The mining newspaper for Alaska and Canada's North
The mining newspaper for Alaska and Canada's North
Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 81
Explorers seeking new mineral discoveries in the Northwest Territories are expected to spend less in 2018 than the C$90 million they shelled out collectively last year. Natural Resources Canada projects spending this year for mineral exploration and deposit appraisals in the northern territory will total C$81.3 million. But some observers expect to see an uptick in hardrock mining exploration in 2018, especially in the highly prospective Slave Province where the Northwest...
Teck Resources Ltd.'s northern exploration had two major focal points – ensuring the Red Dog District in Northwest Alaska continues as a significant source of global zinc supply well into the 21st century and a rekindled interest in advancing the Galore Creek copper-gold-silver project in British Columbia's Golden Triangle closer to production. The renewed and increased activities at Galore Creek follows Newmont Mining's 2018 acquisition of Novagold Resources Inc.'s 50 p...
In 1918, the Premier gold mine opened a few miles north of Stewart, a mining town that is the southern gateway to British Columbia's famed Golden Triangle. Over the ensuing 34 years, this underground operation churned out some 2 million ounces of gold and 45 million oz of silver, making it the largest gold producer in North America during that era. A century later, Premier continues to be in play and modern exploration is unveiling the vast mineral potential that northern...
Teck Resources Ltd. is investing roughly US$110 million on mill upgrades at its Red Dog Mine that will help ensure strong zinc production from this Northwest Alaska zinc operation until at least 2031. This current life expectancy for Red Dog is based on 57.6 million metric tons of reserves averaging 13.6 percent (13.9 billion pounds) zinc and 3.9 percent (2.5 billion lb) lead. Aktigiruq, a large and high-grade zinc target roughly five miles northwest of the current...
While most mining jurisdictions have seen sharp drops in mineral exploration spending, such investments in Northwest Territories has largely held steady at about C$100 million annually during the past five years. As a result, this diamond-rich territory accounted for roughly 7 percent of mineral exploration spending in Canada in 2016, compared with only about 2 percent in 2011. The ultimate measure of mineral exploration success is not the amount of exploration dollars spent...
Zinc and copper are among the top commodities sought by Teck Resources Ltd. In Alaska, this work is dedicated to extending the life of the Red Dog Mine by upgrading high-grade zinc resources near the current mine area and seeking out new deposits across land surrounding the Northwest Alaska operation. Going into 2015, Red Dog had 56.6 million metric tons of ore in reserves, averaging 14.6 zinc, 4.1 percent lead and 73.8 grams per metric ton silver. This year, Teck began development of Qanaiyaq, a near-surface deposit that...
When judging the health of global mineral exploration, British Columbia seems to be the perfect model. In 2015, roughly C$272 million was invested in discovering and delineating mineral deposits in B.C., down some C$66 million from 2014. This 19.5 percent drop is in lockstep with the decline in global mineral exploration budgets for the same period, according SNL Metals & Mining's World Exploration Trends report. Likewise, B.C. exploration decreased about 60 percent from the...
Instead of putting up taller fences along the roughly 800-mile (1,300 kilometers) border between Alaska and British Columbia, the neighbors are building a larger negotiating table to work out concerns over the potential development of mines in Northwest B.C. watersheds that drain through Southeast Alaska. The framework for this increased cooperation was laid out in a memorandum of understanding signed by the neighbors Nov. 25. “British Columbia and Alaska share a lot of c...
The Red Chris copper-gold mine in northwestern British Columbia has received final approvals necessary for commercial operation, marking the sixth new mine to open in the western province since 2011. “This is a significant achievement made possible through a tremendous amount of collaboration between Imperial Metals Corp., the Tahltan Central Council and this government,” B.C. Minister of Energy and Mines Bill Bennett said June 19 while announcing full production at Red Chr...
Alaska’s congressional delegation is once again eliciting greater Obama Administration involvement in the potential development of numerous mines being considered on northwestern British Columbia waterways that drain through Southeast Alaska. “Like most Alaskans, we strongly support responsible mining, including mines in Southeast Alaska, but Alaskans need to have every confidence that mining activity in Canada is carried out just as safely as in our state,” the trio of Alask...
With world-class mineral deposits, paved roads and commercial power, northern British Columbia is considered by many as a great place to achieve a mining explorer's ultimate goal – find a mine. "The geology has been great up there for 100 million years, but it has only been the last five that we have had run-of-river (hydro-electric) projects, dams – literally billions of dollars of new infrastructure," said Colorado Resources Ltd. President and CEO Adam Travis. The start of...
Zinc, copper and gold are the top metals sought by Teck Resources Ltd. In Alaska, this work is dedicated to extending the life of the Red Dog Mine by upgrading high-grade zinc resources near the current mine area and seeking out new deposits across 224,000 acres of highly prospective lands surrounding the Northwest Alaska operation. Going into 2017, Red Dog had 50.9 million metric tons of probable reserves, averaging 15 percent zinc, 4.2 percent lead and 76 grams per metric ton silver. Anarraaq-Aktigiruq, situated roughly...
