Timeline
Progress You Can Track
The Casino Project has been more than a decade in the making. Below is a snapshot of key milestones and what’s ahead.
2006–2015: Laying the Groundwork
- 2006:
- Western Copper acquires the Casino Project and establishes Casino Mining Corporation
- 2008–2015:
- Initial environmental and baseline studies begin
- Early-stage engagement with First Nations and community stakeholders
- Field work begins on water, wildlife, and archaeological research
- Initial Project Proposal for the Casino Project submitted to the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board
2016–2020: Assessment Path Chosen
- 2016-2018:
- YESAB refers the Casino Project to a YESAB Panel Review — the first ever in Yukon
- YESAB issues initial ESE Statement Guidelines
- Casino Mining launches the Best Available Tailings Technology (BATT) Study, with participation from: Yukon First Nations, YESAB, Yukon Government, Independent Engineering Review Panel (IERP)
- Study evaluates nearly 500 different options for the safe and secure storage of mine waste and tailings
- Preferred design selected to maximize safety and environmental protection
2019–2021: Resource Growth & Strategic Investments
- 2019–2021
- Carmacks Bypass contract awarded: The first 8 km of the all-weather access corridor.
- Exploration success: Successive drill campaigns extend the Casino deposit well beyond the 2012 reserve limits.
- Resource update: New data drives significant resource expansion, feeding into an updated Preliminary Economic Assessment.
- Rio Tinto backs Casino: Strategic equity investment; appoints a member to the Casino Technical & Sustainability Committee.
2021–2023: Technical Reports & Access Improvements
- 2022:
- Casino publishes updated Feasibility Study, refining: Site infrastructure, Tailings storage, Waste and water management, Power generation
- 2023:
- Release of updated MNP Economic Impacts Report, projecting: $11.2B in government revenues, $1.3B annually to Yukon’s economy
- 2023:
- Completion of the Carmacks Bypass Project, the first section of the proposed access road
- Strategic investment from Mitsubishi Materials; appoints a member to the Casino Technical & Sustainability Committee
2022–2025: Preparing for Submission
- Ongoing engagement with Yukon First Nations
- Continued Traditional Knowledge integration
- Refinement of the Environmental and Socio-Economic Effects (ESE) Statement
- Target submission of the ESE Statement to YESAB: Summer 2025
What Comes Next?
After the ESE Statement is submitted, and if YESAB accepts the filing, the appointed Panel will:
- Conduct a technical review
- Ask for additional information if it is needed
- Host public hearings
- Deliver a final Panel Report and Recommendations
Once Decision Bodies review and approve the recommendations, the Casino Project can move forward with final permitting, including:
- Quartz Mining Licence
- Water Use Licence
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