BRITISH COLUMBIA - The QR gold mine and mill were restarted in November 2007. The owner, CROSS LAKE MINERALS of Vancouver, reports that the minable resource is now at least 25% larger and the grade higher than anticipated.
Ore is supplied mostly from the open pit at the Northwest zone. Problems with the power supply to the site have been largely solved, except for two minor outages. Those combined with heavy snow accumulation and freezing temperatures temporarily reduced the ore tonnage to the mill from the crushing circuit because the fine ore bin has been freezing. The mill has been operating at 550 t/d or 65% of capacity, but the rate should move upwards as the weather warms and improvements are made.
Underground preparations are moving forward. Rehabilitation of the drift and the ventilation system in the Midwest zone is a priority because this zone will be first to be mined. Development has reached the mineralization of the West zone and mine planning is underway. Underground drilling is ongoing to expand and detail the North zone, which may significantly extend the life of the project.
The QR mine is located in southeast British Columbia near the town of Quesnel. Kinross operated the mine and mill for five years in the 1990s. More information is available at www.CrossLakeMinerals.com.
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