The Pumpkin Hollow underground copper project is in the final stages before starting producing in the current quarter, which will transition TSX-listed Nevada Copper from developer to producer.
The company confirmed this week that it had started precommissioning the grinding circuit of the process plant at Pumpkin Hollow, near Yerington, Nevada.
Other milestones include the completion of a 120 kV power line and the stockpiling of more than 70 000 t of development ore on surface.
The company remained on target to start production in the fourth quarter and to complete within its project cost estimate.
Preproduction capital expenditure was estimated at $197-million.
The underground mine will produce 60-million pounds of copper in the first five years of operations, including 9 000 oz of gold and 173 000 oz of silver. Over the entire 13.5-year mine life, yearly output will average 50-million pounds of copper, as well as 8 000 oz of gold and 150 000 oz of silver.
Nevada Copper has also studied a standalone openpit operation at Pumpkin Hollow, which will operate at an initial mining rate of 37 000 t/d (years 1 to 6), later expanding to 70 000 t/d (years 7 to 9). Peak production is forecast at 111 000 t/y, or 244-million pounds a year.