OREANDA-NEWS. September 09, 2015. GOLDCORP INC. (TSX: G, NYSE: GG) is pleased to provide an update in advance of its upcoming analyst and investor tour at the Eleonore mine in the James Bay region of Quebec.

Commercial production at Eleonore was declared on April 1, 2015 following the first gold pour on October 1, 2014.  First-half 2015 gold production totaled 76,300 ounces.   Following the successful resolution of previously-reported initial start-up issues, underground development, mine tonnage production and mill throughput have all increased in accordance with plan. In addition to these improvements, higher second half gold production at ?l?onore is also dependent upon higher gold grades expected in Horizon 4, the deepest of the four mining horizons that comprise ?l?onore's forecast 2015 gold production. 

The Roberto deposit is hosted in sedimentary rock, and mined material from all four horizons has identified a wide range of folding and faulting consistent with the host rock package.  With the first mining stope from Horizon 4 now underway, in-situ ore grades have been as expected, however higher than anticipated folding is being encountered. Mining in these folded veins areas is resulting in higher dilution and therefore lower than planned mined grades and gold production. The ?l?onore team is working to adjust stope design to minimize these impacts.

As a result of these conditions, the Company has revised 2015 gold production guidance at ?l?onore to between 250,000 and 270,000 ounces.  Goldcorp's overall gold production remains on track, with guidance unchanged and expected at the higher end of a range between 3.3 million and 3.6 million ounces.

The Eleonore mill ramp-up continues to progress successfully, with daily throughput averaging 5,418 tonnes in August and achieving nameplate capacity of 7,000 tonnes on August 11, 2015.  Ramp-up of the mine and mill to full throughput of 7,000 tonnes per day remains on track for the first half of 2018.   

Exploration

Drilling in 2015 continues to target the lower portion of the Roberto deposit below 650 metres in what will become Horizons 5 and 6. Positive results continue to support the potential for successful conversion of resources to reserves and extend the deposit at depth, which remains open including the core area.  Positive results continue in the 494 target area adding confidence to the size and importance of this target.

Crown Pillar

Work on the Eleonore crown pillar pre-feasibility study continues to advance in the third quarter with completion anticipated by the end of 2015.  Major activities included the progression of the trade-off study between open pit and underground mining, determination of the dike location, and permitting and stakeholder engagement efforts. 

Presentation slides to be used during the ?l?onore tour are available under the "Investor Resources-Presentations" section at www.goldcorp.com.