Copperstone Gold Mine in the United States Commences Underground Drift Rehabilitation and Development

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On November 9, the Copperstone gold project in La Paz County, Arizona, USA, entered the stage of underground drift rehabilitation and new drift development. Project developer Mining Americas, a Canadian mining company, has mobilized underground mining contractor Small Mine Development to commence underground mining preparation, rehabilitation of existing drifts, and development of new working faces. The first batch of underground mobile equipment has begun arriving at the mine site, and the first round of new drift development has completed blasting and ore extraction operations, marking the transition of mine construction from surface preparation to the stage of actual underground construction.

Underground mining contractor Small Mine Development has completed the coordination of the main construction plan, personnel and equipment deployment, and mining startup conditions. A dedicated equipment yard and materials storage area have been established at the underground portal on the west side of the mine site, the surface mechanical maintenance workshop has been prepared for contractor occupancy, and the first phase of underground mobile equipment is being delivered in batches, providing construction conditions for the subsequent expansion of drift development and stope development.

The grinding system at the processing plant has also made progress in equipment rehabilitation. The repair of the main mill was completed in the third quarter of 2026, new variable frequency drive units and motors have been secured, and mill equipment components have passed inspection and been approved for installation. The original grinding circuit has been dismantled, and foundation and related concrete works for the new equipment have commenced. The electrical system upgrade and rewiring of the crushing and screening equipment have been completed, while rehabilitation of the crushers, working platforms, handrails, and safety guard facilities is still underway.

The on-site assay laboratory is being upgraded, and newly purchased equipment has arrived at the site awaiting installation. The renovation of the administration office building has been completed, and the engineering support team has been supplemented with construction management personnel. During the third quarter, the project developer also recruited a Mine General Manager, Engineering Manager, Capital and Cost Control Manager, Accounts Payable Accountant, and Finance Supervisor to support underground mining, processing facility installation, and project cost management.

Surface exploration at the mine site completed 4 drill holes in the third quarter, focusing on testing the shallow oxide gold mineralization extension areas around the existing open pit. Subsequent drilling programs will gradually extend to the deeper mineralized zones associated with the underground mine under construction, with related exploration activities planned to continue through the first half of 2027. The developer plans to complete a mineral resource estimate for the Copperstone open-pit potential area in the fourth quarter of 2026, incorporating historical drilling data and the existing resource model into the assessment.

On May 27, 2026, the project developer's board of directors made a formal construction decision based on the pre-feasibility study. The plan utilizes the existing more than 4 kilometers of underground drifts and surface infrastructure at the mine site, and aims to restore mining capacity through drift rehabilitation, new stope development, and construction of underground production facilities. The pre-feasibility study sets a construction period of approximately one year, with the first gold production targeted for mid-2027.