Equinox fires up Van Stone mine

After nine months in mothballs, the Van Stone zinc mine near Colville, Wash., was recently brought back into production at 1,000 tons per day by owner Equinox Resources (TSE).

Low zinc prices forced the company to suspend operations in November of 1991, but the recent improvement in the metal’s price to the current level of about US62 cents per lb. makes the project economically attractive again. Although recent estimates are not available, the mine was previously expected to operate at a break-even operating cost of about US35 cents per lb.