Mineral Exploration is the official publication of the Association of Mineral Exploration British Columbia.
Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/611178
and Tahltan. Pretium has since signed a Co-operation and Benefits Agreement with the Nisga'a. With First Nations consultation well underway, the other prerequisites fell into place. "We don't have to mine a lot of ton- nage to get a lot of gold," he says. It's such a rich deposit that slumping gold prices won't touch the mine's feasibility – Quartermain says it's profitable even with gold at $800 an ounce. The underground mine will have a small footprint. Half of the tailings will go back into the mine. The nearest fish-bear- ing water is 20 kilometres downstream. There is no tailings pond. Thus, the Mount Polley mine accident didn't impact the approval process, says Quartermain. Add it all up, and Brucejack received all of the major provincial and federal approvals required in 2015 – B.C.'s new- est mine was a go. "We've met all the major challenges," he says. "Now it's all about the execution." The plan is to build a US$746-million mine with an 18-year lifespan, produc- ing up to 504,000 ounces of gold per year. Trucks will haul the gold concen- trate out by access road to Highway 37. During operation, the mine will employ 500 full-time staff. After the experience with Pirquitas at Silver Standard, Quartermain recruited James Currie as chief operating officer, adding mine-building and operations experience. Currie helped bring New Gold Inc.'s New Afton gold mine into production ahead of schedule and has overseen gold mines in the United States, Australia and Mexico. Quartermain says that, under Currie's eye, Brucejack will go into production in 2017. It all leaves Quartermain buoy- ant about B.C. "I've worked around the world," he says. "I'm glad to be in B.C. I can fly up to the mine and be back at home the same day. That's nice." "I also think Brucejack shows that there's a lot of geological possibility in this province," he continues. "We're building a B.C. mine, using B.C. technology and B.C. expertise. There are still world-class deposits left to discover here and an indus- try that's ready to develop them." ■ A world away from Egypt: The Brucejack camp serving Pretium's Valley of the Kings. The right tools. The right people. Uncovering your investment opportunities