Fosterville Mine operators Kirkland Lake Gold announced an 11 per cent increase in gold production at the central Victorian mine compared to a year ago, as part of its quarterly update to shareholders.
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During the third quarter, Fosterville produced 161,489 ounces of gold, based on processing 167,533 tonnes at an average grade of 30.3 grams per tonne, with average mill recoveries of 99 per cent.
This year, 476,459 ounces have been produced at the mine, at an average grade of 36.6 grams per tonne.
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Kirkland Lake Gold president and chief executive Tony Makuch said the Fosterville Mine is well positioned to achieve its full-year 2020 production guidance of up to 610,000 ounces.
"Fosterville had another strong quarter, which was driven by higher tonnage as we benefited from recent investments in ventilation and paste fill to increase mining rates and begin utilising the excess capacity in the Fosterville mill," Mr Makuch said.
In 2019, exploration activities at Fosterville focused on extending known mineralised zones at the Swan Zone, Lower Phoenix, Harrier and Robbin's Hill.
Increased production has been attributed to increased mining rates for the quarter in both Lower Phoenix and Harrier.
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Recent exploration success at Fosterville has included "substantial scale of mineralised systems at Cygnet, Robbin's Hill and Harrier with high-grade mineralisation intersected hundreds of metres at all three locations", the report said.
Kirkland Lake Gold's production profile is anchored by three operations, including two mines in Canada, Macassa and Detour Lake, and the Fosterville Mine.
Production at Macassa was reduced in the third quarter due to operational changes attributable to the coronavirus pandemic.
The mine produced 38,028 ounces of gold, with an average grade of 15.4 grams per tonne.
At Detour Lake, quarterly production was 140,067 ounces, at an average grade of 0.81 grams per tonne.
Kirkland sites have produced more than one million ounces of gold in 2020, with a forecast of more than 1.4 million ounces produced by year's end.