Name of the Mine
Lalor mine.

Location  
Snow Lake, Manitoba, Canada.

Mine Owner/s  
Diversified Canadian mining company Hudbay Minerals Inc.

Brief Description  
Lalor is an underground mine in Manitoba, which initially focused on base metals; however, over time, the operation has evolved into a significant gold producer.
Brief History  

The Lalor mine was discovered by Hudbay Minerals Inc in 2007 through drilling that intersected a zinc-rich base metals zone. Subsequent exploration in 2009 revealed additional gold and copper/gold zones at greater depths. Construction of the mine started in 2010, and it achieved commercial production in 2014, initially focusing on the upper base metal zones while deeper gold-rich zones remained undeveloped.

In late 2021, Hudbay commissioned the New Britannia mill, enhancing gold processing capabilities and contributing to increased yearly gold production. By December 2024, the Lalor mine had produced more than one-million ounces of gold. 

Primary Metals/Minerals  
Gold, zinc, copper and silver.

Secondary Metals/Minerals  
None stated.

Geology/Mineralisation  
The Lalor mine is situated in the Chisel basin of the Flin Flon Greenstone Belt in Manitoba. Discovered in 2007, it is recognised as one of the largest volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits in the region.

The deposit is situated along a stratigraphic horizon characterised by overturned hanging wall rocks, including mafic and felsic volcanic units, and underlain by hydrothermally altered footwall rocks. These footwall rocks exhibit mineral assemblages such as chlorite-dominant schists and cordierite-anthophyllite gneisses, indicative of significant metamorphic recrystallisation.

Lalor hosts multiple stacked mineralised zones, including six base metal zones, five gold-bearing zones, and one copper-bearing zone. Mineralisation occurs as disseminated to solid sulphides comprising sphalerite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, and arsenopyrite. These zones are relatively flat-lying, trending between 260° and 310° and dipping 10° to 30° northward.

Reserves  
Total proven and probable gold and base metals reserves as at January 1, 2025, were estimated at 12.74-million grading 3.7 g/t gold, 2.99% zinc, 0.62% copper and 28.8 g/t silver.

Resources  
Total inferred mineral resources as at January 1, 2025, were estimated at 4.41-million grading 4.2 g/t gold, 1.33% zinc, 1.14% copper and 18.8 g/t silver.

Type of Mine
Underground.

Mining Method  
Mining methods currently in use include cut-and-fill and longhole open stope. Paste backfill is used to increase recovery and accelerate the mining cycle. Low-grade areas will be filled with rock from waste development.

Major Infrastructure/Equipment  
The Lalor mine surface infrastructure includes mine site services; a hoist house; a headframe; two exhaust fans; a main pumpstation; a paste backfill plant with tailings receiving and storage tanks, tailings thickener, tailings filters and cement storage silos; a 341-person change house complex that also houses staff offices and 100-person and 50-person change houses adjacent to the main complex; two propane tanks; an office complex for health and safety, training and mine rescue; fuel tanks and pumps for diesel and gas; a warehouse and a shop; and multiple storage containers (sea containers) and contractors’ office trailers.

Underground infrastructure includes a main production shaft; two 16 t skips; one double-deck cage; a counter weight; a utility conveyance; three main shaft stations; lateral development, consisting of ramps and level development connecting all mine workings; ramp from surface; power distribution; compressed air, process water and discharge water pipelines throughout the mine; leaky feeder underground wireless radio communication system; fibre-optic backbone for data and video; ore handling system; a mobile maintenance shop; Lalor maintenance shop; a water discharge system consisting of a series of drain holes and sumps with submersible pumps; two settling cones; clean water sumps; and internal ore passes to transfer ore from upper levels of the mine.

Prospects  
Ongoing exploration has identified new mineralised zones near the existing deposit, suggesting potential for extending the mine's life beyond 2038.

Contact Details 
Hudbay Minerals Inc
Tel +1 416 362 8181
Email info@hudbayminerals.com
Website https://hudbayminerals.com/