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Canada
Macassa Mine

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 Location:
3 km W from Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada

  Address:
1350 Government Road West
Kirkland Lake
Ontario, Canada
P2N 3JI
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  • Overview
  • Owners
  • Geology
  • Mining
  • Processing
  • Production
  • Reserves
  • Costs & Financials
  • Fleet
  • Personnel
  • Filings & News

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Overview

StageProduction
Mine TypeUnderground
Commodities
  • Gold
Mining Method
  • Mechanized Cut & Fill
  • Underhand Cut & Fill
  • Longhole stoping
  • Paste backfill
Processing
  • Agitated tank (VAT) leaching
  • Carbon in leach (CIL)
  • Carbon in pulp (CIP)
  • Carbon adsorption-desorption-recovery (ADR)
  • Solvent Extraction & Electrowinning
  • Cyanide (reagent)
Mine Life2025
Macassa is well known as one of the highest grade gold mines in the world.

The LOM without resource conversion extends to the year 2025 based on mining the current stated 2018 reserves, as well as additional measured and indicated resources determined to be economic after the commissioning of #4 Shaft.
Latest NewsKirkland Lake Gold Intersects Exceptional Gold Grades at Macassa Near Contact of South Mine Complex and Amalgamated Break     October 19, 2020


Owners

Source: p. 23
CompanyInterestOwnership
Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd. 100 % Direct
Foxpoint Resources purchased the Kirkland Lake properties from Kinross in December 2001 for $5 million and the assumption of $2 million in reclamation bond obligations related to the closure plan for the properties. Foxpoint changed its name to Kirkland Lake Gold Inc. in October 2002. Following the recent business transaction with Newmarket Gold Inc. in 2016, the new company is now called Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd.

Deposit Type

  • Breccia pipe / Stockwork
  • Vein / narrow vein
  • Orogenic


Summary:

The gold mineralization at Macassa is located along the breaks and subordinate splays as individual fracture fill quartz veins, from several centimetres to a few meters thick. Veins may be of single, sheeted, brecciated or stacked morphology. Several generations of quartz deposition are evident from colour and textural variability and quartz veins are generally fractured. Also found are sulphide rich (pyrite) zones.

The presence of a fault splay is often a prerequisite for gold deposition. Broader zones of mineralized, brecciated and fragmented quartz are found in the footwall and hanging wall of major faults.

Gold is usually accompanied by 1% to 3% pyrite and sometimes is associated with molybdenite and/or tellurides of lead, gold, gold-silver, silver, nickel and mercury (altaite, calaverite, petzite, hessite, melanite, coloradoite). Silver is present amalgamated with the gold and in the minerals petzite and hessite.

The presence of pyrite and silicification does not guarantee gold; however, higher grade gold is generally accompanied by increased percentages of pyrite and silica.

Hematization or bleaching with carbonatization and silicification are common alterations of the wall rocks. Sericitization is a more local feature. The alteration has enriched the rocks in K2O and depleted them in Na2O.

The new discoveries in the South Mine Complex (SMC) generally are of a different style of mineralization with wide sulphide systems rather than the quartz vein mineralization that is found in the Main Break complex. Tellurides appear to be more prevalent in the SMC, compared to the historical mineralized systems, in particular the occurrence of the gold telluride mineral calaverite. These new, wide, hydrothermally altered zones could represent a new plumbing system for a southern mineralized part of the Camp parallel to the Main Break, fed by a deep porphyry body. The gold mineralization is found in carbonate altered conglomerate, tuff and porphyry, mineralized with up to 10% disseminated pyrite. Quartz veining and silicification when hosted within the porphyry may also characterize the SMC.

Panterra Geoservices (Rhys 2017) has proposed a new conceptual mineralizing model for the ’04/Main Break and SMC zones. Here the Amalgamated Break is interpreted as the main structure off which the ‘04 Break, SMC and AK zone splay and link between. Reduced, sericite- carbonate-chlorite alteration is developed extensively along the Amalgamated Break in association with largely barren, white quartz veins and may feed into the subsidiary faults. Fluids originally flowing along the Amalgamated Break may have fed into splaying structures such as the ‘04 Break and SMC. Most ore deposition has occurred in areas where carbonate-pyrite alteration is interspersed with more oxidized reddish-orange tinted alteration assemblages that occur more distally to the feeder structures, and regional magnetite-biotite-amphibole assemblages are altered to K-feldspar-hematite carbonate. The Amalgamated and ‘04 Break are interpreted to merge near the -9000 foot elevation (depth from surface) in the #3 Shaft area.

Gold Zones
The gold mineralization at Macassa is found along breaks or faults, in veins as quartz filled fractures, as breccias and as sulphide (pyrite) zones. There are several of these breaks currently identified, they are named: ‘04, ‘05, No.6, Kirkland Lake Main and the Kirkland Lake North and South branches. The breaks trend about N60°E and dip steeply, 70° to 80° to the south, keeping with the Timiskaming trend.

