Gold exploration at Joutel began in 1962, with the first intercepts discovered between 1962 and 1964 through drill testing of magnetic and electromagnetic anomalies. The Eagle-Telbel mining camp, which operated from 1974 to 1993, produced 1.1 million ounces of gold at an average grade of 6.5 g/t Au (Plate 1). Mining at Telbel focused on a single zone between the 600- and 1,000-metre levels, accessed via a drift from the Eagle Mine at approximately 750 metres.

Following the mine’s closure in 1993, work at Joutel shifted to reclamation. For decades, historical drill and stope data remained in paper format until a major digitization effort in 2021 transformed these records into a modern 3D geological model, paving the way for new exploration targeting.

Plate 1: Eagle-Telbel Mine Complex