Download - May 01, 2015
Proudly acknowledges the mining industry and its business partners in our area and throughout B.C.
www.kamloopsthisweek.com M2 FRIDAY, May 1, 2015
Mining Week
New Afton welcomes your feedback Call us at 250.377.2100 or email us at [email protected]
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MINING WEEK 2015
As declared by the Legislature of British Columbia, May 3 to May 9, 2015 is B.C. Mining Week.
According to Venture Kamloops, mining is a $6-billion industry in B.C. and has been a regional eco-nomic strength in Kamloops for decades.
Mining is one of B.C.’s largest and oldest industries and B.C. Mining Week is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the impor-tance of the modern indus-try to British Columbians.
First celebrated 25 years ago in Vancouver, activities are planned across the prov-
ince each year to celebrate B.C. Mining Week.
It has spread to the many communities that want to recognize the contributions of the mining sector.
The B.C. Mining Week committee is chaired by the Mining Association of B.C. and composed of volunteers from a variety of companies, associations and institutions associated with the prov-ince’s mining sector.
Mining dayIn the Tournament
Capital, celebration of the industry culminates with
Mining Day in Kamloops on Saturday, May 9 at the Big Little Science Centre, 655 Holt St., from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The city’s Mining Day is organized by the Kamloops Exploration Group, a non-profit advocacy group sup-porting the mining industry, and the Canadian Institute of Mining.
The annual event is an opportunity for the com-munity to learn more about the mining industry through interactive displays and from the companies that support the industry.
New Gold’s heavy equip-
ment simulator will return and patrons can once again bring rocks to be identified.
Try birdseed mining and learn to gold pan with Yukon Dan. The Kamloops Paddlewheelers Lions Club will be on site cooking ham-burgers and hotdogs for sale.
Business luncheonAdditionally, the annual
Kamloops Mining Week Business Luncheon is set for Thursday, May 7, and hosted by the Kamloops Chamber of Commerce, Venture Kamloops and the Mining
Suppliers of B.C. in col-laboration with the Mining Association of B.C.
They welcome Bryan Cox, vice president of corporate affairs for the association, as the keynote speaker. The luncheon will be held at Thompson Rivers University’s Grand Hall from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Registration is required. For more information, go
online to miningweek.ca.
Mining for MiraclesMining For Miracles,
B.C.’s mining community’s fundraising campaign for
B.C. Children’s Hospital, launched its 2015 campaign by introducing a new fund-ing initiative.
This year, it is dedicated to raising $3 million through the B.C. Children’s Hospital Foundation to support the development of CAUSES Clinic, which will provide diagnostic DNA testing to support the diagnosis of rare genetic diseases in chil-dren who would otherwise require numerous tests or might not be diagnosed at all.
For more information, go online to miningformiracles.ca.
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MINING WEEK 2015
Every day across B.C. people benefit from mining and every year, on average, each British Columbian uses almost 50,000 pounds of mined products.
This vital industry not only provides us with the prod-ucts we need, it supports job creation and improved public services — building communities throughout the province.
Mining provides more high-quality jobs to First Nations people than any other industry and govern-ment shares a portion of revenues from all new major mines with First Nations gov-ernments.
It is critical that First Nations benefit from mining
that takes place in their tradi-tional territory.
Mining is also crucial to the 50 rural communities that rely on it and is critical to B.C.’s current and future eco-nomic success.
One of the best indicators of the industry’s success is the money companies have spent on mineral exploration in B.C.
This past year, our prov-ince saw $338 million in exploration spending, accounting for over 21 per cent of all exploration spend-ing in Canada — in 2001, that figure was less than six per cent.
B.C.’s six operating coal mines, 10 operating metal mines and hundreds of aggre-gate pits and quarries sup-port 30,000 good jobs. Wages in the mining industry are great.
Since June 2011, six new metal mines have opened in B.C. (including Red Chris Gold and Copper Mine that will be fully operational soon), creating over 1,300 jobs.
