Mining: Barkerville’s QR mine to process ore
Barkerville Gold Mines Ltd. (TSX-V:BGM) announced July 13 that an amendment to its Mines Act permit has opened the way for it to process ore from its new Bonanza Ledge facility at the company’s QR mine.
The QR mill is located southeast of Quesnel and is expected to provide 40 jobs over four years.
Bonanza Ledge mine is expected to start up in the third quarter of this year.
Barkerville has faced recent market and regulator skepticism following its announcement of a large gold estimate at its Cow Mountain property.
Gas: Spectra opens natural gas processing plant
Houston, Texas-based Spectra Energy Corp. (NYSE:SE) has celebrated the opening of its Dawson natural gas processing plant in Bessborough, B.C.
The plant is being installed in two phases and began flowing gas on May 31. The second and final construction phase is under way and is expected to be complete in early 2013.
The company says it’s on track to complete a plan to invest $1.5 billion in B.C. between 2009 and 2013 and is poised to invest an additional $4 billion to $6 billion in B.C. beyond 2015.
Hydro: Charles Reid appointed BC Hydro’s new CEO
BC Hydro’s former head bean-counter is now officially the utility’s CEO – a job he’s held on an interim basis since former CEO Dave Cobb’s exit nearly a year ago.
Hydro announced Charles Reid’s appointment as president and CEO July 13.
Reid has been the utility’s acting president and CEO since October 2011, after Cobb left the post just 16 months into the job to take a senior position with the Jim Pattison Group. Before joining Hydro, Reid was vice-president of finance and CFO for Canfor Corp. (TSX:CFP).
Mining: Golden Predator updates First Nation accord
Vancouver-based Golden Predator Corp. (TSX:GPD) announced July 16 that it has updated its socioeconomic accord with the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation (THFN) for the company’s flagship Brewery Creek gold project.
According to Golden Predator, the accord includes THFN support for the project and endorsement of the company’s permitting applications. It also includes THFN acquiring an equity interest in the company and preferential employment and economic development opportunities for the First Nation’s businesses.
Mining: Government reduces resource permit backlog
The B.C. government says it has reduced the 2011 mining permit backlog 84% two months before the province’s target completion date.
Last fall, the province identified a backlog of notices of work as a bottleneck in the review process for natural resource development activities.
The government said 229 notice of work applications that were backlogged as of September 2011 have been reduced to 37 applications.
The province said it will now focus on reducing the average turnaround time on notices of work to 60 days.
