Courtesy of the Tsilhqot'in National Government:
Editor's Note - more on this story here. AMARC responds here
The Tsilhqot’in National Government (TNG) is issuing notice to Amarc Resources Ltd. (TSX-V: AHR) to cease its “Ike” mineral exploration mining project operations for 2015 within the Dasiqox Tribal Park, Tsilhqot’in territory. The Province of British Columbia granted Amarc Resources a permit to conduct mining exploration in sensitive mountainous terrain despite the strong objections of the affected Tsilhqot’in communities. The TNG and communities oppose exploration drilling and mine development in this sensitive area. In spite of documented objections and discussions, Amarc Resources has decided to move ahead with their drilling program. The region in question is near the declared Aboriginal title area and is high value wilderness habitat, which provides connectivity between Tsilhqot’in territory and St’at’imc territory for keystone species such as grizzly bear and mule deer. The area is a known grizzly migratory route and the treeline below the drilling is home to whitebark pine trees, a critical food source for grizzly bears and a species protected by the federal Species at Risk Act. The exploration area is also within a buffer zone for draft mountain goat winter range and the headwaters and source of the Dasiqox (Taseko River), which flows into the Chilko, Chilcotin, and Fraser River systems
Xeni Gwet'in Chief Roger William says:
“Amarc has met with our communities to present an Exploration Agreement in a timeframe that is not appropriate. Our people are still reeling from the trauma of two panel hearings and the Federally rejected plans of the Prosperity Mine Project. If Amarc wants to be successful in gaining the consent of our people, they need to respect our community processes and work with us in a way that suits not only the minimum requirements of the BC permitting process, but also our needs. At this moment in time, our people will turn down any mining practices in sensitive areas, such as the Dasiqox headwaters, which we consider a ‘no go zone’.”
While Yunesit’in Chief Russell Myers-Ross says:
“As a leader looking at a project such as “Ike” and attempting to foresee it’s future – it is located in volatile weather patterns and at high altitude, it is adjacent to a glacial fed stream that flows to a series of glacial streams that connect with the larger Dasiqox Watershed. Knowing that this is a prime location for grizzlies and that for a mine to be developed a road must eventually be carved through the mountain, disturbing the corridor for grizzly habitat – it’s too risky to try to situate a mine in this sensitive area. Amarc ought to consider, that from our perspective, this area is an impossible site for a full-scale open-pit mine. The company should be honest and stop wasting people’s time and money by pretending there is potential of a future mine.”
View the full Press Release here
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