mining

Revival of Gaspé Mines in Murdochville: Osisko seeks a solution to dewater pit

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

MURDOCHVILLE – Some 70 people listened to a presentation by Osisko Metals on July 8, which focused on the environmental aspects of the possible revival of Gaspé Mines in Murdochville. These public presentations have become a tradition to provide updates on the company’s various progress.
For example, since the start of the 2025 drilling season last winter, no fewer than 43 wells have been drilled over a total distance of 31,509 metres, out of a planned total of 120 wells over 110,000 metres, primarily on Copper Mountain.

One of the main issues mentioned to attentive citizens during the approximately 40-minute presentation was the excessively high copper concentration in the pit’s artificial lake.
The company must find a way to reduce the copper concentration for salmon before dewatering the pit and releasing the water into the York River.

“When we dewater the pit, we want to make sure there’s no copper. We’re going to protect the salmon and we’re going to proceed slowly so that the river can receive this water,” explained Alexandria Marcotte, vice-president of operations at Osisko Metals. About a hundred tests have been conducted so far to find the ideal recipe.

Tests could be conducted in the river in September with the goal of launching the dewatering process in the summer of 2026. The process could take between two and four years.

Everything will depend primarily on the weather and the amount of precipitation that falls on Murdochville during this period.

The mining company promised during the evening that it would return to the public before launching the dewatering operation.

An experimental fishery will also be conducted to characterize the condition of the salmon in the river so that their health can be monitored during the operation and their habitat preserved.

“Osisko Metals wants to conduct research at the same time as the work is underway,” she said.
The wildlife inventory noted the presence of the Bicknell Thrush, a bird with special status. Protective measures will have to be considered. The flora’s characterization is also underway.

Resource estimate by early February

Meanwhile, the drilling will allow the company to submit a resource estimate by February 2026.
“We really want to define the resource because it will be important before conducting the economic study,” continues Ms. Marcotte.

The economic study will then begin, albeit slightly behind the initial schedule.
It is expected to be completed by the end of 2026, with environmental studies beginning around 2028.

If all goes well, the mine could be operational by the turn of 2030.

Osisko presented new drilling results in June that showed an average copper grade ranging from 0.25% to 1.92%, the latter value occurring over a short 30-metre segment south of Copper Mountain. This data will be included in a new resource estimate.

According to the company, the inferred mineral resource is 670 million tonnes at an average grade of 0.38%. The future looks interesting and profitable.

“We think so. We’ll keep drilling, and as long as we’re here, the answer is yes.” That’s what Osisko Metals believes,” says Ms. Marcotte.

The mayor remains optimistic

Also in attendance, Murdochville mayor Délisca Ritchie Roussy made no secret of her optimism about the revival of the mine that has marked her town’s history.

“It’s progressing very well. We’re really well informed from them. They’re not hiding anything. We have all the necessary information. I feel very good about that,” she says.

According to her, residents are generally in agreement with the revival project.

“For their children and grandchildren. There are grandparents whose grandchildren have gone out to work. If they can work here… because they’ll hire a lot of people,” believes the mayor.

Ritchie Roussy admitted she never imagined the copper mine could return to Murdochville.
“When it closed, we never thought to ask Noranda if there was any copper left. We thought there were none left at all,” she says.

The mayor plans to seek one final term in the upcoming November election to help shape the project’s future.

“Above all, negotiate the post-mining period. When they open, we’ll already negotiate the closure with well-established clauses with the mine,” she promises to avoid a repeat of history.

On August 25, 2002, citizens voted in a referendum to close the town after the mine closed in October 1999, and the smelter closed in April 2002.

Some 600 people lost their jobs during these two closures. However, Quebec rejected the referendum result and kept the town open.

To aid recovery, a call centre was launched in 2003, creating about 55 jobs. During the mine’s boom years from 1974 to 1982, Gaspé Mines employed around 2,000 people.

Revival of Gaspé Mines in Murdochville: Osisko seeks a solution to dewater pit Read More »

110,000 metres of drilling in Murdochville’s underground

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

MURDOCHVILLE – Osisko Metals recently launched its 2025 drilling campaign, which will be larger than was originally planned at the Gaspé Mines site in Murdochville. 

