Mining News: Northern Neighbors: Schaft Creek JV continues optimization

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 requirements and circuit design; modelling of the geo-metallurgical domains for the Schaft Creek deposit; and other studies related to optimization work for the Schaft Creek deposit is ongoing. If warranted by the new studies, updating of operating and capital costs, flow-sheet design criteria, and a new financial simulation are planned for later in the year. A feasibility study completed in 2013 outlined a 130,000-metric-ton-per-day open-pit mine operating for 21 years at Schaft Creek based on proven and probable reserves of 940.8 million metric tons averaging 0.27 percent copper, 0.19 grams per metric ton gold, 0.018 percent molybdenum and 1.72 g/t silver.

- Shane Lasley