The company has reached pre-stripping at the site to 10 million tons mined and attained 60% completion of the contract for process plant mechanical.
The truck wash facility at the site is now fully operational, and all four wings (400 rooms) of the permanent camp have been commissioned, which brings the total to 1,700 rooms available at site.
The company has informed that mine service facility is nearing completion and expected to be operational in August, while secondary and pebble crushers are installed for both grinding lines.
Detour Gold president and CEO Gerald Panneton said the 230kV transmission line will allow for the full commissioning of the grinding mills to start as planned before year-end.
The new 230kV connection, implemented with completion of the transmission line to Pinard (Fraserdale Power Station), allows for the commissioning to start, providing more than the 85MW of power needed to service the entire Detour Lake mine operation once in full production.
Hydro One Networks’ team has supported in finalizing the connection, according to Dentour Gold.
"Our site and Cochrane team of 279 employees are actively preparing for the commencement of operations," Panneton said.
Out of the total estimated pre-production capital cost of $1.45bn, approximately $969m has been spent as of June 2012.
The company said gold production at the site is scheduled to start in the first quarter of 2013.
