Prairie Creek Mine gets OK from aboriginal affairs

NorZinc plans to start production at the Prairie Creek zinc-lead mine in 2020. (Image from archives)

CBC reports that Canadian Zinc (TSE:CZN) has passed another milestone in getting its zinc-silver-lead-copper Prairie Creek Mine up and running with an OK from John Duncan, the minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development.

Duncan told the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact that a environmental review won’t be necessary. Canadian Zinc still has more approvals pending for water and land rights.

The mine is located in the Northwest Territories within the boundaries of the Nahanni National Park Reserve. In devising the park, the Government of Canada gave Canadian Zinc third-party rights to operate and access the Prairie Creek Mine.

According to a NI 43-101 from 2007, Prairie Creek property hosts measured and indicated resources of 5,840,329 tonnes grading 10.71% zinc, 9.90% lead, 161.12 grams silver per tonne and 0.326% copper. In addition, there are inferred resources of 5,541,576 tonnes grading 13.53% zinc, 11.43% lead, 215 grams per tonne silver and 0.514% copper.

A mine would run for 14 years at a planned production rate of 1,000 – 1,300 tonnes per day.

The original mine was put on care and maintenance in 1982 due to declining metal prices before it was acquired by Canadian Zinc in 1993.

Image of Prairie Creek from Canadian Zinc