This record is unmatched
anywhere else in Canada. None of this development
could take place without a regulatory framework that encourages global com-petitiveness and ensures high environmental and safety standards.
Our government recog-nizes the importance of this industry and is determined to continue to strengthen B.C.’s mining sector for the benefit of all British Columbians.
Mining helps pay for our health, education and social services.
That’s why we recently increased the ministry’s bud-get by about $6 million and are in the process of estab-lishing a major mines permit-ting office that will improve
the coordination of major mine permits across govern-ment, add staff to conduct more inspections and permit reviews and improve turn-around times.
To further encourage exploration and future investment in B.C.’s mining industry, this government has also extended the province’s $10-million mining flow-through-share-tax-credit pro-gram, as well as the new mine allowance tax credit.
Let’s all celebrate the ben-efits that come from mining in B.C. by participating in mining week, May 3 to May 9, 2015.
Bill BennettMinister of energy and mines
Mining critical for B.C. communities
“This past year, our province saw $338 million in exploration spend-ing, accounting for over 21 per cent of all exploration spending in Canada — in 2001 that fi gure was less than six per cent.”
BILL BENNETTMinister of energy and mines
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MINING WEEK 2015
On April 14 and 15, the Kamloops Exploration Group hosted its 28th Annual Conference.
The conference theme, “Prospecting to Discoveries,” was a way of paying homage and thanking the prospec-tors who have spent so much of their lives in remote areas seeking the raw materials that make our lives so much easier in our modern world.
This year’s confer-ence saw 412 delegates attend the technical sessions and visit the 80 booths in our trade show.
Considering that mining and explora-tion has been on a downturn for the past couple of years, I was more than pleased and consider it to have been a very successful con-ference.
In addition to the conference, our other main focus is KEG Outreach.
This program has truly blossomed in the past several years and now includes, but is not limited to our public lecture series, ask-a-geologist, geo-caching, school visits and support for school trips, adopt a geolo-gist, junior delegates program, three schol-arships and grants to other organizations.
Our public lecture series is now in its 13th year and continues to be a draw for many in the community.
The series runs from January through April and this year continued with some outstanding speakers
delivering amazing talks on topics ranging from “Understanding Our Ancestors’ Earth; Environments & Biology of the Ice Age Giant” and “The
Yellowstone Hot Spot; One of the World’s Largest Volcanoes” to “Tailings & Tailings Ponds 101: What You Should Know About Tailings,” which, con-
sidering the times, was a timely talk to say the least.
We look forward to providing the public with more of these fas-cinating lectures
next year. On a continuing
basis, the KEG has the honour of awarding scholarships from three funds that we admin-ister.
Once again, several very deserving students were chosen to receive funding from the David Miller Scholarship (Thompson Rivers University), Ken Daughtry Geoscience Award (UBC Okanagan) and Ronald C. Wells Geological Education Fund (which is open to all geoscience students across Canada).
Mining Day (May 9) is fast approaching and we certainly look for-ward to being involved in all the activities once again.
Besides bringing your rocks and miner-als for our geologists to identify, Yukon Dan will be there to instruct all in the proper method of finding the yellow metal!
I wish each and every one of you the best of luck for the coming year.
Colin RussellKEG president
COLIN RUSSELLKEG president and director
KEG celebrates successful conference, lecture series
The Kamloops Exploration Group’s mining convention at The Coast Kamloops Convention Centre.DAVE EAGLES/KTW
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MINING WEEK 2015
SAFETY FIRSTAshcroft Elementary students Kayleb Van Norman (left), Alex Belcourt and Murray Lulu work with teacher assistant Heather Ladoski to compile information about Kendra’s First Aid booth during a visit to the mining convention on April 14 at the Coast Kamloops Convention Centre.
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ROCK SOLIDRELIABILITY
MINING WEEK 2015
Two major infrastrucu-tre projects commissioned at Highland Valley Copper (HVC) in 2014 will increase its mineral recoveries and enhance the long-term sustainability of the mine.
The first project was installation of a new peb-ble crusher system.
