The Minto Mine recommenced mining operations earlier this month, says an announcement posted by Pembridge Resources.

The company said the mill was fired back up on Oct. 10.

“The mill will operate on a two weeks on, two weeks off schedule until sufficient development has been achieved underground to enable a higher monthly processing capacity,” says the release.

Underground blasting began Oct. 13 and was to continue through to last Sunday.

The first copper concentrate was produced on Oct. 11.

Pembridge Resources announced in June that it completed the purchase of the Minto Mine from Capstone Mining. Pembridge had expressed its initial interest in buying the mine back in early 2018.

Capstone announced late in 2018 it was shutting down the mine. The last of the copper concentrate produced by Minto transport to the Port of Skagway last February.

Employment numbers associated with the recommencement of the mining operation were unavailable.

Minto becomes the second producing hard rock mine in the Yukon, next to Victoria Gold’s Eagle Gold Mine north of Mayo that poured its first gold bar on Sept. 17.

The Minto Mine went into production in 2007 under the ownership of Sherwood Copper. Sherwood and Capstone Mining merged in 2008 under the Capstone name.

At its peak, the Minto Mine employed between 250 and 300, including contract companies like Pelly Construction Ltd. that provided equipment and operators to carry out the open pit mining.

In an interview shortly after the intent to purchase the mine was announced initially, representatives of Pembridge explained the company would be focused entirely on underground mining with no intention to do more open pit mining.