The Whitehall Ledger - Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana

After a solid month of production in September, Barrick Golden Sunlight Mine General Manager Dan Banghart told those in attendance at last week’s Community Transition Advisory Committee meeting in Whitehall, that the production in October was not as favorable.

Banghart reported the production was 1,740 ounces, which was 45 percent of their target for the month. Banghart said this had to do with geotechnical issues and also because the mill was changing from a Carbon-In-Leach (CIL) to a Carbon-In-Pulp (CIP) process. He said the production issues in the mill happened because of the change and it shouldn’t happen again.

Banghart said production is off to a good start in November, and they will do the mill run earlier in the month so they can finish before Thanksgiving.

“November is going well so far,” he said.

Banghart reported there are currently 44 Barrick employees, one regional Barrick employee, and 89 contract employees at the site. He said most of the contract employees are from Redpath Mining.

Banghart said they have also recently started a drilling project on the Apex Project at the site to look at possibility of going underground.

Mine Environmental Superintendent Chuck Buus said it would be a lot easier to get a permit for underground on the Apex Project rather than an open pit because there is a lower environmental impact.