|
Overview of Schaft Creek ProjectLocation: The Schaft Creek Project is a porphyry copper-gold-molybdenum deposit situated 45 kilometers west of the Stewart-Cassiar Highway in northwestern British Columbia. The project area covers 20,932 hectares within a world-class mineral district hosting several porphyry copper-gold deposits.
History: The Schaft Creek Project was extensively explored and drilled by several mining companies from the 1960s through early 1980s, culminating with a pre-feasibility study by Teck Corp. (now Teck Cominco). Copper Fox Metals secured rights to acquire up to a 93.4% interest in the project pursuant to an Option Agreement with Teck Cominco and related underlying agreements. The Company has since earned a 70% direct interest in the project through required expenditures of $15 million and can acquire a 23.4% indirect interest on delivery of a positive feasibility study. At this stage, Teck Cominco may exercise back-in rights to acquire interests in the project in order to participate in mine development with Copper Fox Metals.
Current Status and Resources: Recent drilling programs by Copper Fox Metals have expanded and upgraded measured and indicated resources to 1.4 billion tonnes containing 4.76 billion pounds of copper, 4.5 million troy ounces of gold, 32.5 million troy ounces of silver, and 255.2 million pounds of molybdenum. The project has additional inferred resources and excellent potential to expand resources by ongoing drilling. The project has advanced to the stage where bankable feasibility studies are warranted to examine a potential open-pit mine with a projected daily milling rate of 100,000 tonnes and a mine life of more than 22 years. The Company's goals are to advance Schaft Creek to production in an environmentally and socially progressive manner and become a significant minerals producer by 2013.
Key Highlights:
- Schaft Creek is one of the largest Copper/gold deposits in Canada
- 1,393 billion tonnes of measured & indicated resources at a 0.20% copper equivalent cutoff including:
- 4.76 billion pounds Copper at 0.25%
- 4.5 million troy ounces gold at 0.18 gpt
- 255.2 million pounds molybdenum at 0.019%
- 32.5 million troy ounces silver at 1.55 gpt.
-
- Copper Fox is currently preparing a bankable feasibility study to evaluate the development of an open pit mine with a minimum capacity of 100,000 tonnes per day over a mine life of +22 years
The Schaft Creek mineral deposit was discovered in 1957 and has been investigated by prospecting, geological mapping, geophysical surveys, diamond and percussion drilling. A large volume of technical data, including assays, analyses, and preliminary engineering studies, has been amassed.
The porphyry copper deposit at Schaft Creek comprises a large 'porphyry copper' resource. A National Instrument 43-101 report by Associated Geoscientists Ltd. dated June 22,2007 indicate mine and mill recoveries of 91% for Copper, 63% for Molybdenum, 76% for Gold and 80% for silver.
2006 Highlights:
- Upgraded the Inferred resource to Measured & Indicated categories based on a 3-D geologic, mineralization and alteration model that integrated all exploration work on the project, including 279 holes and 75,415.6 meters drilled in the property
- Signed a memorandum of Understanding with Tahltan Nation Development Corporation
- Entered the B.C. Government's Environmental Assessment process and completed Baseline studies for: wildlife, water quality, aquatic biology, fisheries, hydrology, meteorology, archaeology and metal leaching and acid rock drainage (ML/ARD).
2007 Work Program to Pre-feasibility:
- A total of 6,281metres was drilled in 2007
- Drilling focused primarily on condemnation, geotechnical, hydro-geological and geological drilling
- Scoping Study of Deposit
- Engineering Studies
- Revised Pit Optimization Plans designed by Moose Mountain Engineering
- Preliminary evaluation of the feasibility of providing access to the power grid for the Schaft Creek Project
- Bench and Bulk Floatation test results
- Enter into funding agreement with Tahltan Heritage Resources Environmental Team
- Expand upon the 2006 environmental and socio-economic baseline studies. 2007 baseline studies presented and approved include:
- Socioeconomics, traditional (Tahltan) knowledge, country foods, wetlands, hydrogeology, soils, ecosystem mapping, vegetation, archaeology, human health, fisheries and aquatics, wildlife, hydrology and ML/ARD
Location
The property is in the valley of Schaft Creek, in the Liard Mining Division of northwestern British Columbia, Canada. The land position includes 20,932 hectares with an option to buy up to 93.4% of Schaft Creek from Teck Cominco. Its geographic location is latitude 57 degrees 40' north, longitude 131 degrees 57' west. The location is 61 Km south of the village of Telegraph Creek, (population 300), 120 Km southwest of Dease Lake (population 800), 70 Km west north west of Bob Quinn and 1,040 Km north of Vancouver, B. C. A 1,000 metre long airstrip lies adjacent to the Schaft Creek camp.
