Gold mine near Timmins goes into care and maintenance until July

The company developing the Bradshaw Gold Mine north of Timmins said Friday the mine is moving to care and maintenance until July.

Gowest Gold Ltd. said the move will save money until the Northern Sun tailings pond construction has been completed in July 2024 and when the mill is ready to begin processing Bradshaw ore.

“Northern Sun started the drilling and blasting of construction rock this week,” the company said.

“Construction is expected to begin in January 2024 and to be completed in July 2024.”

Gowest said progress has been made since April, when work began at Bradshaw to bring it into production.

“Overall, underground capital development is advancing in the East Zone and the Central Zone,” the company said.

“Ore sills are being developed on the 100m level in the East Zone and the mining team is about to access sills in the Central Zone on the 85m level. The installation of the main fan and heater on surface is progressing well, and should be operational this month. This will include the conversion on site from diesel to compressed natural gas, which offers further money savings.”

Exploration drilling is also continuing, Gowest said, with one drill rig operating from the surface and a second rig underground.

“As previously noted, the initial 5,000-m surface drilling program will be complete by mid-November,” the company said.

“Notably, all drill holes intersected ore and these latest results are expected to add new resource ounces.”

Gowest said it is also exploring opportunities to keep funding its operational and exploration activities.

“We look forward to the continuing support of our principal investment group, especially as we work to balance the complexities of bringing Bradshaw into production and helping to see completion of the upgrade of Northern Sun’s mill at the same time we continue to expand the value of our gold assets, for the benefit of all of our investors,” president and CEO Dan Gagnon is quoted as saying in the news release.

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“We have made good progress in advancing the mine and we look forward to seeing the first gold poured from there in less than a year.”

Gowest is a Canadian gold exploration and development company developing its 100 per cent owned Bradshaw Gold Deposit on the Frankfield Property, part of the corporation’s North Timmins Gold Project.