 14 Cat 793F/793 trucks, two Komatsu PC5500 shovels, one Komatsu, LT-1850 loader, three Epiroc PV235 drills, four Komatsu 375 dozers, and 3 Cat 16M graders.
The effluent water treatment plant is operational. It discharged over 342,000 m3 of clean water in the third quarter and 1.4 million m3 this year.
The Greenstone gold mine will start production as an open pit and mill. Later it will transition to underground mining. Proven and probable reserves at 135.3 million tonnes grading 1.27 g/t gold and containing 5.5 million oz. of gold.
See more details at www.GreenstoneGoldMines.com.