Resource Estimate
Copper Fox Metals reported an independent National Instrument 43-101 compliant resource calculation prepared by Associated Geosciences Ltd. (AGL) dated June 22, 2007 on the resources for the Schaft Creek deposit.
The measured and indicated resources at Schaft Creek include 1,393 billion tonnes including 7.7 billion pounds Copper, 8.1 million ounces Gold, 584 million pounds Molybdenum and 69.4 million ounces Silver at 0.2% Copper Equivalent cutoff. The 0.55% Copper Equivalent Cutoff indicates that a significant volume of higher-grade mineralization occurs in the deposit. A 0.35% Copper Equivalent has also been included to compare to the historical resource reported by AMCL and by Giroux and Ostensoe.
Schaft Creek Option
Copper Fox has an option agreement dated January 1, 2002 to:
- Acquire 100% of Teck Cominco's 'Direct Holding', defined as a 70% direct participating interest in the Schaft Creek Property, by:
- Incurring $5,000,000 in expenditures on or before December 31, 2006 and aggregate expenditures of $15,000.000 on or before December 31, 2011.
- Further acquire Teck Cominco's 'Indirect Holding' (defined as an indirect 23.4% carried interest through its 78% shareholding in Liard Copper Mines Ltd. who hold a 30% carried interest in the property) by incurring the above described $5,000,000 in expenditures and completing and delivering to Teck Cominco a positive bankable feasibility study.
If Copper Fox delivers a feasibility notice to Teck Cominco prior to completing the $15,000,000 in expenditures, Copper Fox will be deemed to have exercised the option as to Teck Cominco's Direct Holding in addition to having acquired the Indirect Holding.
- The option agreement has a time-limited back-in right exercisable by Teck Cominco within up to 120 days of the delivery of the positive feasibility study. If the back-in right is not exercised, and at Teck Cominco's option, CFM shall grant Teck Cominco a 1% net smelter royalty or, if CFM has assigned the option agreement to a public company whose shares are listed on a recognized stock exchange, shares of that company having a value of $1,000,000.
If Teck Cominco wishes to exercise its back-in right, it may earn;
- a 20% interest by matching prior incurred expenditures, or it may earn;
- a 40% interest by matching three times prior incurred expenditures, or it may earn
- a 75% interest by incurring four times prior expenditures and arranging all production financing.
The option agreement includes provisions for joint management and for dilution of interests in proportion to expenditures, including reversion of either party to a defined net profits royalty if that party's interest is diluted below a 20% working interest in the joint venture.
History
The Schaft Creek copper-gold-molybdenum-silver prospect was located in 1957 by prospector Nick Bird while employed by the BIK Syndicate. Three diamond drill holes were drilled to moderate depths. Cores from two holes, when sampled, returned sufficient copper values to encourage further work. The prospecting syndicate was re-organized in 1966 into Liard Copper Mines Ltd. (" Liard") with Silver Standard Mines Limited, holding a 66% interest, acting as the manager. In 1966, ASARCO obtained an option to explore the Liard Copper Mines Ltd. ground, carried out geological and induced polarization surveys and drilled 10,939 feet (3,335 metres) in 24 holes. The option was not maintained despite encouraging drill results and in 1968 Hecla, a subsidiary of Hecla Mining Company of Wallace, Idaho, entered an option agreement to earn a 75% property interest and commenced drilling and other exploration work with Hecla operating company as its agent.
Hecla, in the period 1968 through 1977, completed 34,500 metres of diamond drilling, 6,500 metres of percussion drilling, induced polarization and resistivity surveys, geological mapping, air photography, and engineering studies related to the development of a large open pit copper-gold-molybdenum mine. Property work ceased in 1977 and in 1978 Hecla sold its interest to Teck Corporation ("Teck") (now Teck Cominco Limited).
In 1980 Teck commenced a program of exploration and drilling designed to confirm and expand Hecla's work. A total of 26,000 metres of diamond drilling was completed by 1981. Teck then undertook an engineering study to determine the feasibility of mine development. Further data reviews were completed by Western Copper Holdings in 1988 and Teck in 1993. A total of 230 core holes with total length 60,200 metres and percussion holes with total length 6,500 metres were completed prior to Copper Fox acquiring an option on the property in 2002.