In January, the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Robert Ware, was planning 100,000 metres of drilling. However, the plan has since been expanded to 110,000 metres. 

Osisko has four objectives: to convert existing inferred resources into indicated or measured resource categories; to test the potential extent of current resources at a depth of 250 metres below the E Zone horizon and further south towards Needle Mountain; further characterize higher-grade skarn zones (0.5% to 3.0% Cu) and validate new geological models. 

In addition, the company plans 10,000 metres of drilling outside the main mining concession to test regional exploration targets on surrounding claims. The first drill rig has begun operation and drilling is expected to be completed in November 2025. A second drill rig will arrive later this month, followed by additional drills in the spring. 

The company says this intensive drilling program will lead to an updated mineral resource estimate, which is expected to be released in the second quarter of 2026. 

In November, Osisko said the mine site would contain 824 million tonnes grading 0.34% copper and 670 million tonnes grading 0.38%. There would be 4.91 billion pounds of copper, which would make it the largest undeveloped deposit in Eastern North America. 

The preliminary economic study should be published in 2026 and the feasibility study in late 2027. The decision for exploitation will be made in late 2029, with the permits obtained. 

The company estimates that the construction and start-up of the mine could cost approximately $2 billion. 

110,000 metres of drilling in Murdochville’s underground Read More »

 Gaspé Mines: A committee to maximize local and regional benefits

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

 MURDOCHVILLE – The Quebec government is taking the initiative to set up a pilot project for the creation of a committee to maximize local economic benefits from the Gaspé Mines project by the promoter Osisko Metals, in Murdochville. 

“The goal is to have a leverage effect. With the eventual opening of the Murdoch mine, the goal is for the local and regional community to be able to take maximum advantage of this economic opportunity. The committee will bring together economic and community stakeholders, local and Indigenous elected officials so that everyone can pitch in and take advantage of the arrival of this significant economic development,” explains Maïté Blanchette Vézina, Minister of Natural Resources and Forests and Minister responsible for the Lower Saint Lawrence, the Gaspé Peninsula and the Magdalen Islands regions. 

Ms. Blanchette Vézina travelled to Murdochville on January 13 to make the announcement. 

The Minister wanted to find a project with good potential for opening up and target an area that had a desire to engage in economic development. “This is a project in a historically mining town. The community is keen to see this project. The winning conditions were there to create this pilot project,” adds the minister. 

The committee, composed of her ministry and other ministries, economic stakeholders, MRCs, local elected officials, chambers of commerce and the Micmac Nation, will monitor calls for tenders and the needs of local investment projects to inform regional entrepreneurs of upcoming contracts and direct contracting authorities to local entrepreneurs able to meet their needs. 

This pilot project is part of the actions of the 2024-2025 Roadmap for the Harmonious and Responsible Development of Mining Activity, which consists of “implementing strategies that enable host communities to benefit concretely and sustainably from the presence of mining activity.” 

“It’s an asset and an asset that we will be able to use, exploit, and collaborate to ensure the success of the project,” points out Osisko Metals Chief Executive Officer Robert Wares. 

 Gaspé Mines: A committee to maximize local and regional benefits Read More »

 $2 billion needed to eventually restart Gaspé Mines

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

MURDOCHVILLE: – Osisko Metals might have to invest $2 billion to restart Gaspé Mines operations following announcements made before the holidays. 

That’s according to the mining company’s chief executive officer, Robert Wares, on the sidelines of a January 13 press conference to launch a committee to maximize local economic benefits surrounding the potential resumption of operations in Murdochville. 

In November, in an update, Osisko said the mine site would contain 824 million tonnes of mineralized rocks grading 0.34% in copper and 670 million tonnes grading 0.38%. 

This estimate represented a 53% increase in copper equiv alent metal content over previously reported indicated reIt is estimated to contain 4.91 billion pounds of copper, making it the largest undeveloped deposit in eastern North America. 

