Kemess Hearings Underway

By 250 News

    
Peter MacPhail of Northgate Explorations says the Kemess mine will shut down in 2009 if they are unable to receive a go ahead for the development of Kemess North at their site.

Speaking to the opening session of the Kemess North Copper-Gold Project environment review today in Prince George, the company said the new mine will operate until the year 2022, but can only operate profitably if they are allowed to put their tailings into Duncan (Amazay)Lake.

The company proposes three dams to store tailings from the new mine. The Panel hearing the matter is comprised of Carol Jones, Chairperson, along with Dr. Malcolm Scoble of UBC, and Mark Duiver. The hearings are expected to last this week in Prince George and then move to Smithers in late November.

Chief John French of the Takla Band took part in the openeing ceremonies,  but will not appear before the Commission.  He called on the Board to consider that no funding agreement is in place with the First Nations, nor has any separate consultation taken place. Northgate he said is not looking at any options for the project other than to destroy Duncan Lake. "I welcome you" he said "but I am not happy with what you bring."

"Everything that we take from Mother Nature we put back." said Chief French., "In ten years the mine will be gone and then the jobs will be gone along with Duncan Lake."  Chief French says there be no net gain "That is when the Government will be called upon to fix the problems of the lake and they will need to spend all the money that they received from the project. These hearings should be suspended until the land claims issue has been settled."

Northgate says that of the 475 people that work there, 51 are First Nations, 30 from the immediate area.  An additional 19 FIrst Nations' peiople work for contractors doing work at the mine.

Northgate says the company at present has a payroll of 27 million and there are 125 jobs from contractors working at the site and the spin off from the mine accounts for a further 950 jobs.

Both the Provincial and Federal environment specialists will be appearing before the hearings, which will include presentations from not only the City of Prince George, Chamber of Commerce but also industry in the region.

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