The Mount Milligan mine.
The British Columbia Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) has approved an amendment to TSX-listed Centerra Gold’s Mount Milligan’s environmental assessment certificate to permit access to additional sources of surface water and groundwater for its Mount Milligan operation.
While subject to the receipt of the relevant water licences, the company will be permitted to obtain water for use in Mount Milligan’s milling operation from Philip Lake 1, Rainbow Creek and Meadows Creek until November 30, 2021, at rates that are protective of the environment.
The company will also be permitted to access water from groundwater sources within a radius of 6 km of the Mount Milligan mine for the life of the mine.
The additional sources of water should allow the processing operations to return to full capacity, Centerra president and CEO Scott Perry said on Wednesday.
Mount Milligan’s mill throughput will average about 55 000 t/d through the remainder of 2019.
Centerra has started the process of upgrading its water pumping infrastructure at Philip Lake 1 and Rainbow Creek and expects to be in a position to pump water from such sources prior to the spring melt, which is expected in April 2019.