Base metal news

Campbell receives permit for Merrill Island pit

The Quebec Ministry of Environment has issued a permit allowing Campbell Resources of Montreal to begin mining the Merrill Island open pit. The pit is located 5 km from Campbell’s Copper Rand concentrator in Chibougamau, Que., and treating the Merrill ore there will increase utilization of the plant.

In the initial phase of mining, approximately 150,000 tonnes will be mined beginning in September 2007 at an estimated rate of 20,000 t/month. The estimated grade and recovery rate indicate incremental monthly production of 200,000 lb of copper. Exploration continues with the goal of identifying additional potential to sustain longer term production from the Merrill Island pit. Historic (non-NI43-101-compliant) resources in the Merrill Island past-producing mine are 1.0 million t measured, grading 0.92% Cu, and 905,000 t inferred grading 0.53% Cu.

The Campbell website is at www.CampbellResources.com.

Work to go underground at Estrades

Toronto-based Cogitore Resources has received the appropriate provincial approval and is preparing to dewater its 100%-owned Estrades gold property, 95 km northeast of La Sarre, Que. The certificate of authorization also allows the company to redevelop the mine for production at a rate of 500 tonnes/d.

The Estrades property was developed by Toronto-based Breakwater Resources in 1990, and the mine produced approximately 175,000 t of ore before work was suspended in May 1991. The NI43-101 resource numbers calculated last year for the Main lens are 561,000 t of indicated resources averaging 0.72% Cu, 10.25% Zn and 0.94% Zn.

Cogitore anticipates custom tolling of Estrades ore rather than building a mill at the site. More information is available at www.Cogitore.com. The Estrades property lies 35 km east of Aurizon Mines’ Casa Berardi gold mine.