Since B2Gold launched BeMetals two years ago as a base-metals-focused junior, the company has picked up a development-stage zinc-silver project in southwestern Idaho, called South Mountain.
Originally floated in early 2018 on the early-stage Pangeni copper project in Zambia, BeMetals wanted to add more advanced-stage base metal projects to its portfolio, and in early 2019 acquired a two-year option to secure 100% of the past-producing South Mountain property from Thunder Mountain Gold.
Historic underground operations at South Mountain were small-scale but high grade, with over 48,000 tonnes of ore mined at an average grade of 14.5% zinc from 1941 to 1953. Some of the material was reportedly direct shipping ore sent to smelters across the United States.
(This article first appeared in the Canadian Mining Journal)