The Vancouver-based company NorZinc has reported that the Mackenzie Valley Land & Water Board (MVLWB) has issued water licences and a land use permit for all season road access to the Prairie Creek Mine in the Dehcho Region of the Northwest Territories.
In a news release issued last Thursday, the company states these permits will allow it to construct and operate an all-season road on or near the Nahanni National Park Reserve once a number of management and monitoring plans have been approved.
NorZinc now awaits similar approval of permits by Parks Canada for the areas of the all season road within Parks Canada’s jurisdiction.
NorZinc already has permits to construct and operate the Prairie Creek Mine.
Don MacDonald is President and CEO of NorZinc.
“These are the final permits necessary to build the all season road on Territorial land. When the related permits are received from Parks Canada, we will have all the permits needed for the entire all-season road. Once the management and monitoring plans that form part of the permits have been approved, we will be able to construct the road.” MacDonald states. “NorZinc has been working on this milestone since 2013 and I would like to thank the NorZinc team for their amazing work diligence over many years, and the local Indigenous communities for their support through one of the most comprehensive environmental review processes in the world.”
The company states that construction of the Prairie Creek Mine is planned in two phases with timing for commencement dependent upon approval of the management plans.
Phase 1 construction of the all season road is planned to be started in 2020 with limited supplies delivered to site to support the mine refurbishment program, the company states.
In 2021 and 2022, the main site construction is planned to be completed, including installation of a dense media separation circuit, new backfill plant, electrical facilities, as well as underground development to access high grade ore for the initial years of operation.
Most underground development for the current 15-year mine life is planned to be completed between 2021 and 2024.
NorZinc is a TSX-listed mine development Company trading under the symbol “NZC”. The Company is developing its key project, the 100%-owned high grade zinc-lead-silver Prairie Creek Mine, in the NWT.
The company also owns projects in Newfoundland that host several zinc-lead-copper-gold-silver deposits.
