The Scadding and Orostar gold mines were in operation in the early 1980’s. Total production from four small orebodies was estimated at 200,000 metric tonnes grading 7.4 g Au. The mill used a gravity separation circuit and there were some limitations with gold recovery. In the event, a significant quantity of the gold passed through the mill and was deposited in the mine tailings impoundment. The mine tailings impoundment area was left abandoned by the operators without implementation of an approved site closure plan.

ETC has undertaken several rounds of testing and has determined that the tailings impoundment contains a quantity of gold which can be recovered during mine site remediation. Leach kinetics and sample grades support economic recoveries of gold using VAT batch processing technology.

In 2021, Environmental Tailings Corporation (ETC) contractually engaged to process and clean the Scadding tailings area. In November 2023, ETC received approval for a Closure Plan Amendment (CPA) which permits the re-processing and stacking of tailings and provides for the regeneration of native flora. The Scadding mine tailings impoundment will finally have an acceptable closure and will be returned to its natural environment with clean water drainage and the return of native flora.