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Saskatchewan’s first copper mine in nearly 30 years is on track for commercial production by mid-2026.
Foran’s McIlvenna Bay Mine in east-central Saskatchewan, located approximately 65 km southwest of Creighton, is now 60 per cent complete.
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On Wednesday, at Foran’s exploration warehouse in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan’s minister of energy and resources, Colleen Young, said the project will play a key role in diversifying Saskatchewan’s mining sector.
According to a provincial media release, McIlvenna Bay represents a capital investment of more than $1 billion, and the project will produce copper, gold, zinc and silver over an initial 18 years.
Young said the McIlvenna Bay project is part of Saskatchewan’s critical mineral strategy that was introduced in 2023, with a goal to double the number of critical minerals produced in the province by 2030.
Young added that the mine will boost the economy, create sustainable jobs and help Saskatchewan become a leader as Canada’s top producer of critical minerals.
She said that the project will create jobs for the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation, noting the mine will also provide the province with opportunities to ship copper around the world.
Foran Exploration Vice President, Erin Carswell, said that currently there are 800 people building the Mcllvenna Bay mine.
“It’s a testament to our commitment to get this done now,” she said.
Carswell said the mine will minimize its environmental footprint by reducing underground energy use and by operating battery electric vehicles.
“We are working with the government and SaskPower on the hydro line, so all of the electricity coming to our site will be green electricity,” she added.
“We have been very deliberate from the outset towards ensuring that we have the lowest environmental footprint possible for our mine (in North America),” Young said.
The McIlvenna Bay Mine is one of five projects that will be fast-tracked by the federal government, which was announced last month by Prime Minister Mark Carney.
The projects included planned energy development, mining and port infrastructure projects from the West Coast to Central Canada.
The government also released an expanded list of projects not quite ready for prime time that includes additional initiatives in Eastern Canada and the North.
The project is made possible through Bill C-5, which streamlines and speeds up approvals for large infrastructure projects.
— with files from The Canadian Press
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