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Canada

Bull River Mine

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Overview

Mine TypeUnderground
StageRestarting
Commodities
  • Copper
  • Gold
  • Silver
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
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SnapshotBull River Mine (BRM) project is the highest-grade advanced underground copper mine in British Columbia. The mine is fully developed with over 22 km of underground ramps, tunnels, and raises accessing approximately 75% of the current Mineral Resources.

BRM is on Care and Maintenance. Permitting is underway to resume underground operations.

Canadian Critical Minerals(CCMI) plans to advance the BRM in a phased approach. Phase 1 of the restart includes the processing of a portion of the 180,000-tonne stockpile of mineralized material. Phase 2 includes the resumption of underground mining operations.

On January 16, 2024, CCMI entered into an agreement with Arrow Transportation Systems to haul mineralized material from a surface stockpile at BRM to the New Afton Mine for processing.

Proceeds from the OPA will be used to continue with the final permitting of the Bull River Mine, ongoing care and maintenance costs, and further capital upgrades at the Bull River Mine.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Canadian Critical Minerals Inc. 100 % Indirect
Bul River Mineral Corporation (operator) 100 % Direct
Canadian Critical Minerals Inc. has 100% interest in Bull River Mine, which is operated through Bul River Mineral Corporation, a subsidiary of Canadian Critical Minerals.

Contractors

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Deposit type

  • Vein / narrow vein

Summary:

The Bull River deposit has been described as a Churchill-type vein copper-silver deposit (Lefebure, 1996). The deposit type displays characteristics of relatively low tonnage (typically range from 10Kt to 1Mt) but high-grade (typically range from 1% to 4% Cu). Frequently occurring in Proterozoic-age extensional sedimentary basins, Churchill-type deposits are associated with rifting can comprise single vein to complicated vein systems that vary from centimetres to tens of metres in width and can extend hundreds of metres along strike and down dip. Commonly hosted in clastic metasediments, veins and vein systems are often spatially associated with mafic dykes and sills. The veins are generally associated with major faults related to crustal extension that controls the ascent of hydrothermal fluids to favourable sites for metal deposition. Fluids are believed to be derived from those mafic intrusives that are associated with the vein systems.

Mineralization in Churchill-type deposits is predominantly chalcopyrite, pyrite, and chalcocite with subordinate pyrrhotite, galena, bornite, tetrahedrite, argentite, and covellite and is generally younger than the host lithology. Dilation of veins is commonly caused by cross-structures or folding and results in concentrations of mineralization. Likewise, the intersection of veins is a locus of ore deposition. Mineralization can occur as massive and/or semi-massive sulphides that may be identified as conductors by electromagnetic (EM) surveys. Mafic intrusive bodies and related structures can be defined by magnetic, very low frequency (VLF), or EM surveys.

Alteration usually occurs within host rock in contact with veins and up to tens of metres from the veins with carbonization and silicification as typical alternation types in metasediments (BC MINFILE).

Mineralization
TheBull River Mine (BRM) mineralized zones comprise a vertical to subvertical network of sulphide-bearing quartz carbonate veins striking approximately east-west hosted in sheared and brecciated Aldridge Formation sediments. The vein systems form complex networks within, and adjacent to, the shear zone and often encompasses crushed, deformed, and brecciated host rocks (Baldys, 2001). Host rocks are either partly silicified and chloritized argillites, argillaceous quartzites and quartzites (Masters, 1990). The veins pinch and swell forming stockworks or thick tabular bodies that are often cut by smaller veins and stringers of quartz and quartz-siderite. The main vein structure and associated stringer zones can range from a few centimetres to 30m wide. In 1991, Masters defined five subparallel to en echelon “vein systems” and differentiated them from the Pit Zone that lies within the footwall (Masters, 1991).

Mineralization consists of pyrite, pyrrhotite, and chalcopyrite with minor local galena, sphalerite, arsenopyrite, and cobaltite and traces of tetrahedrite and native gold. Sulphides range from massive, irregular bodies within the vein system to thin discontinuous veins, veinlets, and disseminations in the host rock (Höy et al., 2000). Gangue mineralogy of the veins is variable, with the eastern parts of the deposit consisting of quartz and siderite. The western part of the vein system is dominated by siderite (Baldys, 2001).

The extent of the currently known mineralization is approximately 1,200m along strike, varies in width from 2.5m to 30m and has a down-dip extent of up to 450m based on currently drilling, which remains open at depth. The sub-parallel system is continuous within each of the ten illustrated veins.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

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Processing

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Production

Operational metrics

Metrics
Daily milling capacity  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2022 study.

Production Costs

Commodity production costs have not been reported.

Operating Costs

Currency2021
Processing costs ($/t milled) CAD  ....  Subscribe
G&A ($/t milled) CAD  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2021 study.

Project Costs

MetricsUnitsLOM Total
Initial CapEx $M CAD  ......  Subscribe

Heavy Mobile Equipment

Fleet data has not been reported.

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameEmailProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ........... Subscription required Subscription required Sep 12, 2024

Total WorkforceYear
...... Subscription required 2021

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