Yukon exploration, development and mining 2020
Figure 1: The Minto mine site.
This article was written by the Yukon Geological Survey, Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, Government of Yukon.
M
ineral explorers were faced with uncertain conditions in the spring of 2020 as COVID-19 restrictions were put in place. Yukon’s chief medical officer of health declared a public health emergency in March 2020, which precipitated the closing of many public facilities. Days later, the Government of Yukon declared mining (including exploration) an essential service. The exploration season started slowly, but gained momentum by midsummer as metal prices increased. The revised spending intentions reported by NRCan in September were $76.9M in exploration and deposit appraisal (compared to $166.2M in 2019). Mine complex development expenditures – including capital expenditures and
14 Mining North of 60 | 2021
repair & maintenance – were reported at $58.8M (https://sead.nrcanrncan.gc.ca/expl-expl/ExploTable. aspx?FileT=342019&Lang=en), down from $231.8M in 2019. Development work in 2020 occurred at the Eagle mine, Bellekeno, Bermingham, Coffee Project, Selwyn Project, and Kudz Ze Kayah.
these had projected expenditures of CAN$1 million or more. Almost 90 per cent of small projects (<$100,000 in expenditures) received Yukon Mineral Exploration Program grant funding. Gold was the main commodity of interest (58 per cent by spending), followed by copper, silver, zinc-lead, and others.
A temporary increase in the funding for the Yukon Mineral Exploration Program (YMEP) grant, from CAN$1.46 million to CAN$2.5 million, injected some much-needed financing. In total, funding for 41 placer and 62 hard rock projects were leveraged into CAN$8.8 million in exploration expenditures.
Mining and development
There were 95 active hard rock exploration projects in 2020; 23 of
Minto Exploration Ltd. has been ramping up production at the highgrade Minto copper-gold-silver mine (Figure 1). The company is working two deposits underground: Minto East, which is almost mined-out, and Copper Keel, which is being prepared for mining. The company completed 11,000 metres of surface and
