Billion-dollar mine in northwest BC given go ahead despite objections

A billion-dollar mine in the province's northwest has been given the go-ahead despite the objections of the Nisga’a Nation where the mine site is located. Avanti Mining Inc. will revive a molybdenum mine located 140 km north of Prince Rupert. The Kitsault Mine was given the green-light after a review concluded the mine would not result in any significant adverse effects. While the review was provided to the province March 1 and had 45 days to make its consideration, the approval was fast-tracked, say the Nisga’a Nation, because of the upcoming May election. The Nisga’a have filed a notice of disagreement under treaty provisions to slow the process down. They believe the mine’s effects haven’t been properly weighed. The province believes the dispute resolution process under their historic treaty—the first modern-day treaty in the province—will “meaningfully address” outstanding issues. Vancouver-based Avanti said it has undergone “extraordinary and unprecedented” work to ensure the Nisga’a treaty requirements have been met. It’s expected the open-pit mine will produce 50,000 tonnes of ore per day and 300 local jobs. It was originally operational in the 1960s but closed in 1982. The site will include a processing plant, tailings storage facility, containment embankments, and other waste diversion and collections systems. The company must meet water quality guidelines, monitor aquatic effects and develop a plan for managing the wildlife corridor and must provide $100,000 in annual funding to recover the Nass moose population over the 16-year life of the mine.