The second was a state-of the-art mineral process-ing plant.
HVC will be hosting a public open house on Monday, Aug. 3, where guests will have the oppor-tunity to see the new min-eral processing plant.
HVC is offering public tours three days a week — Tuesday, Thursday and Friday — at 1 p.m. starting May 20 until August 28.
Booking is required for the weekly public tours.
Teck’s HVC is one of the larger open pit cop-per mines in the world in terms of tonnage mined and milled.
It accounts for produc-tion of approximately 1
per cent of the world’s copper in concentrate and 1.3 per cent of the world’s molybdenum. HVC is 97.5 per cent owned by Teck
Resources, Canada’s larg-est diversified resource company, and committed to responsible resource development.
This year marks HVC’s 29th year in operation, producing copper and molybdenum concentrates.
Current mine life is 2027.
However, Teck has ongoing exploration and developments which are contingent on the price of copper, market forecasts and permitting.
The mine currently employs over 1,300 people, who reside primarily in Kamloops, Logan Lake, Merritt, Lower Nicola, Ashcroft and Cache Creek.
Highland Valley Copper maintains it is committed to sustainability and has many environmental and social initiatives.
The operation’s com-prehensive environmental management system has been certified to ISO 14000 Standard, a leading indus-try standard.
In the coming years, HVC plans to continue to enhance its reclamation activities and biodiversity work on reclaimed sites, one being a reclaimed tail-ings pond converted into a first-rate fly fishing habi-
tat, hosting world-class derbies.
It has partnered with the Freshwater Fisheries to conduct research on its aquatic habits and spon-sor Learn to Fish programs for 2015 in the Interior of B.C.
In 2014, HVC sup-ported various charitable organizations with finan-cial and in-kind support including community partnership initiatives in excess of $590,000, including employee-based campaigns to benefit Thompson Nicola Cariboo United Way, BC Children’s Hospital Foundation and Royal Inland Hospital Foundation.
Teck and its opera-tions, including HVC, have developed a com-prehensive sustainability strategy that sets out long-term goals those stretch through to 2030 and short-term 2015 goals that will help it to achieve its vision for sustainability.
Highland Valley Copper in 29th year of operation
Highland Valley Copper invested in two major infrastructure projects in 2014: The installation of a new pebble crusher and a mineral processing plant.
www.kamloopsthisweek.com FRIDAY, May 1, 2015 M9
MINING WEEK 2015
The province recognized mining opera-tions in B.C. for their health and safety accomplishments during the 53rd annual Mine Safety Awards banquet in Victoria in March.
The awards were presented to mines and quarries operating in B.C. that had the lowest injury-frequency-rate during the previous calendar year.
The companies acknowledged are lead-ers in workplace safety in an industry that is critical to B.C.’s diverse, strong and grow-ing economy.
New Gold Inc.’s New Afton mine in Kamloops and Copper Mountain Mining Corporations’ Copper Mountain mine, two of the five new mines that have opened in B.C. since the start of the BC Jobs Plan, both received awards for the lowest injury-frequency-rate.
This past year saw a decrease in the total estimated injury rate at mines in B.C. as well as a decrease in the number of days lost to injury.
“Worker safety is always top of our minds and the ministry health and safety team strives for high safety standards at all B.C. mines,” said Al Hoffman, B.C. chief inspector of mines.
“I’d like to thank all of the inspectors, mine management workers and unions for their commitment to ensuring mining remains one of B.C.’s safest
heavy industries.”B.C.’s mining industry remains one
of the safest heavy industries in the province, a direct reflection of the co-op-erative effort of mine employees, mine management and unions, and the sec-tor’s commitment to maintaining high health and safety standards.
B.C. mining facts• Currently there are six operat-
ing coal mines and 10 operating metal mines in B.C., as well as hundreds of aggregate pits and quarries, and more than 30 industrial minerals mines throughout the province.
• The Mine Safety Awards were estab-lished in 1961 by the B.C. government to recognize the safety record of mines in B.C.
