A 21st-century gold rush is unfolding in Idaho — a state that, historically, has been overshadowed by its U.S. northwest neighbours’ rich mining legacies. Now emerging as an epicentre for precious metal exploration, the state is attracting investment for its geology, project permitting regime, which could unleash a potential economic boom.
Three mining companies — Integra Resources (TSXV: ITR), Perpetua Resources (TSX: PPTA; NASDAQ: PPTA), and Revival Gold (TSXV: RVG) – that The Northern Miner caught up with at the Precious Metals Summit in September are gaining momentum toward achieving near-term commercial production.
Integra’s DeLamar
Integra Resources holds the flagship DeLamar gold project in southwestern Idaho, alongside the preliminary economic assessment-stage (PEA) Wildcat and Mountain View projects in western Nevada. Integra Resources CEO Jason Kosec said its merger earlier this year with Millennial Precious Metals and an ensuing US$35 million financing has been transformational for the company, giving it a larger scale.
With a market capitalization of US$65 million and about US$23 million in cash reserves, Integra is in a solid financial position. “This strategic move has catapulted Integra into owning one of the Great Basin’s largest gold and silver resource endowments not under major mining company control,” Kosec said.
Integra is working towards completing two feasibility studies, targeting 2024 for the DeLamar project and 2025 for the Wildcat and Mountain View projects. By 2026, Integra aims to secure permits that would pave the way to construction and full-scale operations.
