Positive news is being reported for some local mines.
Alamos Gold is reporting it met production guidance last year, producing a record 505,000 ounces of gold, up 18 percent from the previous year - that included 125,600 ounces produced during the fourth quarter, marking record production at Island Gold near Dubreuilville.
As for this year, Alamos is keeping its production guidance consistent with 2018 - at 480,000 to 520,000 ounces - though it is hoping to grow over 600,000 a year in 2021, as it builds out new mines in Mexico and Turkey.
Wesdome Gold Mines is also reporting an increase in gold production at its local Eagle River Complex, which produced 17,254 ounces in the fourth quarter - up nine percent from the same time the previous year - bringing 2018's total production to 71,625 ounces, up 21 percent from 2017 and 50 percent since 2016.
It's hoping to outdo those numbers this year, setting production guidance for the entire Eagle River Complex at 72,000 to 80,000 ounces.
Red Pine Exploration - meanwhile - is reporting positive results from drilling at its Wawa Gold Project near Wawa, including intersection of high-grade gold within the current resource envelope of the Surluga Deposit, and discovery of another high-grade quartz vein in the Minto Stockwork.