B.C.’s mining industry rankles at park decision

British Columbia’s mining industry reacted strongly to a new ban on resource development in Strathcona Park, the primary recommendation of a recent report by the Strathcona Park advisory committee. To the delight of environmental groups such as the militant Friends of Strathcona, the B.C. government endorsed the committee’s uncompromising position to stop all new mineral exploration in the park, except for the site of Westmin Resources’ precious/base metals mine.

“One of our fears is that the decision of the Strathcona Park advisory committee will become the policy of the government for the rest of the parks and recreation areas in the province,” said Jack Patterson, managing director of the B.C. & Yukon Chamber of Mines. “Although the government hasn’t said it will do this, the implication is what’s good for Strathcona is good for any other park or recreation area.”

Bruce McKnight, vice-president business development for Westmin, said the company is still digesting the contents of the 80-page report which contains a number of recommendations relating to its mining operation. McKnight said the company doesn’t yet know what parts of the report will be adopted by the government, but assumes by the wording of a recent government statement that it will be allowed to continue exploration on its property. The company is now in the process of upgrading its mine/mill complex.

“We are disappointed in the report generally and do think it may have implications for other parts of the province,” McKnight said. “The committee appears to be arguing that the value to society of any unproven mineral lands must always be less than any known recreational values. We don’t accept this as always being true.”

Richard Moore, western exploration manager for Falconbridge Ltd. (TSE) adds that the amount of land being alienated from mineral exploration and mining in B.C. is expanding “at an ever-increasing rate.” Exploration is already restricted in parts of the Queen Charlotte Islands he said, and may likely be curtailed in parts of the East Kootenays if a recent Wild Lands study gives in to demands of groups such as local outfitters bringing in American hunters.

“If you remove a large portion of B.C. from exploration because some tourist feels his wilderness experience is ruined by the sight of a drill rig in the bush, then you remove a large portion of this province’s mineral endowment,” he said. Tom Waterland, president of the Mining Association of B.C., said the government appears to be taking too seriously the knee- jerk reactions of small, special interest groups. “This time it’s a recreation area within a park, but the next time it could very well be a major orebody or economic development taking place outside a park. A message is being given out that all these groups have to do is object long enough — and loud enough.”

Despite all this criticism, B.C. Mines Minister Jack Davis said he is still committed to the principle of multiple use in recreation areas elsewhere in the province. “With proper planning and reclamation there’s no reason why mining and forestry and other resource uses cannot co-exist with recreational interests.”

Parks Minister Terry Huberts said he would be working with Davis to arrange fair compensation where legitimately held rights are affected by the policy to turn Strathcona into a Class A park. One of those will surely be Cream Silver Mines which holds claims held since the late sixties within the present park boundaries and within sight of Westmin’s property. Over 60 members of the Friends of Strathcona defied the law and were arrested earlier this year in order to stop the company’s efforts to explore its property.

“Twice the government gave the right to explore and now twice they have taken it away,” said Frank Lang, president of Cream Silver. “That initial right also included the right to develop and produce from an orebody, if found.”

Lang said the decision has cost the company not only exploration dollars, but also the opportunity of finding a major orebody which could generate new jobs and tax revenues. He said the company would withhold legal action pending discussions with the Parks Minister to discuss the compensation issue.