Name of the Project
Grassy Mountain gold project.

Location
Near the western edge of the Snake River Plain, in eastern Oregon, in the US.

Project Owner/s
US-based precious metals exploration and development company Paramount Gold Nevada.

Project Description
The Grassy Mountain project is an underground gold and silver mining operation. The mine will use a mechanised cut-and-fill mining method, accessed through a decline and a system of internal ramps, with cemented rock fill used for backfill.

Production is estimated at 1 300 t/d to 1 400 t/d of material to feed a 750 t/d processing plant. Over the estimated 7.8-year life-of-mine, the project is anticipated to recover about 361 800 oz of gold and 424 800 oz of silver.

The processing method involves conventional unit operations. Gold and silver will be recovered through a carbon-in-leach recovery circuit, followed by elution in a pressurised Zadra-style circuit and electrowinning in the gold room to produce doré bars. 

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The project has a pretax net present value, at a 5% discount rate, of $134.9-million and an internal rate of return of 24.22.

Capital Expenditure
Initial capital costs are estimated at $136.2-million.

Planned Start/End Date
Not stated.

Latest Developments
Paramount is progressing towards securing federal approval for the project after the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) confirmed it plans to publish the project’s draft environmental-impact statement (EIS) in early August.

The timeline update follows recent reforms to the National Environmental Policy Act, streamlining federal permitting for critical mineral projects. A final EIS and record of decision are expected by December, assuming the process proceeds as outlined. An updated permitting schedule will be made available on the BLM’s e-planning portal and the federal FAST-41 dashboard.

The Grassy Mountain project is among the mineral developments receiving priority under the FAST-41 programme – a federal initiative designed to expedite infrastructure and mining approvals through increased transparency and coordinated review.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
Ausenco Engineering Canada (feasibility study – processing and infrastructure design, as well as overseeing the metallurgical testing); Mine Development Associates (feasibility study – mineral resource estimate, mine planning and reserves estimation); Golder Associates (tailings storage facility); and EM Strategies (overseeing all environmental aspects of feasibility study).

Contact Details for Project Information
Paramount Gold, tel +1866481 2233 or email info@paramountnevada.com.