The Goldex complex is the easternmost part of the chain of operations and properties that Agnico Eagle owns in the Abitibi region of northwestern Quebec and northern Ontario. The complex includes the underground Goldex gold mine and the Akasaba West gold-copper, open-pit mine located less than 30 km from Goldex, as well as mineral processing facilities.
Underground mining began at Goldex in 2013 from the M and E satellite zones, and continues today from the South Zone and Deep 1 Zone, and initial production began in June 2024 from Deep 2 Zone, which starts below the Deep 1 Zone at 1,200 metres below surface.
Most of the ore mined at Goldex is processed through a gravity circuit that recovers about two-thirds of the gold, which is then smelted on site to form doré bars. Flotation recovers the rest of the gold, producing a gold-bearing pyrite concentrate, which is then trucked to the LaRonde complex for processing and smelting.
The Akasaba West gold-copper deposit was acquired in 2014. Commercial production was achieved in the first quarter of 2024, and the mine is set to produce approximately 115,000 ounces of gold and 21,000 tonnes of copper over a five-year mine life. This additional source of ore adds operational flexibility to the Goldex complex.