EXPLORATION ’94 — Summer startup planned for Louvicourt

The Louvicourt deposit near Val d’Or, Que., is gearing up for production this summer.

Processing of the copper-zinc-gold ore in the concentrator is scheduled to begin in July. The commercial production rate of 2,400 tonnes per day is expected to be reached by October. A full production rate of 4,000 tonnes per day is scheduled to be achieved in 1995.

Expected to be a low-cost producer, Louvicourt should produce for at least 17 years.

Owners of the project are Aur Louvicourt, a wholly owned subsidiary of Aur Resources (TSE), 30%; Teck (TSE), 25%; and Novicourt (TSE), a subsidiary of Noranda (TSE), 45%.

Louvicourt’s copper concentrate will be processed at Noranda’s Horne smelter at Rouyn-Noranda, Que. The partners are negotiating for the sale of zinc concentrate.