Rossland residents for or against the West High Yield (WHY) Record Ridge Mineral Mine project are being asked to submit their comments and concerns to the Ministry of Environment, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation (EMLI) by May 28.
WHY Resources filed its official Mines Act and Environmental Management Act Notice of Application on April 12, 2024 and followed that up with a public notice published in the Trail Times and online at the Rossland News on April 28 precipitating the 30-day public consultation deadline.
EMLI confirmed that the comment period was established to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to provide feedback within that time.
“It is preferable that public comments are received during the established comment period to ensure that the applicant receives a fulsome compilation of the feedback in consideration of their application and has an opportunity to respond,” said the EMLI spokesperson.
“However, the ministry will continue to add any concerns or comments to the record before a decision is made.”
Sheep Creek Valley resident Rob Murdoch expressed his concerns to the Trail Times noting that the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) has not released a transportation plan from WHY.
“At this time the public can only comment about things that are currently in the Mine Application so we don’t know which highway WHY will be using to transport their ore,” said Murdoch. “We know they will be starting the transportation on the Cascade Road that the residents from Big Sheep Creek and those people living on or near the Cascade Road use on a daily basis to get to Rossland to take their kids to school, go to work, etc.
“If the Cascade road is not vastly improved it will be very bad for us meeting 60, 30-ton “B” Train Ore Trucks per day on 12 hour shifts, seven days a week.”
MOTI’s role is to ensure proposed developments along major provincial highway corridors will not negatively affect the safety or efficiency of the highway network, said EMLI, and confirmed that MOTI has not received a formal proposal regarding mining vehicles on Hwy 22 or the Old Cascade Road.
“The ministry (MOTI) is currently in discussion with WHY Resources regarding transportation access to the location of the proposed Record Ridge mine, as well as the use of Rossland Cascade road.”
WHY Resources has altered its original plan and is now proposing that the open pit mineral mine project will produce no more than 200,000 tonnes of magnesium-bearing serpentinite rock per year, a sharp decline from its original figure of 1-million tonnes.
WHY plans to use the Hwy 22 corridor south through Northport, Wash. and into the U.S. where it will be processed, rather than Hwy 3B through downtown Rossland, Warfield and Trail.
WHY also committed to substituting the use of explosives with mechanized equipment for ore extraction, and implementing enclosed environments for crushing equipment to effectively manage dust and noise.
EMLI confirmed that the B.C. Mine Development Review Committee remains relevant and will be meeting again soon to discuss the application concerns.
“The Committee has conducted a review of the application and provided questions and comments to the applicant. The Committee is awaiting the proponent’s response at which point further meetings will be convened as required.”
Despite an already long process covering more than two decades, there are still several steps remaining.
Murdoch explains that the the Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) has to review the notice, then consult with Indigenous people, and again open the floor to public feedback.
“After that process, the EAO decides if they are going to do an environmental assessment of the project,” added Murdoch. “WHY has to have an Environmental Certificate in order to bring the mine into production.
“This could still be a long haul yet.”
Any person interested in or, who may be adversely affected by the proposed project and wishes to provide relevant information may send written comments via post or email to: Chief Inspector of Mines, Ministry of Energy and Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, 202-100 Cranbrook Street North, Cranbrook, B.C. V1C 3P9 or email mmd-cranbrook@gov.bc.ca.
All available project information can be found at the following site: https://mines.nrs.gov.bc.ca/p/65b3e2957c6b1c00222b1eef/overview.