Copper Fox Metals Inc. Feb. 2 announced a C$900,000 program for Schaft Creek copper-gold-molybdenum project in northwestern British Columbia. This program will include a remodeling of the resource, engineering studies, environmental data collection, and permitting related to future exploration. Schaft Creek is being advanced under a joint venture between Teck Resources Ltd. (75 percent) and Copper Fox (25 percent). A 2013 feasibility study outlined a 130,00...
Copper Fox Metals Inc. March 30 said the Schaft Creek Joint Venture - Copper Fox (25 percent) and Teck Resources Ltd. (75 percent) have budgeted C$700,000 for the 2016 work program at the Schaft Creek project in northwestern British Colombia. One of the primary focuses of this program will be to update the resource model for the Schaft Creek deposit with an emphasis on gaining a better understanding of the precious metals content of the deposit. The JV also will continue...
Western Copper and Gold Corp. Dec. 22 reported that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Casino Mining Corp., has submitted the second supplementary information report for the Casino copper-gold project to the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Board. The supplemental information is part of a permitting process to develop an open-pit mine with combined flotation mill and gold heap leach processing facilities. The mill will process an average of 120,000 dry metric tons of ore per day, over a 22-year mine life. This operation is...
Mineral and coal exploration spending in British Columbia has dropped nearly 30 percent a year since reaching a pinnacle of C$680 million in 2012, mirroring the downward trend seen during the same period in global exploration expenditures. Mineral-rich B. C., however, is preparing to take advantage of the next upswing in metals markets. In June, British Columbia Energy and Mines Minister Bill Bennett said the province will provide Geoscience BC with C$5 million in additional...
TCK: NYSE/ TCK.B: TSX Chairman: Norman Keevil President and CEO: Don Lindsay VP, Exploration: Alex Christopher Zinc continues to be a primary exploration focus for Teck Resources Ltd. In Alaska, this work is dedicated to extending the life of the Red Dog Mine by upgrading high-grade resources in nearby deposits to reserves and seeking out new deposits in the larger Red Dog area. Going into 2015, Red Dog had 45.4 million metric tons of ore in reserves, averaging 15.8 percent (6.05 million metric tons) zinc, 4.1 percent (1.86...
British Columbia Energy and Mines Minister Bill Bennett spent the week of Aug. 23 working to build bonds with Southeast Alaskans worried about potential downstream effects of mining copper- and gold-rich deposits located in northwestern B.C. Bennett's visit comes one year after a tailings dam burst at the Mount Polley Mine in central British Columbia, sending a deluge of mining waste and untreated water into the surrounding watershed. While the spill did not affect Alaska...
Copper Fox Metals Inc. May 6 said the summer field program for the Schaft Creek copper-gold project in northwestern British Columbia is expected to start in early June. The Schaft Creek joint venture - 25 percent Copper Fox, 75 percent Teck Resources - is planning a 2,500-meter diamond drill program to test the depth of copper mineralization observed in veins on surface and in hydrothermal breccia at the LaCasse zone. Work on a comminution (grinding) study to determine power r...
Alaska Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott spent this week getting a firsthand look at trans-boundary water issues from the British Columbia side of the border, where a number of mines are being proposed on water systems that feed rivers that run through Southeast Alaska. "These rivers are key to Southeast Alaska's way of life, including Native cultures, community economies, recreation and subsistence, and, of course, its profitable seafood and tourism industries that employ thousands of...
From Washington D.C. and Ottawa to Juneau and Victoria, Alaska officials are engaging their Canadian counterparts about new generation of northwestern British Columbia mines that could potentially be built upstream of Southeast Alaska. This possible development of a number of copper, gold and other metal mines in Canada's westernmost province has troubled conservationists, fisherman and others in Southeast Alaska for years. The August 2014 tailings dam collapse at the Mount Po...
Copper Fox Metals Inc. March 17 provided an outline of the C$4.8-million program it plans for the Schaft Creek copper-gold-molybdenum project in northwestern British Columbia. During 2014, the Schaft Creek Joint Venture - Teck Resources Ltd. holds a 75 interest and Copper Fox holds a 25 percent interest in the JV - began a series of optimization studies on Schaft Creek. The objectives of the 2015 program are to continue these studies. This work will include additional infill...
A design flaw resulting from an inadequate understanding of the glacial lake sediments that formed a portion of the foundation on which the tailings dam at the Mount Polley mine located in south-central British Columbia was built caused the structure to collapse under its own weight, according to engineers tasked with finding out why the dam burst on Aug. 4. Mount Polley is an open pit copper-gold mine with a developing underground project. "The design did not take into...
To further strengthen neighborly bonds, British Columbia Minister of Mines Bill Bennett met with miners, fishermen, legislators and state regulators during an early November trip to Alaska. "I hope, and I believe, that we will be able to continue to work closely with Alaska on all of the issues that we share," Bennett said during a Nov. 5 presentation at the Alaska Miners Association 2014 Convention. These shared issues are part and parcel of a common border that stretches...
Mineral and coal exploration in British Columbia, which peaked at C$680 million in 2012, retreated to roughly C$476 million in 2013. This drop is on par with the roughly 30 percent decrease in exploration expenditures worldwide. The dynamics that led to the decrease - tight capital markets that continue to challenge the ability of junior explorers to raise money, senior miners keeping tight reins on exploration spending and softer gold prices - have remained in play during...
