Yukon Mining, Development and Exploration Overview 2006

This volume contains overviews on Yukon Mining, Development and Exploration, Placer Mining, the Mining Incentives Program, and activities of the Yukon Geological Survey. Mineral exploration in Yukon has reached record levels with over $80 million spent on the search for base and precious metals, coal, gemstones and uranium in 2006. Exploration for gold attracted the largest share of the exploration dollars, capturing 35%, followed by zinc at 22%, uranium 15%, copper 12%, silver 7%, tungsten and molybdenum 6%, and the remainder being spent on coal and gemstones. Mine development expenditures have also increased dramatically with an estimated $50 million being spent on the Minto mine, which is scheduled to be in production in the second quarter of 2007. The total development costs at Minto are estimated to be $107 million. Exploration activity at all levels in Yukon, from grassroots stages to advanced exploration, has experienced a dramatic increase. A total of 70 of the approximately 150 exploration projects in Yukon had expenditures of greater than $100 000, with 21 of these projects spending more than $1 million.