Authored by John Mason, D.Sc., P. Geo., and backed by the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission, this article offers a comprehensive overview of mining and exploration activity in Northwestern Ontario for the first quarter of 2025.

Northwestern Ontario gold production at year-end 2024 was 1.05 million ounces. Contributing mines to the total include: Red Lake Mine (Evolution Mining), Musselwhite Mine (Orla Mining), Hemlo Mine (Barrick Gold), Rainy River Mine (New Gold), Eagle River Mine (Wesdome Gold Mines), Island Gold Complex (Alamos Gold) and Greenstone Mine (Equinox Gold). With the yellow metal touching on $3000/oz, that has ratcheted up the level of optimism in the sector for projects at a variety of maturity levels.

On February 23,2025 Equinox Gold Corp. and Calibre Mining Corp. entered into a definitive arrangement agreement whereby Equinox acquired all Calibre shares. Equinox at the Greenstone Mine will continue to ramp gold production, over a full year for the first time; guidance is 300,000-350,000 ounces annually. The “new” Equinox now having the Valentine Deposit in the fold (Newfoundland), will soon become Canada’s second largest gold producer. From a geological perspective, the Wabigoon Subprovince of the Canadian Shield had zero active gold production in 2015; remarkably by year end 2025 the Rainy River Mine and the Greenstone Mine will contribute 550,000 ounces of gold to the Northwestern Ontario total, annually!

Kinross Gold, ninth ranked global gold producer, accelerated advanced exploration at the Great Bear Gold Project, Red Lake. Development of an exploration decline has commenced with the objective of allowing bulk sampling and underground drilling. Ultimately the future 500,000 ounce annual producer will be an open pit and underground mine. The deposit is a 6.6 million ounce resource. In March, at PDAC 2025, Kinross entered into a partnership with the Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Mining and Exploration (CESME—Lakehead University) to fund a research chair position to the tune of $ 500,000.

West Red Lake Gold Mines continue on many fronts toward a mine reopening at Madsen Mine, Red Lake. The company released a positive pre-feasibility study this year. Projected highlights include : 8.2 g/t head grades, 67,600 ounces of annual gold production, 7.2 year life of mine (LOM), and with other near surface high grade zones to be assessed. Maurice Mostert, VP Technical Services, stated that shaft dewatering and additional gold target identification continues at Madsen. In addition, he indicated that the strategic approach by West Red Lake Gold Mines to bulk sample (using the mill for processing) and compare with drill hole assays, has been invaluable and will continue.

Frontier Lithium acquired the former Thunder Bay Generating Station site on the Thunder Bay waterfront for a lithium convertor build. The property is 233 acres, zoned heavy industrial and hosting electrical, road and seaway access attributes. At PDAC 2025, Frontier and federal/provincial officials jointly announced execution of a Letter of Intent specific to funding of $240M toward construction of a lithium conversion facility on the Thunder Bay site. The PAK deposit, located north of Red Lake, once in production, would provide lithium concentrate to the convertor. Lithium hydroxide and battery-grade lithium salts would be then produced. PAK life of mine (LOM) is 24 years.

Green Technology Metals have advanced work with partners EcoPro and LG Energy Solutions to design, build, produce and market lithium products. In addition, Export Development Canada have provided a Letter of Intent for up to $100M. Led by CEO Cam Henry, Green Technology entered into an agreement to secure a lithium conversion facility site on Mid-Continental Terminal’s lands, at Thunder Bay’s waterfront. Recent exploration results at Root and Seymour Lake have been encouraging with Seymour the most advanced.

Volta Metals, on the Aki Lithium-Cesium-Tantalum Project, located north of Lake Nipigon, continue to evaluate six pegmatite dykes, controlled on an 8 km trend.

Rock Tech Lithium, recipient of a $1.4M Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund award, continues to advance the Georgia Lake project located northeast of Nipigon. Rock Tech has merged with Arcore AG in Germany, as they build Germany’s first lithium convertor. BMW is a significant supporter of the Georgia Lake project. Immediately south, Imagine Lithium, at the Jackpot Project works to add to the lithium resource via an aggressive exploration program this field season. The Jackpot and Casino Royale resource is 8.4 million tonnes.

Avalon Advanced Materials and SCR-Sibelco NV announced a 28% increase in Measured and Indicated mineral resource tonnage at Separation Rapids. The deposit is now a 10.73 million tonne deposit grading 1.27 % Li2O. Lilypad Lake, located in the Fort Hope area, will see an exploration program for cesium, tantalum and lithium.

International Lithium hold the Raleigh Lake Project, located southwest of Ignace. The deposit  hosts a 6.2 million tonne lithium resource.

On March 3^rd, Orla Mining Ltd. completed the $850M acquisition of the Musselwhite Mine from Newmont. The mine is a 6 million ounce historical producer over 28 years, with a current mine life to 2030 and producing 202,000 ounces per year. Orla Mining have announced plans for an aggressive $25M exploration campaign to test up to 3 km of mineralized strike, with significant down plunge potential on the PQ Zone. Orla also has gold production in Mexico.

