Exploration activities have resumed at Marathon Gold Corporation’s Valentine Lake gold project in Central Newfoundland.

Field activities were suspended in March due to the global pandemic, but the company announced June 9 that it is resuming exploration at its camp site with one drill rig on site, ramping up to three drill rigs in the coming weeks.

The Department of Natural Resources says the project is currently moving through the environmental assessment process, with its Environment Impact Statement expected later this year.

According to government, the potential mine life of the Valentine Lake gold project is 12 years, with projected employment of 80 people in the construction phase and 300 in the first year of production.