Hudbay`s Snow Lake - interesting possibilities for our WimFrom Alexandria`s Corp Presentation (pg 7):
``........have been able to capitalize on infrastructure-rich mining districts,
8 under-utilized mills within striking distance``
The original 5 mills near Val d`Or are included. Hudvam (Hudbay`s Flin Flon mill) would make 6. Wim (Hudbay`s original Snow Lake mill) would make 7. My guess is that the 8th mill is the recent one purchased by Hudbay (from QMX), also in Snow Lake (previously known as New Britannia - while in production by Kinross and High River Gold from 1995 to 2005, 50/50 JV).
New Britannia is a gold mill, and likely does not have sufficient concentrator capabilities to efficiently recover from VMS multi-metal (precious and base) ore. It probably needs a deposit that is very heavy on gold, to operate optimally. This is why, on paper, it seems a bit odd that Alexandria would list it as an 8th mill (if indeed that is the 8th mill). Our Wim deposit is a well balanced VMS multi-metal deposit - not a heavy gold deposit).
However, I have come across an article that explains Hudbays near-term to mid-term vision for the newly acquired New Britannia mill. Based on these plans, it now makes a lot of sense as to why the New Britannia mill is the 8th mill that can contribute to Alexandria`s joint venture production goals.
Based on the article, Hudbay currently has no plans to mine the New Britannia gold in ground resource - no plans for mining at New Britannia. It will start back up the New Britannia mill, but only to process ore from Hudbay`s existing Snow Lake mines.
They seem to have some heavy gold areas at their existing mines, which will need to be mined in the future.
```The timing of this acquistion works well as the current Lalor mine plans (have) us accessing gold ore in future years,` he said. `Having the capability to maximize gold recovery of these ores is the opportunity this purchase presents.```
Thus, they plan to push the heavy gold ore over to the New Britannia mill for processing. This, theoretically, results in increased available capacity at their original mill to process ore from VMS deposits, like Alexandria`s Wim deposit. This scenario greatly benefits us if Hudbay chooses to get into a joint venture contract with us, to develop Wim to production stage.
The article:
https://www.thereminder.ca/news/local-news/snow-lake-return-to-mining-would-surprise-resident-1.1830353