Ontario Graphite announced May 13 that the Ontario Ministry of the Environment has approved final operating permits to re-commission a graphite mine near Kearney in the Parry Sound district.
In a release, the company said it is now fully permitted and has all the required provincial approvals to begin operations.
The mine is on track to begin production in the fourth quarter of this year, providing 80 direct jobs and potentially three times that many spin-off positions.
"The Ontario Ministry of the Environment's decision to grant the remaining permits and approvals for this project marks a critical turning point towards beginning production at the Kearney Mine," said Jerry Janik, general manager of Ontario Graphite. "This milestone reflects our company's strong commitment to the responsible re-commissioning of the mine site, with a particular focus on environmental sustainability."
The Kearney Graphite Mine was originally closed in 1994. The company said there are enough minerals to support a mine life of more than 30 years.
The mine will process approximately one million tonnes of ore annually in producing 20,000 tonnes of natural, large-flake, high-carbon graphite concentrate.
The mine is considered the largest confirmed graphite mineral resource in North America and one of the largest individual deposits outside China and North Korea.
