Detour Gold: Working to Make Detour Lake Canada’s Largest Gold-producing Mine

At PDAC, Resource Investing News had the chance to speak with executives from a variety of companies, with one highlight from the gold space being Charles Hennessey, mine general manager at Detour Gold (TSX:DGC).

The company’s Detour Lake mine, located in Northern Ontario, is the second-largest gold-producing mine in Canada, and the largest in the country in terms of reserves. However, as Hennessey explained, Detour is looking to make it Canada’s largest gold-producing mine. “The steps we’re taking — we’re continuing through the ramp up … last year we were just below 18 million tonnes processed, but we have a design of 20 million tonnes, and this year we’re pushing to be just underneath that,” he said.

And while Detour Lake’s size sets the company apart from its peers for obvious reasons, Hennessey was able to expand on what else makes Detour unique. “We’re actually quite a large mining company … for a junior. We are the largest gold mine that’s not controlled by a senior producer in the world,” he explained.

In closing, Hennessey discussed the equipment used at the mine, as well as how mining and processing there works. Watch the video below for more of what he said.

Interview Transcript

RIN: I am Charlotte McLeod with Resource Investing News, and here today with me at PDAC is Charles Hennessey, mine general manager at Detour Gold. Thank you for joining me.  

CH: You’re welcome, Charlotte.

RIN: Good. So, to start off, can you tell me Detour has the second largest gold mine in Canada, but you’re looking to become the largest?  

CH: Yes.

RIN: What steps are you taking to get there?

CH: So, the steps we’re taking we’re continuing through the ramp up. So, last year, we were just below 18 million tonnes processed, but we have a design of 20 million tonnes, and this year we’re pushing to be just underneath that and moving into next year to be right on or above.

RIN:  Okay. That’s pretty exciting. Aside from that, what differentiates the company from its peers?

CH:  So, for us, we’re actually quite a large mining company for a junior. We are the largest gold mine that’s not controlled by a senior producer in the world.

RIN:  Wow.

CH:  So, it is. It’s quite nice. We’ve got also a massive reserves. Our reserves sit at about 15.5 million ounces. Quite large, and again, not controlled by a senior. So, that really sets us aside from our peer group in the intermediate gold producer group.

RIN:  Okay. Can you tell me a little bit about the equipment that’s being used at the mine?

CH: Yeah, certainly. So, on the open pit side, we’ve got some of the largest equipment out there, considered ultra-class equipment. We run large caterpillar trucks, all Cat equipment really. We’ve got a combination of rope shovels and some 600-tonne hydraulics as well. In the plant, two large SAG mills, so they’re SAG mill ball mill pairs. Run two lines which gives us flexibility to shut one line down at work and yet, keep production continuous.

RIN: Okay. Can you talk a little bit more about mining and processing at the mine?

CH: Yeah. So, on the mining side, certainly in 2015, what our push is to get towards 250,000 tonnes a day output of the plant. We see that coming later in the year.  We’re working our way through the kind of the normal issues of mining and ramp up there.  So, nothing out of the ordinary. It’s just that it’s a question – it’s really about organizational discipline in getting things done.

RIN: Okay. Sounds like you got a busy year ahead.

CH: Yeah. It is.

RIN: All right. Well, thank you for joining me today.  

CH: Thank you.

RIN: Thank you. And this is Charles Hennessey from Detour Gold and I am Charlotte McLeod with Resource Investing News. 

Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Editorial Disclosure: The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.

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