Preparation work has started for the construction of the Pioneer winter road (PWR) at NorZinc’s Prairie Creek project, in the Dehcho region of the Northwest Territories, constituting Phase 1 of the 170 km all-season road that will act as the main point of access connecting the project to the Liard Highway 7.

CEO Rohan Hazelton says the start of the winter road is a significant turning point for the TSX-listed mine development company, as it signifies the start of the overall construction of the Prairie Creek project and the beginning of the transition into the development phase.

“Following the recent permitting milestone of the receipt of the land use permit for mining at the project, the company is confident that the work we have been doing with the regulatory bodies will be reflected accordingly with respect to timing of the final permits for construction of the PWR," he says.

“This initial work keeps the project progressing while we await the final management plan approvals for full construction of the PWR."

Subject to financing, NorZinc plans to start construction on the PWR mid-October. Initial construction activities will focus on two headings: From the Prairie Creek mine through the mountains to Cat Camp and from the northside of the Liard river, whereby the crews will construct a wildlife clearing trail, the aim of which is to safely pre-clear wildlife from the area.

Both headings are planned to be complete by the end of the year.

Ice bridge construction is expected to start at the beginning of December, with the main construction crews having access over the bridge to complete the connection to Cat Camp in the first quarter of 2023.

The first phase of construction will also reopen and cut new trails, where designated, along the access road corridor. This work will allow for acquisition of critical geotechnical data for subsequent road-building campaigns, permitting and to walk in key pieces of heavy equipment required for on-site early construction projects in the following summer season.

To complete the wildlife clearing trail, an excavator and skid-steer were successfully barged over to the north side of the Liard river in early September. It is anticipated that NorZinc will start wildlife clearing late October dependent on weather conditions.

The construction of the PWR from the proposed mine site to Cat Camp will be spearheaded with a new CAT 315 excavator and skid-steer, of which both were successfully flown into site via a heavy lift helicopter last week. They will be augmented by the bulldozer and rock trucks already onsite as the company aims to complete the mountainous sections of the PWR by the end of the year.