Ontario’s Musselwhite gold project achieves 1-million-hour safety milestone

Construction of the Musselwhite gold mine, 103 km north of Pickle Lake, Ont., has reached 1 million hours without a lost-time injury.

The project, owned 62% by Placer Dome and 32% by TVX Gold, currently employs 600 people, each of whom worked the equivalent of 208 consecutive 8-hour shifts without a lost-time incident.

Construction of the $190-million underground mine began in February 1996 and production is expected to begin in April. Proven and probable reserves there stand at 9.8 million tonnes grading 5.6 grams gold per tonne, plus another 3 million tonnes grading 5.8 grams.

The mine is expected to produce 200,000 oz. per year at a cost of US$200 per oz.