Newmont has secured provincial approvals to move forward with the expansion of the Red Chris copper-gold mine, located about 18 kilometres southeast of Iskut in British Columbia’s Golden Triangle region, paving the way for the mine to transition from its current open-pit operation to underground block caving.

The approvals, announced June 19, included an amended Environmental Assessment Certificate and an amended Mines Act permit from the B.C. government.

The expansion is expected to increase processing capacity at the Red Chris mine to as much as 15 million tonnes per year.

According to Newmont, it is also expected to boost Canada’s copper production by around 15 per cent and create more than 1,800 jobs during peak construction, while supporting about 1,500 existing permanent roles.

“The Red Chris Block Cave project represents a compelling long-term opportunity and today’s approvals mark a significant milestone in stage-gating as Newmont progresses toward a final investment decision later this year,” Natascha Viljoen, president and CEO of Newmont, said in a news release. “With significant mineral endowment, availability of clean hydroelectric power, port access, supportive governments, and strong Indigenous economic leadership, northwest British Columbia is emerging as a world-class mining district.”

The authorizations come after a collaborative assessment process with the Tahltan Central Government under a Section 7 consent-based decision-making agreement with the Tahltan Nation. The Tahltan Central Government consented to the expansion project on May 22.

“For generations, the Tahltan Nation has exercised responsibility for the lands and waters that sustain us,” Chief Richard Jackson of the Tahltan band said in a provincial news release. “Today’s decision recognizes the importance of that stewardship and demonstrates that responsible development must be built on meaningful engagement, mutual respect and shared decision-making. Red Chris shows that economic opportunity and environmental responsibility can advance together when Indigenous Nations are respected as partners.”

Red Chris is majority owned and operated by Newmont, with Imperial Metals holding a 30 per cent joint venture interest in the operation. Red Chris has been in production since 2015. It was initially expected to operate until 2038, but with the expansion, the mine life has been extended to mid-2040s.

In 2025, Red Chris produced around 93.1 million pounds of copper and 92,429 ounces of gold, while also milling more than 8.6 million tonnes of ore.

The project is among 35 priority major projects identified by British Columbia and was also referred to the federal priority projects list in September 2025.

In March, the federal government conditionally approved more than $44 million in funding for upgrades to the Northwest Transmission Line, which will enable the supply of up to 145 megawatts of power for the Red Chris expansion.

Newmont is now advancing a feasibility study for the project, with both the study and a final investment decision anticipated in the second half of this year. The most recently published capital expenditure for the Red Chris mine was an estimated $2.6 billion, outlined in a 2021 prefeasibility study from Newcrest Mining, which Newmont acquired in 2023. The acquisition also gave Newmont ownership of the Brucejack gold-silver mine, near Stewart, B.C.