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The world's first sub-arctic heap-leach mine is about to re-open
Golden Predator will re-open the world's first heap-leach, sub-arctic mine in the north.
Janet Lee-Sheriff, Chief Executive Officer at Golden Predator, said the past-producing Brewery Creek Gold Mine has all its approvals and licenses and is moving full-speed ahead into the development phase. Lee-Sherriff spoke to Kitco at the Metal Investors Forum in September.
The Brewery Creek Mine is a fully-licensed brownfields heap leach gold mine that was operated by Viceroy Minerals Corporation from 1996 to 2002. Brewery Creek was put into Temporary Closure in 2002 following a collapse of the gold price to below $300 US per troy ounce.
Golden Predator commenced work on the project starting in 2009. Brewery Creek is now authorized to restart mining activities that follow the previously assessed and approved mine plans without further assessment and review as defined in the Quartz Mining License and Water License.
With so much infrastructure in place, the cost to build the mine is minimal.
“It was a very smart move for the previous owners to leave it in temporary closure. There’s millions of dollars left in there,” said Lee-Sheriff.
The company intends to resume mining and processing of licensed deposits while the company works with Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in and Yukon Government to expand the licensed mining area to include new discoveries made since 2011.
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