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Dylan Armstrong waits to hear from IOC Page A12
TUESDAY
Tuesday, August 6, 2013 X Volume 26 No. 63
Kamloops, B.C., Canada X 30 cents at Newsstands
THIS WEEK
Ribfest is back and better than ever Page A16 Thompson River Publications Partnership Ltd.
CELEBRATION TIME Tk’emlups Indian Band chief Shane Gottfriedson watches on as the 34th annual Kamloopa Powwow proceeds with dancing, grand entries, booths promoting traditional arts, crafts and food and many other cultural aspects that make the yearly event a major attraction. Highlights this year included the arrival of a flotilla of paddlers taking part in Pulling Together — a 10-day trek through area lakes to promote understanding between First Nations youth and area police (see page A5) — and formal signing of the Tk’emlups Reconciliation Agreement by Gottfriedson and provincial Minister of Aboriginal Relations John Rustad, a document formalizing the relationship between the band and the provincial government. Allen Douglas/KTW
More ore means Ajax assessment delay By Andrea Klassen STAFF REPORTER andrea@kamloopsthisweek.com
New ore findings at the Ajax site south of Aberdeen could shake up the configuration, size and lifespan of the proposed copper and gold mine — and will delay the company’s application for environmental assessment until some time next year. Dan Ferriter, vice-president of environment for KGHM International, said geologic surveys have uncovered more potential ore bodies within the boundaries of the site that could increase the amount of copper and gold available to mine. Drilling to further investigate the ore is underway and will continue for the next several months. Ferriter said it’s too early to say what changes will be made to the mine’s design because of the finds, but it could lead to tailings piles and other mine facilities being moved farther away from residences.
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“You want to make sure that where you locate your facilities, there’s not mineralization,” he said. Under the current mine plan, Ajax would be about 1.4 kilometres from the nearest homes in Aberdeen. Further ore bodies on site could also mean the mine needs a bigger pit, Ferriter said. KGHM external affairs manager Yves Lacasse said the new discoveries are an opportunity for the mine to “take a step back” and reassess its layout. He and Ferriter said possibly moving the mine farther from residences would be driven by the new drilling but, Lacasse said, if it becomes necessary it would also address some community concerns. “We’ve listened to the community and we share people’s goals,” he said. “And, people are asking if the project is too close and if there’s any possibility that we can make some improvement and optimize the distance between the boundaries of our project and the edges of the community. We will do this. As far as we can, we will.”
Ferriter said it’s not uncommon for a discovery like this to be made at this stage in a project’s life. While KGHM Ajax could theoretically submit its application for environmental review at any time in the future, the company’s application information requirements document, which sets out what it needs to investigate in its studies, expires after three years.
KGHM promises meetings, more information It’s open-mic night, Ajax style. The proponents of the copper and gold mine proposed south of Aberdeen are planning another round of public engagement in September that aims to explain how they’ll study potential impacts of the project on the community. KGHM Ajax external affairs manager Yves Lacasse said the company will hold four sessions, from Sept. 9 to Sept. 12, that look at the company’s air quality, water, noise and vibration, and human health and ecological risk assessments. X See MEETINGS A6