Council Offers Conditional Support for Mt. Milligan
By 250 News
Tuesday, June 16, 2009 03:59 AM
Prince George, B.C.- The public comment period for the Mount Milligan mine project will soon come to a close.
Speaking on behalf of the project, Glen Wonders advised Prince George City Council that the Mount Milligan copper /gold mine project (155km north west of Prince George) would create 700 construction jobs and a further 400 jobs on site when the mine is operational through the 15 years of the life of the mine.
While the mine already has environmental assessment approval from the provincial government, the Federal process is underway now.
The plan under consideration now reduces the footprint of the mine by nearly a third (29%). Key environmental points presented to Council were:
- no surface water discharge until well into the closure period due to extensive water recycling so streams are protected.
- comprehensive environmental assessment, including an innovative sustainability assessment beyond regulatory requirements
- integrated waste rock and tailings management that allows closure without water treatment
The project is into the public comment stage, which runs until the 23rd of this month.
Wonders says the mine is on the treaty land of the McLeod Lake band, and discussions have been going on with others who are claiming title to that land. Wonders says establishing rights and title is not his job, "I can only guarantee that the door is open for discussion."
At this point, Terrane Metals expects that if the Federal environmental assessment is positive, the construction permits will be in place late this fall, with site construction to start next summer, and production to start in late 2012.
City Council will send a letter of support for the project pending approval of the Federal Environmental Assessment process.
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Posted by: winnie on June 16 2009 7:14 AM
It will be interesting to see what the results coming from the federal government will be.
It's all about attitude!
Provincial approval has been granted which was a very important step in the permit process and now we see if the federal government is in touch with economic realitys.
We need this mine and we need the jobs.
Having followed this process right from the begining,I can see no good reason for the federal government not to grant the final enviromental permit and let Terrane get on with it.
Mining is a viable industry and it is long past the time when it was given the respect it deserves.
We need the jobs and to ignore mining as has been done for so long here in B.C.is nothing short of economic stupidity.
I wonder if loggers will make good miners?