VANCOUVER (miningweekly.com) – Vancouver-based Goldcorp will probably start commissioning the second mill and flotation line at its Penasquito operation next month, Goldcorp COO for Mexico Barry Olson said in a presentation on Wednesday.

The first 50 000-t/d line started up last year, and line two should be mechanically completed around midyear, he said at the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum conference, under way this week in Vancouver.

Some precommissioning work is already taking place, Olson said.

After that, a high-pressure grinding roll will also be added later this year, which will bring throughput capacity at the $1,6-billion operation to the full 130 000 t/d once it ramps up.

The Penasquito mine, which Goldcorp has managed to keep on schedule and within budget, is expected to produce about 500 000 oz/y of gold, 28-million ounces a year of silver, 450-million pounds a year of zinc and 200-million pounds a year of lead, over a 22-year mine life.

Goldcorp has mines in Canada, Argentina, the US, Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala, and said in January it expects output to rise about 50% over the next five years, to some 3,8-million ounces by 2014.

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