NYSE- and TSX-listed Pan American Silver Corporation has decided to advance a conceptual plan for a phased development of new mineral resources to support potential production growth and extension of mine life at the Timmins gold operation, in Ontario.

Having undertaken extensive exploration in the area, Pan American Silver has identified new mineral resources at the Bell Creek mine and satellite deposits.

The company is already advancing the first phase of the $146-million Timmins Camp project for a 625 m shaft extension at the Bell Creek mine, an 814 m drift to access the Vogel deposit and a 1.3 km exploration drift to access the Samson deposit.

With significant installed processing capacity and infrastructure already in place, projects such as the Bell Creek shaft extension and the Vogel and Samson access drifts allow the development of new mineral resources and position Timmins for future production growth and extended mine life.

Pan American Silver president and CEO Michael Steinmann says the potential phased development and integration of the satellite deposits will transform Timmins into a long-life Canadian production platform.

Timmins currently comprises two underground gold mines about 34 km apart – Timmins West and Bell Creek – which both supply ore to the Bell Creek processing plant.

The plant has a design capacity of about 5 600 t/d with current throughput being about 4 400 t/d.

The Timmins Camp project is aimed at increasing infrastructure use to support sustained production from the Timmins operations over time.

Pan American is advancing the Timmins Camp project through further engineering studies, mine planning, metallurgical evaluations, underground development, and mineral resource conversion programmes.

In 2026, the company is planning to drill a total of about 118 000 m at Timmins focused on near-mine exploration and mineral resource conversion.

Pan American anticipates publishing an update to the estimated mineral reserves and mineral resources for Timmins, Vogel and Gold River soon.