Agnico Eagle announced Tuesday that it will reduce activities at its Meliadine gold mine and Meadowbank complex, which processes ore from the Amaruq gold deposit.
photo courtesy of Agnico Eagle
"Even with the reduction in mining activities, we plan to maintain a state of operational readiness in order to resume normal operations in a timely and safe manner once the restrictions are lifted," said Sean Boyd, Agnico Eagle's chief executive officer. "The health, safety and well-being of all our employees and the communities that we operate in continue to remain our priority."
Affected employees will continue to receive their base remuneration through April 13, the company noted.
In a news release Tuesday, Agnico Eagle stated that no cases of the coronavirus have been detected at any of its operations.
At Meliadine, the Agnico Eagle is reviewing options to continue limited underground activity and milling operations. Existing ore stockpiles can support milling activity for close to 40 days. At Meadowbank, the focus will be on continued ramp-up of maintenance activities and water management as needed for the upcoming spring melt, according to the news release.
In Quebec, where the government has ordered all non-essential business to shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Agnico Eagle is placing its mines on care and maintenance.
