Interview with Paul Ténière, CEO, Lafleur Minerals
Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/lafleur-minerals-cselflr-swanson-expansion-targets-500k1m-oz-resource-in-quebec-gold-camp-8112
Recording date: 28th October 2025
Lafleur Minerals is positioning itself for gold production within 12 months through the strategic integration of its Swanson deposit with the fully-owned Beacon Gold Mill in Quebec. CEO Paul Ténière outlined the company's comprehensive development plan during a detailed discussion, emphasizing how existing infrastructure and historical data are being leveraged to accelerate the path to production.
The company is targeting completion of a preliminary economic assessment by December 2025, though Ténière noted the study approaches prefeasibility-level detail despite its PEA classification for regulatory purposes. "It's kind of misleading in a way to call it a PEA. We're calling it a PEA level only because really we're moving into a PFS level," he explained. The scope includes comprehensive work by ERM consultants covering pit design, metallurgical testing, ore sorting evaluation through SRC in Saskatchewan, and a mineral resource update incorporating twin holes at Swanson.
The Beacon Gold Mill, which operated until 18 months ago under previous ownership by Monarch Mining, provides Lafleur with detailed operating cost data rarely available to development-stage companies. A dedicated team of engineers is already mobilized at the site, with initial maintenance and repairs estimated at $2-6 million. The restart strategy includes processing 5,000 tons of existing stockpile to validate equipment performance before Swanson material arrives in early 2026.
Swanson's location on an existing mining lease 45-50 kilometers from Beacon significantly streamlines the permitting pathway. The company needs only to submit an updated mine plan and environmental closure plan to Quebec authorities, a process Ténière indicated "can be done in a matter of months" rather than years. The initial development phase envisions an 80,000-100,000 ton bulk sample that represents the first phase of mining, serving to validate metallurgical projections while generating early cash flow.
Beyond the initial open-pit scenario, Lafleur has identified multiple expansion pathways including underground resources at Swanson showing higher grades at depth, potential mill expansion to 3,000 tons per day, and custom milling opportunities for regional deposits.
Learn more: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/lafleur-minerals
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