Cantung restart set for August

Vancouver-based North American Tungsten Corp. is reopening its 100%-owned Cantung mine with concentrate production expected in August 2005. At that time the mine and mill, at a rate of 400,000 tonnes of concentrate annually, will again be the western world’s largest producer of tungsten concentrate. The Cantung mine is located on the border of the Yukon and Northwest Territories.

Denis Bergen, P.Eng, was hired in June as general manager at the Cantung mine. From 1987 to 1993 he was employed by Canada Tungsten Mining Corp., the previous owner of the Cantung mine.

NA Tungsten says record high prices for tungsten are behind the decision to reopen the mine. The mine has been operated sporadically since 1962, with the last closing of the underground workings in 2003. At that time there were an estimated 700,000 tonnes of “minable reserves” grading 1.75% WO3.

The company also has a 100% interest in the Mactung deposit farther north. A conceptual engineering study was completed in the mid-1980s based on “reserves and resources” of 45 million tonnes grading 0.95% WO3.