Roaster shut down again for Yukon-Nevada

Yukon-Nevada Gold (YNG-T) has shut down a portion of its Jerritt Canyon mine operation in Nevada yet again.

After re-opening in late April the company missed the state deadline for installing equipment that would cut the amount of mercury emissions from its roaster at the site.

The mine – which sits roughly 80 km north of Elko Nevada — had to stop the roaster on midnight of May 30.

Mining of gold and the processing of ore already roasted at the site, however, are continuing.

The Environmental Protection Division of Nevada ordered Yukon Nevada to install new emission control systems by the end of 2008.

That order came after a year long investigation into mercury emissions. The order, however, seemed to be a moot point when the company stopped operations voluntarily in August 2008 for a mixture of economic and environmental reasons.

Then in March of this year the state allowed it to restart processing by complying with the state’s environmental requirements. Part of the deal was a pledge to install the mercury control system by May 30.

Yukon Nevada couldn’t have the equipment installed because of a delay in the fabrication of certain fiberglass ductwork necessary for the upgrade.

The fiberglass duct work should be delivered and installedbefore the end of June, the company says.

The new system is expected to reduce mercury air emissions to 175 lbs per year from the 1,700 lbs reported in 2007.

Before closing last year mine employed roughly 400 workers and was slated to produce roughly 2,000 oz of gold a week for the rest of this year.

The company’s shares were trading for 17¢ before the closure, but in Toronto on June 5 they were trading for 15¢.