VANCOUVER — Construction will begin soon on a new gold and silver mine in northwestern British Columbia.
The provincial government has issued a final operating permit for the Brucejack Mine, owned by Pretium (TSX:PVG) Resources Inc., after the project received an environmental assessment certificate and the necessary federal approvals.
Pretium's chairman and CEO Robert Quartermain said Friday that the high-grade gold mine has always been an exciting prospect.
"Now we're proud to demonstrate that as an underground gold mine with a small footprint, Brucejack can bring significant economic benefits to northern British Columbia with minimal environmental impact," Quartermain said in a release.
The mine, located about 65 kilometres northwest of Stewart, is expected to cost about US$750 million to build, and will produce about 2,700 tonnes of ore per day when in full production in 2017.
The B.C. government said constructing the mine will create about 900 jobs over two years, and the operation will supply about 500 jobs during its 18-year operating life.
Part of the mine is located on Nisga'a First Nation land and Pretium has also signed a co-operation agreement with the nation.
A release from the Ministry of Energy and Mines says tailings produced at the site will be stored underground and in Brucejack Lake, which does not contain any fish. There will be no negative impact on Canadian or Alaskan waters located downstream of the mine, the release stated.
There are currently more than 30 major mine and expansion proposals going through the environmental assessment and permitting processes across B.C.
Brucejack will be the eighth new mine to be constructed since 2011, an achievement Minister of Energy and Mines Bill Bennett said is unmatched by any other jurisdiction in Canada.
"This government continues to support mining investment in British Columbia, something that didn't happen in the 1990s," Bennett said in a release.
