The Cariboo Gold Project, a gold mine in Wells that is being constructed, is continuing to make progress as they gain more construction and operational permits. In November 2024 permits were granted for the mine that is expected to employ over 600 people during construction.
Now, they're working with the ministry of water, land and resource stewardship and the ministry of forests to get approval for construction of the project's transmission line.
Soon, they'll release an optimized feasibility study as they working to further reduce any risks with the project. Osisko, the company that owns Cariboo Gold, is continuing to meet with First Nations and community members in the area to work with them on everything from animal conservation to the design of the mine facility.
The company has had several community meetings in Wells where residents have been encouraged to ask questions as the company presents updates. Another one of those meetings will be held in Wells in the coming weeks. They encourage community members to reach out to feedback@osiskodev.com with topics they would like more information about at that meeting.
Detailed engineering and comprehensive project execution planning are ongoing, both are essential steps toward securing financing and moving toward full-scale construction.
A 3D animated rendering of the mine site complex has been released with the goal of clearly demonstrating the mine's vision to stakeholders.
The target for the company is to finalize financing arrangements this year, after which their board will make a final investment decision on construction. Pre-construction activities continue to advance construction readiness.
Cariboo Gold will have the capacity to process approximately 1.1 million tonnes per year of gold-bearing ore. It will include underground mining over 16 years, ore milling at the Quesnel River mine, approximately 58 kilometres southeast of Quesnel, storage of waste rock at the Bonanza Ledge Mine near Barkerville, and a transmission line from the Quesnel area to the mine.
One of Osisko's goals is to ensure 75 per cent of the mine's workforce is from the Cariboo or Fraser-Fort George regional district, giving training and experience to people new to mining to help the region benefit from the mine's presence.
Osisko's webpage says the metal from the Cariboo Gold Project can be used for anything from wedding rings to thermal protection for spacecrafts.
