The maiden Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) for the White Gold Project in Yukon’s Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in traditional territory shows robust economics that would make the development a major new gold operation in the territory if advanced to production.
Key results and project outline
The PEA, prepared for White Gold Corp., envisages a 9.4‑year open‑pit mine processing 12,000 tonnes per day and producing an average of 188,000 ounces of gold per year over life of mine, with a higher average of 223,000 ounces per year in the first five years, based on a base case gold price of US$3,600 per ounce.
Under those assumptions the study reports an after‑tax net present value at a 5% discount rate of C$1,911 million and an after‑tax internal rate of return of 38%, with a payback period of 1.7 years. The company also reported pre‑tax NPV(5%) of C$3,081 million and a pre‑tax IRR of 54%.
Cash flow and sensitivity to gold price
White Gold’s PEA forecasts life‑of‑mine after‑tax free cash flow of C$2,685 million, averaging about C$280 million per year. The study highlights marked leverage to higher gold prices: at a price of US$4,500 per ounce the after‑tax NPV increases substantially (the company states it rises to approximately C$3 billion and IRR to 52% at that price).
- Project life: 9.4 years
- Throughput: 12,000 t/d open pit
- Average annual gold: 188,000 oz (223,000 oz first five years)
- After‑tax NPV(5%): C$1,911 million (base case)
- After‑tax IRR: 38% (base case)
- Payback: 1.7 years
Exploration upside and district potential
Beyond the staged production case, the company emphasises numerous opportunities identified for extending mine life and increasing production. The PEA notes potential for:
- resource conversion and growth at deposits included in the study through additional drilling;
- underground mining potential at Golden Saddle; and
- a local exploration pipeline with more than 25 identified targets discovered via the company's data‑driven exploration work.
Those opportunities, the company says, could materially improve project economics in follow‑up studies.
What the numbers mean for Yukon
The scale of the PEA’s financial metrics positions the White Gold Project as a potentially large source of economic activity in the territory if it advances. A multi‑hundred‑million‑dollar annual cash flow stream and rapid payback period would be attractive to investors and could underpin further exploration and development work across the district.
At the same time, the project remains at an early stage. A PEA is a preliminary study intended to show potential economics; it is not a prefeasibility or feasibility study and does not represent final engineering or environmental approval. Further technical work, permitting, environmental assessment, community engagement and Indigenous consultation would be required before construction could begin.
| Metric | Value (base case) |
|---|---|
| Estimated mine life | 9.4 years |
| Throughput | 12,000 t/d (open pit) |
| Average annual production | 188,000 oz Au |
| After‑tax NPV (5%) | C$1,911 million |
| After‑tax IRR | 38% |
| Payback | 1.7 years |
Next steps and local considerations
White Gold Corp. has framed the PEA as a development framework and highlighted exploration targets that could meaningfully change the plan. Any advancement will require detailed environmental study, regulatory approvals and ongoing engagement with the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in and other stakeholders. The PEA notes the project sits in the traditional territory of the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in.
For local communities and territorial decision‑makers, the PEA provides a first, quantified look at the potential scale of a White Gold operation and the financial returns it might deliver under different metal‑price scenarios. It also sets priorities for additional resource drilling and technical studies that would inform a future feasibility study.
As White Gold moves forward, residents and officials will watch how the company balances exploration and development timelines, environmental assessment processes and Indigenous consultation in shaping the project’s path.
This story will be updated as the company releases further technical details and as responses from local partners and regulators become available.
