Sask. copper mine construction over halfway complete, production to start next year

WATCH: Construction is now 60 per cent complete at the McIlvenna Bay mine, southwest of Creighton.

Construction on Foran’s McIlvenna Bay mine, located southwest of Creighton, is now 60 per cent complete.

The site is expected to become Saskatchewan’s first copper mine in three decades and is set to begin production next year.

Once fully operational, the mine could produce up to 4,900 tonnes of copper, zinc, gold and silver per day over an 18-year lifespan.

Foran says the mine will help meet rising global demand for copper, a key metal used to conduct electricity. It’s found in homes, buildings and cellphones, and is essential for electric vehicles and AI data centres.

“The demand for critical minerals is only increasing as we go through the energy transition over the next few decades, in particular for copper, but also zinc,” said Erin Carswell, vice-president of exploration at Foran Mining Corp.

• Get the latest news from Saskatoon, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App

Foran also aims to make McIlvenna Bay Canada’s first carbon-neutral copper mine.

The project has drawn national attention, with Prime Minister Mark Carney naming it one of five “nation-building” projects to be fast-tracked.

Meanwhile, the province says the mine will give Saskatchewan an economic boost.

“This is a significant investment of $1 billion into our economy here in Saskatchewan, which is providing the opportunity for jobs and supports for families,” said Colleen Young, minister of energy and resources.

Young said the project advances the province’s Critical Minerals Strategy, which aims to double mineral output and increase mineral exploration spending by 15 per cent by 2030.

Once in full operation, the mine is expected to support about 400 jobs.