COPPER DEVELOPMENT: Western Copper hits snag

YUKON - Western Copper Corp. of Vancouver has run into a snag in the development of its Carmacks project 220 km north of Whitehorse. The Yukon Water Board has denied its application for a water use licence.

The company expressed disappointment at the unexpected decision. "The decision of the Yukon Water Board is inconsistent with previous decisions of the executive committee of the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board, and the Yukon government which, after a lengthy environmental assessment process, determined that the project should be allowed to proceed and issued the project a quartz mining licence allowing construction to commence."

Western Copper aims to develop an open pit, heap leach/solvent extraction operation that will produce copper cathode. Construction was to have started next year and production in 2012. The project could produce 32 million lb of copper annually over six years at a cash cost of US$0.84 per lb.

Western said it is reviewing its options. Go to www.WesternCopperCorp.com and follow the situation by reading the latest news releases.