Bunker Hill restarts lead, zinc and silver mines in Idaho

SMM12, 13 Feb: Canada's Bunker Hill Mining Company has once again reopened its Bunker Hill lead, zinc and silver mine in northern Idaho after resuming a lease with mine lessor Placer Mining, according to a Bunker Hill official. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told S & P in an interview on Tuesday that the mine could go into production in about two years.

Bruce Reid, president and chief executive of, Bunker Hill, resigned and was replaced on an ad hoc basis by John Ryan.

Bunker Hill recently reached a new agreement with Placer to resume the mine lease at a lower monthly payment. , Bunker Hill is now paying Placer $60000 a month for the next 12 months, down 70 per cent from the previous $200000 a month.

The official said, Bunker Hill was preparing to resume operations in 2019 and would conduct additional drilling in Idaho. By the end of next year, the company hopes to have the money in place to restart around the end of 2020.

Under the agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency, federal agencies will operate the mine's water treatment facilities over the next five years before Bunker Hill control, the official added.

Bunker Hill has not yet released its expected production targets for the mine.

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