The Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology says while news that the Beaver Brook Antimony Mine is suspending operations is disappointing, it is not unexpected.

Andrew Parsons says the mine was reaching the end of its life anyway, and the winding down of operations is something that’s been anticipated.

The company isn’t writing off the mine just yet, and exploration later this year will help them determine whether or not to close the site permanently.

That said, Parsons notes that the mine has been a solid contributor to central Newfoundland, so there will be an impact but he is optimistic about what lies ahead.

He says there are lots of opportunities related to mining in central Newfoundland, and a lot of projects that are moving into production.

In fact, site manager at the Beaver Brook Antimony Mine, Shane Osmond, notes that some of their former employees are already taking advantage of those opportunities.

He says many of them have already found employment with the other projects.