The mining newspaper for Alaska and Canada's North
The mining newspaper for Alaska and Canada's North
Wildfire alert also avoided, can continue business as usual North of 60 Mining News – July 15, 2022
Fires are raging for an abnormally hot and dry season in the Far North. Map of current active fires in Yukon.
Victoria Gold Corp. July 12 reported that its Eagle Gold mine in the Yukon produced 32,055 ounces of gold during the second quarter, resulting in approximately 56,413 oz for the first half of the year, a consistent amount from the Canada miner.
"Similar to previous years, the first half of 2022 was a seasonally slow production period at the Eagle Gold mine," said Victoria Gold President and CEO John McConnell.
Generally, gold production at heap leach operations like Eagle trails mining, crushing, and ore stacking. Furthermore, gold recoveries at heap leach systems in northern climates, such as Eagle Gold and Kinross Gold Corp.'s Fort Knox mine in Alaska, taper off during the frigid weather months and increase through the warmer spring and summer weather.
This, coupled with a curtailment of ore stacking through the winter, at least during the first 90 days, creates an unavoidable slow start to the new year, and gold production is generally strongly weighted to the second half of the year.
As such, Victoria Gold foresees the Eagle Mine producing at least 108,000 oz of gold over the final six months of this year.
"We remain confident 2022 production will be within our previously stated guidance range for the Eagle Gold mine of between 165,000 and 190,000 ounces," said McConnell.
While business-as-usual was the modus operandi for Eagle Gold, nature had another plan in mind.
On July 5, in response to an abnormally high number of wildfires in the region, the Yukon Emergency Measures Organization placed a large area of north-central Yukon, which comprises several surrounding communities, including the Eagle Mine, on Evacuation Alert.
At the time of the report, no evacuation order was given to Eagle Mine and its crews; however, due to wildfires roughly 90 kilometers (56 miles) southwest of the mine, there were some disruptions to the main Yukon Power Grid.
The following day, Victoria Gold announced a follow-up regarding the wildfires, stating the Evacuation Alert had been rescinded due to a timely rainfall across the territory.
However, due to the abnormal number of fires in the region this year, Victoria is standing by with its Emergency Response Team, who are well-trained and fully equipped to protect personnel and assets.
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