Artemis Gold is pressing ahead with phased expansions at the Blackwater gold mine in British Columbia that will more than triple processing capacity and position the operation among Canada’s largest gold producers. The combined investment across both phases of the Blackwater Gold Mine Expansion totals approximately C$1.56 billion.
The Blackwater gold mine, located south of Prince George, began commercial production earlier this year. Work on the first stage of the expansion programme is already underway, and the full build-out is expected to be complete before the end of 2028.
Blackwater Gold Mine Expansion Enters Next Phase
The first phase of the Blackwater Gold Mine Expansion carries a price tag of C$120 million and will lift the mill’s processing capacity from 6 million tonnes per annum to 8 million tonnes per annum. This initial upgrade is designed to boost throughput at the existing facility without requiring a second processing line.
Phase 2 represents a far larger undertaking. Artemis Gold plans to invest C$1.44 billion to construct a second processing train at the Blackwater gold mine, raising total capacity to 21 million tonnes per annum. That expansion will transform the scale of the operation entirely.
Processing Capacity Set to Reach 21Mtpa
Once both phases are finished, the Blackwater mine expansion will have taken the operation from its initial 6 Mtpa throughput to 21 Mtpa. more than three times the original design. The gold mine expansion programme reflects the scale of the orebody and the company’s confidence in the long-term production profile.
With the expanded processing capacity in place, the mine could support gold production growth of more than 500,000 ounces per year for a decade, according to the company. That level of output would make Blackwater one of Canada’s three largest gold-producing mines, a notable achievement for an operation that only recently entered production.
Expansion to Lift Gold Production and Employment
The Blackwater Gold Mine Expansion is also driving significant workforce growth in the region. The mine currently employs around 900 full-time workers and contractors. During the construction period for the second phase, an additional 1,500 construction workers are expected to be on site over the course of two years.
Once the expansion programme is complete, the permanent workforce at the Blackwater gold mine is projected to grow from 900 to approximately 1,200. That sustained employment base adds to the economic contribution the mine already makes to the Prince George area and broader British Columbia.
Artemis Gold has moved quickly since bringing the mine into commercial production. The phased approach to the gold mine expansion allows the company to fund ongoing construction while the existing operation generates revenue. With the second phase expected to wrap up before the close of 2028, the full production ramp-up at Blackwater could begin within the next few years.
The scale of the expansion nearly C$1.56 billion in total investment and a target of more than 500,000 ounces annually, underscores the significance of the Blackwater project within Canada gold mining.