Yukon government gives green light to Coffee Gold project

WHITEHORSE-Yukon says it has approved the development of a gold mine south of Dawson City in partnership with the federal government and First Nations.

In a news release, it says the proposed Coffee Gold project by the Newmont Corp. is expected to have a lifespan of about 24 years including construction, operations, closure and reclamation.

It says the project will include four open-pit gold mines and a camp for about 400 workers.

At its peak, the territory says the mine will employ about 700 people.

The Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board says the mine will extract ore at a rate of up to nine million tonnes per year.

The release says the mine will be reached by a 214-kilometre access road, with barge crossings at the Stewart and Yukon rivers.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 4, 2022.