Project Design
Commitment to Safety & Environmental Standards
Environmental protection, safety, and engineering excellence are at our core. Our technical approach is built on independent oversight, rigorous risk assessments, and adherence to internationally recognized standards.
Exceptionally low strip ratio
Dual processing infrastructure
The mine plan centers on a 120,000 tpd concentrator that will process sulphide ore through a conventional crushing and single-line SAG grinding circuit, followed by flotation to produce gold-rich copper and molybdenum concentrates.
Complementing this primary facility, a 25,000 tpd heap leach operation will process oxide ore using a crushing circuit feeding a valley-fill heap leach system, with gold and silver recovery through carbon adsorption and copper recovery via SART processing.
Projected production over mine life
Over its 27-year mine life, Casino is estimated to produce:
- 4.4 billion pounds of copper
- 7.1 million ounces of gold
- 407.3 million pounds of molybdenum
- 37.9 million ounces of silver
Strong project economics
At conservative base case commodity prices, the Feasibility Study demonstrates robust project economics with an after-tax NPV8% of C$2.33 billion, an IRR of 18.1%, and a payback period of 3.3 years.
Metallurgy and concentrate quality
Extensive metallurgical test work supports strong recoveries using conventional processing methods to produce clean, high-quality concentrates. With no offtake commitments in place, Western Copper and Gold maintains complete commercial flexibility for these concentrates.
Casino’s long mine life, high concentrate tonnage, and low impurities position its concentrates as some of the most desirable globally.
Favourable site characteristics
Base case commodity prices
Highlights from 2022 Feasibility Study
Copper
$3.60/lb
Gold
$1,700/oz
Molybdenum
$14/lb
Silver
$22/oz
2022 Feasibility Study Snapshot
Stage
Development (environmental assessment stage)
Mine Life
27 years
Mill: 120,000 tpd
Heap Leach: 25,000 tpd
Cu: 164 Mlbs
Au: 259 Koz
Ag: 1,392 Koz
Mo: 15 Mlbs
Cash Flow and Production Profile (2022 Feasibility Study)
Average Annual Cash Flow & Costs
C$517 million
C$43.15/t milled
C$11.16/t milled
Projected Capital Expenditures (2022 Feasibility Study)
Estimated initial pre-production capital of C$3.62 billion.
Total Pre-Production Capital
C$3,617 million
Sustaining Capital (2022 Feasibility Study)
Mining (2022 Feasibility Study)
Cost Profile (2022 Feasibility Study)
Global Standards. Independent oversight.
Independent engineering review panel (IERPs)
Casino’s tailings and heap leach facilities are guided by external oversight. These IERPs include globally recognized experts who validate our approaches and ensure alignment with international standards, including:
- Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM)
- International Commission of Large Dams (ICOLD)
- Canadian Dam Association (CDA)
- Mining Association of Canada’s Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) standards
The BATT study
From 2017–2018, Western Copper and Gold undertook a comprehensive Best Available Tailings Technology (BATT) study, involving:
- 495 site and configuration candidates
- 8-step risk and feasibility screening
- 17 months of workshops and consultations
- A Tailings Working Group with First Nations, regulators, and engineering advisors
The outcome was a tailings management plan that meets the highest level of environmental safety and stakeholder input.
MAC & TSM membership
Western Copper and Gold is a proud member of the Mining Association of Canada and fully adheres to its Toward Sustainable Mining (TSM) standards.
The TSM initiative promotes accountability beyond regulation, with protocols covering tailings management, Indigenous engagement, and community well-being.
