B.C. government ponders next Windy Craggy move

Mines Minister Anne Edwards said the British Columbia government will soon announce “where we go next”on the land-use controversy surrounding the Windy Craggy project in northwestern British Columbia.

The project was referred to the Commission on Resources and Environment (CORE) which recommended the government choose one of three options. One choice would be to allow resource development in the most prospective 25% of the Tatshenshini region, while the other options are to prohibit resource development or delay a decision.

Edwards said the government will not make a specific decision on these three options. Instead, it will decide what course to take next, which may include a 6-month period to allow for public comment.

This process would likely involve Royal Oak Mines (TSE), which recently announced plans to buy Northgate Explorations’ control block in Geddes Resources, which in turn owns 100% of the Windy Craggy copper deposit. The government also commissioned a new report to summarize the response to a previous report by Richard Schwindt on compensation for expropriated mineral claims or resource interests. This “report on a report”is expected to be released shortly.