Harte Gold\u2019s Sugar Zone mine in Ontario is now back up and running, following a temporary shutdown at the end of March due to the covid-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n
According to the company, longhole blasting and ore haulage rates underground are improving and development and backfill activities are meeting or exceeding expectations. With a mill restart planned for early August, Harte has built up a stockpile of feed for the plant.<\/p>\n
As mining and processing activities ramp back up, the company has also provided production guidance: this year, it expects to deliver 20,000 oz. to 24,000 oz. of gold, increasing to 60,000 oz. to 65,000 oz. in 2021.<\/p>\n Sugar Zone churned out 8,597 gold oz. at all-in sustaining costs of $1,951 per oz. in Q1 2020<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n Harte is also transitioning to owner-operator mining from contract mining services, with the change-over expected to be completed over the coming months.<\/p>\n \u201cDuring my visit to the Sugar Zone mine earlier this week, I was encouraged by the focus and commitment of the team to effect a positive restart,\u201d Sam Coetzer, the company\u2019s president and CEO, said in a release. <\/p>\n \u201cThe underground team is highly motivated to achieve its goals and the processing team is eager to turn on the mill, which is expected to occur next week.\u201d<\/p>\n Beyond the re-start, Harte is evaluating a mill expansion to 1,200 t\/d, up from the current 800 t\/d nameplate capacity, with a feasibility study expected in the fourth quarter.<\/p>\n Grade control and extension drilling has also restarted at the Sugar Zone North and South areas, with 16,000 metres planned for 2020. Near-mine exploration drilling is expected by August, targeting extensions of near-mine mineralization as well as parallel structures and geophysical anomalies.<\/p>\n In the first quarter of this year, the Sugar Zone mine churned out 8,597 gold oz. at all-in sustaining costs of $1,951 per oz., with an average daily processing throughput of 575 t\/d. Harte wholly owns the 793-sq.-km Sugar zone mine, 80 km east of the Hemlo gold camp. The underground operation achieved commercial production in January 2019.<\/p>\n Midday Wednesday, Harte\u2019s stock was up 11% on the TSE. The company has a C$126 million market capitalization.<\/p>\n\n