TORONTO (miningweekly.com) – Toronto-listed Veris Gold this week said it had poured its eight-millionth ounce at the Jerritt Canyon processing plant, in Nevada, on March 21.

Veris said the long-lived gold-mining operations at Jerritt Canyon made it part of only a few gold production properties in Nevada. In the early operating years from 1983 to 2006, the Jerritt Canyon processing plant consistently produced more than 200 000 oz of gold a year. 

Recent upgrades to the processing plant and the startup of two new underground mines, namely Starvation Canyon and Saval 4, would enable the company to target production of at least 175 000 oz of gold this year. Production would come from SSX-Steer and Smith, the two new underground mines, and from third-party ores based on recently finalised toll-milling agreements.

The first ounce of gold was produced on July 4, 1981, when Freeport-McMoRan and FMC owned and operated the Bell openpit mine.

Mining at Jerritt Canyon had continued since 1981 with underground mines providing most of the ores since 2000, under several other company operators.

AngloGold operated the Jerritt Canyon mine from 1998 to 2003.

Veris recently returned the mine to profitability in the third quarter of 2012.

Mining at the new Starvation Canyon mine started in early April and was targeting 600 t/d of ore production.

Using the December 31, 2011, National Instrument (NI) 43-101 technical report, which identified measured and indicated resources totalling 2.3-million ounces at an average grade of 6.48 g/t, reserves of about 1.1-million ounces at an average grade of 6 g/t, an inferred resource of 750 000 oz at an average grade of 6.24 g/t, an existing four-plus year life-of-mine plan, a new tailings storage facility, a revitalised environmental awareness and dedication, and a top-notch mine staff, Jerritt Canyon was poised for future success, Veris said.

An updated Jerritt Canyon NI 43-101 report for the year-end of 2012 was in progress and expected to be complete in this quarter.