• The Mine Safety Awards consist of three categories and seven different awards.
• Provincial health and safety inspec-tors are involved in all aspects of the mining cycle, to ensure the health and safety of workers, environmental protec-tion and compliance with the Health, Safety and Reclamation Code for Mines in B.C.
— Ministry of Energy and Mines, gov.bc.ca/ener/
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Highland Valley CopperCelebrates Mining Week - As Partners in the Community
At Teck Highland Valley Copper, we consider people, the environment and our communities with every decision we make. For the past 29 years Highland Valley Copper has played a major role in the local economy and the mine employs over 1,300 people. Wages and benefits for the last year totaled $197 million. The spin-off benefit aids in supporting the local economy.
Teck is Committed to Community InvestmentIn 2014 Highland Valley Copper supported various charitable organizations through community investment in excess of $500,000 encouraging sustainable strategies that strengthen our communities.
Learn more about our operation by joining us at “Mining Day” in Kamloops May 9, 2015 Big Little Science Center, 655 Holt Street • 11am-4pmVisit the Teck Highland Valley Copper Booth at noon where you can meet Teck sponsored Canadian Olympic athlete, Dylan Armstrong
Don’t forget to bring your used household zinc alkaline batteries (AAA, AA, C, D and 9-volt) for us to recycle for you and you can learn about our recycling program.
We are committed to engaging with communities to ensure that all questions and concerns are being heard. With that in mind we have established a number of channels of communication. We can be reached by Email: [email protected] or Toll Free Telephone: 1-855-523-3429
www.kamloopsthisweek.com M10 FRIDAY, May 1, 2015
MINING WEEK 2015
The mining industry took a hit in 2014, but the Mining Association of B.C. is focused on supporting its members in preparation for when the market turns around.
Bryan Cox, vice-president of corporate affairs with the association, said low com-modity prices challenged the industry last year.
“Quite frankly, 2014 was a challenging year in the mining industry with com-modity prices being where they were,” he said.
“We actually saw some of our mines go into care and maintenance. So, they actually stop operating.”
Coal mines in the northeast sec-tor, including Wolverine mine, Willow Creek mine and Brule mine, shut down, resulting in approximately 1,800 job losses, Cox said.
Spin-off effects would have been felt by industries that support and supply the site — everything from tires to die-sel fuel.
Cox said the challenges are not over, and he sees the pressures of com-
modity prices affecting the industry through 2015.
“Our priorities this year are ensuring that our opera-tions remain as strong as can be,” he said.
“That’s the one thing about the mining industry, everyone knows it’s cyclical and prices will go up again.
“It’s really how our members prepare for that to ensure they have the workforce in place to take advantage of those market
upswings.” The Mining Association of B.C. is the
voice of the mining industry and the old-est industry association in the province.
It advocates on behalf of its members with government, suppliers, other asso-ciations and education institutions.
Cox said the association works to uphold regulatory processes so there is predictable system for mining compa-nies to navigate.
“Mining is such a global industry that there is feasibility for companies to invest in a variety of places,” he said.
“Our goal is to ensure we make B.C. the most attractive place to invest for
Industry challenged in 2014
BRYAN COX:Vice-president, corporate affairs, Mining Association of B.C.
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MINING WEEK 2015those companies.”
B.C. is geologically diverse and mining is taking place in every cor-ner of the province.
Despite the fact mineral explora-tion spending is half of what it was two years ago, there are several proj-ects within the province at various stages of the approval process.
“There’s lots of opportunity out there,” Cox said.
“It’s about creating that environ-ment where those projects can move ahead through the process.”
Although Cox had no comments to make about where the proposed Ajax mine might fit in the provincial picture — the association doesn’t speak on behalf of individual proj-ects — he did say the public interest is positive for the industry.
“People are very interested in the process, which is a good thing,” he said.
“It’s good to have that public dis-course on these projects.”
Cox will be the keynote speaker a the Kamloops Mining Week Business Luncheon on Thursday, May 7, from at 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Thompson Rivers University’s Grand Hall.
