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Ron Light

Laid-off mine workers may regain their jobs

The Minto Mine is hoping to recall Pelly Construction

By Chuck Tobin on December 1, 2016

The Minto Mine is hoping to recall Pelly Construction to begin stripping the next open pit target in the first week of January, mine manager Ron Light said today.

Light told the Star Capstone Mining will be posting jobs for eight positions for drillers, dewatering staff and such.

Before it officially notifies Pelly of the need to recall heavy equipment operators laid off earlier this fall, the company needs government approval of amendments to its operating and development plan for the mine, he said.

Light said changes to the plan do not affect environmental approvals already received, as the next phase of stripping and mining is covered off in the existing water licence.

The changes have already been sent out for feedback from the Selkirk First Nation, the mining inspection branch and the like, Light explained.

He said he does not expect any problems receiving changes, and the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources is aware his target is no later than Dec. 16.

“We are going to give Pelly the official notification once we receive approval,” he said.

Light expects that stripping and mining the next pit will take at least six months, and will provide the Minto Mine with enough additional ore to continue production through to the end of 2017.

Currently, he explained, there’s enough of a stockpile and underground production to keep the mine operating through next summer.

The recall will likely mean bringing back 40 to 45 of Pelly’s workers who were laid off, Light said.

“We had heard that things were looking good for recalling us, and Dec. 16 is the date they had indicated,” Pelly vice-president Jennifer Byram said this morning. “It’s good news.”

Byram said it’s likely the number to be recalled will be in the 40 to 45 range. They’re in addition to the seven Pelly crew members who continue to operate heavy equipment at the mine site.

Capstone was planning to put its Minto Mine into temporary closure once the remaining stockpile and underground production were depleted next summer.

The mine manager said once the next pit is stripped and mined, there will still be two known open pit targets remaining.

However, the price of copper would have to increase substantially – even well beyond today’s price following an upward spike in copper since the Nov. 8 U.S. election.

But there are also two more underground targets that could keep the mine operating on their own if Capstone decided to mine them, Light said.

Capstone vice-president Cindy Burnett said this morning the decision to mine the next pit is not related to the recent rise in the price of copper.

The decision, she said, was under evaluation well before the spike, and was based on a much more conservative price for copper, she said.

Comments (4)

Up 25 Down 6

NeilAlexGeddy on Dec 2, 2016 at 3:22 pm

@WilfC
Think it has more to do with the vision of a hard working, highly skilled workforce that have been making positive contributions to the GDP of this territory. From janitor to metallurgical engineer, the credit goes to these people.

Up 22 Down 8

Whoah There on Dec 2, 2016 at 1:37 pm

@ Wilfred: If you are referring to the recently elected Liberal territorial gov't. you do realize they haven't even been sworn in to form government yet don't you? This announcement while welcome has nothing to do with Yukon Liberals.

Up 8 Down 26

Wilfred C. on Dec 1, 2016 at 8:14 pm

Your Liberal Government getting things happening.

Up 24 Down 1

Stu Winter on Dec 1, 2016 at 5:48 pm

Nice announcement.

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