At Dryden, Dryden Gold and Nexgold Mining Corp. are advancing gold projects. Dryden Gold have a fully funded exploration program for 2025 with the Sherridon Property set to receive a 3D inversion study performed by Mira Geoscience; drilling will follow. Nexgold completed a new Relationship Agreement with the Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation for the Goliath Mine Project. Down dip drill targets at the C Zone have been identified, below the current 3 million ounce resource, as part of a 25,000 metre exploration drill program designed for resource expansion. A feasibility study for Goliath will be completed in Q2 of 2025 by Nexgold, during an exciting time for this future open pit and underground project.

Goldshore Resources continued to advance toward an H1 2025 preliminary economic assessment completion, featuring a phased production approach at the Moss Deposit. The current mineral resource estimate is 6.74 million ounces. The 23 km favourable strike length has revealed mineralization at depth below the Southwest Zone as well as an additional new shallow gold zone; both could add to the resource.

Kesselrun Reources Ltd. released sample results for the Minoletti and McKellar West Zones, of the Huronian Gold Project, located west of the Goldshore Resources- Moss Deposit. 1.4 km of strike length will be further evaluated culminating in a late 2025 drill program.

Immediately West of Thunder Bay, Delta Resources at the Delta-1 Gold Project, have had encouraging drill results at the Eureka Gold Zone. Mineralization lies in an envelope 2.5 km by up to 150 m. wide. Thunder Gold, at the Tower Mountain Gold Project—Shabaqua, have commenced a comprehensive magnetic survey and drill program, the latter testing the P-Target Zone and gaps in the Western Contact Zone. Goal is to complete a NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate.

Alamos Gold continued with rationalizing infrastructure at the Island Gold Complex, which includes the Magino orebody (open pit), mill and Phase 3 + deepening of the shaft at the Island orebody. Collectively the complex is one of Canada’s highest grade and lowest cost gold mines. Increased annual production is planned, synchronized with aggressive exploration drilling adding ounces.

Wesdome’s Eagle River Mine is receiving significant drill budgeting designed to expand the current mineral resource. 300 Zone (main reserve) and 6 Central zone are the priority drill targets. A remarkable 115,000 metres of drilling were completed with results feeding a resource model initiative. Surface infrastructure is also being upgraded at Eagle River.

Wyloo continued working with Hatch Engineering on completing a feasibility study for the Eagles Nest (and Blackbird) deposit(s).

Clean Air Metals at Thunder Bay North released winter drill results at the Current Deposit, including an impressive 41.0 metres grading 13.2 g/t pt.eq. Modelling suggests structures similar to the JM Reef-Stillwater Complex may be in play.

Generation Mining on the Marathon Palladium-Copper Deposit received three outstanding approvals from Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, toward construction planning. A revised feasibility study was completed and filed; capital cost for the mine/mill/infrastructure build is C$992M; IRR is 24% . Wheaton Precious Metals (stream) and Export Development Canada-ING Capital-Societe Generale (debt) are financially supportive of the mine build.

Tartisan Nickel, on the Kenbridge Project (Atikwa Lake), will undertake a magnetotelluric airborne survey in the spring, followed by an exploration drill program. Kenbridge has open pit and underground resources with 146 million lbs of nickel, 78 million lbs of copper and 2 million lbs of cobalt identified in various resource categories.

First Mining Gold released drill results from the East Extension (Phase 1) at Springpole Lake. Results include (hole SP24-011) 0.75 g/t gold over 134.2 m. and 0.67 g/t gold over 105.4 m. The mineralization is located within the pre-feasibility study open pit development footprint. In addition, First Majestic is amending terms of the silver stream final payment and will provide $5M cash.

Laurion Mineral Exploration Inc. At the Ishkoday Property, has contracted Quantec Geoscience to conduct a deep penetrating Titan DCIP and magnetotelluric survey. Focus will be on the Brenbar and Sturgeon River Mine(s) areas with the goal of enhancing understanding of the structural and lithological framework.

Evolution Mining at the Red Lake Mine is on track to increase gold production to 125,000-150,000 ounces for 2025. Ore reserves are 12.4 million tonnes grading 6.87 g/t gold, for 2.7 million ounces.

Vault Minerals, at the Sugar Zone Mine released a mineral reserve of 1.9 million tonnes grading 5.2 g/t for 325,000 ounces, and a mineral resource of 4.8 million tonnes grading 8.2g/t, for 1.28 million ounces. The mine is poised for a future restart; no dates have been shared.

Barrick Gold (Hemlo) produced 143,000 ounces of gold in 2024. Barminco, the main underground contractor, signed a contract extension until 2029.

There is no doubt other active exploration projects in Northwestern Ontario will graduate to the major exploration class, led by gold, in 2025!