Canadian gold junior US GoldMining has engaged engineering firm Ausenco to lead an initial study on a proposed gold-copper openpit development at Whistler in Alaska, USA.
Nasdaq-listed US GoldMining is Vancouver-based. It said the Ausenco study would be a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) under Canada’s NI 43-101 rules and an initial assessment under the US’s S-K 1300 definition.
US GoldMining, which has a current market value of about US$121 million, has reported a mineral resource estimate for Whistler of 6.48 million ounces gold-equivalent, including 4.16Moz Au-eq indicated.
“The project is anticipated to benefit from the deposit’s near-surface, higher-grade core material in the early years of production,” the company said.
CEO Tim Smith is hopeful Ausenco’s work will point to a “robust future mining opportunity” at Whistler, about 160km north-west of Anchorage. Ausenco beat five other firms to win the study.
The PEA will use an updated mineral resource estimate from Moose Mountain Technical Services that includes all 2024 drilling. Metallurgical testwork is currently being done by Base Metallurgical Laboratories.
“We look forward to providing periodic updates as the study progresses, for which we are currently targeting completion before year-end,” Smith said.
