Sugar Zone restart advances as Vault files closure plan

Vault Minerals has submitted a closure plan amendment (CPA) to Ontario’s Ministry of Energy and Mines for a new tailings storage facility — a key milestone in its effort to restart the Sugar Zone gold mine in northern Ontario. The filing follows a technical review and consultation with First Nations communities. 

The CPA, which will be posted on the Environmental Registry of Ontario for public viewing, covers the building of a new tailings management facility on the property. Vault says the new hub underpins its planned restart of underground development. The company also received a draft Sewage Environmental Compliance Approval for the facility, further advancing the permitting pathway.

Netmizaaggamig Nishnaabeg Chief, Clyde Jacobs, welcomed the advancement. “[We] advocated for responsible development at Sugar Zone from the outset and appreciate Vault’s continued commitment to a respectful and mutually beneficial relationship grounded in environmental stewardship,” Jacobs said in a news release. Both Sugar Zone and the proposed new facility are located on Netmizaaggamig Nishnaabeg’s Aboriginal title lands and traditional territory.

Vault said the progress keeps Sugar Zone on schedule to restart in Q1 FY27, followed by processing and gold production in Q1 FY28. The company has completed more than 100,000 metres of drilling since operations were suspended in 2023.