Registration is required. For more information, go online
to miningweek.ca.
Sustainable Mining
The Mining Association of B.C. has signed on to the Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) program, a set of guiding principles that govern the activi-ties of companies in the mining industry.
TSM was launched by the Mining Association of Canada in 2004. In May 2011, the Mining Association of B.C. became the fi rst provincial association to adopt the initiative and is work-ing through implementing the program.
“It’s a project that helps our members to manage their sites and a project that is getting some international attention,” said Bryan Cox, vice-president of corporate aff airs with the Min-ing Association of B.C.
For more information, go online to mining.ca. Cox will speak more about TSM during the Kamloops Mining Week Business Luncheon on Thursday, May 7.
www.kamloopsthisweek.com M12 FRIDAY, May 1, 2015
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MINING WEEK 2015
On the rocky ground of the Tk’emlups gravel pit overlooking the City of Kamloops, more than two doz-en high school students test drove a career in April.
The Heavy Metal Rocks program, in its seventh year, occupied the pit from Thursday, April 16, to Saturday, April 18.
The program, an initiative of School District No. 73, introduces students to careers in the heavy-equip-ment industry, giving them hands-on experience with 13 types of machinery.
This year, 26 students from Kamloops, Chase, Bar-riere, Clearwater and Logan Lake participated in the three-day training session.
Every high school in Kamloops, excluding the Beat-tie School of the Arts, was represented.
Heavy Metal Rocks has continued to grow and evolve since its inception. Now with more than 50 sponsors, a burgeoning steering committee and nearly 20 volunteer operators, the program is more successful than ever.
Heavy-hittingcareers
(Above) Clearwater secondary student Callum MacLeod receives instruction from Glen Kohar on how to operate a 12M grader.(Left) Barriere secondary students Jessie Proulx (left), Jordan LeFeuvre, Carter Rudd and Darby Myram pose for a group photo during a lunch break on Friday, April 17, while attending the Heavy Metal Rocks program.
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MINING WEEK 2015Instructor Ed Lindquist (left) teaches Sa-Hali secondary student Andrea Dzinic how to operate a grader.
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MINING WEEK 2015
KGHM International Ajax is in the midst of final-izing a series of robust environmental studies regarding the pro-posed Ajax Project, with plans to submit an application for an environmental certifi-cate later in 2015.
Once submitted, the province has 30 days to evaluate the report. If it is deemed acceptable for review, there will be a 180-day review and 75-day period for public feed-back. These studies will answer questions many in the commu-nity have regarding the mine and its pos-sible impacts.
To help people understand the complex environ-mental assessment application, which is expected to be 10,000 or more pages, KGHM is preparing “plain
language summaries” of the studies. The summaries will com-pile and simplify the key findings making it easier to comprehend the studies, the results and possible impacts and proposed mitiga-tions. The summaries, which will be much shorter in length than
the full studies, will be fact-based, objec-tive documents that accurately convey the findings of each of the studies.
The summaries will be hosted on a dedicated website, and will be avail-able for everyone to read and down-
load as soon as the BC Environmental Assessment Office accepts KGHM’s appli-cation for review. The summaries will always be presented along-side the full reports.
Even simpler facts sheets and Q&As will also be made available on some topics.
KGHM wants everyone to have full access to the environ-mental assessment studies to allow the community to have a meaningful conver-sation based in fact and science about the future of the Ajax Project in Kamloops.
If the environ-
mental assessment certificate is granted, 42 permits will also require approval from a variety of federal and provincial government agencies.
What is Ajax?The Ajax project
is a proposed open-pit copper and gold mine located partly within the city limits of Kamloops. From 1989 and 1991 and 1994 to 1997, it was a producer of copper and gold under Teck Resources.
The project’s annual produc-tion is 109 million pounds of copper and 99,000 ounces of gold through a 60,000 tonne-per-day pro-cessing capacity.
