Resource World Magazine

30 www.resourceworld.com A P R I L / M A Y 2 0 1 4 Geologically speaking, Canada's most west- ern province of British Columbia has always been an attractive region for mineral explo- ration. As in other regions, exploration and mining investment rises and falls with the price of commodities, discovery plays and investor sentiment. In 2012 (the latest figures), gross mining revenues in BC were $9.2 billion with pay - ments to government reaching $504 million. Back in 2001, only $32 million was spent on exploration – it hit $680 million in 2012. While 2013 was a difficult year for miners and explorers, mineral exploration spending in BC totaled $476 million, the second-high - est amount spent on exploration in BC in a single year and 20% of all exploration in Canada. PRODUCERS & ADVANCED PROJECTS One of the biggest stories is the nearly com- pleted, 100%-owned, Red Chris copper-gold mine of Imperial Metals Corp. [III-TSX] located 80 km south of Dease Lake, north- west BC. Commissioning is expected to start in June this year. Reserves of over 300 mil- lion tonnes grading 0.359% copper and 0.274 g/t gold provide for a 28-year project life at a milling rate of 30,000 tonnes per day. The new 287 kV Northwest Transmission Line will power the project. Imperial Metals also operates the Mount Polley and Huckleberry mines in BC. For 2014, production from the Mount Polley, Huckleberry and Sterling, Nevada mines is forecast at 65 million pounds of copper, 56,700 ounces of gold and 220,000 ounces of silver. Taseko Mines Ltd. [TKO-TSX; TGB- NYSE MKT] reported production at its 100%-owned Gibraltar Mine near Williams Lake for 2013 was 121.4 million pounds of copper and 1.5 million pounds of molybde - num. Russell Hallbauer, President and CEO, said, "With the successful ramp up of the new Gibraltar concentrator complete, we can focus on controlling costs and generat- ing the cash flows that the expansion was predicated on." The federal government has turned down, for the second time, the proposal for the New Prosperity copper-gold project 125 km southwest of Williams Lake. It is expected that Taseko will continue its efforts to build the mine. Meanwhile, metallurgy, engineer - ing and environmental studies continue on the Aley niobium project on the east side of Williston Lake. Copper Mountain Mining Corp. [CUM- TSX] is installing a secondary crusher at the Copper Mountain Mine near Princeton, southwest BC. The main components of the crusher are now on the mine site. The $40 million cost of the crusher and construction is expected to be completed by midsummer. Mill throughput is expected to be 32,000 tpd for the first six months of 2014 and 35,000 tpd after the new permanent crusher is operational. New Gold Inc. [NGD-TSX] is expected to average a throughput of 12,500 tpd in 2014 at its New Afton underground mine near Kamloops and proceed with mill expansion to 14,000 tpd, driving further targeted gold and copper production growth in 2015. MINING & EXPLORATION MINING The Red Chris copper-gold mine of Imperial Metals is nearing completion. The 287 kV Northwest Transmission Line (NTL) from Skeena substation to Bob Quinn is under construction by BC Hydro with a planned completion date of May 2014. Photo courtesy Imperial Metals Corp. With new mines being built, other projects in an advanced stage, plus a new staking rush, BC is gearing up for an exciting year. By Ellsworth Dickson IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

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