Copper Fox Metals Inc (TSX-V:CUU, OTCQX:CPFXF), through its wholly-owned subsidiary Desert Fox Copper Inc, has released the results of an early-stage Biological Evaluation (BE) at its Van Dyke Copper Project in Miami, Arizona, which the company said will allow it to begin activities at the property.
The BE’s objective was to determine if special-status species or critical habitat occur within or will be impacted by construction activities around the project, and was prepared by WestLand Engineering & Environmental Services of Tucson, Arizona, the explorer said.
"The preservation of wildlife and wildlife habitat are fundamental aspects of Copper Fox's operating strategy and ESG policy,” Copper Fox president and CEO Elmer B. Stewart said in a statement.
“Based on the findings of the Biological Evaluation, Copper Fox plans to commence Phase I activities, estimated to cost US$240,000, to investigate the potential of rehabilitating and completing a comprehensive testing program on existing drill holes to establish hydrogeological monitoring sites," he added.
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"Results of the Phase I activities would be used to establish a base on which to advance the project to Phase II which includes additional drilling to expand the hydrogeological monitoring system and collection of data to advance the project to the Preliminary Feasibility stage," he added.
Van Dyke is an in-situ copper recovery project located in the Tier 1 mining jurisdiction of Arizona. An NI 43-101 Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) prepared in early 2021 indicated an after-tax Net Present Value of US$644.7 million and Internal Rate of Return of 43.4%.
The PEA also recommended that the project should be advanced to the Preliminary Feasibility Stage as it has the potential to become a mid-tier copper mine producing 85 million pounds or approximately 39,000 tonnes of copper per year.
No threat
None of the evaluated special-status species - designated by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) as Endangered or Threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) or protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (BGEPA) - have the potential to be adversely affected by the project, Copper Fox said, citing results from the study.
Additionally, there is no designated critical habitat within the project area, it noted. Other findings include:
- Increases in noise and vibration levels from construction activities would be temporary and in keeping with existing noise effects.
- The potential effects of dust on wildlife and vegetation are not expected to be substantially different from current conditions within the project area.
- Disturbance related to construction activities would result in some minor loss of vegetation that may provide limited wildlife habitat.
Copper Fox is focused on copper exploration and development in Canada and the US. The principal assets of Copper Fox and its wholly-owned Canadian and US subsidiaries are the 100%-owned Van Dyke oxide copper project located in Arizona and the 25% interest in the Schaft Creek Joint Venture with Teck Resources Ltd (TSX:TCK.B) on the Schaft Creek copper-gold-molybdenum-silver project located in north-western British Columbia.
Contact the author at jon.hopkins@proactiveinvestors.com