Canada-based gold development company Artemis Gold has secured BC Mines Act permit for its Blackwater gold project in central British Columbia, Canada.

The final permit required for Artemis Gold to start major construction works at the open-pit gold mine was awarded by the British Columbia government.

Artemis Gold expects the Blackwater gold project to achieve its first gold pour in the second half of 2024.

Earlier this month, the gold development company finalised the previously announced C$385m ($283m) project loan facility (PLF) for the project.

The gold project is anticipated to generate 457 direct full-time jobs each year over the operating life of the mine and 825 direct full-time jobs every year during the construction or expansion phases of the mine development.

Besides, the Blackwater project is estimated to add C$13.2bn ($9.52bn) to the provincial economy, over the life of the mine, including C$2.3bn ($1.66bn) to provincial revenues.

To begin the construction works, the company has made significant progress in site preparation works on the process plant area footprint as well as modified selected infrastructure.

Artemis Gold has also ordered the initial construction equipment fleet from Finning which is expected to start delivery next month.

Artemis Gold chairman and CEO Steven Dean said: “We would like to thank the Government of British Columbia, the Lhoosk’uz Dené Nation, Ulkatcho First Nation, and the Carrier Sekani First Nations for their substantial efforts during the consultation and review process for the BC Mines Act Permit.

“The approval of the BC Mines Act Permit is the culmination of a substantial amount of work completed by our team in collaboration with our First Nation partners and the provincial government.

“The Blackwater Mine has been designed to have one of the smallest carbon footprints for an open pit gold project in the world, with a defined path forward to substantially reduce that footprint further and potentially achieve net-zero carbon emissions through the integration of a zero-exhaust-emission haul fleet by 2029.”