In December, Osisko acquired 199 mining claims adjacent to the Gaspé Mines site. 

The company concluded an agreement with two private claim holders on October 8 for five million common shares and a 2% royalty on net smelter returns, half of which is redeemable for $2 million. 

The claims cover lands around the Gaspé Mines project, including portions of the potential tailings facility and exploration targets located north and south of the Murdochville project. 

“We are now at a potentially much larger project. We are very optimistic. We have tripled the resource, but half of this new resource is inferred, which involves a lot of drilling to convert this safer resource category. We want to convert all of these 1.5 billion tonnes to an indicated resource category.

We are looking at 100,000 metres of drilling this summer,” says Mr. Wares. 

These latest announcements have allowed the company to raise $100 million to continue the research. 

“The financial markets were very surprised. No one expected the resource to be this large. I am very confident that we will be able to define it in a pit model and lead to a huge operation over 30 years,” he says. 

“We have a good chance of increasing the grade slightly. When you are talking about an open-pit operation of this magnitude, every decimal point of copper percentage counts. The price of copper is holding up very well. I am considering $4.50 per US pound in the long term, which would make such a project very profitable. Our project is economical at $4.25, but we are at the limit,” says the Osisko Metals manager and former Mines Gaspé geologist. 

The preliminary economic study should be published in 2026 and the feasibility study at the end of 2027 and the decision for exploitation would be made at the end of 2029 with the permits obtained. 

This year’s drilling campaign will look for new mineralized zones. “With the new claims, we have two targets to drill this summer: one north and one south of Murdochville, which could potentially be new discoveries,” says Mr. Wares. 

Pumping tests will be done this summer to dewater the Mount Copper pit, which has so far been the main target of Osisko Metals’ exploration campaign. “To better quantify the impacts of dewatering and if all goes well, we hope to begin dewatering in late fall or in 2026,” says the CEO. 

When the resource was at 500 million tonnes of copper, the company mentioned an investment of about $1.4 billion. 

“We had continued our economic studies and we were at $1.4 billion. With what we are aiming for, which is much bigger, I am sure we will exceed $2 billion,” the manager calculates. 

Osisko met with Ressources Pélican, which wants to renovate the Grande-Vallée wharf, which could change the copper shipping plans. 

Rail was mentioned to send the copper to Rouyn-Noranda and vessels for shipments to Europe. 

“For rail, we had a meeting with Ressources Pélican to ship to Abitibi. It could go through (the wharves of) Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, Grande-Vallée. It is the economic studies that will determine the best method: a combination of road and rail transport. We don’t know, but one thing is certain: for Europe, it will leave from Gaspé,” explains Mr. Wares. 

 $2 billion needed to eventually restart Gaspé Mines Read More »

GASPÉ MINES:   Côte-de-Gaspé and Osisko Discuss Environmental Concerns 

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – Environmental protection was the main point of discussion on October 9 between elected officials of the Côte-de-Gaspé MRC and the mining company Osisko, which wants to restart the exploitation of Mines Gaspé in Murdochville at the end of the decade. 

The prefect, Daniel Côté, believes that the project is well received by the community. “What we appreciate about the company is that from the start of the exploration work, they put themselves in front of the population to receive questions and give answers. They have an attitude of transparency that is appreciated,” notes the prefect. 

Company executives have held three information meetings in Murdochville since the revival of the mining project and met with elected officials from Côte-de-Gaspé on October 9. 

They had questions about environmental impacts, social issues, where the workers will eventually come from and how the economic benefits will be distributed to ensure maximum economic benefits. 

“The port of Sandy Beach is the largest port nearby. We want to use it. We will have a (repaired) railway when the mine is in operation. We are looking at all the development tools around it,” notes the prefect, recalling that at the time, all the surrounding communities benefited from concrete benefits. 

The company indicated in the last citizen information meeting in September that it plans to use the train to transport ore to the Horne smelter in Rouyn-Noranda. 

“Environmental concerns, particularly the impact of the dewatering of the pit on the York River. We don’t want economic development at all costs without considering all the other axes. We couldn’t afford to sacrifice the York River and Gaspé Bay for jobs. We’re going to stay on the lookout for all the environmental aspects that will have impacts,” notes Mr. Côté.

