BC gov’t rejects environmental certificate for Ajax mine

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VICTORIA (NEWS 1130) – The British Columbia government says an environmental assessment certificate will not be issued for a proposed open pit gold and copper mine in Kamloops.

It says the potential for significant adverse effects of the Ajax project outweigh the potential benefits.

Environment Minister George Heyman and Mines Minister Michelle Mungall say in a news release that the impact on Indigenous heritage, the proximity to Kamloops and environmental concerns make the project an unacceptable risk.

The release says the potential effects of dust on air quality and human health were a central issue in the assessment.

The 1,700-hectare mine would have been next to the Aberdeen neighbourhood and close to an elementary school.

The Ajax mine proposed by KGHM International has been under consideration since 2006 and the company has said it was committed to not discharging any waste water into the environment.

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