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Published by Black Press Ltd. at 3210 Clinton Street, Terrace, B.C.
FRIDAY, February 26, 2016
Volume 10 Issue 36
TMC 20,200
Clean cut …
→ NORTHWEST COMMUNITY COLLEGE / THE NORTHERN CONNECTOR
TERRACE - Lucas Erni, front left, from Hazelton Secondary School was the gold medal winner in the carpentry section of the Feb. 19 Skills Canada regional competition held at Northwest Community College in Terrace. Students from around the area in various trades programs took part with some winners being eligible to attend provincial competitions April 13. Those take place in Abbotsford.
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Gold mine construction is well underway TERRACE - The company building a gold mine near Stewart now says it needs less money than first calculated to bring the project into production. Bids by contractors wanting work are more competitive because there is less activity overall in the Canadian resource development sector, says Troy Shultz of Pretium Resources which is building the Brucejack gold mine. Because the project is priced in American dollars, but with costs paid out in Canadian dollars, the recently-fallen Canadian dollar compared to the American dollar has worked to the company’s advantage.
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“We’re getting a substantial savings from the exchange rate,” said Shultz of revised figures released last week which indicate the project now requires (US) $696.8 million compared to an earlier estimate of (US) $746.9 million. That earlier estimate came from a feasibility study completed in 2014. He says that companies are lowering their pricing to secure contracts because of the lack of work elsewhere. “Definitely we’re getting bids now that are a lot more competitive,” he said. “I believe we’re the only mining construction project now
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underway in B.C.” In one specific area, development of the mine’s underground workings from where ore will be taken, Pretium at first calculated it would have to provide its own equipment, said Shultz. But the company will now be using a third-party mining contractor’s equipment that became available because of lack of work elsewhere. “That makes our costs there less expensive,” noted Shultz. Pretium’s revised financial model includes working capital for the first three months of operation once the mine has been commissioned. Pretium intensified its explo-
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ration and development work at the location in 2013, advancing through environmental reviews and agreements with First Nations culminating in approvals for construction being granted last year. Construction work began last fall and has continued through the winter with work to accelerate this year leading to a late 2017 opening. At the peak of construction 900 people working on-site and off will be required and during operations, the workforce will number 500. A mine life of 18 years is anticipated and exploration at the local continues.
Graham
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