The Carmacks bypass is expected to be completed in 2024 and will allow industrial vehicles to bypass Carmacks, reducing heavy traffic, improving community safety and improving access to mineral exploration and development activities in the area, in what Western's CEO Paul West-Sells said "is an important step to advancing the Casino project."

Rio Tinto has joined Western Copper and Gold to drive forward the Yukon development where a preliminary economic assessment earlier this year outlined annual production of 178 million pounds of copper, 231,000 ounces of gold, 1.36 million ounces of silver and 16.6Mlb of molybdenum for 25 years with pre-production capital of C$3.25 billion.

Shares in Western Copper & Gold are trading at C$1.91, valuing the company at $288 million.