Saskatchewan’s first new greenfield copper-zinc mine in over a decade is just about ready to start commercial production.  

El Dorado Gold’s McIlvenna Bay project, located west of Flin Flon, was one of the first ventures referred to the federal Major Project’s Office. It was referred almost exactly one year ago, as part of the government’s effort to bolster Canada’s economy amidst a trade war with the U.S.

After about $200 million in investments from Ottawa, and numerous milestones achieved, the mine is slated to begin commercial production by the end of quarter three in 2026.  

Christian Milau is the President of El Dorado Gold. He says the project produced its first copper concentrate in June, followed by zinc and pyrite concentrates in July. 

 “We’re now shipping to a Canadian smelter. I’ve worked all over the world, and it’s very rare that you can actually ship your product within the same country and have that value-add stay in the country.”

Milau says the company owes it to the federal Major Projects Office that his mine site, recently acquired from Foran, is nearing commercial production.  

“The speed and the attention from the Major Projects Office were incredible. One of the big challenges, and I think one of the biggest risks in the mining industry globally, is permitting and permitting timelines.  Just to get the attention and the focus, and have the coordination of the provinces and the federal government is a huge advantage and opportunity.”

Eldorado Gold is also evaluating an expansion of the mine’s processing capacity from 4,900 to approximately 7,000 tonnes per day, and the addition of a silver-lead circuit in 2028. 

The mine has already employed 400 Saskatchewan residents, a third of which are Indigenous, and will give 450 people jobs by the time all is said and done. 

Commercial production is slated to begin at the end of Q3, sending products mainly to Quebec, as well as Japan and China.