On the good news side President Peter Kukielski confirmed an earlier announcement on a plan for a preliminary economic assessment on the local tailings facility. He reported that in early January this year Hudbay commenced a confirmatory drill program on the tailings facility in Flin Flon to support the completion of a preliminary economic assessment on the tailings reprocessing opportunity by the first quarter of 2023.  The company is also conducting engineering and test work throughout 2022 to support the assessment.  He noted this opportunity could utilize the Flin Flon concentrator with modifications after the closure of the Triple Seven Mine creating operating and economic benefits for the Flin Flon community.  It could also provide the opportunity to redesign the closure plans, increase metal production, defer or reduce certain closure costs and reduce the environmental footprint of the tailings facility.

They also reported the Triple Seven Mine is within months of closure and the focus continues to be on mining out the remaining reserves by completing the necessary ground rehabilitation to access remnant pillar stopping blocks. Pre-closure activities are underway in mined out areas to decommission stationary equipment of value for redeployment to Lalor in Snow Lake.