LaFleur Minerals Inc. has reported significant progress at its Swanson Gold Deposit and wholly owned Beacon Gold Mill in Québec as the company enters the final stages of its Preliminary Economic Assessment. The company has completed verification drilling to support the PEA while conducting ongoing metallurgical and mill optimization studies and evaluating permitted tailings facility expansion. These developments support what the company describes as a disciplined, capital-efficient restart of gold production.
With current gold prices substantially higher than during Beacon Mill's last operation in 2022, LaFleur is advancing plans to restart the 750-tonne-per-day processing facility. The PEA contemplates scaling operations to 1,000 tonnes per day initially, with potential for expansion to 3,000–4,000 tonnes per day longer term. The mill would process material from the nearby Swanson Gold Project, leveraging the company's consolidated land position in the Abitibi Gold Belt near Val-d'Or.
The company recently completed a $7.8 million financing that it states will fully fund the mill restart, continued metallurgical testing, and infrastructure planning. LaFleur has also initiated preliminary discussions with Canadian National Railway regarding rail enhancements that could support long-term production and logistics efficiencies. The Swanson Gold Project encompasses approximately 18,304 hectares and includes several gold-rich prospects previously held by Monarch Mining, Abcourt Mines, and Globex Mining.
The Beacon Gold Mill represents a strategic asset for LaFleur, being fully permitted and refurbished with capability to process over 750 tonnes daily. Beyond processing mineralized material from Swanson, the company is considering custom milling operations for other nearby gold projects. The mill's location and existing infrastructure provide operational advantages, while the Swanson Project's road accessibility allows direct access to several nearby gold mills, further enhancing development potential.
These developments occur within the broader context of LaFleur's mission to advance mining projects with focus on its resource-stage Swanson Gold Project and Beacon Gold Mill, which the company believes have significant potential to deliver long-term value. The company's latest news and updates relating to its operations are available through its newsroom at http://ibn.fm/LFLRF. The full press release detailing these advancements can be viewed at https://ibn.fm/IDZeM.
The progress at Swanson and Beacon Mill represents a potentially significant development for the Québec mining sector and gold industry investors. A successful restart of operations could contribute to regional economic activity while demonstrating the viability of reactivating previously operational mining assets in favorable market conditions. The company's approach emphasizes leveraging existing infrastructure and permitting advantages to potentially accelerate production timelines compared to greenfield developments.
