Donlin Gold LLC, which is owned equally by subsidiaries of NovaGold and Barrick, has received an updated feasibility study for its Donlin gold project in southwestern Alaska. The study was completed by AMEC Americas and revises a feasibility study completed in April 2009, with updated mineral reserves and resources, and updated capital and operating cost estimates. NovaGold announced the study results.

From late August through mid-November 2011, Rio Tinto and Cameco engaged in competitive bidding for Hathor Exploration, a Canadian uranium exploration company with uranium properties in the Athabasca Basin of northern Saskatchewan.

Xstrata Copper Canada reports that consulting engineering firm Genivar won the prestigious 2011 Schreyer Award at this year’s Canadian Consulting Engineering Awards for its role in the decommissioning of the company’s former Gaspé copper mining and smelting site at Murdochville, Quebec. On awarding Genivar the recognition, the jury stated that the rehabilitation of the 50-year old Gaspé site had “set a benchmark for future mine decommissioning projects.”

Molycorp announced plans October 20 to accelerate by approximately three months the initial start-up of its state-of-the-art rare earth processing facility, now under construction at Mountain Pass, California. The plant is part of the company’s two-phase Phoenix project, which is designed to lift its production of rare earth oxide equivalent first to 19,050 mt/y (Phase 1) and then to 40,000 mt/y (Phase 2). Phase 1 of the expansion had been planned to start up in late 2012.

Agnico-Eagle announced October 19 it had suspended mining operations at its Goldex mine in Val d’Or, Québec. The decision followed apparent failure of weak volcanic rock in the hanging wall of the Goldex deposit, followed by groundwater flow into the mine. The rock failure was thought to extend from the top of the deposit to the surface. The company estimated that the mill would continue to process feed from the remaining surface stockpile until the end of October.