Hudbay has expanded its $15 million plan to find northern Manitoba’s next big mine to include aerial surveying and drilling programs.
Hudbay’s 2018 exploration budget has devoted millions of dollars to finding another flagship mine in northern Manitoba.
Work underground at the company’s Lalor Mine, at and around the 777 Mine, and around the Flin Flon and Snow Lake regions has been a priority for Hudbay Exploration and Development (HBED), according to the company.
However, Hudbay is also using airborne surveys to find areas with geological and magnetic abnormalities.
“We flew a major airborne survey earlier this year,” said Scott Brubacher, Hudbay director of corporate communications. “We’re now drilling the favourable targets that were identified.”
One area has progressed past the initial exploration stage – the Pen deposit, located near the Lalor Mine near Snow Lake. An infill drill program is ongoing at the site and is expected to be completed later this summer.
Officials are currently deciding whether the deposit can be mined profitably. If it is deemed profitable, ore at the site could be transported to Flin Flon.
“The Pen deposit could provide an additional ore source for the Flin Flon mill, which could help to extend the lives of the processing facilities for another few years,” said Brubacher.
“This is all dependent on being able to determine the Pen deposit can be mined profitably. That question is still being assessed.”
Brubacher also confirmed that the company is searching for what was described as “the next major deposit in the Greenstone area.”
At the closing of Reed Mine in July – one of Hudbay’s then-three operational mines in northern Manitoba – Hudbay Manitoba business unit vice president Rob Assabgui said the company remains focused on northern Manitoba operations.
“We don’t have our next flagship mine opening up in the near future because we haven’t discovered it yet,” he said. “We’ve got two mines in our operations after Reed closes and we’re working hard to find more.”
