Technology & Innovation

Innovation has been a hallmark of Agnico-Eagle, dating back to the time when Agnico constructed a reclamation plant to extract silver from the tailings mine operators had dumped into Lake Cobalt many years earlier.

A strong commitment to cost-efficient, safe and responsible mining operations has led to numerous technological innovations:

• Through the technical skills and persistence of our mining team, we have successfully worked through the operating challenges of mining at more than 2,000 metres underground.
• The Penna Shaft at the LaRonde mine is believed to be the deepest single-lift shaft in the Western Hemisphere. The shaft extends to a depth of 2,250 metres.
• A massive surface heating/refrigeration plant has helped resolve challenges with underground temperatures. The temperature control system allows the LaRonde mine to operate continuously during the summer and winter with no lost production due to excessive heat or cold.
• A new water treatment facility at LaRonde uses one of the most technologically advanced processes in the world to reduce tailing effluent toxicity immediately prior to discharge.
• Leading-edge water recycling technology results in the use of less than 10% fresh water for the LaRonde operations.
• Recent innovations designed to reduce energy consumption include a more efficient water intake system and improvements to the underground ventilation system so that it automatically shuts off at the end of each shift.