Bunker Hill Mining announced this week that it completed the first production stope blast at its fully owned Bunker Hill Mine in Idaho, a key milestone as the company transitions the operation from redevelopment into ongoing underground production.
Transitioning from redevelopment to production
The initial stope blast follows an extensive rehabilitation program and the installation of updated infrastructure meant to support a full mining restart. Company officials said the work positions the site to move toward commercial production by the end of 2026.
Bunker Hill Mining is advancing further stope development with the goal of increasing underground mining rates. The company has set an operational target of reaching an underground mining rate of 1,800 tonnes per day as it ramps up activities.
Underground methods and environmental approach
The project uses transverse longhole stoping, a mining method that employs a primary-secondary sequence to extract ore. After ore is removed, the company fills the emptied stopes using a paste backfill system. That system mixes processed mill tailings produced by a recently launched filter press with cement; the resulting paste is transported back underground to fill excavated areas.
Company materials say the paste backfill maintains mine stability, enables safe removal of secondary stopes and allows operations to proceed without constructing a new surface tailings facility. Bunker Hill Mining framed this approach as a way to limit the operation’s environmental footprint in line with the company’s corporate objectives.
Safety record and workforce
Along with operational milestones, the company highlighted its safety performance. Bunker Hill Mining reported its workforce has completed four consecutive years without a lost-time incident and one full year without a recordable safety incident at the mine.
"These are significant achievements for Bunker Hill and, most importantly, for our people. "Four years without a lost-time incident demonstrates the strength of our team and their commitm
The company said its safety program focuses on early identification of risk, addressing hazards and continuous improvement, supported by protocols and processes aligned with current industry standards.
What comes next
Bunker Hill Mining said it will continue stope development and progressively increase underground mining rates while optimizing processing circuits to reach the production levels outlined in its mine plan. The firm intends to balance operational ramp-up with ongoing safety and environmental measures.
- Milestone completed: first production stope blast at Bunker Hill Mine.
- Commercial target: operations aiming for commercial production by the end of 2026.
- Production goal: reach 1,800 tonnes per day underground.
- Environmental practice: paste backfill using filtered tailings to avoid a surface tailings facility.
- Safety: four years without a lost-time incident; one year without a recordable incident.
The company’s announcement focused on technical and safety accomplishments rather than specific employment or economic projections. The mine’s progress will be watched by local communities and industry observers interested in employment, revenue and environmental management tied to the restart.
| Metric | Company Target / Status |
|---|---|
| First production stope blast | Completed |
| Commercial production target | By end of 2026 |
| Underground mining rate goal | 1,800 t/day |
| Safety record | 4 years no lost-time incidents; 1 year no recordable incidents |
Local leaders and stakeholders typically follow milestones at legacy sites such as Bunker Hill closely because restarts can affect regional employment, supply chains and reclamation responsibilities. The company’s emphasis on backfilling and using filtered tailings addresses one of the central concerns for communities near hard-rock mining operations: managing tailings safely while limiting surface disturbance.
As the operation moves into expanded stope development and higher throughput, regulators and community members will likely continue to monitor environmental safeguards and safety practices. Bunker Hill Mining has signaled its intention to proceed incrementally, increasing rates and refining processing circuits as it works toward the stated production targets.
Further updates on production rates, workforce size and permitting or reclamation milestones are expected as the mine advances from initial production blasts to sustained underground operations over the coming months and years.
— Bethany Lund, WE NEWS
