Geomechanics.io

  • Free Tools
Sign UpLog In
Built byBoxcut Studio

Geomechanics.io

Geomechanics, Streamlined.

© 2026 Geomechanics.io. All rights reserved.

Geomechanics.io

CMRR-ioGEODB-ioHYDROGEO-ioQCDB-ioFree Tools & CalculatorsBlogLatest Industry News

Industries

MiningConstructionTunnelling

Company

Terms of UsePrivacy PolicyLinkedIn
    Projects

    Dakota Gold’s Richmond Hill: step-out drilling and NPV lens for mine planners

    March 18, 2026|

    Reviewed by Tom Sullivan

    Dakota Gold’s Richmond Hill: step-out drilling and NPV lens for mine planners

    First reported on MINING.com

    30 Second Briefing

    New drilling at Dakota Gold’s Richmond Hill oxide heap-leach project in South Dakota has extended mineralisation at least 260 metres north of the current measured and indicated boundary, with step-out hole RH25C-359 cutting 13 metres at 3.14 g/t gold and 10.57 g/t silver from 99 metres depth, open in all directions. Additional intercepts include 6 metres at 2.53 g/t gold from 55 metres in BG-GW-11 and 9 metres at 1.42 g/t gold from 37 metres in BG-GW-13, feeding into a 2026 pre-feasibility and reserve declaration. The project currently hosts 244.7 million measured and indicated tonnes at 0.46 g/t gold and 4.83 g/t silver, underpinning a 28-year mine life and post-tax NPV of $1.6–2.1 billion with a 55–59% IRR and $384 million initial capex.

    Technical Brief

    • 7,565 metres drilled since Jan. 1, nearly half of Dakota Gold’s full-year drilling budget.
    • The exploration campaign includes 109 holes covering 15,481 metres, consisting of a combination of infill, expansion, geotechnical and mine plan drilling.
    • Last year’s drill campaign included 242 holes over 29,524 metres.
    • Richmond Hill sits in the historic Homestake mining district, which has produced more than 40 million oz. gold over its 145-year history.
    • Richmond Hill could produce 2.6 million to 3.9 million oz. of gold over a potential mine life of 28 years, according to an S-K 1300 Initial Assessment report from July.
    • Dakota Gold’s CEO, Robert Quartermain, previously built Pretium Resources and developed the Brucejack mine in British Columbia before agreeing to be bought by Newcrest – now Newmont Mining – for about C$3.5 billion.

    Our Take

    With a projected post-tax NPV of US$1.6–2.1 billion against initial costs of US$384 million, Richmond Hill screens as one of the stronger economic profiles among gold Projects pieces in our database, which is likely to keep Dakota Gold on the radar of larger producers already active in the USA.

    The combination of low-grade bulk-tonnage resources at Richmond Hill (0.46 g/t Au M&I) and the Homestake district’s 40 Moz historic output suggests operators will need to lean heavily on heap-leach efficiency and tight operating cost control to defend margins if gold prices soften.

    Targeting reserves by 2026 and first production in 2029 puts Dakota Gold’s South Dakota asset on a similar development horizon to several other North American gold projects in our coverage, which could intensify competition for engineering contractors and skilled labour in the mid- to late-2020s.

    Geotechnical Software for Modern Teams

    Centralise site data, logs, and lab results with GEODB-io, CMRR-io, and HYDROGEO-io.

    No credit card required.

    • Save and export unlimited calculations
    • Advanced data visualisation
    • Generate professional PDF reports
    • Cloud storage for all your projects

    Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.

    Related Articles

    Buffalo Potash permit at Disley: design, risk and process notes for mine engineers
    Mining
    about 22 hours ago

    Buffalo Potash permit at Disley: design, risk and process notes for mine engineers

    Buffalo Potash has secured Saskatchewan approval to complete construction and operate its Disley initial production module, a 125,000 t/y soluble-grade potash facility 50 km northwest of Regina using a patented horizontal line-drive brine circulation method through parallel horizontal wells. The C$41.5 million module will test selective underground dissolution of potassium chloride with sodium-chloride-saturated brine and supply local agriculture, drilling-fluid markets and potassium-chloride brine for regional oilfields, ahead of planned 500,000 t/y Disley East and West expansions to about 1.13 Mt/y. The permit, which runs to 30 April and excludes future modules, requires groundwater characterisation, air-quality compliance and financial assurance, while the project proceeds without a feasibility study or declared reserves, elevating technical and economic risk.

    Exiro-led takeover of Vale’s Manitoba nickel complex: key points for mine planners
    Mining
    about 22 hours ago

    Exiro-led takeover of Vale’s Manitoba nickel complex: key points for mine planners

    Exiro Minerals, Orion Resource Partners and Canada Growth Fund have acquired an 81.1% stake in Vale’s Thompson nickel operations in northern Manitoba, committing up to US$200 million to sustain and develop the six-decade-old complex. The new vehicle, Exiro Nickel, takes over day-to-day control of two operating underground mines, the adjacent concentrator and exploration ground along the 135 km Thompson Nickel Belt, while Vale Base Metals retains an 18.9% interest. A multi-year offtake agreement keeps Vale buying nickel concentrate from the Thompson mill, providing a defined outlet for future production.

    Mining
    about 22 hours ago

    Moeve–Emerita 100% renewable diesel deal in Spain: decarbonisation notes for mines

    Moeve and Emerita Resources have signed Spain’s first mining-sector agreement to deploy 100% renewable diesel (HVO) at industrial scale, designating Moeve as preferred supplier of this second-generation biofuel. The HVO, derived from waste and residue feedstocks rather than food crops, is claimed to cut lifecycle CO2 emissions by up to 90% compared with conventional diesel. For mine operators, the drop-in fuel compatibility with existing diesel engines offers a near-term route to decarbonise haul trucks and auxiliary fleets without major equipment changes.

    Related Industries & Products

    Mining

    Geotechnical software solutions for mining operations including CMRR analysis, hydrogeological testing, and data management.

    CMRR-io

    Streamline coal mine roof stability assessments with our cloud-based CMRR software featuring automated calculations, multi-scenario analysis, and collaborative workflows.

    HYDROGEO-io

    Comprehensive hydrogeological testing platform for managing, analysing, and reporting on packer tests, lugeon values, and hydraulic conductivity assessments.

    GEODB-io

    Centralised geotechnical data management solution for storing, accessing, and analysing all your site investigation and material testing data.

    AllGeotechnicalInfrastructureHazardsEnvironmental