Agnico Eagle Provides an Update on Exploration Results for H1 2021

8 July 2021

News Release, July 08, 2021

TORONTO, July 8, 2021 /CNW/ - Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (NYSE: AEM) (TSX: AEM) ("Agnico Eagle" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on exploration activities at several projects and select mine sites.  The Company's exploration focus remains on pipeline projects, near-mine opportunities and mineral reserve and mineral resource replacement and growth.  Key exploration highlights during the first half of 2021 include:

  • Meliadine – Exploration and conversion drilling is ramping up close to existing deposits and in the surrounding region. Recent drilling at depth in the Pump deposit demonstrates the excellent potential to increase mineral resources with intercepts such as 22.6 g/t gold over 4.2 metres at 508 metres depth, approximately 250 metres below the current mineral resource envelope. Regional exploration has resumed between the Tiriganiaq and Discovery deposits, encountering interesting results on the Aquarius occurrence such as 21.7 g/t gold over 3.5 metres at 93 metres depth
  • Hope Bay – Activity is ramping up with a total of seven drill rigs now operating on the Doris and Madrid deposits. Recent results at Doris confirm the potential to expand the BTD Extension Zone (currently being mined), with results including: 10.9 g/t gold over 2.5 metres at 309 metres depth, potentially expanding the zone 100 metres north of the current mineral reserve limits; and 12.0 g/t gold over 7.1 metres at 282 metres depth in the West Valley Zone, potentially extending the zone along plunge by 75 metres from the current mineral reserve outline. The results confirm the potential to expand zones currently being mined at Doris while drilling is ramping up at Madrid

"Last year, the Company generated strong exploration results at several of its key projects.  As a result, in 2021, we embarked on the most ambitious exploration program in Agnico Eagle's 64-year history to investigate the full potential of existing operations and key projects in the Company's pipeline," said Sean Boyd, Agnico Eagle's Chief Executive Officer.  "At mid-year, we are continuing to see positive results from this initiative, with drilling encountering a new parallel gold zone at East Gouldie, significant high-grade mineralization that further expands the Footwall Zone at Upper Beaver, and results confirming the potential to expand the Doris Deposit at Hope Bay. In addition, we continue to generate significant exploration results at key production assets such as Kittila and Meliadine," added Mr. Boyd.

Record exploration spending in 2021 – Based on significant exploration results observed in 2020 at several operating mines and pipeline projects, the Company initiated a review of the full potential of its portfolio of assets and increased its exploration budget in 2021 to approximately $163 million (from $113 million in 2020), making it the largest exploration budget in the Company's history (see the Company's news release dated February 11, 2021 for a breakdown of the exploration budget).  An update on selected exploration programs and budgets are set out in the sections below.

For more details , Download this Press ReleasePDF Format (opens in new window)