At Macassa, the Main Break has been mined from 396m to the 1,706m and has been considered the most important zone in the eastern part of the mine. The ‘04 Break is in the western part of the property and was the main producing break at Macassa. It has been mined by ramp above the 3400 Level (1,036m) to about the 3000 Level elevation (945m) and extended up to the 884m elevation by diamond drilling. The ‘04 Break has been mined to the bottom of the mine at the 7000 Level (2,134m) and there is potential for the mineralization to continue deeper. The ‘04 Break is located about 185m north of the Main Break and connects to it by sigmoidal cross structures. The ‘04 Break is a thrust, or reverse, fault striking N65°E and dipping 80° to the south.

The ‘05 Break is located approximately 425m north of the ‘04 Break. It splays into north and south branches to the east. The South Branch, about 365m north of the ‘04 Break, appears to correlate with the Narrows Break that extends to the east across the rest of the camp.

The gold mineralization trend in the Kirkland Lake camp conforms to the 60° westerly plunge of the syenite intrusions. Locally, the plunge of the gold mineralization depends on the intersection of the host splay structures and can be quite different from the camp trend.

In addition to the mineral trends that have been historically productive, the Company has located significant mineralization in a number of zones to the south of these breaks. The Upper D Zone strikes N28°E and dips 40° to the east. All the other zones are included in the area now called the SMC. The strike and dip of the zones in the SMC vary. The Lower D Zone strike varies from N05°E to N30°E and has a dip of 70-80°; the orientation has been confirmed through mining. It is possible that there is more than one mineralized structure/alteration halo giving the appearance of one steeply dipping structure. The Lower D North zones strike NE and dip 30-45° southeast. The other SMC zones strike N60°E, generally parallel to the main Kirkland Lake structures with varying dips from 20-60° south. The SMC, as defined to date, appears to merge with and be terminated by the ‘04 Break between the 4700 and 4900 Levels. The shallow dipping eastern portion of the SMC appears to be terminated in the down-dip component by the Amalgamated Break, close to the -5900 foot elevation.

Several strong north easterly trending cross-faults offset the mine host rocks and mineralized zones with displacement usually to the south (dextral) and up on the west side. Major cross faults are the Lakeshore Cross Fault near the east end, the Tegren in the centre and the Amikougami Creek at the west end of the mine. The major gold bearing zones have not been found west of the Amikougami Creek Fault.


Mining Methods

  • Mechanized Cut & Fill
  • Underhand Cut & Fill
  • Longhole stoping
  • Paste backfill


Summary:

There are currently three active mining areas in Macassa Mine: Main Break (MB), Lower North (LN) and New South (NS). The areas LN and NS are both part of the SMC. Access to the mining areas is through the #3 Shaft and connecting lateral development within the MB and SMC zones. The main mining methods at Macassa Mine include Underhand Cut and Fill, Longhole stoping and Mechanized Overhand Cut and Fill. The selection of mining method depends on several factors including ore geometry, grade and the need for locations to deposit waste fill. There are also several geomechanical considerations, such as structure and stresses, which impact the mining method selection.

Paste fill is the main material used to backfill stopes, although unconsolidated rockfill is also used where possible. Material hoisted to surface via #3 Shaft, which has an average capacity of 2,200 tpd.

Once the ore is hoisted to surface, it is then trucked to the crushing facilities. After crushing and grinding (95% passing, 45 microns), the ore is processed by conventional cyanide leaching with a carbon-in-pulp recovery system.

Macassa Mine has been on the forefront in the use of Battery Electric Vehicles (“BEVs”) and was the first mine in Ontario to implement BEVs as the standard for the LHD and truck fleet. Kirkland Lake Gold has partnerships with battery equipment manufacturers to develop and design BEVs, as opposed to retrofitting diesel powered equipment. Macassa Mine will continue to replace its fleet of underground diesel equipment with BEVs as required.


Crushing and Grinding
Crusher / Mill TypeModelSizePowerQuantity
Jaw crusher 36" x 28" 150 HP 1
Cone crusher ....................... Subscription required 4.25' 150 HP 1
Cone crusher ....................... Subscription required 4' 400 HP 1
Ball mill 15' x 20' 3000 HP 1
Ball mill ....................... Subscription required 12' x 16' 1600 HP 1
Ball mill ....................... Subscription required 10.5' x 13' 800 HP 2


Processing

  • Agitated tank (VAT) leaching
  • Carbon in leach (CIL)
  • Carbon in pulp (CIP)
  • Carbon adsorption-desorption-recovery (ADR)
  • Solvent Extraction & Electrowinning
  • Cyanide (reagent)

Flow Sheet: Subscription required

Summary:

The ore is crushed down to 11mm at a maximum throughput rate of 80 tph and then ground to 40-45 microns; cyanide is added at the grinding stage. It is then delivered to two pre-oxidation tanks before being pumped to the thickener. The overflow reports to the carbon columns (where over 75% of the gold is recovered) and the underflow to the leach circuit. Leaching takes place in seven tanks during a retention time of 100 hours. The carbon-in-pulp circuit (CIP) consists of six tanks. Following electrowinning, the concentrate is melted in an induction furnace to produce doré grading 85% to 88% gold and 8% to 10% silver. The capacity of the plant is 2,000 tpd.

