PORT HARDY – Northisle Copper and Gold Inc. President and CEO Sam Lee says he is pleased with the progress of its copper and gold porphyry North Island Project near Port Hardy in 2022.
Northisle, through its 100% owned subsidiary North Island Mining Corp., owns the North Island Project, on more than 34,000-hectare block of mineral titles 100% owned by Northisle stretching 50 kilometres northwest from the now closed Island Copper Mine operated by BHP Billiton. Northisle completed an updated preliminary economic assessment for the North Island Project in 2021 and is focusing on advancement of the project through a prefeasibility study while continuing exploration on the site.
“We have progressed our project on multiple levels by identifying a higher-grade gold zone within the larger porphyry system at Northwest Expo, extending the higher-grade envelope within and below the south side of our current pit shell at Hushamu, completing surface and mapping work on Pemberton Hills which will be used to target an initial drill program, and identifying additional near surface targets within trucking distance from our contemplated processing facilities,” Lee notes. “Pre-feasibility work is progressing as we commenced in-fill drilling at Hushamu and initiated detailed metallurgical test work.
“Our recently announced agreement with Quatsino First Nation is a critical step towards building a trusted partnership and essential in any development decision moving forward.”
In 2022, Northisle raised $7 million in flow-through funding, joined the BC Regional Mining Alliance – a joint provincial, First Nations and industry forum for advancing BC mineral projects, and hired Ian Chang as Vice President Project Development for the North Island Project.
“We have strengthened our team and governance practices, adding the skills and diverse perspectives that are essential to progressing our project rapidly and sustainably,” Lee adds. “I am grateful for the vision, commitment and tenacity of our team throughout the year as we look to redefine how critical resources are responsibly harvested, for the betterment of our people and planet.
“As we look forward to the coming year, we will take advantage of this ‘generational opportunity’ for critical minerals, and specifically for copper, as we execute on our plan to advance and enhance one of the most developable copper projects in Canada. This is our distinct advantage in a world where much more responsibly sourced copper is needed in a short period of time to address the low carbon future that our planet needs.”
By Mark MacDonald, Business Examiner
