McIlvenna Bay mine is producing concentrates, Natural Resources Canada says
Natural Resources Canada says the Saskatchewan copper-zinc mine has produced concentrates since June. Eldorado Gold, which owns it, still expects commercial production in the third quarter.
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This is a progress report, not a declaration. Commercial production remains an expectation, and the expansion is only under evaluation, so neither settles how much the mine will produce once it is running at scale.
Natural Resources Canada said in a September 2, 2026 release that the McIlvenna Bay copper-zinc mine in east-central Saskatchewan has started producing concentrates. The department says copper concentrate was first made in June, with zinc and pyrite concentrates after that in July, and that commercial production is anticipated during the third quarter of 2026.
Eldorado Gold said on June 8 that it owns the project outright and is ramping up toward a nameplate capacity of 4,900 tonnes per day. The company itself anticipates commercial output during the same quarter.
The department’s release adds that Eldorado is studying a larger plant, roughly 7,000 tonnes per day. It also says the mine employs about 380 full-time workers, with about 450 forecast after commercial production begins.
Sources
- Natural Resources Canada: Canada celebrates progress on the McIlvenna Bay mine: production underway, jobs created, supply chains strengthenedprimary source · Published
- Eldorado Gold: Eldorado Gold Announces First Concentrate Produced at McIlvenna Baysecondary source · Published