Overview
- The provincial government approved the amended environmental assessment certificate for Red Chris on Friday, authorizing a shift from open-pit to block-cave underground mining.
- The certificate includes 27 binding conditions that require monitoring of water, air and ground stability and set enforceable requirements for safety and environmental oversight.
- Proponents say the change will raise processing to as much as 15 million tonnes per year, extend the mine’s life to 2038, cost several billion dollars and create about 1,800 peak construction jobs.
- The decision follows a report from the Environmental Assessment Office and formal consent from the Tahltan Central Government, which says the project was developed in partnership with the Tahltan Nation and Newmont.
- Regulatory and industry reviews were driven by last July’s two collapses that trapped three Hy-Tech workers in a refuge station, and Newmont and the province say investigations and corrective actions have informed safety measures for the expansion.