Artemis Gold is digging into its construction plans to create a gold/silver mine south of Vanderhoof
The Vancouver-based company announced Tuesday it has ordered its fleet of heavy equipment and construction of the Blackwater Gold mine works is slated to begin in the first quarter of 2023.
Finning Canada will supply Artemis with the machinery it needs, including excavators, backhoe loaders, compactors, graders, telehandlers, and fuel/water trucks. The fleet will be expanded as construction of the open-pit mine progresses this year.
Artemis will rely on rental equipment for the initial construction period over the next few months to build access roads, mine-haul roads, water management structures and construction of a tailings dam. Site preparation is already well advanced with a majority of the bulk earth works already completed.
With the spring thaw expected in a couple months, construction activities have focused on completion of a sediment and erosion pond. Building of the process plant site area will be completed before the start of the major works construction, which will get underway once Artemis receives its BC Mines Act Permit.
The company has hired workers from partner companies to provide security, supply fuel, explosives and other related products and services. Finalization of those contracts will follow once the permitting phase is complete.
“As the bulk earthworks activities for the Blackwater process plant nears completion, and in anticipation of receipt the of the BC Mines Act Permits for Blackwater, we are preparing our team and making the necessary preparations with our preferred partners to secure the supply of equipment, materials and services in order to be shovel-ready for the commencement of major works construction,” said Artemis chairman and CEO Steven Dean.
A 150-room construction camp with enough beds to house 477 workers will be ready for occupation by March, with some of the rooms and a kitchen expected to be completed by next week.
A feasibility study predicts the mine will produce 321,000 troy ounces of gold annually over the first five years. Over its expected 22-year lifespan, the company hopes to extract 11.7 million ounces of gold and 122.4 million ounces of silver.
The Blackwater Gold site is located 160 kilometres south of Vanderhoof.
