Exploration activities at several Canadian project sites are winding down, as companies respond to the global coronavirus pandemic and do their part to help “flatten the curve” of the fast-spreading virus.

With efforts to completely contain Covid-19, which has infected more than 200 000 people globally, having failed, the focus is now on slowing the virus' spread so that fewer people need to seek medical treatment at any given time.

At least four exploration companies have announced that they have suspended drilling in Canada, including Bonterra Resources, HighGold Mining, Sabina Gold and Silver and Marathon Gold.

On Wednesday, Quebec gold explorer Bonterra announced that it had suspended all drilling at the Gladiator, Barry, and Moroy projects and preparations for the bulk sample at Moroy. Effective immediately, all three camps and the Val-d'Or office would be limited to security and care-and-maintenance staff. This suspension would be effective for a minimum of three weeks. Its exploration team would work from home.

“The seriousness of the global pandemic is evolving daily. The company will continue to monitor the situation in the Community and will only lift this suspension and resume regular exploration activities when there are clear indications that our employees are able to return to work in a safe environment,” said Bonterra.

HighGold Mining, which is exploring in the Timmins area of Ontario, has also suspended its winter drill programme. The company noted that 12 drill holes for 2 524 m of diamond drilling had been completed out of a planned 5 000-m programme.

“It is HighGold's intention to restart operations and complete the remainder of the planned drill meters later this year when appropriate to do so. The proximity of the drilling operations to Timmins area logistics help mitigate the costs of shutdown and re-mobilisation.”

HighGold president and CEO Darwin Green said that the company was in a strong financial position with C$12-million in cash, no debt, and low overheads.

“We believe the fundamentals for gold to be positive over the next 12 to 24 months and HighGold, with its combination of quality gold assets and healthy treasury, will be well positioned when markets emerge from the current global crisis."

Sabina Gold and Silver has not only sent its corporate office employees home to work from there, but has also deferred the spring drilling programme at its Goose site on the Back River gold project, in Nunavut, until later this year.

The Goose site is accessible by air only. Sabina said it had determined that, if an employee or contractor on site presented with symptoms, it would be difficult in a camp environment to properly isolate individuals or provide the best health care possible given the current situation.

“Out of an abundance of caution, we have decided to defer our drilling programme and de-mobilise the camp staff prior to the commencement of drilling.”

Further, Sabina would decelerate its project development activities. “Delaying project development activities will not create any issues with existing permits or agreements, as we have a great deal of flexibility on the timeline of future development of the Back River gold project,” said CEO Bruce McLeod.

He also noted that the company remained well funded, with C$26.2-million cash and cash equivalents on hand.

Marathon Gold has also closed its exploration camp in Newfoundland about two weeks early for the Spring break.