The company’s mill was built in 1986 at a capacity of 725 tpd. Modifications over the years increased the throughput capacity to 2,000 tpd in 2013.

Recoveries & Grades:

CommodityParameter2020201920182017201620152014
Gold Recovery Rate, %  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Gold Head Grade, g/t 18.623.721.615.214.114.711.3
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Production:

CommodityUnits2021202020192018201720162015
Gold koz  ......  Subscription required ^  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required240194175154
All production numbers are expressed as metal in doré. ^ Guidance / Forecast.
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Operational Metrics:

Metrics202020192018201720162015
Tonnes milled  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required354,469 t409,064 t396,633 t369,976 tons
Daily mining capacity  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Daily milling capacity  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required2,000 t2,000 t2,000 t
Ore tonnes mined  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required387,054 t331,353 t369,976 tons
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Reserves at December 31, 2020:

CategoryTonnage CommodityGradeContained Metal
Proven & Probable 3,841 kt Gold 19.2 g/t 2,369 koz
Measured & Indicated 1,917 kt Gold 12.8 g/t 792 koz
Inferred 1,445 kt Gold 16.4 g/t 763 koz

Commodity Production Costs:

CommodityUnits2021202020192018201720162015
Cash costs (sold) Gold USD  ......  Subscription required ^  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required 426 / oz 523 / oz 527 / oz 638 / oz
All-in sustaining costs (sold) Gold USD  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required 713 / oz 845 / oz 907 / oz 970 / oz
^ Guidance / Forecast.
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Operating Costs:

Units2015
Total operating costs ($/ton milled) CAD 345

Financials:

Units202020192018201720162015
Sustaining costs M USD  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required59.9  28.4  
Capital expenditures M USD  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required126.35  42.4   41.2  
Revenue M  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required307.81  USD247.1  USD 213.5  USD 219.89  CAD
Operating Income M  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required145.94  USD90.2  USD 77.2  USD
Pre-tax Income M 76.1  USD 25.5  CAD
After-tax Income M 57  USD 19.8  CAD
Subscription required - Subscription is required


Heavy Mobile Equipment:
HME TypeModelSizeQuantityRef. Date
Drill jumbo (two boom) ....................... Subscription required 1 Feb 1, 2019
Excavator 8 Feb 1, 2019
Grader ....................... Subscription required 1 Feb 1, 2019
Jumbo ....................... Subscription required 5 Feb 1, 2019
Jumbo ....................... Subscription required 1 Feb 1, 2019
Load-Haul-Dump (LHD) ....................... Subscription required 2 cu. yd 3 Feb 1, 2019
Load-Haul-Dump (LHD) 3 cu. yd 10 Feb 1, 2019
Load-Haul-Dump (LHD) 2 cu. yd 5 Feb 1, 2019
Load-Haul-Dump (LHD) ....................... Subscription required 2 cu. yd 4 Feb 1, 2019
Load-Haul-Dump (LHD) 3.5 cu. yd 5 Feb 1, 2019
Load-Haul-Dump (LHD) 1.5 cu. yd 5 Feb 1, 2019
Load-Haul-Dump (LHD) 6 cu. yd 1 Feb 1, 2019
Load-Haul-Dump (LHD) ....................... Subscription required 1.5 cu. yd 12 Feb 1, 2019
Personnel Carrier 25 Feb 1, 2109
Scissor Lift 3 Feb 1, 2019
Truck (haul) 9 Feb 1, 2019
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Mine Management:

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Mar 16, 2021
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Mar 16, 2021
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Mar 16, 2021
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Mar 16, 2021
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Mar 16, 2021
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Staff:

EmployeesYear
Subscription required 2018

Corporate Filings & Presentations:

DocumentYear
................................... Subscription required 2020
................................... Subscription required 2020
................................... Subscription required 2020
................................... Subscription required 2020
................................... Subscription required 2020
................................... Subscription required 2019
................................... Subscription required 2019
................................... Subscription required 2019
................................... Subscription required 2019
................................... Subscription required 2019
Corporate Presentation 2018
Corporate Presentation 2018
Financial Review 2018
Management Discussion & Analysis 2018
Press Release 2018
Press Release 2018
Corporate Presentation 2017
Financial Review 2017
Management Discussion & Analysis 2017
Corporate Presentation 2016
Financial Review 2016
Management Discussion & Analysis 2016
Technical Report 2016
Annual Report 2015
Financial Review 2015
Press Release 2015
Technical Report 2015
Annual Report 2014
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

News:

NewsDate
Kirkland Lake Gold Intersects Exceptional Gold Grades at Macassa Near Contact of South Mine Complex and Amalgamated Break October 19, 2020
Kirkland Lake Gold Files Amended and Restated Technical Report for Macassa Mine July 19, 2019
Kirkland Lake Gold Reports New High-Grade Intersections at Macassa, Results Highlight Potential for Mineral Resource Growth and New Discoveries May 2, 2019

Aerial view:

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