The ins and outs of the Yukon's biggest proposed mine

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-09-23 12:00:00.0
Tags: [National, Mining, Resources, Environment, Indigenous, Economy]

Western Copper and Gold and the Casino Mining Corporation are proposing the Casino mine project in the Yukon, located between Carmacks and Dawson City, with an estimated 27-year lifespan to extract approximately 4.27 billion pounds of copper, 346 million pounds of molybdenum, alongside gold and silver deposits. The project is projected to create up to 1,400 construction jobs, 700 operational jobs, and contribute roughly $1.3 billion annually to the Yukon economy while generating 25 of the 34 critical minerals designated by Ottawa. However, the project faces major regulatory scrutiny, undergoing its first-ever panel review by the Yukon Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Board (YESAB) due to concerns from First Nations and conservation groups over impacts on the Klaza caribou herd, fish, wildlife habitats across five First Nation territories, and risks associated with tailings dams and heap leaching.