Québec City, June 26, 2019 – The Québec Mining Association (QMA) is proud to highlight the official opening of Eldorado Gold’s Lamaque Mine in Val d’Or. This is the first new gold mine to open in Québec since 2015.
Eldorado Gold is already well established in the community, and was able to integrate into the socio-economic fabric of Val-d’Or and the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region from the outset. For the QMA, the mine constitutes a good example of best practice in the development of a major industrial project.
The company’s efforts to develop the mine responsibly were quickly recognized, and in 2018 Eldorado Gold Lamaque received the QMA’s F.J. O’Connell trophy, more specifically for its workplace health and safety record. It also won an award in the “Community Engagement” category, presented by the Fédération des chambres de commerce, at the Mercuriades award ceremony in 2019.
Since the start of development on its project, Eldorado Gold Lamaque has invested $289 million, and the mine currently employs almost 400 workers.
The Québec Mining Association congratulates the entire team that made the mine opening possible, and wishes the Lamaque Mine a long and successful life.
Quotes
“It is not every day that we can witness the opening of a new mine. This is a great day for the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region, and also for the whole of Québec which will benefit from the major economic benefits generated by a gold mine.”
“When we realize that ten, and sometimes fifteen, years elapse between the discovery of a mineral deposit and the first day of production at the mine, we can understand the exceptional importance of a day like today.”
– Josée Méthot, QMA president and CEO
About the Québec Mining Association
The Québec Mining Association (QMA) was founded in 1936 and speaks proactively for mining companies involved in exploration, extraction and processing, mining contractors and junior mining companies, along with suppliers, institutions, non-profit organizations and other mining sector partners. It is proud of the 40,540 jobs and total expenditure of $8.5 billion generated by Québec’s mining industry over the last year. The QMA’s mission is to promote, support and proactively develop a responsible, committed and innovative mining industry in Québec.