Western Copper and Gold
Western Copper and Gold is a Vancouver-based, pre-production mining company solely advancing the Casino copper-gold project in Yukon, Canada, projected to produce 353 Mlbs CuEq and 1.1Moz AuEq annually over a 27-year mine life.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersVancouver, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Western Copper and Gold does
Western Copper and Gold Corporation is a development-stage mining company headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, focused solely on advancing its flagship Casino Project in Yukon, Canada. Founded in 2006 and listed on the TSX and NYSE American under the ticker WRN, the company is a single-asset operator pursuing one of Canada's largest proposed copper-gold mines. The company currently generates no revenue and is in the permitting and pre-production phase, with an Environmental and Socio-economic Effects Statement (ESE Statement) submitted to the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board (YESAB) in October 2025 marking the most advanced regulatory milestone in the project's history. New technical leadership was appointed in January 2026 (Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Technical), and Mark E. Smith joined the board in November 2025, signalling the company's transition from explorer to developer.
The Casino Project is designed as a conventional open-pit operation with 120,000 tpd mill throughput using gravity and flotation concentration, supplemented by a 25,000 tpd heap leach facility for oxide ore. Per the 2022 Feasibility Study, the project carries a 27-year mine life with average annual production of 353 Mlbs copper equivalent and 1.1Moz gold equivalent. Distinguishing technical attributes include an industry-low 0.43:1 strip ratio, ultra-low C1 cash costs of $(0.80)/lb Cu net of by-product credits (gold, molybdenum, silver), and a higher-grade Core Zone that supports a 3.3-year payback period. Capital intensity is high, with an estimated C$3.62 billion in pre-production capital required under the feasibility base case.
Western Copper and Gold's business model centres on developing the Casino Project to produce copper, gold, molybdenum, and silver, with future output to be sold to smelters, refineries, and commodity traders globally through offtake agreements and spot sales. The company generates no current revenue and funds operations through equity financings, including a C$92 million bought deal in February 2026 and strategic investments from Rio Tinto (7.84% stake, C$25.6M, May 2021) and Mitsubishi Materials (~5% stake, C$21.3M, April 2023; rights agreement extended to November 2028). Go-to-market activity is investor-relations-led, relying on industry conferences such as PDAC, roadshows, regulatory filings on SEDAR+/EDGAR, and partnerships with First Nations communities (notably a C$75,000 community nutrition contribution with Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation in late 2025). Projected economics upon production include C$517 million in annual after-tax cash flow, a C$44 billion contribution to Canada's GDP over the mine's life, and 700 direct plus 2,000 indirect jobs.
Western Copper and Gold firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Western Copper and Gold
- Legal name
- Western Copper and Gold Corporation
- Website
- https://westerncopperandgold.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Western Copper and Gold is a Vancouver-based, pre-production mining company solely advancing the Casino copper-gold project in Yukon, Canada, projected to produce 353 Mlbs CuEq and 1.1Moz AuEq annually over a 27-year mine life.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Western Copper and Gold industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Copper-Gold Mining
- NAICS
- Copper, Nickel, Lead, and Zinc Mining (212230), Gold Ore and Silver Ore Mining (212220)
- SIC
- Metal Mining (1000), Miscellaneous Metal Ores (1090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Copper Exploration & Resource Development (IMAKADAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Copper Ore Mining (Open-Pit & Underground) (IMAKADAB), Copper By-Products Recovery (Molybdenum, Gold/Silver, Sulfuric Acid) (IMAKADAH), Gold Mining (IMAKAEAA)
Keywords
Where Western Copper and Gold is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Vancouver
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Western Copper and Gold business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Copper Production: Primary revenue driver from copper cathode/production; projected to rank as Canada's second-largest copper producer, increasing domestic production by 15%; average annual production of 164 Mlbs copper at C1 cash costs of $(0.80)/lb net of by-product credits
- Gold Production: Significant by-product revenue from gold doré; average annual production of 259 Koz gold; gold constitutes 36% of projected revenue mix
- Molybdenum and Silver: Secondary by-products from concentrate production; 15 Mlbs annual molybdenum production (500% increase to Canada's production) and 1,392 Koz silver annually
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Western Copper and Gold product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Western Copper and Gold is developing the Casino Project, a large-scale, advanced-stage open-pit copper-gold mining operation in Yukon, Canada. The project is designed to produce copper, gold, molybdenum, and silver concentrates over a 27-year mine life using a 120,000 tpd mill and a 25,000 tpd heap leach facility. The company is currently in the environmental assessment and permitting stage, with the ESE Statement submitted to YESAB in October 2025.
Product overview
Western Copper and Gold Corporation is a single-project mining company focused on developing the Casino Project, Canada's premier copper-gold mine in the Yukon Territory. The company operates as a development-stage entity with one flagship project that encompasses both a conventional mill processing facility (120,000 tpd) and a heap leach operation (25,000 tpd). The Casino Project is designed to produce copper, gold, molybdenum, and silver over a 27-year mine life, with the mill processing the bulk of the ore and the heap leach targeting oxide mineralization.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Casino Project: Large-scale copper-gold mining project located in Yukon, Canada. One of Canada's largest proposed copper-gold mines designed to responsibly supply critical minerals.
