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Canadian Zinc aims for 2020 production at Prairie Creek NWT | New feasibility study supports $280M development BY MATTHEW KEEVIL
An aerial view of the Kemess South pit and processing facility at AuRico Metals’ past-producing gold-copper Kemess project in British Columbia. PHOTO BY MATTHEW KEEVIL
AuRico nears construction decision at Kemess SITE VISIT
| Company reimagines project as an underground operation
BY MATTHEW KEEVIL mkeevil@northernminer.com PRINCE GEORGE, B.C.
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here’s a sense of momentum building at the historic Kemess open-pit, gold-copper mine site in north-central British Columbia. AuRico Metals (TSX: AMI; US-OTC: ARCTF) has hit numerous milestones this past year, and could make a decision to go forward with a new era of underground mining at the site within the next 18 months. The property sits in a spruce-lined valley nestled between sub-alpine plateaus and rugged-incised peaks, west of B.C.’s Swannell Ranges. AuRico president and CEO Chris Richter says during the 430 km, northbound flight to the property from Prince George that he often uses 40 km long Thutade Lake as a map marker to reference the project location within the
“WE RECOGNIZED POTENTIAL HERE THAT COULD BE UNLOCKED IF APPROACHED THE RIGHT WAY. SO WE’VE COLLABORATED ON A MINE PLAN THAT’S REALLY BEEN SUPPORTED BY GOVERNMENT AND STAKEHOLDERS.” CHRIS RICHTER PRESIDENT AND CEO, AURICO METALS
Omineca Mining Division. Kemess’ past operators have seen successes and failures. Northgate Minerals ran a profitable mine at the Kemess South (KS) open pit between 1998 and 2011, producing 3 million oz. gold and 750 million lb. copper in total. When Northgate tried to permit an open-pit extension at the Kemess North calc-alkaline porphyry deposit in 2007, however, it was rejected after a federal review panel cited concerns over “significant
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adverse environmental, social and cultural effects.” The main issues related to consultation with local First Nations and plans to dispose of tailings and waste rock in nearby Duncan Lake. “In many ways, I think there was a failure in building relationships,” Richter says during a presentation at the Kemess site. “That was obviously a different time in the industry, and we recognized potential here that could be unlocked if approached the right way. So we’ve collabo-
rated on a mine plan that’s really been supported by government and stakeholders.” AuRico reimagined the project as an underground operation leveraging panel-cave mining and existing infrastructure, which includes a 300-person camp and 52,000-tonne-per-day plant facility. The site is connected to the BC Hydro grid via 380 km power lines running to the town of Mackenzie, British Columbia. Panel caving differs from block caving because it doesn’t need to develop its footprint before cave initiation. The company filed a feasibility study on the Kemess Underground (KUG) project in July. Probable reserves stand at 107 million tonnes grading 0.54 gram gold per tonne, 0.27% copper and 1.99 grams silver per tonne, or 1.9 million contained oz. gold, 630
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mkeevil@northernminer.com VANCOUVER
anadian Zinc (TSX: CZN; US-OTC: CZICF) has set the stage for a 2020 production target at its past-producing Prairie Creek zinc-lead mine, which sits amid the Mackenzie Mountains, 500 km west of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. On Sept. 28, the company released an updated feasibility study that it hopes will underpin project financing for the $280-million development. The study lays out a 15-year mine plan that leverages recent efforts to optimize Prairie Creek’s grade profile and throughput. Canadian Zinc has boosted anticipated mill rates by 25% — compared to previous studies — to 1,200 tonnes per day, which would contribute to See CANADIAN ZINC / 8 PM40069240
See AURICO / 2
unturned.
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