Why was Goldproduction stopped at QR ? Someone asked this question some days ago, but nobody could/would answer him. So, once again.
I investigated it, but got only this facts:
Begin production on 8/13/2010 https://www.barkervillegold.com/s/News_Releases.asp?ReportID=… They planed with 600 tpd.
9/15/2010 News Release about reaching full production https://www.barkervillegold.com/s/News_Releases.asp?ReportID=… according mineplan they planned with 50000 ounces/year "Pre-production mine development continues towards the west side of the West Zone. This ore is the down dip extension of the North Lobe Pit. It is expected that this development to be in North Lobe ore within the week. Surface definition drilling has recently been completed in this area. An underground diamond drill will be in later this week to complete the definition drilling of this ore zone to finalize planning of the North Lobe production stopes."
6/29/2011 Year end report: from september 2010 till february 2011 they produced 5774 ounces , 8 mio$ revenue, 4,6 mio$ expenditure. outstanding at february was additional 148 to gold dore. All in all a profitable production:
"For the period, the Company shipped a total of 222.220 kg of gold dore to Johnson Matthey, a gold refiner located in Brampton, Ontario. The Company has shipped a further 148.395 kg to the date of this report. For the period, the Company recorded $8,074,494 in revenue on the sale of 5,774 oz of gold for the year (production beginning in mid-September to February year-end) with a cost of sales (costs including amortization and depletion of $1,513,650) of $4,662,039.
J. Frank Callaghan states, "We are really quite pleased with the results from our initial production for the year considering the first gold dore bar was poured in September, having an operating cash cost of production being the cost of sales net of amortization and depletion, coming in less than the originally budgeted $650 per oz for the underground production. Also less than originally budgeted; the largest increase in expenses in this first year of production over last year was repairs and maintenance, which was primarily the refurbishment of the QR Mill & Mine at $5.49 million which we originally budgeted at $6 million. The Company hopes to further decrease the cash cost of production with the potential addition of Bonanza Ledge open-pit production".
Then I didn't find further informations and when and why it was stopped. Was it because they digged the gold from underground, but wanted to switch to open pit mining. Who can help?