The company anticipates approximately 1,000 jobs during construction and between 300 and 500 jobs during operation.

“I expect these jobs to be well-paid, but we will have to seize opportunities around resource extraction and avoid harmful impacts when the mine closes. We experienced it in Murdochville: when the mine and the smelter closed, the town had difficulty recovering,” analyzes the elected official.

The minimal royalties planned for the community will have to be reviewed.

“Quebec pockets nice royalties, but they are low for the community. There will have to be discussions with government authorities so that there are additional royalties for the community to plan for ‘after the mine’, to
avoid the economic crash like we experienced in 2000,” Mr. Côté maintains.

The prefect senses a real concern for environmental protection on the part of Osisko

“We feel that there is a real concern. When we ask questions, there are answers. At least, it’s a winner. We
saw companies in the oil era that, when we asked questions, we got no answers. This time, we have clear answers,” he says, adding that Quebec environmental standards must be respected.

“I hope that there will be quite pronounced vigilance because this is an industry that could have environmental impacts. For now, transparency is required within the company and we will ensure that the Ministry of the Environment does its job so that we do not escape it,” demands the elected official.

Daniel Côté does not believe that we will see a population of around 5,000 people again, like in the town’s golden age.

“Unless we are able to build an economic fabric around the revenue generated by the mine. With 300 to 500 employees, we will not be able to house them in Murdochville or even in the surrounding area,” the elected official pointed out, noting that the vacancy rate is 1% in Gaspé.

“These are probably workers who will be there until 2050 or 2060. So, there is a prospect of profitability in housing construction. This is where we will have to convince real estate investors to redeploy housing in Murdochville, Gaspé, Grande-Vallée, Cloridorme and elsewhere and ensure that these workers live in the territory to avoid fly-in, fly-out,” said the prefect who hopes to maximize the economic benefits in the region.

GASPÉ MINES:   Côte-de-Gaspé and Osisko Discuss Environmental Concerns  Read More »

GASPÉ MINES: Osisko says data points to a revival

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

Gilles Gagné, The Gaspé Spec Editor

 MURDOCHVILLE – Even though all the analyses are not yet complete, Robert Wares, president and chief executive officer of Osisko Metals, believes that with the current data, a revival of Murdochville’s Gaspé Mines is likely. 

On September 10, Mr. Wares made his third presentation in two years, aiming to showcase the progression of the Osisko Metals project over the last three years. Approximately 115 people attended the presentation, with the attendees mostly expressing support for the mine’s reopening. However, there were questions regarding the venture’s timeline and environmental aspects. 

Robert Wares stated that a revival of mining activities in Murdochville in the next six or seven years will largely depend on the rising price of copper, the main condition needed for  profitability. 

“We hope to have a minimum price of US$4.25 per  term. We hope it will go higher, to US$5.00. Several economists predict that the price will rise to US$5.00 and remain there for the next five years. At this price, it would be very profitable,” says Mr. Wares. 

Copper is currently trading at around US$4.10 per pound. The effects of a worldwide shortage could be felt as soon as 2025, added Robert Wares, specifying “This metal is vital for the decarbonization of the economy.” 

The preliminary economic study will likely be filed in February. An in-debt feasibility study will be required to find investors. However, $1.8 billion of capital will be needed to reopen the Mount Copper open pit and install an ore concentrator. The site of the former smelter will be used in the latter case.   Robert Wares mentions that $70 million will have to be raised between now and 2028 to move the venture forward. He is confident about that possibility as well. 

When Mr. Wares was asked if, with the current data, would the company launch the project today if it could, he was categorical in his answer: “In my opinion, yes. Yes, absolutely.” 

The environmental aspect still worries a few citizens, particularly the dewatering of the Mount Copper mine pit and the caribou protection line that encroaches on the mining area. 

In the latter case, the encroachment comes from the fact that Osisko Metals must submit two eventual locations for the mine tailings. One is situated east of the projected mine, at the original location  used by Gaspé Copper Mines, and the other is located to the northwest, encroaching on the caribou protection zone. 

