Minnova’s Ansil to produce by first quarter of ’89

In a recent announcement that should have surprised no one, Minnova Inc. of Toronto said it will put its massive sulphide Ansil copper project in northwestern Quebec into production, with start-up expected by the first quarter of 1989.

The company estimates it will cost $30 million to complete development of the property, located near Rouyn-Noranda, bringing the total capital cost to an estimated $73 million.

Results from the underground evaluation program carried out during 1987 indicate a probable, diluted reserve of 1.52 million tonnes grading 7.2% copper, 0.8% zinc, 1.7 g gold and 25.9 g silver per tonne, the company reports.

Ore from Ansil will be processed at Minnova’s nearby Norbec mill, which was built in 1961 and which is currently processing ore from the Mobrun gold project operated in the area by Audrey Resources. (Minnova has a 30% interest in Mobrun.) Audrey is in the process of negotiating a financing deal to build its own on-site mill.

Minnova has mined three other copper deposits in the area; Ansil will be the deepest of the four. The main Ansil shaft has been sunk to about 1,550 m, with six levels.

Minnova’s vice-president exploration, David Watkins, said the company continues to explore for other massive sulphide deposits in the area.

Meanwhile, Minnova in January commissioned the concentrator at the Winston Lake zinc mine located near Schreiber in northern Ontario, and the company reports metallurgical testing and a preliminary feasibility study are in progress at its 70%-owned polymetallic Samatosum property at Adams Lake, B.C.