No comments were received during a recent public comment period for the proposed Ruddock Creek mine project, according to the provincial Environmental Assessment Office.
The public comment period lasted from Sept. 8 to Oct. 8.
During the public comment period people were asked to comment on the list of valued components to be included in the application information requirements.
Valued components are aspects of the natural and human environment that have social, cultural, historical, ecological, scientific, economic or other importance to society.
The valued components will be used to develop the information requirements that will make up the proponent’s application information requirements – a document that summarizes the detailed information to be provided by the proponent in its application.
The project’s proponents have not yet applied for an environmental assessment certificate and still is in the pre-application stage.
Ruddock Creek is a joint venture between Imperial Metals (50 per cent), Mitsui Mining and Smelting Co. Ltd. (30 per cent) and Itochu Corporation (20 per cent).
Exploration was conducted on the Ruddock Creek property by Selkirk Metals Corp. between 2004 and 2009 and included over one kilometre of underground development.
In July of 2014 the project description for the proposed development of the Ruddock Creek property was submitted to both the provincial and federal environmental assessment offices.
The following month, the Neskonlith Indian Band issued an eviction notice against the proposed mine.
The BC Environmental Assessment Office issued a Section 11 Order in October of last year that establishes the formal scope, procedures and methods concerning Ruddock Creek’s environmental assessment.
At about the same time, a group calling itself Secwepemc Ts’ka7 Warriors posted a statement on an activist website, claiming responsibility for torching a bridge on the road leading to the proposed mine.
Ruddock Creek is a proposed underground zinc and lead mine in the Monashee Mountains approximately 30 km east of Avola near Tum Tum Lake.
The proposed mine would have an annual production rate of 1,050,000 tonnes per year projected over eight years.
There will be an additional comment period during the application review stage when people will also be able to provide comments to EAO on the proposed project.