McIlvenna Bay Mine Progress Is ‘Monumental’ for Saskatchewan, Federal Energy Minister Says

Saskatchewan has produced copper concentrate for the first time in more than 20 years at the McIlvenna Bay mine, federal Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson said in Saskatoon.

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We have never been more clear-eyed that we must build for ourselves. We must harness our own resources, and we must be masters of our own destiny.

The mine, about 246 kilometres northeast of Prince Albert, is producing copper, zinc, gold and silver. Eldorado Gold, which recently took over operations, produced its first copper concentrate in June and its first zinc and pyrite concentrate in July. The company expects commercial production to start in the fiscal third quarter.

Hodgson presented the northeastern Saskatchewan project as part of Canada’s effort to build domestic supplies of critical minerals during unsettled trade conditions with the United States. The government says those materials support clean-energy technologies, including electric vehicles. The concentrate is expected to be smelted in Quebec.

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McIlvenna Bay is strengthening Canada’s domestic supply of materials that underpin our economy.

“We have never been more clear-eyed that we must build for ourselves. We must harness our own resources, and we must be masters of our own destiny,” Hodgson told reporters. “McIlvenna Bay is strengthening Canada’s domestic supply of materials that underpin our economy.”

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This is monumental for this province.

About 380 people currently work at the site, and Ottawa expects hundreds more jobs as activity increases. Eldorado hopes to raise processing capacity from 4,900 tonnes to 7,000 tonnes a day and plans about 14,000 metres of drilling later this year. “This is monumental for this province,” Hodgson said.

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The success of projects like this is measured by more than just production volumes and investment dollars. It’s measured by the opportunities that it creates.