Hollinger open pit project moves forward

The Goldcorp Hollinger open pit project is moving forward to the next step of seeking permits, it was revealed in an e-mail to shareholders in Timmins and across Canada on Thursday along with the company’s financial update.
“At the Hollinger project, the company has identified high potential underground targets at both ends of the Hollinger – McIntyre trend. Additional exploration drilling will be focused on these areas, while permitting will begin on an open pit development located within the historic Hollinger area. Mining operations ceased in this area in 1968,” said the e-mail.
Dave Bucar Strategic Development Manager for Porcupine Gold Mines in Timmins confirmed Thursday that the project is moving ahead in the sense that the company is ready to begin the process of revitalizing and mining the Hollinger property, provided it gets approval permits.
But Bucar says this does not automatically mean that a new open pit mine will happen right away.
“Not necessarily. It means we have a pre-feasibility study that’s complete. And the next step is to see if we can get permits to see if we can do further work on our project to develop it,” Bucar told The Timmins Times.
“My planned next steps are to go to the community with our update, and that will kick us off into our next steps, which is permitting, which is asking for permission to do everything that we want to do,” Bucar said.
The steps in that process includes getting permission from the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines, as well as permission from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. Several other government agencies will also be consulted over a period of several months.
Bucar confirmed that exploration diamond drilling will continue, so as to help company geologists get a better idea of the full size and scope of the Hollinger ore zone.
As part of the research into the project, Porcupine Gold Mines has been studying the effects that dust, vibration and noise that such an open pit mining operation would have in an urban setting.
Bucar says more information on the project will be forthcoming within a matter of weeks. He is hoping to be able to release more news before the end of the month.
“My planned next steps are to go to the community with our update, and that will kick us off into our next steps, which is permitting, which is asking for permission to do everything that we want to do,” he said.