SMITHERS, B.C. – A new gold mine has officially entered production in the Bulkley Valley, as Blue Lagoon Resources celebrated the grand opening of its Dome Mountain project this past week.
The mine, located approximately 66 kilometres east of Smithers, held a celebration and ribbon-cutting ceremony at the site, attended by company officials, local leaders, and other dignitaries.
The Member of Parliament for Skeena-Bulkley Valley, Ellis Ross, was present for the opening. “Congratulations Dome Mountain Mining and Smithers and thank you for the invite to your opening,” he said in a social media post following the event. “The commitment for the years of hard work is deeply appreciated!”
The grand opening marks the start of full-scale underground mining operations. The Dome Mountain mine is now expected to produce 15,000 ounces of gold per year.
The company announced earlier this year that it had received all necessary mining and effluent permits from the provincial government, green-lighting the project to move forward. The mineralized material from the mine will be shipped to Nicola Mining’s milling facility in Merritt, B.C., for processing under a toll milling agreement.
The project has been developed with the full support of the Lake Babine First Nation and has strong local community support, marking a significant new addition to the resource economy of the Northwest.