LAURION Mineral Exploration Inc. (TSX-V: LME | OTC: LMEFF | FSE: 5YD) has provided an update on environmental, technical, and regulatory work at its 100%-owned Ishkōday Gold and Polymetallic Project in Northwestern Ontario. The company is advancing two complementary initiatives at the historical Sturgeon River Mine: recovery and remediation of the surface waste rock stockpile, and a proposed Advanced Exploration Project involving dewatering and rehabilitation of the mine shaft and underground workings. These developments are important because they represent a significant step toward unlocking value from a historical mine site while addressing legacy environmental hazards.
For the surface stockpile, LAURION has submitted an application for a Recovery of Minerals Permit to the Ministry of Energy and Mines, including a Recovery and Remediation Plan, under section 152.1 of Ontario’s Mining Act and Ontario Regulation 463/24. The stockpile contains mineralized material from decades-old operations, and its recovery would not require new infrastructure, mining, or underground development. The work involves removing and processing the material off-site, followed by remediation of the stockpile area. This matters because it could provide non-dilutive funding for the company while cleaning up a longstanding environmental liability.
Separately, LAURION is preparing a Permit to Take Water (PTTW) application for dewatering the flooded shaft, with a submission target of Q4 2026. The shaft extends approximately 642 metres below surface and has 15 historical underground levels, with about 114,000 cubic metres of static water. The proposed Advanced Exploration Project would involve removing the shaft cap, installing a temporary headframe, controlled dewatering, and progressive rehabilitation to allow safe underground access for exploration drilling and sampling. No commercial production is planned. This is important because it could allow LAURION to evaluate gold-bearing structures that were not fully explored before mining ceased in 1942, potentially expanding the known mineralized system.
Over the past five years, LAURION has completed comprehensive environmental baseline studies, including terrestrial ecology, aquatic and benthic surveys, groundwater and surface water monitoring, shaft water characterization, and archaeological assessments. These studies provide the foundation for regulatory approvals and will inform environmental protection and monitoring measures. The company has also engaged with Indigenous communities through the Indigenous Joint Steering Committee and with Animbiigoo Zaagi’igan Anishinaabek First Nation, Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek First Nation, and Biinjitiwaabik Zaaging Anishinaabek First Nation. Public consultation will be part of the Closure Plan process.
Management commentary from President and CEO Cynthia Le Sueur-Aquin emphasized the diligence behind the work, noting that the stockpile represents decades-old mining waste and that its recovery is environmentally sound. She also highlighted the exploration potential of the underground workings. The permitting and environmental activities are being supported by consultants such as Blue Heron Environmental. For more information, visit the company’s website at http://www.LAURION.ca.