Geology & Technical Reports
September 15, 2008 Canadian NI 43-101 Technical Report - Preliminary Feasibility Study on the Development of the Schaft Creek Project Located in Northwest British Columbia, Canada
December 7, 2007 Preliminary Economic assessment study (PEA) - Executive Summary
December 7, 2007 Canadian NI43-101 Technical Report - Preliminary Economic Assessment on the
Development of the Schaft Creek Project Located in Northwest British Columbia, Canada
June 22, 2007 AGL Updated Resource Estimate for Schaft Creek
March 19, 2007 Diamond Drill Report
September 14, 2005 Study
May 15, 2004 Study
|
|
Zones 56 KB, approx. 11 seconds at 56.6Kbps |
|
|
Engineering Reports
Giroux Consultants Ltd.
May 20, 2004 - The report "Summary Report -- Status and Resource Estimate, Schaft Creek Property, N.W. British Columbia", was prepared to:
- summarize the exploration history and technical aspects of the subject property
- present a discussion of the mineral resource that has been identified, complete with
consideration of the reliability of that resource calculation, and
- suggest a program of work that would improve the metallurgical understanding, study
the economics of the project and improve the confidence of drill hole information.
Click here to view the full PDF file (9.3 MB).
Associated Mining Consultants Ltd.
September 20, 2004 - (AMCL) and HATCH(tm) conducted a preliminary assessment (Scoping Study) of the viability of the Schaft Creek project. AMCL is the Project Manager for this study.
Click here to view the full PDF file (4.5 MB).
Community Relations
Terms of Reference for the 2008-2009 Copper Fox Bursary click here
Tahltan Nation
Copper Fox understands it is important to build a relationship with the Tahltan Nation. It does this by communicating in an open, honest and transparent way and by participating in events and initiatives important to the Tahltan Nation.
Language Camp
Copper Fox provides financial support to the Tahltan Language Camp. The week-long camp was held in Dease Lake and organized by Camille Callison, TCC Heritage Manager, and Shana Day, Language Project Coordinator. The camp was designed to preserve, promote and revitalize the Tahltan language by bringing together Elders and youth from the three Tahltan communities of Iskut, Telegraph Creek and Dease Lake. At the Camp over 150 Elders, students and teachers learned the traditional language, made cultural items such as drums, mini-button blankets, medicine pouches, and were taught to sing and dance to Tahltan songs.
Science Camp
Copper Fox provided financial support to the Tahltan Youth Science Camp. The Science Camp provides young people with a fun, interactive learning environment where they learn about different trades and skills used in the mining industry. What's more youth participate in traditional activities and games.
Mining Forum
Copper Fox provided financial support to the Mineral Forum hosted in Telegraph Creek in June 2008. The purpose of the forum was to listen to Elders and community members and hear their opinions on mining in general. Copper Fox is committed to listening through open houses, public meetings and community consultation.
Copper Bursary Program
The Copper Fox Bursary is designed to provide Tahltan youth living in the Nation with the financial support they need to continue their studies. In 2008, three $5,000 bursaries will be made available to students demonstrating exceptional leadership and commitment
$75 000 Scholarship
Copper Fox Metals and the Tahltan Central Council, on behalf of the Tahltan Nation including the Tahltan Band and the Iskut First Nation are offering a merit-based scholarship to a Tahltan First Nation student planning to attend the University of Alberta to study in one of following programs: Education, Nursing, Medicine, Physiotherapy, Nutrition, Law, Engineering, Geology, Agriculture, Social Work or Native Studies.
The Copper Fox Scholarship is a new undergraduate program for students attending the University of Alberta. The scholarship will be provided over five years max ($15,000 per year). The Copper Fox Scholarship covers tuition, regular student fees and books for students studying at the University of Alberta for up to five years. Continued support under this program depends upon maintenance of satisfactory academic standing and enrollment in a full time program that will lead to an undergraduate degree.
Copper Fox Metals is the sole contributor to the fund. Award winners are selected on the basis of academic performance, career goals, brief biography, role model qualities, and volunteer and leadership contributions to their community. Academic performance, residency and career interest are considered in the selection process. Applicants who wish to pursue a career in the mining industry and traditional studies are favoured.