Ajax has a 23-year mine life and would provide approximately 500 full-time posi-tions. According to
the Ajax Project’s fea-sibility study, it is esti-mated that over the course of construction and the mine life, the project will contribute up to $550 million in federal and provincial taxes and $110 million in municipal taxes.
The Ajax project is owned by KGHM Ajax Mining Inc., a joint venture between KGHM Polska Miedz and Abacus Mining and Exploration Corp. and operated by KGHM International Ltd.
KGHM International offers a 3D model of the mine through Google Earth at ajaxmine.ca, where different stages of development are rep-resented. It also hosts site tours of the Ajax Project and outlines the site’s mining histo-ry and the company’s plans for it.
KGHM Ajax public relations officials Robin Bartlett (left) and Kim Behrs stand before the area to be mined south of Aberdeen, pending government approval.
KTW FILE PHOTO
Ajax fi nalizing environmental studies
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MINING WEEK 2015
The Mining Association of B.C. con-gratulated the B.C. government on meeting its commitment to deliver successive bal-anced budgets while maintaining its focus on supporting the growth of B.C.’s mining industry this year.
The government announced in February the base budget for the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) was increased by $6.3 million.
Additionally, the government announced its intention to implement Mines Act permit fees, which are expected to raise an additional $3 million annually.
The new permit fees are retained by MEM and MABC is committed to working with the government on how the fees will be established.
The incremental funding supports the creation of a major mines permitting office to improve the co-ordination of major mine permits across government, add staff to conduct more permit reviews and inspections and maintain improved turn-around times for issuing approvals.
“MABC has been a longtime advocate for sustainable and adequate funding for
the Ministry of Energy and Mines and we are very pleased to receive the news of the incremental funding to support the important work of the mines and mineral resources division,” said Karina Briño, president and CEO of the Mining Association of B.C.
“We look forward to working with the ministry to ensure the new mine permit fees deliver efficient, effective and mea-surable services.
“Certainty in the approval process creates confidence in B.C as a leading mining jurisdiction.”
MABC was also pleased with the gov-ernment’s commitment to tax measures supporting the potential for growth in the B.C. mining industry, including extending the new mine allowance for four years to Dec. 31, 2019, and extend-ing the B.C. mining flow-through share tax credit to the end of 2015.
— Mining Association of B.C., miningassociationbc.com
Provincial budget supports growth of mining industry: Mining Association of B.C.
www.kamloopsthisweek.com M16 FRIDAY, May 1, 2015
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MINING WEEK 2015
Based on positive results from a new study, New Gold Inc. is looking to add at least five more years to its New Afton mine.
The Toronto-based company released its fourth quarter and year-end results showing both gold and copper production were up steeply at the mine on Kamloops’ western boundary.
New Afton produced more than 104,000 ounces of gold and nearly 85 million pounds of copper in 2014.
The company also has operating mines in United States, Mexico and Australia.
New Afton currently employs 450 workers and mine life is set to expire in 2023.
But more study of the mine’s C-zone, beneath the current under-ground deposit, shows promise for at least additional years, said spokes-man Hannes Portmann.
The C-zone is about 500 metres below the current area of under-ground mining at the former open pit copper mine that closed in the late 1990s.
At a lecture hosted by the Kamloops Exploration Group, senior geologist Marty Henning said the extraction level for C-zone would be 1.2 kilometres below the surface.
If New Gold decides to put it into production, Henning said it would take five years to reach the 38-million tonne resource.
It would require an additional eight kilometres of drifting and conveyor.
New Afton has so far developed 39 kilometres of drifting underground.
“We are continuously looking at C-zone as a resource,” he said.
“There is still a lot of work to do there in terms of drilling and defining where that resource is and how much metal is actually there.
“We look forward to providing the community with updates as we move through the life of the mine.”
Construction is now about 70 per cent complete on mill expansion, which will increase the capacity from 13,000 to 14,000 tonnes per day.
Recoveries of copper and gold are also slated to increase with the mill expansion.
