Kitikmeot (Mar 07/05) - Clark Builders, the primary contractor building Tahera's Jericho mine, has people on site hoping to break ground by mid-April.

Clark's part of the contract will amount to an approximately $30 million pay-out with overall capital costs of the Jericho mine totalling $76.5 million by 2011 Tahera estimates.

With four Clark workers at the exploration camp handling logistical issues as supplies and gear arrive via the ice road, the Jericho construction manager for Clark Builders, Mike McMullen, said he expects his crew will number eight to 10 in mid-April when it's time to start pouring concrete.

With other contractors involved in the overall project - such as Nuna Logistics which is overseeing construction of the 100-room permanent camp among other things - he said there will be a total of about 40-50 workers at the mine by then.

"Clark's force at its peak will be between 120 and 125 men," said McMullen.

"Once we get enough concrete poured and steel going up then we'll be double-shifting and going 24/7."

The plan right now is for that busiest time to fall from September to November.

By the time the worst of the winter hits, crews will have the three main buildings - the processing plant, maintenance shop and emulsion plant - closed in and will be wrapping things up inside.

With approximately 350 loads of construction gear destined for Jericho and about a month left to get it there, however, McMullen said the project has tight timelines that could be in trouble if the ice road is subjected to a warmer than normal March.

"Everything about this project is aggressive," he said. Coming through the regulatory process has been stressful, said Greg Missal, vice-president of government and regulatory affairs with Tahera. While he and his co-workers are excited to move in the construction phase, he said now is no time to stop and celebrate.

"Certainly the modular trailer system that is going to make up the camp will come together very quickly," he said.

After four days to set-up the Shanco trailers - a design McMullen said is very similar to an Atco model - he said it will take about five weeks to do the "fit-out." This includes, among other things, putting in drop ceilings, plumbing and electrical wiring.

"A lot of people didn't think this mine was ever going to happen," said Missal. "Now that it is, there's a lot of excitement."