Nixon Fork mine ships first gold doré

Alaska's newest mine, Nixon Fork, produced its first gold doré in January. The doré is being shipped via Fairbanks to Xstrata's Horne smelter in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec. Mechanical delays which were encountered during the commissioning process have been overcome and the gold mill is now operating at a capacity of 150 tons per day, Ontario-based St. Andrew Resources said in a release Jan. 25.

The next phase of the upgrade of the metallurgical circuit is under way, with the commencement of the installation of a cyanide leach circuit that will increase the percentage recovery of gold and also extract and re-treat the tailings from the previous operation at Nixon Fork. Re-treatment of tailings is expected to begin this summer. The company anticipates that Nixon Fork will produce 40,000 ounces of gold in 2007.