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VICTORIA
– The Government of Canada and the
Province of British Columbia announced today that they will accept the
recommendation of an independent environmental assessment panel that the
proposed Kemess North copper-gold mine should not proceed in its present form.
The mine is located in north central B.C. about 250 km northeast of Smithers
and 450 km northwest of Prince George.
The federal and provincial governments took the decision after
considering the panel’s 246-page report. The
panel was mandated in May 2005 by the federal Environment Minister and the B.C.
Minister of Sustainable Resource Management to assess the environmental effects
of the proposed Kemess North project, and delivered its report on Sept. 17,
2007.
Northgate
Minerals Corporation, the project’s proponent, had proposed to expand its
existing Kemess South copper and gold mine to include a new open pit mine,
modification of the existing mill that processes ore from the Kemess South
mine, and related infrastructure. Northgate’s proposal included putting more
than 700 million tonnes of sulphide tailings and waste rock from the new mine
in nearby Duncan Lake, also known as Amazay Lake among First Nations.
The
panel held public hearings in Smithers, Prince George, Victoria and Kwadacha
(Fort Ware) between October 2006 and May 2007. It received submissions and
heard oral presentations from Northgate Minerals, Aboriginal groups, federal
and provincial government agencies, environmental groups, individuals and local
governments, northern B.C. business interests, and mining organizations. Based on its review
of the project and consultations, the panel concluded that the project, as proposed,
would not be in the public interest and that the benefits provided by the
project are outweighed by the risks of significant adverse environmental,
social and cultural effects.
This decision does not preclude the proponent from seeking to modify the
project proposal by addressing the factors considered by the panel, and
requesting another environmental assessment in the future.
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Contact: |
Phil Jenkins |
Kate Thompson Manager, Media
Relations Ministry of
Environment 250 889-7972 |
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Steve Outhouse |
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