The Meadowbank gold mine – Agnico Eagle's first mine located in Canada's Arctic region – achieved commercial production in March 2010, with mining operations continuing until 2019. The development of the satellite Amaruq open-pit and underground mine 50 km away has extended the life of the Meadowbank complex by supplying a new source of ore to the existing Meadowbank mill. Commercial production at the Whale Tail pit at Amaruq began in September 2019 and commercial production of Amaruq underground was achieved in August 2022.
Today, the Meadowbank complex includes the processing facilities and infrastructure at the Meadowbank minesite (mill, tailings facilities, accommodation facility and airstrip) combined with mining and infrastructure at Amaruq (warehouse, fuel storage, second accommodation facility) linked by a 64-kilometre road. Amaruq ore is transported using long haul off-road type trucks to the mill at the Meadowbank facilities for processing.
Ore is processed using a conventional crushing, grinding, gravity, cyanidation and carbon-in-pulp processing facility to recover gold. The Meadowbank gold processing plant uses conventional technology adjusted to the Arctic climate. Gold-plated cathodes and gravity concentrate are smelted in an induction furnace and poured as doré bars.