New Afton could
www.kamloopsthisweek.com FRIDAY, May 1, 2015 M17
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MINING WEEK 2015
add to mine life
New Gold intends to start the per-mitting process for the C-zone this year, with a feasibility study done by the first quarter of next year.
Full production could begin on the deep deposit in 2024.
In order to mine the new zone,
New Gold is looking at a project to dewater and solidify the historic Afton tailings pond, now owned by KGHM-Ajax, due to possible subsidence of ground.
“That will be one of the big areas of study,” Portmann said.
New Gold Inc. could add five years to its New Afton mine if it pursues a deep deposit known as C-zone. It intends to have a feasibility study done next year.
KTW FILE PHOTO
www.kamloopsthisweek.com M18 FRIDAY, May 1, 2015
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MINING WEEK 2015
Mineral exploration is about the quest for the next economic mineral-deposit discovery, a noble search that has been ongo-ing since people first used minerals to improve qual-ity of life.
And, because mineral deposits are naturally hid-den beneath the earth’s surface, the area of land required for exploration is relatively large in size — even if the actual footprint of exploration activity is very small.
Nothing is taken for granted, however, in this important quest. Members of the Association for Mineral Exploration BC (AME BC) recognize the importance of understand-ing and respecting the delicate balance between society’s different perspec-tives and values related to land, land use and the natural environment.
For more than 150 years, the mineral-explo-ration industry has been at the heart of most rural economies in B.C. Over the past decade, $3.5 bil-lion has been spent on mineral exploration in the province, with a signifi-cant percentage spent in communities outside the Lower Mainland.
Mineral exploration is an economic driver that requires access to large tracts of land, but not at all costs or without due process. Gaining and maintaining access to the land base requires devel-oping mutually respectful and trusting relationships based on understanding and balancing the shared
values of all users of the land. These values include con-
servation and protection of the environment, protection of culturally important areas and respect for local com-munities’ use of the land.
AME BC, including the land access and use commit-tee, provides members with guiding principles and tools based on developing mutual-ly beneficial and sustainable relationships with aboriginal and local communities and being responsible stewards of the land.
These tools include guidelines on aboriginal engagement, environment, health and safety standards and community engage-ment guidelines. Developing respectful relationships among people who acknowl-edge and adapt for the rights and interests of aboriginal, and local communities and mineral explorers, goes a long way to ensuring land remains accessible for min-eral exploration in the future.
By demonstrating explo-ration is done in a way that respects traditional land users and the environment, mineral explorers can gain and maintain access to the land to explore for next eco-nomic mineral deposit.
Today, mineral explo-ration and development continues in the Kamloops region with Constantia Resources’ Maggie project, Kaizen Discovery Inc.’s Aspen Grove project and Fjordland Exploration Inc.’s Dillard project. These projects would not be possible without access to land.
In return, these compa-nies strive to operate in a way that upholds the guid-ing principles and standards of our industry. It is also imperative that explorers are
able to access land in a pre-dictable and timely manner, based on adhering to clear and effective legislation.
Land-access permitting should be a rigorous process that ensures respect and consideration to the area to be explored, but also one which has well-established timelines for submissions, comments and decisions. It is also important that the permitting system be stable, transparent and secure.
Locally, the Kamloops Exploration Group (KEG) encourages and promotes respectful and responsible access to land for mineral exploration. KEG holds an annual conference on behalf of the industry and this year its theme was “Prospecting to Discoveries”.
Our industry cannot oper-ate successfully without the support of communities and First Nations through-out B.C., and we believe the principles by which we oper-ate responsibly allow for the building of mutually under-standing and respectful rela-tionships with communities and First Nations.
These relationships cre-ate shared opportunities that produce mutual benefits now and for future genera-tions through responsible and successful access and exploration of the land that we all hold precious.
Rick Conte is the executive vice
president of the Association for Mineral
Exploration British Columbia, and Scott Weston
is the director of development for Hemmera
and chair of the Land Access and Use Committee
for the Association for Mineral Exploration British
Columbia.
Land access for responsible mineral exploration in B.C.RICK CONTE AND SCOTT WESTON
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