Western Copper and Gold outlines Casino mine timeline, transport study and port impacts for Skagway

Western Copper and Gold representatives briefed the Ports and Harbors Advisory Board on Jan. 14 on the proposed Casino open‑pit copper–gold–molybdenum project, a transportation study for moving concentrate to Skagway and a permitting and construction timeline that could stretch several years.

Sheena Shaw, vice president of environmental and community affairs for Western Copper and Gold, said the deposit would support a 27‑year mine life after a four‑year construction period and outlined costs and workforce estimates: "the cost to build the project is $3,600,000,000," and construction would use about 1,400 employees while operations would employ "about 6 or 700 employees." Shaw said the company proposes two processing streams—a heap leach for the weathered upper material and a mill for higher‑copper rock—and an on‑site 200‑megawatt LNG‑fired generating station sized to provide redundancy for a roughly 30‑megawatt continuous draw for processing.

Shaw also described the current permitting stage. She said the project will be the first in the Yukon to go through the highest assessment level called a panel review process and compared it to environmental assessment regimes elsewhere: "you have to finish your environmental assessment and get your decision before you can apply for a permit." She said the company aims to submit its environmental assessment statement in summer 2025 and, under the company’s estimates, could expect a decision in the fourth quarter of 2027 on the assessment — a roughly two‑plus year review after submission. Shaw cautioned the timeline "assumes no significant external delays," such as litigation or unexpected information requests, and that road construction and mine construction timing could vary depending on whether the company takes a risk‑tolerant approach (starting some construction earlier) or a risk‑averse approach (waiting for more permits).

Jeff Eng, vice president of projects, led the transportation study update. Eng said a draft study shared with municipal staff models 12 scenarios that differ by whether concentrate is shipped in bulk or containerized, whether concentrate is rehandled at an off‑port site or at the Ore Peninsula, and by ship‑loading method (ship‑mounted cranes, dock‑mounted mobile or permanent ship loaders). Using the study’s average annual concentrate production of 301,000 metric tons, the draft calculates an averaged vessel arrival about every 12.1 days. Eng described typical truck movements and vehicle mixes used in modeling and said the study currently estimates roughly 16 to 18.5 trucks per day arriving at the mine site in the analyzed scenarios, depending on truck capacity and the scenario chosen.

Both company presenters said the study explicitly accounted for Skagway‑season cruise traffic and berth occupancy. Eng said cruise‑season constraints strongly affect ship‑loading windows and availability: the study assumed cruise vessels have priority at berths and included berth‑occupancy projections in its modeling. Board members raised congestion and border‑crossing capacity concerns; one board member said the scheme likely would only work in evening hours during cruise season and urged cooperation with U.S. and Canadian border authorities to allow off‑hour truck movements.

Shaw and Eng discussed infrastructure and energy alternatives. Shaw said the project would require a new road from the Freegold Road to the mine site — roughly 200 kilometers from the project to the Klondike Highway — and described continued company outreach to communities. On energy options, company and Yukon officials mentioned ongoing work by Yukon Development Corporation and Yukon Energy Corporation and federal support for studies. Shaw and a Yukon government participant said the Canadian Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund has provided CA$40,000,000 for a pre‑feasibility study related to transmission and related infrastructure.

Company speakers described local engagement plans for 2025: refining the 12 transport scenarios to fewer preferred options, holding additional one‑on‑one meetings in Skagway, and conducting economic input‑output analysis for Skagway once a preferred transport option is identified. Shaw also said the company plans youth engagement sessions at the camp in summer and offered municipal officials future site visits.

The board did not take any formal action on the Casino project at the meeting; the item was a presentation and update. Directors and the Yukon liaison expressed interest in further technical detail, and board members signaled they will review the draft transportation study shared with municipal staff.

The presentation and discussion highlighted key decision points that will shape any local port impacts: the company’s choice of bulk versus containerized transport, whether rehandling occurs off‑port or at the Ore Peninsula, berth‑occupancy timing relative to cruise schedules, border‑crossing hours and capacity, and whether the proponent pursues a staggered (risk‑tolerant) construction start versus waiting for most permits (risk‑averse). Company officials emphasized uncertainties driven by permitting, commodity markets and external reviews; they emphasized the panel review for Yukon environmental assessment as a major scheduling determinant.

Next steps noted during the meeting: Western Copper and Gold plans to refine the transport study options, continue outreach in Skagway, submit the Yukon environmental assessment statement in Q3 2025 (the company’s stated target) and continue permitting and feasibility work. The board requested to receive the draft transportation study and follow up with additional questions once members have reviewed that draft.