Emperor Metals (WKN A3CWE6 / CSE AUOZ) is driving the Lac Pelletier project near Rouyn-Noranda (Quebec) toward development. The focus is not on drilling or resource expansion, but on an often decisive step on the path to a mine: environmental and closure planning (“Closure Plan”), which serves as the basis for further permits.
The Lac Pelletier area is located approximately 4 kilometers southwest of the city of Rouyn-Noranda. Emperor Metals is working together with Eldorado Gold and with the support of the engineering and consulting firm Norda Stelo to update the closure plan. Specifically, the goal is to properly assess historical legacies from previous work and secure them from a regulatory perspective.
Emperor updates Closure Plan and expects approval by June
According to Emperor Metals, work was completed on-site last month that will feed directly into the update of the Closure Plan. The focus was on two topics:
- Geochemistry of waste rock remaining from previous exploration activities.
- Environmental quality of soil and groundwater, i.e., an inventory of potential impacts and the current situation.
The timeline is clearly outlined: the updated plan is to be submitted to the MRNF (Ministère des Ressources naturelles et des Forêts) for review and comment by the end of March 2026. The company expects regulatory review and approval by the end of June 2026.
CEO John Florek emphasizes in the announcement that environmental responsibility and regulatory predictability are central elements of the development strategy. The logic behind it: those who address environmental issues and permitting foundations early and maintain communication with authorities can navigate subsequent processes in a more structured and potentially smoother manner. For Emperor Metals, this is a signal that Lac Pelletier is being considered “ready for development” not only geologically but also organizationally.
Lac Pelletier already holds an underground permit for up to 1,000 tpd
A particularly important point: according to Emperor, the project already has a fully authorized underground mining permit, allowing for production of up to 1,000 tonnes per day (tpd)!
Overall, the company still has several steps ahead. These include dewatering existing underground areas as well as additional exploration and development work.
For Emperor, this combination—an existing underground permit on one hand and pending technical measures on the other—represents a clearly defined roadmap. The permitting framework is partially in place; the next phase is intended to create the conditions to make this framework practically usable.
Phased plan from PEA to feasibility study – and target window 2027/2028
Emperor Metals describes Lac Pelletier as a project being advanced through a phased development plan. Several stages are mentioned:
Initially, early work is intended to support a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA). This serves as an initial economic assessment of how a project could fundamentally be structured.
Building on this, exploration and drilling programs are planned to update an NI 43-101 compliant resource estimate.
This will be followed by comprehensive technical programs, including geotechnical, hydrological, geochemical, and metallurgical studies. These components typically feed into a Feasibility Study and an updated NI 43-101 Technical Report.
Emperor Metals also identifies operational development steps: in addition to underground dewatering and rehabilitation, detailed engineering and phased construction and development measures on the surface and underground are planned—with the goal of achieving stable production later on. As a temporal guide, the company cites a production ramp-up in late 2027 to early 2028.
Conclusion: With the update on environmental and closure planning, Emperor Metals is focusing on regulatory preparation and planning security at Lac Pelletier. Together with the existing underground permit (up to 1,000 tpd) and the outlined phased plan leading to studies and construction preparation, it is clear how the company intends to systematically develop the project over the coming quarters.
