Taseko Mines Ltd.’s immediate hurdle to building its proposed $1 billion open-pit Prosperity Mine southeast of Williams Lake is federal government approval.
But project supporter and B.C. Premier Christy Clark had advice for the Vancouver mining company June 9: foster relationships with First Nation groups.
“Proponents of that mine are going to have to build some real, durable trusting relationships to First Nations,” Clark said after speaking at the First Nations summit.
Taseko (TSX:TKO) announced earlier this week that it was proposing to spend $300 million to preserve Fish Lake to win federal approval for the gold and copper project. (See “Taseko revises Prosperity Mine proposal” – BIV Daily News; June 8.)
It is not only the Tsilhqot’in First Nation that is asking Ottawa to reject the project. The Council of Canadians came out with a release June 9 announcing its opposition to the project.
“The revised plan still threatens the water system,” said Emma Lui, who is the council’s national water campaigner. “Taseko cannot provide guarantees that the project would not harm the local watershed.”
Glen Korstrom
Twitter: GlenKorstrom