Name of the Mine
Island Gold mine.

Location  
Near Wawa, in Ontario, Canada.

Mine Owner/s  
In March 2024, Alamos Gold Inc and Argonaut Gold Inc announced a definitive agreement under which Alamos would acquire all the issued and outstanding shares of Argonaut, pursuant to a court approved plan of arrangement.

As part of the transaction, Alamos acquired Argonaut’s Magino mine, located adjacent to Alamos’ Island Gold mine. The integration of the two operations is expected to create one of the largest and lowest-cost gold mines in Canada.

Brief Description  
The Island Gold district comprises the adjacent Island Gold and Magino mines, two long-life operations with a large mineral reserve and resource base and significant exploration potential. 

Island Gold is an underground mine and one of Canada’s highest-grade and lowest-cost gold mines. Magino, located within 300 m of the Island Gold deposit, is a large openpit mining operation.

Brief History  
Island Gold achieved commercial production in October 2007 and has since produced more than one-million ounces of gold. In November 2017, Alamos Gold acquired Richmont mines and the Island Gold mine.

Gold was first discovered on the Magino property in 1917. Underground development started in 1935. Three years later, the property changed ownership, and a detailed underground exploration programme started. 

Underground development at Magino resumed in 1986, with production taking place from 1988 to 1992, before mine closed because of high costs. Argonaut acquired the property in 2012, and completed a feasibility study in 2017. A decision to develop the Magino project was made in November 2020, with construction starting in 2021 and initial production achieved in 2023. 

Primary Metals/Minerals  
Gold.

Secondary Metals/Minerals  
None stated.

Geology/Mineralisation  
The Island Gold property is situated within the Michipicoten greenstone belt, which is part of the Wawa subprovince and Superior province, which dates back to the Archean age. 

The property is stratigraphically situated in the upper portion of the Wawa Assemblage, comprising intermediate to felsic volcanic rocks capped by pyrite-bearing iron formation outcropping in the Morrison and Pine zones.

A large north-easterly trending, structurally deformed zone, known as the Goudreau Lake Deformation Zone (GLDZ), occurs between the two assemblages and is believed to be the main control on gold mineralisation in the area. The GLDZ hosts the Island, Magino, Lochalsh, Goudreau, Shore, and north shear gold zones, all within Alamos’ Island Gold district.

East-north-east striking, steeply dipping, subparallel zones of gold mineralisation are present within the quartz sericite/pyrite/carbonate alteration of the GLDZ. North trending diabase dikes crosscut all stratigraphy.

The Island Gold and Magino deposits are considered Archean orogenic lode gold deposits. Both deposits occur within the GLDZ zone, and are part of the same system but are hosted within different lithologies. 

Island Gold is a high-grade structurally hosted quartz-carbonate vein system hosted within felsic to intermediate volcanics. 

Gold mineralisation at Magino occurs primarily within the tonalitic Webb Lake Stock with the first gold mineralising event coincident with the emplacement of the stock, and the second later event associated with gold overprinting and remobilisation during deformation within the GLDZ.

Reserves  
As of December 31, 2023, Island Gold had proven and probable reserves of 5.21-million tonnes grading 10.30 g/t of gold. Magino had proven and probable reserves of 61.51-million tonnes grading 1.16 g/t gold.

Resources  
As of December 31, 2024, Island Gold had total estimated measured and indicated resources of 2.55-million tonnes grading 8.73 g/t gold. Inferred resources were estimated at 7.86-million tonnes grading 14.58 g/t gold. Magino had estimated inferred resources of 30.60-million tonnes grading 0.75 g/t of gold.

Type of Mine
Underground and openpit.

Mining Method  
Island Gold’s underground operations are currently accessed by a ramp system. The primary mining method is longitudinal retreat longhole stoping. Ore is hauled by truck to the Kremzar mill located about 800 m from the portal of the ramp

Ore at Magino is extracted by conventional openpit methods. 

Major Infrastructure/Equipment  
Island Gold consists of an underground mine, currently mining at an estimated 1 200 t/d, a conventional carbon-in-pulp mill, and associated infrastructure.

Infrastructure includes a primary tailings pond, secondary settling pond, the Kremzar mill (carbon-in-pulp mill), Lochalsh ramp and portal, mine access road, and hydroelectric power lines, all of which are located on the property. An office, core logging, storage facility, and a mine dry are also located on the previously producing Kremzar mine site. 

Island Gold and Magino are undergoing integration and development to enhance their production capacity and cost efficiency.

Prospects  
Alamos Gold is proceeding with the Phase 3+ expansion of the Island Gold mine, which will increase underground mining throughput with the addition of a shaft.

Contact Details 
Alamos Gold
Tel +1 416 368 9932
Email info@alamosgold.com
Website https://www.alamosgold.com/