Ajax off to Kamloops city hall
If local politicians were expecting to get answers to an 11-page letter from the proponent of a proposed mine south of Aberdeen, they are going to have to wait.
A delegation from Abacus Mining and Exploration Corp. and the KGHM Ajax project is appearing in front of city council today (Jan. 17).
However, company officials note they won’t be able to provide answers to the questionnaire.
Ajax project manager Jim Whittaker said the purpose of the delegation is to provide council with an update on what the project is doing, the stage of the environmental-assessment process and its next steps.
Whittaker suggested any answers to the environmental impact of the mine likely won’t be ready until the fall.
He said the mining company will be asking council members to participate in the environmental-assessment process as much as possible.
In July, the city sent the 11-page letter to Abacus with questions it wants answered as the project winds through the federal and provincial environmental-assessment process.
The letter contained questions on issues including noise and vibration impacts, dust and chemical fallout, concerns about groundwater, the impact the mine may have on the Kamloops Astronomical Society’s Stake Lake observatory, fire and emergency response and traffic patterns.
The letter can be viewed on the city’s website here.
Meanwhile, a new public-comment period is underway, continuing to March 12, including a two-day public-information session on Feb. 6 and Feb. 7 at the Coast Kamloops Hotel and Conference Centre, 1250 Rogers Way.
Located partially within City of Kamloops boundaries and two kilometres from a pair of Aberdeen elementary schools, the mine operation would stretch west to the Coquihalla Highway and is part of the former Afton Mine site.
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.