Equinox Gold Corp (TSE: EQX) (NYSEAMERICAN: EQX) (FRA: 1LRC) announced that its Castle Mountain Mine Phase Two Project in California has entered the U.S. Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council’s FAST-41 program.
Announced on Monday, the federal framework streamlines environmental reviews, improves interagency coordination, and increases transparency. Acceptance is expected to create a defined permitting schedule, potentially shortening approval timelines.
According to the FAST-41 project dashboard, the permitting process should conclude in December 2026.
CEO Darren Hall described Castle Mountain as a high quality growth opportunity in a tier one jurisdiction. He noted that the March 2021 Feasibility Study projects 200,000 ounces of gold production annually over 14 years, totalling 3.2 million ounces. Furthermore, Hall stated that FAST-41 status allows the company to update studies and optimize plans.
Equinox Gold intends to align project readiness with the permitting schedule. Once operational, Castle Mountain should serve as a cornerstone asset. It will support the company’s strategy of building a portfolio of long life, low cost mines in top tier jurisdictions.
Castle Mountain sits in San Bernardino County, about 200 miles north of Equinox Gold’s Mesquite Mine. The company acquired the property in December 2017. From late 2020 to the third quarter of 2024, it operated a small open pit heap leach mine. Additionally, the site is currently undergoing releaching while permitting, engineering, and optimization efforts advance.
The project will operate within the existing mine boundary. However, modifications are required to the approved Mine and Reclamation Plan. Changes to previously assessed effects, such as increased land disturbance and water use, also trigger an updated Environmental Impact Statement and Environmental Impact Report.
Read more: NevGold closes its Nutmeg Mountain acquisition with Goldmining for $3 million
Read more: NevGold’s long intervals of antimony & gold mineralization turn heads
FAST-41 started in 2015
Furthermore, the company believes these steps will position Castle Mountain for a timely construction decision. Accordingly, the company is targeting a smooth transition from permitting to full scale operations. In addition, the project’s scale and longevity could provide significant economic benefits to the region.
The FAST-41 program launched in 2015 to speed federal permitting.
It standardizes timelines and improves transparency under government coordination. In addition, FAST-41 sets binding schedules and ensures interagency collaboration. Typically, agencies select projects that involve major infrastructure changes, high public priority, or large economic impact. Therefore, many selected projects include energy transmission lines, highways, pipelines, and renewable energy developments—not only mining ventures.
Furthermore, companies pursuing large scale infrastructure often apply because the program promises regulatory certainty. Also, agencies tend to choose projects that face complex environmental reviews or have multi jurisdictional involvement.
However, mining proposals with broad ecosystem or regulatory complexity may also qualify. Additionally, FAST-41’s track record shows success in cutting average permitting times by months or even years. The program helps match project timelines with investor expectations and reduces regulatory risk.
Many explorers now shift from gold to critical minerals like antimony or rare earths in hopes of attracting government attention. In addition, these metals support green energy and national security needs.
For example, NevGold Corp (CVE: NAU) (OTCMKTS: NAUFF) (FRA: 5E50) recently shifted focus toward antimony, aiming at sources vital for batteries and flame retardants.
Furthermore, the pivot reflects rising demand and stronger prices in critical mineral markets. Also, companies like NevGold aim to rebrand assets from low margin gold deposits to high value strategic minerals. Accordingly, this strategy attracts investors interested in future facing commodity sectors.
.
NevGold Corp is a sponsor of Mugglehead news coverage
.
