Kitsault Mine Approved
Kitsault, B.C. – The Kitsault Molybdenum mine project has received a conditional environmental assessment certificate, but there may be another hurdle to clear.
The Nisga’a Nation has filed a Notice of Disagreement with the provincial and federal governments under the Nisga’a Final Agreement concerning the environmental assessment of the Kitsault Mine project. The Province says it is satisfied that it can engage, in good faith, in the dispute resolution stages and meaningfully address any outstanding issues.
Avanti Kitsault Mine project is an open pit molybdenum mine, at the head of Alice Arm, approximately 140 kilometres north of Prince Rupert.
The B.C. Environmental Assessment Office said the project is not expected to result in any significant adverse effects based on the mitigation measures and the conditions attached to the certificate.
Conditions include:
* Water quality must meet BC Water Quality Guidelines or approved Site Specific Water Quality Objectives for mine contaminants.
* Develop and implement Aquatic Effects and Marine Environment Monitoring Programs.
* Develop and implement a Wildlife Corridor Management Plan.
* Provide $100,000 in annual funding to support recovery of the Nass moose population and the Northwest Assessment and Monitoring Trust.
* Develop and implement a Geographical Response Plan for spills and a plan describing appropriate forms of barrier protection along areas of the transportation route, which have bodies of water at risk from spills and hazardous materials.
* Collaborate on water, air and noise monitoring plans and protocols for sharing monitoring information and emergency plans and develop a communications Memorandum of Understanding with Kitsault Resorts Ltd. including protocols for sharing information related to road use, monitoring information and emergency plans.
* Complete management and mitigation plans (Social and Cultural Management, Recruitment, Training and Employment, Business Capacity, Economic Closure, and Communication) in consultation with Nisga’a Lisims Government.
The mine is expected to produce 40,000 to 50,000 tonnes of ore per day cost about $836 million in capital construction costs, and have annual operating costs of about $120 million per year.
Comments
As usual the Indians aren’t happy they aren’t getting enough money from the white man and as usual throwing a monkey wrench into the works and crying over a typing they can to squeeze more money out of government and big business
Compensation for the use of their land is sometimes an issue, but native objections to such projects are mostly environmental in nature. That is the case, for example, with the objections to the Northern Gateway Project, with the objections to the proposed natural gas pipeline, and with the objections to the Prosperity Mine at Fish Lake in the Chilcotin.
“money from the white man”….you’ve been watching too many westerns obviously.
I find it interesting that our First Nations state that they are concerned about the environment, yet many of their territories seem to be more littered than the rest of the province. Also, some of the environmental standards that exist on crown land seem to be ignored on some reserves that I have travelled through.
How can you claim to be the stewards of Mother Earth on one hand and yet have so little regard for the environment on the other?
Hart guy that has been my observation also. First nations I call early Asian immigrants. Hey its all about money from NGO’s. Those big so-called rich environmental groups from outside our country trying to subvert our elected government. People should be concerned whether one agrees with the present government or not.
Comments for this article are closed.