.jpg)
Caterpillar 6060 electric shovel at the Mine Grade Ore stockpile
March 6, 2024
Construction of our project is now over 98% complete. The demobilization of facilities and completion of multiple construction contracts marks a pivotal moment as we prepare for the exciting journey ahead. With production expected to begin towards the end of the first quarter of 2024, we are eager to see all our hard work come to fruition. Thank you for being a part of this incredible journey with us.
Driving innovation. With fourteen autonomous haul trucks now commissioned and operating smoothly, along with four Pit Vipers undergoing testing for autonomous drilling, we are making significant strides towards enhancing efficiency and productivity. Our operations team is dedicated to improving haulage roads and dumping locations to further streamline our autonomous haulage processes and reduce cycle times. The commissioning of our two Caterpillar 6060 electric shovels marks a milestone in our commitment to innovative mining practices.
We are thrilled to share the incredible progress made on the Côté Gold operation! From the beginning of construction in 2020 to the start of continuous operations in July 2023, it has been an exciting journey. As we wrapped up 2023 with the demobilization of the project workforce and the handover to the operating teams, we want to thank everyone involved for their contribution to the successful construction of the third largest gold mine in Canada!
All major earthwork activities related to construction have been successfully completed, including the completion of Stage 1 of the Tailings Management Facility (“TMF”).
The dry side of the processing plant, including primary and secondary crushing and associated screening and conveyors, is substantially complete. The focus to start 2024 has shifted to complete the installation and configuration of the remaining piping, electrical, and instrumentation within the plant. The ball mill realignment was completed with the support of the original equipment manufacturer, setting the stage for mechanical start-up in February. Final mechanical completion of the detox and electrowinning circuits is expected to be achieved in the first quarter of 2024, paving the way for the initial gold pour.
All necessary infrastructure is nearing completion, with significant progress made on the development of tertiary mine facilities during the first quarter of 2024.
Transfer of care, custody, and control of project deliverables progressed well with more than 50% of the systems turned over to the commissioning teams.
Our mining operations have made significant progress, achieving a production record of 128,000 tonnes of material moved by the end of December 2023. We successfully reached 4.86 million tonnes of ore stockpiled on the pad by the year’s end. Congratulations to the entire team for their hard work and dedication!
IAMGOLD continues to apply for and obtain permits required to construct and operate the mine. Since December 2023, we received the following permits:
Environmental Compliance Approval Amendment
• Industrial Sewage Works for Sewage Holding Tanks and Transition Stage definitions (4203-CY4KC8)
• Limited Operational Flexibility approval to discharge excess Tailings Management Facility water to the Polishing Pond
Closure Plan
• Approval to proceed with early works related to Tailings Management Facility Stage 2 construction in response to a Notice of Material Change
Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act
• Extended permit No. TM2019-0293_rev_D
• Received exemption for permit No. TM-2023-LRIA-00002 and No. TM-2023-LRIA-00003
Permit to Take Water Amendment
• Extended permit to complete fish habitat construction at Aggregate Pit #3 (No. 6621-CZEPSV)
A list of all permits applied for and received to date is available at www.iamgold.com/cotegold in the Permitting Applications section.
