Minto Copper-Gold Mine Opens in Yukon


Sherwood Copper’s Minto mine began producing concentrates in May 2007.
Sherwood Copper Corp. held a formal opening ceremony on October 11 for its Minto copper-gold mine in Yukon, Canada. Sherwood acquired the Minto project in June 2005 and re-drilled the deposit to what it describes as “modern reserve standards,” then completed a bankable feasibility study that outlined funding and building a $100-million open-pit copper-gold mine. The company began waste stripping in April 2006, plant construction in June 2006, completed the feasibility in August 2006 and closed its bank financing for mine construction in October 2006.

First concentrates were produced at the end of May 2007, continuous operation commenced in early June 2007 and regular shipments of copper-gold concentrates to the Port of Skagway began in July 2007. On October 1, 2007, Sherwood declared commercial production, once all parameters exceeded 90% of design. According to the company, there have been extended periods of sustained throughput in excess of nameplate capacity of 1,563 mt/d.


Sherwood initiated concentrate deliveries, via
truck to the Port of Skagway in Alaska, in July.
“The official mine opening represents a major milestone, both for Sherwood Copper and the Yukon Territory. The commencement of commercial operations at Canada’s newest base metals mine, and the first in the Yukon in several years, is a testament to the outstanding team at Sherwood Copper, its contractors and the cooperation and support received from the Yukon Government and Selkirk First Nation,” said Stephen P. Quin, president and CEO.

The detailed feasibility study prepared by Hatch Ltd. incorporated several material changes relative to previous designs, including accelerated pre-stripping to access high grades sooner, boosting near-term production; expansion of the mill by more than 50% during the first year of operations; and stockpiling of all low grade (less than 1% copper) material during the first six years of operations in order to maintain head grades in the 2.5% copper range. According to the company, results from recently completed exploration drilling at nearby Area 2 indicate high potential for the definition of a significant resource that could “materially extend the operating life of the Minto mine at higher grades than planned in years seven and later.”

As featured in Womp 07 Vol 8 - www.womp-int.com