Star Lake mine pours first gold

After a 50-year absence, primary gold production has returned to Saskatchewan. In January, the Star Lake gold mine poured its first gold bar, weighing in at 712 oz. The bar had a value of $350,000. Shared by partners Saskatchewan Mining Development Corp (50%), Uranerz Exploration and Mining (15%) and Starrex Mining Corp. (35%), the gold production is also the first for each partner.

Operating at 220 tons per day, the Star Lake mill will produce approximately 36,000 oz of gold per year during its 3-year operating life. Reserves stand at 230,000 tons grading 0.5 oz gold per ton. The deposit, hosted in a quartz-filled shear zone, is accessed via a 3,800-ft decline ramp with four mining levels. The ramp reaches a depth of 426 ft. Capital costs for the project totalled $12.6 million.