Lion Copper’s Bear Resource Establishes Yerington as One of Nevada’s Largest Undeveloped Copper Projects

Published: Aug 06, 2026 09:48 (GMT+8)

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Lion Copper & Gold has announced an initial resource estimate for its Bear copper deposit in Nevada. The deposit hosts approximately 1 billion indicated tonnes grading 0.29% copper for 6.7 billion lb. of contained copper, together with 1.7 billion inferred tonnes grading 0.22% copper for 8.7 billion lb. Bear forms part of the larger Rio Tinto-backed Yerington project. Including existing reserves and resources, Lion Copper’s Nevada portfolio now contains approximately 19 billion lb. of copper, placing Yerington among the state’s largest undeveloped copper projects and ahead of Hudbay Minerals’ Mason project, which contains about 15.3 billion lb. According to the August 2025 prefeasibility study, Yerington hosts 506.6 million short tons of proven and probable reserves grading 0.21% copper for approximately 2.1 billion lb. of contained metal. The project is expected to produce around 120 million lb. of copper cathode annually over a 12-year mine life, with initial capital expenditure of US$724 million, a post-tax net present value of US$694 million at a 7% discount rate and an internal rate of return of 14.6%. Both Bear and Yerington are covered by Lion Copper’s earn-in agreement with Rio Tinto and its Nuton subsidiary. Nuton has the right to acquire a 65% interest in the project through a newly formed company and has been testing its proprietary heap-leach technology at Yerington since 2022.

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