A zinc mine mill and camp facilities in the Yukon are available for purchase, with the hope that another mining operation in the vicinity will re-use the assets.
Wolverine Mine, located 282 kilometres northeast of Whitehorse, was previously a producing mine owned by Yukon Zinc Corporation, operating from 2011 to 2015.
Today, Welichem Equipment Limited owns most of the removable equipment at the Wolverine Mine. This equipment is now available for sale, including the entire mill infrastructure, power plant, more than 200 pieces of single items and the camp designed to host more than 200 workers.
“We’re hoping it gets taken by another mining operation in the area,” says Welichem Chief Financial Officer James Dai. “If so, they wouldn’t have to re-engineer much, as long as it fits their resource.”
Mill for sale
The mill operated at a design capacity of 1,700 tonnes per day, producing copper, lead and zinc concentrate. The entire mill flowsheet and operating plan are available for sale, including all contents of the mill processing building, crusher building and concentrate building, assay lab and batch plant facility.
The mill also comes with a fleet of a dozen Sandvik, MacLean and Mine Cat underground mining equipment including haul trucks, scoops, scissor bolters and drill rigs.
“The asking price for the entire mill is $12 million,” Dai says. “We’re seeking a single buyer or strategic partner for the entire mill and not currently contemplating selling parts piecemeal.”
Power plant for sale
The 10 MW power plant includes eight 1450 kw diesel generator sets, each rated at 1,200 rpm with 1.3 MW of continuous power and 1.5 MW of prime power. The asking price for the power plant is $2 million.
Camp for sale
The camp, with capacity for 250 people, is composed of six Northern Trailer dormitories as well as an administration building, kitchen and dining complex, recreation centre, mine rescue, first aid, mine dry buildings, core shack and training, communication and water treatment facilities.
“We’re seeking a single buyer for the entire camp and not currently contemplating selling parts piecemeal. The asking price for the camp is $1 million,” Dai says.
Single item assets for sale
In addition to the mill, power plant and camp, also offered for sale on a piece-by-piece basis is over 200 assets, including construction equipment, tools, vehicles and other assets worth over $2 million.
“It would be an economical and environmental tragedy if the camp and mill weren’t taken by another company in the area,” Dai says. “It would save them having to tear it down and ship it out, as well as the environmental impact of of having to build one somewhere else.”
Wolverine Mine is accessible by a 45-minute charter flight with Alkan Air from Whitehorse to the mine site airstrip.
Vehicle access is via the Robert Campbell Highway, also known as Yukon Highway 4, which connects directly to the Mine’s 27km private access road. The total vehicle journey from Whitehorse to Wolverine Mine is 600km or about seven hours in fair weather.
For more information, please contact James Dai, Chief Financial Officer, at jamesdai@ljresources.com.
