GOLD: Pretium spends $811M for Brucejack development

BRITISH COLUMBIA – Vancouver-based Pretium Resources has calculated the final pre-production costs for the Brucejack gold mine and mill 65 km north of Stewart to be US$811.1 million, an increase of 16% from the estimate made 12  months ago. The February 2017 capital forecast includes US$68.8 million of working capital for the first three months of production, exclusive of any revenue generated. Other increases were seen in the power transmission line (US$37.9 million), accelerated commissioning (US13.9 million), new scope items (US$19.7 million), construction overages (US$34.1 million), and indirects/owner’s costs (US$31.4 million). [caption id="attachment_1003717073" align="alignright" width="300"] Pretium has moved up commissioning of the Brucejack mill by about three months.[/caption] The company plans to begin dry commissioning of the mill in March and wet commissioning in early April. That is about three months earlier than previously planned. Pretium has stockpiled 110,000 tonnes of ore on the surface and underground in preparation for this work. Underground development is advanced with 11 stopes crosscut on two levels in preparation for longhole drilling. Cross-cutting of four more stopes is in progress. Drilling is scheduled to begin in the second week of March. Enjoy the photo galleries at www.Pretivm.com.