(Kitco News) – Kinross Gold (TSX: K) today provided an update on its Red Lake, Ontario-based Great Bear project, as well as its Manh Choh project in Alaska and Curlew exploration project in Washington State.
Kinross said that at Great Bear, the company is making excellent progress and is on schedule to declare an initial mineral resource as part of its 2022 year-end results, adding it expects the initial mineral estimate to be predominantly in the inferred resource category, with some indicated resources.
To date, Kinross has drilled approximately 83,000 metres and is on track to complete approximately 200,000 metres of exploration and infill drilling in 2022 on the LP Fault zone, the most significant discovery to date at the project.
“The latest results continue to support Kinross’ view of a high-grade, world-class deposit that underpins the prospect of a large, long-life mining complex,” the company noted in a statement.
Importantly, Kinross pointed out that baseline environmental surveys and local community socio-economic studies required for the permitting process are progressing well.
The company also said it is on schedule to commence a Great Bear pre-feasibility study in 2023.
Kinross also reported that at the 70%-owned Manh Choh project in Alaska, feasibility study work is nearing completion and results are expected to be disclosed ahead of schedule as part of the company’s Q2 2022 results.
The company noted that initial production is on schedule to commence in Q4 2024, subject to permitting, and is not currently included as part of the company’s 2024 production guidance.
In addition, the company informed that at the Curlew Basin exploration project in Washington State, the underground drilling program continues to produce positive results. Kinross said it is targeting to declare a total mineral inventory of 1 million Au oz. by year-end 2022 at Curlew.
Kinross is a Canadian-based global senior gold mining company with mines and projects in the United States, Brazil, Mauritania, Chile, Ghana and Canada.