Proposed Mines
There are proposals for new mines in the Yukon. YCS is actively involved in the environmental assessment and water licence applications associated with the following projects.
Coffee Mine
The Newmont Mining Corporation wants to develop a hard rock gold mine at Coffee Creek, about one hundred kilometres south of Dawson, on the far side of the Yukon River.
Kudz Ze Kayah Mine
Kudz Ze Kayah is a proposed open pit and underground copper, lead, zinc, silver and gold mine located approximately 115 km southwest of Ross River, 24 km south of Finlayson Lake.
Casino Mine
The Casino Mine is a proposed large (by Yukon standards) copper-silver-molybdenum project located roughly due west of Pelly Crossing and due south of Dawson City.
Brewery Creek
This former (and possibly restarting) gold mine is located about 55 km east of Dawson City, at about km 4 of the Dempster Highway.
Selwyn Project
The Selwyn Project is a proposed zinc-lead mine, located in Howard's Pass in eastern Yukon right on the NWT border.
Wellgreen Mine
Wellgreen is a proposed rare earth metals mine in the south-west corner of the Yukon. It is near the boundary of the Kluane National Park.
Take a Closer Look.
Coffee Mine
Key Documents
[Media] Yukon’s environmental assessment board needs more information about the Coffee mine
The Yukon News, March 26, 2019
[Media] Deal’s impact on Coffee Gold Project is unclear
The Whitehorse Star, January 14, 2019
[Media] Coffee Gold project prepares for 2021, with support of Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in
CBC North, September 13, 2018
[Media] Over the life of Coffee gold mine, Goldcorp wants to mine 2M ounces
CBC North, September 12, 2018
[Media] Trudeau announces $360 million for Yukon road upgrades
The Yukon News, September 2, 2017
[Media] Plan may spur ‘environmental fragmentation’: conservationist
The Whitehorse Star, September 11, 2017
[Media] Public money for Yukon mining roads is a bad idea
The Yukon News, October 10, 2017
[Media] That Time Trudeau Announced $360 Million for Roads to Yukon Mines That Haven’t Been Approved Yet
The Narwhal, October 12, 2017
The Newmont Mining Corporation wants to develop a hard rock gold mine at Coffee Creek, about one hundred kilometres south of Dawson, on the far side of the Yukon River. Details about the project can be viewed on the Yukon Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Board (YESAB) website.
The Coffee Mine project has received a lot of media attention. See the Key Documents (left) to read some noteworthy articles over the years.
There is a possibility this project could make use of the Yukon Resource Gateway Project initiative, which has also received a lot of media attention (left).
Kudz Ze Kayah Mine
Key Documents
YCS Comments
[Link] YESAB # 2017-0083-9445 January 29, 2020
[Link] YESAB # 2017-0083-265-1 Mar 16, 2018
[Media] Final screening report for mine being prepared
The Whitehorse Star, August 21, 2020
[Media] This Yukon First Nation wants to use native plants to help remediate abandoned mine sites
The Narwhal, June 13, 2020
[Media] Yukon First Nations leaders fear mine will increase violence against women in ‘land of the caribou’
The Narwhal, April 24, 2020
[Media] BMC Minerals cancels Yukon drilling program this year, blames red tape
CBC North, March 26, 2019
Kudz Ze Kayah is a proposed open pit and underground copper, lead, zinc, silver and gold mine located approximately 115 km southwest of Ross River, 24 km south of Finlayson Lake. Details about the project can be viewed on the Yukon Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Board (YESAB) website. The company behind the project, BMC Minerals, has a corporate website on Kudz Ze Kayah. The Yukon Government does not yet have a webpage on this particular project.
YCS has been actively involved in the Environmental Assessment of this project.
In the Key Documents section (left), you can access our comments to YESAB along with some recent media coverage.
Selwyn Project
Key Documents
[Media] Selwyn Chihong delays plans for Yukon lead-zinc mine
CBC North, Feb 9th 2016
[Media] Trudeau announces $360 million for Yukon road upgrades
The Yukon News, September 2, 2017
[Media] Plan may spur ‘environmental fragmentation’: conservationist
The Whitehorse Star, September 11, 2017
[Media] Public money for Yukon mining roads is a bad idea
The Yukon News, October 10, 2017
[Media] That Time Trudeau Announced $360 Million for Roads to Yukon Mines That Haven’t Been Approved Yet
The Narwhal, October 12, 2017
The Selwyn Project is a proposed zinc-lead mine, located in Howard's Pass in eastern Yukon right on the NWT border. It is currently developing an access road on the NWT side of the border. Permitting for this road is through the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board (look for project MV2015L8-0005 in the registry). The project hasn't been active of late, as reported by the media (left).
There is a possibility this project could make use of the Yukon Resource Gateway Project initiative, which has also received a lot of media attention (left).
Casino Mine
Key Documents:
[PDF] YCS’ comments on Casino Mine Review - Environmental and Socio-economic Effects Statement to YESAB Executive Committee
Yukon Conservation Society
[PPT] Tailings Dams, Failures, and the proposed Casino Mine
Yukon Conservation Society
[PDF] Hudson Bay Report
Burns and de Graff
[Images] Infograms - About the Casino Mine (depicted in gallery below)
Yukon Conservation Society
[Media] Casino aims to start YESAB panel review by end of 2018
Yukon News, Nov 22, 2017
[Media] Trudeau announces $360 million for Yukon road upgrades
Yukon News, Sep 2nd, 2017
[Media] Plan may spur ‘environmental fragmentation’: conservationist
Whitehorse Star, Sep 11th, 2017
[Media] Public money for Yukon mining roads is a bad idea
Yukon News, Oct 10th, 2017
[Media] That Time Trudeau Announced $360 Million for Roads to Yukon Mines That Haven’t Been Approved Yet
The Narwhal, Oct 12th, 2017
The Casino Mine is a proposed large (by Yukon standards) copper-silver-molybdenum project located roughly due west of Pelly Crossing and due south of Dawson City. As this project currently stands, the Yukon Conservation Society is utterly opposed to it. Read more in the Casino Mine article from Walk Softly fall 2014. The Yukon has past mining environmental disasters such as Faro and Keno, let's not add Casino to the list.
There is a possibility this project could make use of the Yukon Resource Gateway Project initiative. (See media coverage in key documents)
The following infograms were created to educate the public about the proposed Casino Mine project. Click on image to download pdfs.
Wellgreen Mine
Key Documents:
[Media] Yukon mine poses environmental risk decades after being remediated under federal watch
The Narwal
The old Wellgreen site is in the south-west corner of the Yukon is now being proposed for re-operation as a site for rare earth metals. It is near the boundary of the Kluane National Park.
While the old mine was considered remediated, it would appear contaminants are now of concern. Details are explained in this media article.