Aug 27 2019
Golden Predator Mining Corp. (the “Company” or “Golden Predator”) is pleased to announce the Company has provided formal notice to the Yukon Government (Yukon) to move the Brewery Creek Mine into the production phase from temporary closure status. The notice formally advises Yukon of the commencement of development/production activities on the Brewery Creek site and has been accepted by Yukon.
The Company now has all the necessary licenses, permits and authorizations to commence mineral development activities and mineral production activities as permitted in the Quartz Mining License and Water License. The Brewery Creek Mine, in Canada’s Yukon, is a fully licensed past producing gold mine with existing infrastructure and established resources allowing for a timely restart of mining activities.
Significant Activities:
- In addition to the formal restart notice as required under the Quartz Mining Act, the Company has provided the Government of Yukon with its Reactivation Plan outlining development activities licensed under the current Quartz Mining License and Water Licence;
- The Lee Creek Bridge on the Brewery Creek Mine access road (North Fork Road) has been upgraded to a steel span bridge by the Government of Yukon. Work is completed and the new bridge is operational;
- Heavy equipment has mobilized to the Brewery Creek Mine site and has commenced with haul road improvements and clearing of the licensed cells on the heap leach pad; and
- Exploration and development drilling has expanded to include a 2nd reverse circulation drill rig and a diamond core rig.
All notices and plans are provided in advance to the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation in keeping with the Company’s efforts to meet and exceed industry standards for engagement, information sharing and its Socio Economic Accord for the Brewery Creek Mine.
Brewery Creek Mine, Yukon: Resources and Past Production
The Brewery Creek Mine is a 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. 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.
The 180 km2 property is located 55 km due east of Dawson City and is accessible year round by paved and improved gravel roads. Significant infrastructure remains in place, allowing for a timely restart schedule under existing licenses.
The Company conducted exploration drilling on the Brewery Creek project from 2010 to 2013 and increased the resource 5 fold and completed a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) resource estimation including an Indicated oxide resource of 577,000 troy ounces of gold in 14.2 million tonnes averaging 1.27 g/t gold and an Inferred oxide resources of 279,000 troy ounces of gold in 9.3 million tonnes averaging 0.93 g/t gold (includes resource areas located within and outside of production licenses as shown on map). In addition, the resource estimate contains Indicated sulfide resources of 142,000 troy ounces of gold in 3.5 million tonnes at 1.28 g/t gold and Inferred sulfide resources totaling 546,000 troy ounces of gold in 12.4 million tonnes at 1.37 g/t gold, although most drilling was historically terminated a short depth below the oxide mineralization, leaving sulfide potential largely untested.
The Company has a Socio Economic Accord with Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in for the Brewery Creek Mine and is licensed to resume mining activities under the current Water License and Quartz Mining Licenses. The project also has a Class IV Mining Land Use Permit to conduct additional exploration.
The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Jeff Cary, CPG, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and an employee of the Company.