B.C. pushes for mining expansion
The B.C. government has extended the permit of a Vancouver Island coal mine and unveiled an aboriginal land use agreement for a large area of northern B.C.
The announcements came Tuesday as Premier Christy Clark spoke to the annual mining exploration conference in Vancouver, reporting progress on the $24 million effort announced last year to clear a backlog of resource permit applications.
The land co-management deal with the Kaska Dena First Nations covers 2.3 million hectares of remote land between the B.C.-Yukon border and Dease Lake. It dates back to 2001, designating resource and tourism development areas and protecting an area known as the Horseranch Range as well as wetlands and wildlife values.
The province also renewed the permit of the Quinsam coal mine in central Vancouver Island, which produces about 500,000 tonnes of thermal coal a year. In operation since 1986, it is B.C.'s only underground coal mine and supplies B.C.'s cement manufacturing plants as well as exporting coal.
Energy and Mines Minister Rich Coleman opened the conference by announcing that B.C.'s mineral exploration spending rose 35 per cent in 2011, to $463 million.
Higher commodity prices have increased mining activity around the world. B.C. has under construction the Mt. Milligan copper gold mine near Fort St. James and an expansion of the Afton copper gold mine near Kamloops.
Skeena MLA Doug Donaldson, the NDP mining critic, said the B.C. Liberal government's staff cuts in resource ministries have wasted a period of high metal and coal prices, with 230 mining or notice of work permits among the 7,000 resource permits that were waiting last fall.
Clark said the mining permit backlog has now been cut to 85.
B.C. government mining incentives include exploration tax credits and a 133.3 per cent deduction in capital costs for mines if they start or expand production by 2016.
COMMENTS
Let's keep comments:
We ask that all participants own their words by logging in with their Facebook account. It's a simple process that will take seconds and helps keep our comments free of trolls, cranks, and “drive-by” commenters.
We reserve the right to remove comments from anyone using screen names, pseudonyms or false identities. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.