Just after Christmas, the Joint Environmental Review Panel announced the extension of the review process on the proposed Kemess North Mine.

The delay, says Northgate Minerals Harold Bent, means there will be no final decision on the proposed mine until late August or early September. Not only are there concerns the company could lose an opportunity to reap the benefits of positive metal pricing, Brent told the audience at last week’s Resource Forum it also means the loss of a construction season and the potential loss of employees.

“We had hoped that Kemess North would be coming on stream, as the existing Kemess mine closed up in 2009, but even if Kemess North is approved, there is no way we can have that overlap now.”

Instead, there would be a gap.

Bent says that means the gap could be disastrous for the 475 who are currently working for Kemess. “These are highly trained people and they have families, they have mortgages, they would have no way of knowing how long that employment gap will last and will have to do whatever they have to do in order to look after themselves and their families.” Brent says many will likely leave the area, and that will cause extra problems if Kemess North is given the green light as recruiting and training employees is very difficult given the current labour shortage.

While he supports the steps that must be followed before a mine can open, he says the entire process takes too long “We have been in this process for a full four years now. I can tell you, I can see where at least 18 months have been lost because of process.”

Kemess North would extend the life of the mine until 2020. The two main issues raised in the review have been the proposed use of Duncan Lake as a tailings pond, and the consultation process with First Nations.