IDM Mining has been asked to comply with 38 conditions set by the provincial government as part of the EA certificate for the Red Mountain Gold Project.
According to the B.C. government, the conditions outlined by it are based on consultation and input from indigenous groups, government agencies, communities and the public.
IDM Mining would need to secure other federal, provincial and local government permits to move ahead with construction of the underground gold project.
The decision to issue the EA certificate to IDM Mining was taken by B.C. Environment and Climate Change Strategy Minister George Heyman and B.C. Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources Minister Michelle Mungall.
The B.C. government, in a statement, said: “Having considered the Environmental Assessment Office’s (EAO) Assessment Report and the recommendation of the executive director of the EAO to issue a certificate, the ministers are confident that the project will be constructed, operated and closed in a way that ensures no significant adverse effects are likely to occur.”
The construction expenditures of the Red Mountain Gold Project are projected to be C$93.5m ($71.96m) within B.C.
The proposed gold mining project is located within northwestern British Columbia, 15km northeast of Stewart and within Nisga’a Nation traditional territory.
IDM Mining is planning to develop a 147.2 hectare underground gold and silver mine as part of the project in the Nass Wildlife Area in the asserted traditional territory of Tsetsaut/Skii km Lax Ha (TSKLH).
Once developed, the Red Mountain Gold Project is estimated to extract 1,000 tonnes of ore per day, with a net annual production of 365,000 tonnes per year through the mine’s six-year operational life.
Discovered in 1989, Red Mountain was extensively explored by Lac Minerals and Royal Oak Mines. The project had seen drilling of 466 diamond drill holes and completion of more than 2,000 meters of underground development, along with extensive engineering and environmental baseline work.
In the past 12 years, further studies were carried out by Seabridge Gold, North American Metals and Banks Island Gold. IDM Mining, which entered into an option agreement to acquire the Red Mountain Gold Project from Seabridge in April 2014, completed 100% acquisition in May 2017.