Products and services
- Casino Project A large-scale, advanced-stage copper-gold mining project in Yukon, Canada, designed as an open-pit mine with a 27-year mine life. The project will deploy a 120,000 tpd mill (gravity and flotation) and a 25,000 tpd heap leach facility to produce copper, gold, molybdenum, and silver concentrates for sale to smelters, refineries, and commodity traders. Average annual production is projected at 353 Mlbs CuEq (1.1 Moz AuEq) with a 3.3-year payback period and C1 cash costs of $(0.80)/lb Cu net of by-product credits.
Quantifiable outcome
- 27-year mine life with 3.3-year payback period
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Western Copper and Gold
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Western Copper and Gold technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Western Copper and Gold partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Little Salmon Carmacks First NationcoreCommunity partnership agreement contributing C$75,000 to support school and daycare nutrition programs in Carmacks for the 2025/26 school year. Partnership aims to offset costs amid federal funding disruptions affecting community programs in Yukon. Represents ongoing collaboration with affected First Nations as part of the Casino Project development.
- Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board (YESAB)coreRegulatory partnership through the YESAA (Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Act) process. ESE Statement submitted October 2025 initiating formal Panel Review process. Government of Yukon announced restructuring of Mineral Resources Branch on March 2, 2026 to improve coordination and reduce permitting delays for major mine projects.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Western Copper and Gold competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hudbay Minerals: Canadian mid-tier copper-gold producer-developer with operations and development projects in Canada and Latin America. Comparable as a publicly-listed Canadian copper-gold-focused miner advancing projects through permitting and construction phases.
- Taseko Mines: Canadian copper-gold developer-operator with the producing Gibraltar mine in BC and the development-stage Florence Copper project in Arizona. Closely comparable size, commodity focus, and development-stage pipeline profile to Western Copper and Gold.
- Imperial Metals: Canadian copper-gold producer with the Red Chris mine in BC and Mount Polley in BC. Similar commodity mix (copper-gold with by-products), Canadian-listed mid-cap developer-operator profile, and British Columbia headquarters.
- Capstone Copper: Copper-focused mid-cap producer with operations in Canada, Mexico, and Chile. Comparable as a publicly-traded copper developer-producer with growth pipeline from development-stage assets into production, sharing commodity focus and Canadian listing.
- Copper Mountain Mining: Canadian copper-gold producer operating the Copper Mountain mine in BC. Comparable commodity focus (copper-gold), British Columbia operating jurisdiction, mid-cap size profile, and exposure to development-stage growth projects.
Emerging players
- NGEx Minerals: Canadian copper-gold explorer-developer focused on advanced-stage porphyry copper-gold projects in South America. Comparable as a development-stage copper-gold company with single-asset focus and similar resource-stage profile, though with different geographic exposure.
- Solaris Resources: Copper-gold development company advancing the Warintza project in Ecuador. Comparable as a development-stage copper-gold company backed by major mining strategic investors, with similar single-asset pre-construction profile and financing-driven development path.
- Foran Mining: Canadian base-metals developer advancing the McIlvenna Bay copper-zinc-gold project in Saskatchewan. Comparable as a Canadian-listed pre-construction developer with a single flagship asset progressing through permitting toward a construction decision.
- Northern Dynasty Minerals: Developer of the Pebble copper-gold-molybdenum project in Alaska. Highly comparable commodity mix (copper-gold-molybdenum porphyry), North American geographic exposure, and large-scale pre-production development-stage profile, though with different permitting dynamics.
Broad incumbents
- New Gold: Canadian intermediate copper-gold producer with operating Rainy River and New Afton mines. Comparable commodity mix and Canadian listing, but broader portfolio of producing assets provides cash flow diversification Western Copper and Gold lacks.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Western Copper and Gold social profiles
Digital presenceWestern Copper and Gold financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Western Copper and Gold leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Western Copper and Gold subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Western Copper and Gold funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds15 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Western Copper and Gold M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Western Copper and Gold
What does Western Copper and Gold do?
Western Copper and Gold is developing the Casino Project, a large-scale, advanced-stage open-pit copper-gold mining operation in Yukon, Canada. The project is designed to produce copper, gold, molybdenum, and silver concentrates over a 27-year mine life using a 120,000 tpd mill and a 25,000 tpd heap leach facility. The company is currently in the environmental assessment and permitting stage, with the ESE Statement submitted to YESAB in October 2025.
Is Western Copper and Gold a public or private company?
Western Copper and Gold is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Western Copper and Gold founded?
Western Copper and Gold was founded in 2006. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Western Copper and Gold based?
Western Copper and Gold is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Western Copper and Gold make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Copper Production is the primary driver. The others are gold Production and molybdenum and Silver.
Who are Western Copper and Gold's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hudbay Minerals, Taseko Mines, Imperial Metals, Capstone Copper and Copper Mountain Mining. Emerging players are NGEx Minerals, Solaris Resources, Foran Mining and Northern Dynasty Minerals. New Gold is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Western Copper and Gold have an API?
No public API is recorded for Western Copper and Gold.
What industry is Western Copper and Gold in?
Western Copper and Gold's product category is Copper-Gold Mining. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAKADAA, Copper Exploration & Resource Development, with a secondary code of IMAKADAB, Copper Ore Mining (Open-Pit & Underground). Its NAICS code is 212230 and its SIC code is 1000.