Nicola Mining (TSXV: NIM; WKN: A3D3LF) reports a substantial increase in throughput volumes in the processing of gold- and silver-bearing mill material from its cooperation with Blue Lagoon Resources. The material originates from the Dome Mountain gold project and is processed at the fully permitted Merritt processing facility in British Columbia. According to the company, the higher utilization is a result of ongoing underground development at Dome Mountain as well as adjustments to the process flow at the mill.
Nicola Mining Converts Merritt Mill to Pure Flotation Operation
At the center of the update is a process engineering conversion: Nicola Mining has switched from the previous approach, in which gold was recovered via gravity and flotation, to a pure flotation circuit (“flotation-only”). According to the company, the background is the sulfide-bound mineralization of the current mill feed. The new flow sheet is intended to better suit this ore type and support the goal of improving metallurgical recoveries and concentrate grades while maximizing the proportion of payable metals in the concentrate.
Important from an operational perspective: Nicola Mining emphasizes that the conversion was implemented without interruptions to ongoing operations. In parallel with production, additional, incremental plant upgrades and fine-tuning of the circuit are being carried out. These are intended to further improve throughput stability, process consistency, and plant efficiency. Such optimizations are frequently an iterative process in practice, as changes to grind size, reagent management, or flotation parameters can have immediate effects on concentrate quality and recovery.
Dome Mountain Feed: Concentrate Sales to Ocean Partners and Expansion of Underground Operations
The result of the flotation process is a gold-silver flotation concentrate that Nicola Mining sells, as previously, to Ocean Partners UK Limited, a globally active metals trading and financing group. For Nicola Mining, the offtake of the concentrate is a central component in converting the processed volumes from the Dome Mountain feed into marketable product.
At the same time, the company reports progress underground: development work at Dome Mountain continues, and additional mining faces are being prepared. The goal is to sustainably increase the tonnages of mill feed. In combination with the process-side adjustments at the Merritt facility, this could help to continuously supply it with material over an extended period—a factor relevant for mill operators both in terms of cost structure and delivery planning.
Dominion Gold Project: Bulk Sample from July 2026 and Further Roadmap
In addition to production from the partnership, Nicola Mining reports preparations for its own mining activities at the Dominion gold project. According to the company, it has begun procuring key mobile equipment and planning personnel to commence extraction under a planned bulk sample permit. The start of operations is scheduled for July 2026. With the bulk sample phase, Nicola Mining intends to verify grade continuity, metallurgical performance, and mining selectivity under practical conditions. At the same time, the company expects that additional gold production can support operational cash flow.
CEO Peter Espig positions the current steps within a phased development strategy that combines near-term production optimization, medium-term project advances, and longer-term objectives. According to the announcement, this also includes a focus on a planned NASDAQ uplisting in the first quarter of 2026.
Nicola Mining is also a company with multiple components in its portfolio. In addition to the 100%-owned Merritt Mill and associated tailings facility, the company holds 100% of the New Craigmont project, a copper property covering over 10,800 hectares on the southern margin of the Guichon Batholith near the Highland Valley Copper Mine. The portfolio is complemented by the Treasure Mountain property, a fully permitted silver mine with 30 mineral claims and one mineral lease, together covering an area of more than 2,200 hectares.
With the current update, Nicola Mining thus sets two priorities: in the near term, the smoothest possible processing of Dome Mountain material at Merritt, tailored to the ore type, and in parallel, preparation for its own activities at the Dominion project from July 2026.
