Mining Intelligence and News
United States

Independence Project

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Summary

Mine TypeOpen Pit
Study CompletedPreliminary Economic Assessment
StagePermitting
Commodities
  • Gold
  • Silver
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotThe Independence Project is an advanced gold project located in Nevada, one of the top-tier gold mining jurisdictions in the United States. The project benefits from excellent infrastructure access and holds both high-grade near-surface and skarn deposits, which remain open in all directions, offering significant resource growth potential.

The Independence Project sits within the Phoenix Mine Complex Plan of Operations, providing advanced permitting enabling mine approvals in approximately 8–12 months.

On March 5, 2025, the Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) for the Independence Gold Project was published, with ongoing work focused on permitting for the low-cost heap leach operation and plans underway for the Independence Scoping Study.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Americas Gold Exploration Inc. 48.46 % Indirect
James Bay Minerals Ltd. 51.54 % Indirect
The Independence Project is owned by Independence Mining LLC (“IML”), an incorporated joint venture between Battle Mountain Resources Pty Ltd (“BMR”) (51.54%) and Americas Gold Exploration Inc (“AGEI”) (48.46%). The James Bay Minerals Ltd has completed the acquisition of 100% of the issued capital of BMR and, in turn, acquired the BMR Interest and the right to earn the AGEI Interest over a period of two years.

Contractors

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Deposit type

  • Epithermal
  • Skarn
  • Breccia pipe / Stockwork

Summary:

The Independence project lies in the Battle Mountain Mining District located on the west side of Pumpernickel Ridge in north central Nevada. The regional geology of north central Nevada is defined by episodic tensional deformation, rifting, sedimentation and erosion, followed by widespread thrusting resulting from compressional deformation.

Episodic tensional events followed by compressional events include the Robert Mountains Allochthon emplaced during the Antler orogeny.

The Antler sequence hosts the Golconda Allochthon that was emplaced during the Sonoma orogeny and contains the Havallah Sequence of Mississippian to Permian age rocks, including the Pumpernickel Formation, host to near surface mineralisation at the Independence Project.

Rocks of the Roberts Mountain Allochthon hosted the adjacent Fortitude deposit and are the principal host for the Phoenix deposit and the Independence Project Skarn Target. These rocks are structurally overlain by the Mississippian, Pennsylvanian, and Permian Havallah sequence of the Golconda allochthon.

The near surface mineralisation at Independence is best characterised as a high-level epithermal system formed as a leakage halo above the Independence gold skarn, both related to emplacement of Eocene age granodiorite porphyry’s and related faults. The shallow oxide chert-hosted gold-silver mineralisation consists of iron oxides and clays derived from primary sulphide stockworks and replacements, deeply weathered and oxidised.

The Independence gold skarn target is a high-grade, gold-rich skarn system developed in the carbonate rich portions of the Battle Mountain, Antler Peak and Edna Mountain Formations in the lower portion of the Roberts Mountain Allochthon.

Dimensions
The surface hosted chert mineralisation broadly strikes North-South, and dips generally 55-65° to the west, with local variations. There is a shallow overall plunge to the south (~5°). The current extent is approximately the length of the tenement, 1,545m strike, with a plan width influence of 450-470m in the central and north, thinning in the south to ~150m. The mineralisation extends from surface to ~340m below and is modelled as stacked lenses from 1.5-40m thickness.

The deep skarn mineralisation has been outlined by three sub horizontal lenses from 1.5 – 13m thickness, from about 700 to 900m below surface and with a 20-30 degree dip to the south-southwest.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Required Heavy Mobile Equipment

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Comminution

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Processing

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Water usage

Parameter2022
Groundwater 262 gpm

Commodity Production

CommodityProductUnitsAvg. AnnualLOM
Gold Metal in doré oz 32,050 *195,443 *
Silver Metal in doré oz 210,135 *1,281,420 *
Gold Equivalent Payable metal koz 213 *
Gold Equivalent Metal in doré koz 35 *214 *
* According to 2022 study.

Operational metrics

Metrics
Daily ore mining rate  ....  Subscribe
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* According to 2022 study.

Production Costs

CommodityUnitsAverage
Total cash costs Gold USD  ....  Subscribe
All-in sustaining costs (AISC) Gold USD  ....  Subscribe
Assumed price Silver USD  ....  Subscribe
Assumed price Gold USD  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2022 study / presentation.
** Net of By-Product.

Operating Costs

CurrencyAverage
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G&A ($/t milled) USD  ....  Subscribe
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* According to 2022 study.

Project Costs

MetricsUnitsLOM Total
Pre-Production capital costs $M USD  ......  Subscribe
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Sustaining CapEx $M USD  ......  Subscribe
Closure costs $M USD  ......  Subscribe
Total CapEx $M USD  ......  Subscribe
OP OpEx $M USD  ......  Subscribe
Processing OpEx $M USD 88.8
G&A costs $M USD 23.2
Total OpEx $M USD  ......  Subscribe
Total Taxes $M USD  ......  Subscribe
Net revenue (LOM) $M USD  ......  Subscribe
Pre-tax Cash Flow (LOM) $M USD  ......  Subscribe
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Pre-tax NPV @ 5% $M USD  ......  Subscribe
After-tax NPV @ 5% $M USD  ......  Subscribe
After-tax NPV @ 10% $M USD  ......  Subscribe
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After-tax payback period, years  ......  Subscribe

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Nov 18, 2025
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Jan 24, 2022
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Workforce

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Aerial view:

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