US gold miner Newmont Mining has completed a $69-million expansion at its Exodus operation, adding ten more years of operations to the underground mine at the integrated Carlin mining operation in Nevada.
The Northwest Exodus project was completed ahead of schedule and within budget, Newmont said on Tuesday.
The expansion – Newmont’s second in the last month – will add between 50 000 oz/y and 75 000 oz/y of gold production and lower Carlin’s all-in sustaining costs by about $25/oz in the first five years of operation.
Northwest Exodus’s underground infrastructure also provides exploration platforms to support future growth in a highly prospective gold district, the company pointed out in a news release.
“Northwest Exodus leverages fit-for-purpose technologies, existing infrastructure and higher-grade ore to lower costs, extend mine life and deliver an internal rate of return of more than 40%,” said COO and executive VP Tom Palmer.
The project was designed to support autonomous operations and is currently running two autonomous mobile loaders and pilot-testing autonomous drills to access and recover ore.
The operation is also fitted with reliable, high-bandwidth underground WiFi to connect people, systems and equipment.
Over the last five years, Newmont has built eight new mines and expansions on four continents, including Akyem and the Phoenix Copper Leach in 2013, Merian and Long Canyon in 2016, Tanami in 2017, and Twin Underground in 2018.
Newmont Mining also completed a value-accretive acquisition of Cripple Creek and Victor in 2015 and delivered a profitable expansion at the mine in 2016.
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