Proposed Project Design
Commodity
- Copper: is an essential metal for everyday life and increasingly important for the global transition to low carbon future. Copper is listed as a Critical Mineral under the Canadian and British Columbia Critical Minerals strategies
Jobs
- Construction Phase: 2,180 direct jobs and 1,120 indirect and induced jobs
- Operating Phase: 590 direct jobs and 1,120 indirect and induced jobs
- Focus will be to hire from regional and local communities
Project Site
- Open-pit mine
- 25-year mine life
- Production capacity of 90,000 tonnes of ore per day
- Support infrastructure will include power distribution, roads, waste rock and overburden storage, concentrator, tailings storage, water management, maintenance and administration facilities
Site Access
- Primary Access Route: Via Vavenby, continuing along ~20 km of existing forest service roads
- Secondary Access Route (Oversized/Heavy Loads): Via Birch Island Lost Creek Road, continuing along ~20 km of existing forest service roads
Concentrate Transport
- Truck: from the Project site to a new rail load-out facility at an existing site near Vavenby
- Rail: from the rail load-out facility to the Port of Vancouver or other North American markets
- Ship: from the Port of Vancouver to customers overseas
Transmission Line
- Approximately 110 km long, 230 kV transmission line that will interconnect a new substation at the Project site to an existing BC Hydro substation at 100 Mile House, BC
- No impact to local community energy supply
Status
- Yellowhead entered the Simpcw Assessment Process in 2024. The Project is currently in Step 2 of a 6-step review process, led by Simpcw First Nation.
- Yellowhead entered into Early Engagement phase of the BC Environmental Assessment process and Planning Phase of the Canadian Impact Assessment process in July-2025.
Project Next Steps
The Project will undergo the Simpcw Assessment Process led by Simpcw First Nation. In parallel, the Project will undergo a Environmental Assessment process administered by the BC Environmental Assessment Office and Impact Assessment Agency of Canada. Following assessment decisions, additional permits, licenses and approvals will be required to construct and operate the Project.
Several Provincial and Federal regulatory agencies will be involved in the assessment and permitting processes for the Project.