“We have had very few questions about the long-term environmental impact. Minister (of the Environment, Benoit) Charette’s new caribou habitat regulation zone could potentially be a problem for the mining development of Mines Gaspé. We will file a brief in October to express our concerns and propose to the government to push the eastern limit of the residential zone, 10 to 15 kilometres further west to free up the territory,” explains Mr. Wares. 

“There is no evidence of caribou presence in this area,” he says, arguing that the will decide where the tailings will go. 

Open pit dewatering 

In regards to the dewatering of the pit and the discharge into the York River, the Osisko Metals president assures that he is doing everything in his power to limit the impacts, particularly on the salmon habitat. 

“The goal is to have zero impact on the river. The dewatering will be done over a minimum of two and a half years and the rate will be mitigated depending on the seasons and the volume of water. During the summer, sometimes, the level of the York River is dangerously low. This could be an opportunity to increase the rate to avoid that. We will do new tests this fall. And we believe that we have found a form of passive treatment for the water to reduce the copper levels in the water,” said Mr. Wares. 

This passive treatment uses limestone to clean the water to a certain degree. According to tests carried out over the last few months, the Mount Copper pit water contains 60 parts of copper per billion. 

“The goal would be to reach 20 parts per billion, which would be acceptable to all,” he adds, indicating that this would be under Directive 019 on the mining industry, which sets the acceptable monthly average concentration at 300 micrograms of copper per litre. 

“Salmon don’t react to a lot of other metals but they react a lot to copper. We will even try to reduce the concentration of copper to 15 parts per billion,” says Robert Wares. 

The Mount Copper open pit mine currently contains 35 million cubic metres of water, the equivalent of 35 billion litres. 

Transportation 

The ore produced in Murdochville will likely be transported by truck to Gaspé and would then be transported by ship to smelters located in Europe and by train to the Horne Foundry in Rouyn-Noranda in the Abitibi region.  “It will be up to Glencore to decide,” says Mr. Wares about the destination of the production.  Glencore, the former owner of Gaspé Mines, sold the property to Osisko under an agreement reached in 2022, retaining the right to buy 100% of the mine’s production. 

Jean-Claude Plourde, a resident of Gaspé asked about the impact of the heavy traffic on Road 198, Mr. Wares pointed out that despite “the trucks being bigger today, as they can carry 35 tons,” the number of trucks would also be higher compared to when the first Gaspé mines operated between 1953 and 2002. 

More drilling to come 

The drilling results carried out this year remain encouraging and will be announced by press release this fall. The exploration team drilled over 8,000 metres between the spring and the end of the summer. 

“Additional drilling will be carried out in 2025 in order to get more information about the size of the mine and confirm its copper content. We will drill on Mount Copper towards Mount Needle to determine the limits of the mining zone,” stresses Mr. Wares. 

Quality of life 

Most people who attended the September 10 meeting expressed support for Osisko Metals. Lise Cyr was among them. “I have lived here for 67 years. I think, between you and me, that we are very happy to see that there will be another mine.” 

Julie Lévesque, another Murdochville resident, inquired about the permits needed by Osisko Metals before starting the construction of the new mine and the ore concentration plant that will go with it. 

Robert Wares explained that securing all the permits needed to reopen the mine will take the same time, two years will be required for the company to secure the capital needed to bring the venture to fruition. 

Emmanuelle Desrochers-Perrault, a management consultant and project manager who lives in Murdochville, supports the project but is concerne about the social impact of the eventual mine’s reopening. 

“I am really interested in the environmental aspects of the project. This milieu will remain once we are gone. Our children will stay here. I care about the social impact the project could have for the people who have chosen nature, quietness and an access to the outdoors”, Ms. Desrochers-Perrault points out. 

Citizens who do not want to live in Murdochville could be offered to sell their homes to the company, as was done in Malartic, Abitibi, where Osisko Metals developed a gold mine. 

Mr. Wares hopes to see the mine restart at the end of 2030, but 2031 is more likely. 

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