Huckleberry Mine Plans Shutdown
Houston, B.C. – More bad news for workers at Huckleberry Mines Ltd. (HML) near Houston.
Imperial Metals has announced that operations will be suspended once stockpiles of ore are processed.
The company expects the stockpiles will be processed by the end of August, 2016 and will result in 160 job losses.
“The continuing low copper price has forced HML to make this difficult decision despite HML and its employees having made significant strides in reducing operating costs at the Mine,” reads a statement on the mine’s website.
“HML will continue to investigate ways to maintain operations, including consideration of the plan announced today (Friday) by Minister of Energy and Mines Bill Bennett that will allow mining companies to temporarily defer a portion of their hydro bills.”
The announcement comes one month after 100 workers were laid off after the suspension of the mine’s open pit operations.
Smithers Mayor Taylor Bachrach told 250News in January it’s not the kind of news he likes to hear but admitted it comes part and parcel with living in a resource dependent community.
“Well we had heard rumours coming for some time but I don’t think that makes it any less disappointing,” he told 250News.
“It’s not the kind of news that anyone wants to hear but it is a reality though, living in a resource economy, things go up and things go down and so some pretty challenging conditions right now with copper prices and we’re just going to have to wait to see if things improve.”
Comments
crusty has a plan…..
Mr. Coombs. We get that you’re a rabid NDP supporter and disapprove of our current government but to make a gratuitous comment like that makes you sound like a complete d-bag. 160 people are losing their jobs, on top of the 100 that have already been let go, because of world commodity prices that have absolutely nothing to do with our provincial government. Why don’t you walk up to one of the millwrights, electricians, technicians, etc. that will be losing their jobs and make one of your ridiculous rants about Premier Clark. Think anyone will give a sh*t about your politics then?
Better yet, tell us how you would singlehandedly raise the international price of copper concentrate.
And that coming from a guy that says ‘I grow POT’ as his occupation on his Facebook page. Tell that to the millwrights, electricians and technicians and other people that work for an honest living Mr. Coombs.
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