Proposed gold mine near Red Lake okayed at federal EA process
A planned open-pit gold mine north of Red Lake has federal approval.
An environmental assessment has determined that First Mining Gold’s Springpole project will not cause significant adverse environmental effects.
Six nearby Indigenous communities participated in the assessment, providing their own studies that served as a basis for the federal government’s decision.
The project is expected to generate thousands of direct and indirect jobs and represents a capital investment of almost $1 billion.
Chief Executive Officer Dan Wilton says the decision also validates the project’s significance to northwestern Ontario’s economy.
“This is a monumental day for First Mining, the local Indigenous communities and municipalities who are positioned to benefit economically and socially from the project, First Mining shareholders and all of Northwestern Ontario,” stated Wilton in a release.
“The project will generate billions of dollars in government revenue, deliver hundreds of jobs and careers in the local region, provide significant contracting opportunities for regional and Indigenous businesses, support regional infrastructure and services, and add billions of dollars to the gross domestic product at a critical time for the Ontario and Canadian economy.”
The Springpole Project is cited as one of Canada’s largest undeveloped gold resources and is located approximately 110 kilometres northeast of Red Lake.
A pre-feasibility study issued last December identified estimated mineral reserves of 102 million tonnes of gold-bearing ore.
The cost to construct the mine and mill is expected to run over $1.4 billion.
First Mining says it will continue to work on the engineering design and permitting.
It has also recently announced that it is working with Slate Falls Nation on an agreement that gives that community involvement in the project.
It is one of eight Indigenous communities First Mining has been engaged with and will continue to do so during the permitting process.