Agreements
Copper Fox has negotiated several agreements with the Tahltan Central Council (TCC), the government representing the Tahltan Nation. These agreements outline how the company will work with the TCC.
Communications Agreement
Signed on June 1, 2007
What it means
Copper Fox has signed a Communications Agreement with the Tahltan Central Council (TCC) with the objective of ensure strong communications between the company and TCC. The agreement outlines financial support the company will provide to the TCC to ensure adequate financial resources are available to funding communications between the TCC and the company.
Heritage Agreement (formerly known as the Traditional Knowledge Agreement)
Signed on October 25, 2007
What it means
Copper Fox has signed a Heritage Agreement with the Tahltan Central Council (TCC) with the objective of confirming how traditional knowledge will be collected and protected, as well as how the process will be funded. Copper Fox will fund any collection of traditional knowledge and be responsible for ensuring it keeps confidential such information. In addition, the information is always owned by the Tahltan Nation and all information is to be returned to the Nation following the environmental assessment.
THREAT Agreement
Signed on November 24, 2007
What it means
Copper Fox has signed a THREAT Agreement with the TCC. This agreement outlines how Copper Fox and THREAT will work through the environmental assessment process. In addition, the agreement also outlines how work will be funded. Copper Fox and the THREAT team have met several times during this pre-applications phase. There are two purposes of the meetings. The first is for Copper Fox and their consultants to provide project updates, engineering and technical reports and assessments of different project design components to THREAT. The second, is for THREAT to provide the company with provide feedback and ensure Tahltan views are incorporated early on into the project.
Who is THREAT?
THREAT stands for the Tahltan Heritage Resources Environmental Assessment Team. THREAT consists of numerous Tahltan professionals who participate in the environmental assessment process for mining projects. The team ensures that work done in the Tahltan Nation is based on Tahltan values and traditions and implemented according to the principles outlined in the Tahltan Resource Development Policy.
TNDC Memorandum of Understanding
Signed on April 15, 2007
What it means
Copper Fox has signed Memorandum of Understanding with the Tahltan Nation Development Corporation which defines the scope of work, program commitments, cooperation, and communication that Copper Fox will follow at Schaft Creek and recognizes TNDC will be a "preferred contractor". This agreement includes commitments regarding contracting and sub contracting opportunities for Tahltan businesses and employment and training opportunities for all members of the Tahltan Nation. The Tahltan Nation Development Corporation (TNDC) is the economic arm of the Tahltan Nation and generates wealth, economic, employment and training opportunities for all members of the Tahltan Nation.
Public Participation
Copper Fox is committed to working with community members, stakeholders and the Tahltan Nation to develop an economically, environmentally and socially responsible project. The Project is communicated via open houses, public meetings, brochures and factsheets. For more information on the Project please select from the factsheets below.
The next open houses are scheduled for:
April 2 - Kitimat
April 3 - Stewart
April 7 - Dease Lake
April 8 - Telegraph Creek
April 9 - Iskut
For more information please see the flyer.
For more information on the Project or how to become involved please contact:
Mr. Shane Uren, VP Environment and Permitting
info@copperfoxmetals.com
604 689 5080
Click on the PDF to view the posters:
- The Environmental Assessment Process and Public Involvement (PDF)
- Schaft Creek Project Description (PDF)
- Schaft Creek Environmental and Social Baseline Studies (PDF)
- Schaft Creek Environmental and Social Baseline Studies (2) (PDF)
- Schaft Creek Project Description (PDF)
Environmental Assessment:
Schaft Creek environmental and socio-economic baseline studies began in October 2005 and are ongoing. Baseline studies completed in 2006 included wildlife (moose, goats and bird studies), water quality, aquatic biology, fisheries, hydrology, meteorology, archaeology and metal leaching and acid rock drainage (ML/ARD). The results of the 2006 studies were reviewed by federal and provincial regulators and the Tahltan Nation. The scope of work for the 2007 environmental and socio-economic baseline studies was increased significantly and was aimed at fulfilling requirements of both a federal and provincial environmental assessment process and the specific studies requested by the Tahltan Nation. The work and scope of the 2007 environmental and socio-economic baseline studies were presented and approved by government authorities and the Tahltan Nation. The 2007 baseline reports are available below.
Copper Fox has developed environmental and social baseline work plans for 2008, see below. These programs will be presented to the Tahltan Nation and federal and provincial regulators for review. These reports will be finalized in the third quarter of 2008. The anticipated completion date of the application for an environmental assessment certificate is the fourth quarter 2008.
