Following a winter season marked by corporate change, the Illinois Creek gold mine in west-Central Alaska has poured its first gold bar. The mine, situated 325 miles northwest of Anchorage, experienced delays in the winter months, during which time USMX, the former owner, was swallowed up by Dakota Mining (DKT-X) in a merger.
Dakota began managing the project in February in anticipation of the merger and set about completing construction. Heap leaching commenced in late May, with commercial production earmarked for the autumn.
John Haigh, vice-president of Dakota, says mining will cease for the season once 1.5 million tons have been loaded onto the pad, though leaching will continue through the winter months.
Dakota plans to resume exploration by the end of July.
Minable reserves stand at 6.8 million tons grading 0.064 oz. gold-equivalent per ton. The mine is expected to produce 65,000 oz. gold-equivalent annually over the next six years.
Alan Bell, president of Dakota, says the mine is expected to crank out 145,000 oz. this year.
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