\nThe engineering building at Saint Mary\u2019s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Courtesy of St. Mary\u2019s University. <\/p>\n
Welcome back to your weekly mining news recap, where we catch you up on some of the news you may have missed. This week\u2019s headlines include the United States Senate reversing a mining moratorium, Ontario investing in mine rescue training, and Canadian Copper securing funding for its Murray Brook project in New Brunswick.<\/p>\n
Osisko Metals reported a resource increase<\/a> at its Gasp\u00e9 copper project in Quebec after extensive drilling last year. Measured and indicated resources reached 1.83 billion tonnes averaging 0.27 per cent copper, up 119 per cent over the company\u2019s 2024 estimate. According to Osisko Metals, the deposit is now among eastern North America’s largest undeveloped copper projects.\u00a0<\/p>\n A new resource engineering program at St. Mary\u2019s University in Nova Scotia, approved<\/a> by the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission, will welcome its first cohort of students this fall. The program offers streams in mining engineering and renewable energy engineering. Students will now be able to complete their full bachelor\u2019s degree at St. Mary\u2019s, eliminating the need to transfer to a partner institution for their final two years.<\/p>\n Amex Exploration shared the results<\/a> of a feasibility study for phase one of its Perron gold project in Quebec, outlining expected production of around 147,000 ounces annually over the first five years. The study highlights initial capital costs of $193.9 million and a mine life of around 17 years. Phase one includes underground mining with toll milling, while phase two will expand operations to open-pit mining and include the construction of an on-site processing facility.<\/p>\n The United States Senate this week overturned<\/a> a mining ban in northern Minnesota that had been imposed by the Biden administration. The Twin Metals copper-nickel-cobalt project owned by Chilean miner Antofagasta was among the projects impacted by the ban. The measure now goes to President Trump who is expected to endorse it. The 20-year mining moratorium was introduced in 2023 over environmental concerns.<\/p>\n Ontario is investing through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board to build<\/a> a permanent Mine Rescue Training Institute in Sudbury. The 120-acre facility will be operated by Ontario Mine Rescue and will train more than 540 mine rescue and fire response volunteers annually. Volunteers will have access to advanced, realistic mining environments and modern technologies such as virtual and augmented reality.<\/p>\n Canadian Copper has secured<\/a> up to $96 million to advance the development of its Murray Brook copper-zinc-lead-silver project and nearby Caribou processing plant in New Brunswick. The funding from OR Royalties and Ocean Partners UK\u2014via streaming, debt and equity\u2014will cover the capital expenditure outlined in the project\u2019s preliminary economic assessment<\/a>, allowing the company to focus on securing remaining permits.<\/p>\n St Barbara\u2019s Touquoy gold mine in Nova Scotia, inactive since 2023, has received industrial approval to process around three million tonnes of stockpiled ore, CTV News<\/a> reported. Processing is expected to begin by the end of the year and last 10 to 14 months.<\/p>\n American Eagle Gold, which is backed by South32, Teck and financier Eric Sprott, launched a roughly $31 million unsolicited tender offer for Pacific Booker Minerals (PBM), The Globe and Mail<\/a> reported. American Eagle is seeking 90 per cent ownership of the company, with shareholders having until July 29 to tender their shares. The deal could see American Eagle combine PBM\u2019s Morrison gold-copper project with its nearby NAK gold-copper project, both in B.C., potentially benefiting from shared infrastructure, along with coordinated permitting and technical work.<\/p>\n Eldorado Gold completed its acquisition<\/a> of Foran Mining for $3.8 billion, The Globe and Mail<\/a> reported. Shareholder votes were held last week, with 84 per cent approval from Eldorado shareholders and 83 per cent from Foran shareholders. The deal adds the McIlvenna Bay copper-zinc project in Saskatchewan to Eldorado\u2019s portfolio.\u00a0 Commercial production at the project is expected this summer.<\/p>\n An Ontario student mine tour in 2025 gave<\/a> undergraduates hands-on exposure to modern mining, Lynn Greiner reported for CIM Magazine. Organized by the CIM Toronto Branch and the Ontario Mining Association, the four-day program visited several mine sites and training centres across the province. Students had the chance to experience advanced technology, underground operations and camp life, helping spark interest in mining careers. Another tour is planned for this year.<\/p>\n That\u2019s all for this week. If you\u2019ve got feedback, you can always reach us at editor@cim.org<\/a>. If you\u2019ve got something to add, why not join the conversation on our Facebook<\/a>, Twitter<\/a>, LinkedIn<\/a> or Instagram<\/a> pages?<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n