Click Here to view the Schaft Creek Project Description Report - February 2008
2009 Reports
Schaft Creek 2008 and 2009 Meterorology and Air Quality Baseline (pdf - 8.1mb)
2008 Reports
Schaft Creek Hydrology Baseline 2008 (pdf - 37.7mb)
Geomorphic Channel Assessment and Channel Migration Hazard Mapping of Upper Mess Creek, January 2010 (pdf - 8.46mb)
Schaft Creek Alternatives Assessment Report, July 2008 (pdf - 22.5mb)
Schaft Creek Project - ML-ARD Presentation for the Proposed Access Road, May 2008 (pdf - 4.7mb)
Schaft Creek Project - ML-ARD Presentation for the Proposed Minesite, May 2008 (pdf - 370kb)
Final Presentations - April 22 & 23, 2008 (zip - 227mb) - Right Click Link to Download
Schaft Creek Project ML-ARD Phase 2 Report, February 2008 (pdf - 1.7mb)
Schaft Creek Project ML-ARD Assessment of Surficial Samples from the Proposed Access Road, February 2008 (pdf - 5mb)
Schaft Creek Project 2008 Environmental and Social Work Plans (pdf - 13.8mb)
Schaft Creek Geohazard Tailings Options - February 2008 (pdf - 4.6mb)
Schaft Creek Tailings Assessment Engineering (VA08-00390) - February 2008 (pdf - 16.4mb)
Schaft Creek Access Route Geohazards - March 2008 (pdf - 3.75mb)
Schaft Creek Access Road Assessment Tahltan Highland - March 2008 (pdf - 1.3mb)
Schaft Creek Tailings Water Management Assessment - March 2008 (pdf - 696kb)
2007 Reports
Metal Leaching - Acid Rock Drainage Phase 1 Report (pdf - 1mb)
Schaft Creek Project 2007 Aquatic Resources Baseline Report (pdf - 136mb)
Schaft Creek Project 2007 Archeological Baseline Study Technical Summary (pdf - 3.3mb)
Schaft Creek Project 2007 Meteorology Baseline Report (pdf - 6.1mb)
Schaft Creek Project 2007 Bat Inventory (pdf - 4mb)
Schaft Creek Project 2007 Country Foods Baseline Assessment (pdf - 5.5mb)
Schaft Creek Project 2007 Preliminary Groundwater Baseline Report (pdf - 9.2mb)
Schaft Creek Project 2007 Noise Baseline Report (pdf - 4.1mb)
Schaft Creek Project 2007 Soils Baseline Report (pdf - 7.5mb)
Schaft Creek Project 2007 Vegetation Baseline Report (pdf - 2.5mb)
Schaft Creek Project 2007 Western Toad Baseline (pdf - 5.7mb)
Schaft Creek Project 2007 Hydrology Baseline (pdf - 86.7mb)
Schaft Creek Project 2007 Fisheries Baseline (pdf - 129mb)
Schaft Creek Project 2007 Tahltan (Country) Foods Baseline Assessment (pdf - 8mb)
Schaft Creek Access Road Assessment - October 2007 (pdf - 1.7mb)
B.1 Schaft Creek Project 2007 - Wetlands Baseline Report (pdf - 30.2mb)
2006 Baseline Reports
Schaft Creek Project 2006 Hydrology Baseline Report (pdf - 7.87mb)
Schaft Creek Project 2006 Moose Baseline Report (pdf - 7.82mb)
Schaft Creek Project 2006 Bird Study (pdf - 5.85mb)
Schaft Creek Project 2006 Meteorology Baseline Report (pdf - 10.84mb)
Schaft Creek Project 2006 Fisheries Baseline Report (pdf - 18.81mb)
Schaft Creek Project 2006 Aquatics Baseline Report (pdf - 61.00mb)
The Mine Development ProcessMine development is a complex long-term process that starts well before a mine is built and continues well beyond when the mine is closed. During the exploration stage, the first step is a public outreach or stakeholder consultation program. A mining or exploration company usually begins this stage when it acquires or discovers a mineral project with economic potential or plans an initial work program to test the potential of a mineral prospect.
