Northstar Gold Corp. (CSE:NSG) CEO Brian Fowler joined Proactive to discuss discussed the recent approval of up to $4 million in funding from DIGITAL, Canada’s innovation cluster for digital technology, to advance its Cam Copper Project.
The funding will support the implementation of “surgical mining” technology developed by Novamera, a low-impact approach to mining that utilizes rotary drilling to target narrow, high-grade mineralized zones.
This initiative began in 2023 following a memorandum of understanding with Novamera, and it aims to mine copper at the Cam Copper Project, located 18km southeast of Kirkland Lake, Ontario. In 2023, Northstar intersected a standout interval of 14.5% copper over 2.5 metres.
Proactive: All right, welcome back inside our Proactive newsroom. And joining me now is Brian Fowler. He is the CEO of Northstar Gold Corp. Brian, good to see you again. How are you?
Brian Fowler: I'm well, thank you. Good to see you.
So you and I talked in the past about your hope to use this type of surgical mining at your CAM Copper Mining Project, and today you're announcing that you've secured up to $4 million from DIGITAL, which is Canada’s global innovation cluster for digital technology. So I know that this has been a long time coming for you, Brian. Maybe explain a bit about this?
Certainly. Yes, we're very pleased to announce this. It all started back in 2023 when we signed an MOU with Novamera, who were very interested in our high-grade CAM Copper Project, 18 km southeast of Kirkland Lake. In 2023, we intersected some very high-grade copper — 14.5% copper over 2.5 metres.
Novamera specializes in what they call surgical mining. That involves rotary drilling down the throat of tabular deposits using up to a two-metre diameter drill. The cuttings can be collected and shipped directly to a mill. It's a novel new approach to mining with a very low environmental impact.
DIGITAL is a federally funded agency with a mandate to support critical minerals, mining and technology. So we engaged DIGITAL through agreements with Novamera, and this morning we announced a project that’s been approved for up to $11 million. DIGITAL will provide up to $4 million, split roughly evenly between Novamera and Northstar, to advance this.
This is obviously really good news because this is federal funding. So it’s not diluting your shareholders and allows you to get that capital where you need it — in the ground.
Absolutely. On our side, we have about $3.5 million in capital costs to get things going. We expect to receive about $2 million from DIGITAL. This is a net investment — basically funding up to 30% of pre-approved expenditures. We have to spend the money to get the return, but this is huge for us. It’s a solid endorsement, and we look forward to moving ahead.
And the other thing, Brian, is you have partners. You've got Novamera, Northstar, Micon — you've got people to absorb some of this cost as well. I know you're high on this project after the results you’ve had. So it’s nice to have those friends helping lead the way.
Absolutely. You can’t do it yourself. Like I said, we started discussions with Novamera in October 2023, and we’ve kept moving this forward. We're very pleased to have achieved this milestone.
Do you have a timeline as to what’s going to happen in 2026? Any thoughts on that yet?
Certainly. We closed a $1 million private placement just before year-end and used some of those proceeds to do more infill diamond drilling on the No. 2 Zone at CAM Copper, where we're going to conduct surgical mining. We’re currently logging that core and anticipate announcing significant assays next month. That will update our geological model, which we’ll provide to Novamera. They’ll review and finalize their mining projections.
That will all be incorporated and reported through a 43-101 report, which Micon will oversee. That will form the basis for a mine permitting application. We need to apply for a closure plan and go through an environmental assessment. But being surgical mining, with such a low environmental footprint, and with federal support, we anticipate an accelerated and simplified permitting timeline.
Quotes have been lightly edited for style and clarity