Mine EA now open for public review
By Rick Playfair - Caledonia Courier
Published: September 10, 2008 10:00 AM
The environmental assessment application filed by Terrane Metals for the Mt. Milligan/Shus Nadloh mine project has been accepted for review by the British Columbia Environmental Assessment Office.
The 9,000-page document was formed over the last two years. During that time there was consultation with First Nations as well as other government agencies.
The British Columbia Environmental Assessment Office accepted the application that was submitted on July 16, and it is now open to the public review, which lasts for a 180-day period.
“Acceptance of the application is another significant milestone for Mt. Milligan,” Robert Pease, President and CEO of Terrane said. “This important document underpins our commitment to long term environmental stewardship and sustainable growth within the project region. We look forward to the active participation of all interested parties in the review process.”
Terrane recently completed a two-year $20 million feasibility study report on Mt. Milligan that forecast average annual production for the first six years of a 15-year mine life at 265,100 ounces of gold and 97 million pounds of copper.
The project is on schedule and budget, according to Pease.
Detailed engineering design and procurement of long lead-time capital equipment programs are now underway.
Once in production, the project will directly employ approximately 400 people and inject roughly $85 million annually into a regional economy currently hard hit by a severe downturn in the forest industry.
Prince George-Omineca MLA John Rustad said that it is a very important milestone for Fort St. James.
“I am a huge supporter of this project,” Rustad said. “I am doing everything that I can to make sure that this project goes forward and there are some concerns that need to be worked out with First Nations but I am very confident that in the next few months we will see the mine get the environmental certificate.”
Rustad acknowledged that the community has been going through a very tough time, but sees the potential that the project offers the town.
“Fort St. James has gone through an extremely tough period, that is why I have been out in the community as much as I can and do what I can to make sure that our government pays as much concern to Fort St. James,” Rustad said.
“This is a mine that could have been given significant benefits to Fort St. James for many years, but it was mismanaged by the NDP,” Rustad said. “The NDP are touting that they would be good for the community, and I can say this that from the NDP’s record during the 90s I can’t remember any project that went through the community and the one thing that could have could have gone is the mine.
“We are going to do whatever we can to get this mine up and running and it will have benefits for the community.”