In British Columbia, most companies understand that they must begin their consultation programs early so that local communities, First Nations leaders and other stakeholders be involved in the project by understand the scope and objectives of the work programs and the safeguards that will be incorporated into these programs to protect the environment. Early consultation helps companies understand local values and address issues of concern that may be raised by First Nations leaders and other stakeholders. This two-way dialogue also helps the public understand that only a few prospects ever become operating mines, and that all mine proposals must undergo a lengthy and rigorous environmental assessment process open to broad public scrutiny.
The consultation process usually increases as the project advances to the stage where a preliminary economic assessment (or scoping study) is completed. This study is the first time that current economics are tied to the project. Following the preliminary findings of a scoping study, a company will move to the pre-feasibility and feasibility stages, and may at the same time, enter the environmental assessment and permitting process. This stage provides more specific findings about the project's design and economics than the scoping study. Government agencies, environmental groups and non-governmental organizations will also carefully scrutinize any mine project that advances to this advanced stage of environmental assessment and permitting. Mining companies must consult and engage with a broad range of stakeholders in order to develop public understanding and support for their projects over time, and thereby gain a "social license" to operate.
Another important early step in project design is collecting data for environmental baseline studies because it is the cornerstone of environmental planning for any proposed mine. Data collected from these exhaustive and rigorous studies help the company, government agencies and stakeholders understand the state of the environment near the proposed project before it is built, including wildlife, vegetation, air and water quality, fisheries, wetlands, and cultural resources among others. The data also contribute information for the mine-planning process, form the basis of an environmental assessment required by government agencies, and support the permitting process.
The Environmental Assessment ProcessIn 2002, the British Columbia government introduced a new, streamlined Environmental Assessment (EA) process for all proposed major projects in the province. The Environmental Assessment Act requires all major mine proposals to obtain an Environmental Assessment Certificate before they can proceed. Simply put, the EA process is a way to review major projects, assess their potential impacts, and address a broad range of environmental, economic, social, health, heritage and cultural issues. The goals of this integrated process are to ensure that all issues and concerns raised by all groups are considered, studied, addressed or mitigated, and that the proposed project will be developed in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. An EA must be successfully completed and the proposed project must be approved by two provincial government Ministers before it can proceed.
The federal government also plays an important role in mine development, as more than 70% of major projects undergoing a provincial EA will also require a federal assessment under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA). Similar to the provincial EA, the federal environmental assessment is a planning tool that anticipates adverse environmental impacts so they can be minimized and mitigated. Federal environmental assessments are required if the proposed project has a trigger which can include: an act under federal authority, federal money is involved or federal lands are involved.. As an example, a federal EA is required for projects with potential to impact any fishery under the jurisdiction of the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). The CEAA process is administered by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency.
When a project falls under both provincial and federal EA responsibility, the two levels of government will cooperate and may carry out a single harmonized EA while still maintaining their respective decision-making powers.
An EA is also planning tool used to identify the potential effects of a project on the environment, including air, water, land, wildlife and human settlements before it is built. Through good planning, a company can reduce the length, complexity, cost, potential for controversy and corrective action and other risks that may be associated with the environmental assessment and permitting process. A well-planned EA makes it easier for government agencies and other decision-makers to have the information they need to approve projects acceptable projects.
Once a company applies to the province of British Columbia's Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) with a proposal for a project, the EAO determines how the review (if required) should be conducted. The EAO then issues an order for the project review that includes what will be assessed, the consultation requirements and the review process. The terms of reference for the information requirements are usually developed by the company after consultation with First Nations, government agencies and the public. The company then conducts studies and prepares its application based on the pre-determined terms of reference.
Key elements of the EA process include: a detailed description of the project and proposed facilities - such as the size, scope, and type of mine and processing facilities --- and power, road and infrastructure requirements, expected mine life, and other technical details. The EA considers the potential environmental and socio-economic effects of proposed mines and ways to minimize, avoid, or mitigate any potential adverse effects. The review is conducted by the EAO through a process determined by the Minister of Environment, usually a panel or commission. First Nations, government agencies and the public are asked to review and comment on the application, usually during a formal public comment period.
Findings of the review are documented in an Assessment Report prepared by the EAO that is then referred to two Ministers for a decision as to whether the project should be approved and an Environmental Assessment Certificate issued. Once the project is approved, the company receives the necessary permits and authorizations to construct and operate the proposed mine (subject to obtaining any local permits that may also be required). Companies are required to restore the land to productive use after the mine is closed, and in some cases must also implement long-term monitoring programs.
|