A Quebec court has rejected an appeal by the Union of Agricultural Producers (UPA) against an earlier ruling in favour of
The group had voiced concerns over potential effects on the environment and public health arising from radioactivity associated with Niocan’s proposed mining and concentration operations.
In August, after 32 days of hearings, the Quebec Administrative Tribunal concluded that “the operation of a niobium mine did not create a risk of contamination for the sector and its agricultural activities.”
Niocan says the latest decision paves the way for the Quebec Ministry of the Environment to grant the project a certificate of authorization before the end of the year.
Niocan already has a mining lease and other approvals from Quebec’s Ministry of Natural Resources. Also, the Quebec Agricultural Lands Protection Commission has approved the use of 9.2 hectares of agricultural land for mining infrastructure.
Plans at Oka call for annual mining of 892,000 tonnes of ore grading 0.63% , with mill recovery figured in the mid-70s. From this would be produced 4,500 tonnes of ferroniobium for 17 years.
Reserves in the S-60 deposit are estimated at 12.3 million tonnes running 0.63% Nb2O5, based on a cutoff grade of 0.44% Nb2O5. At a 0.5% Nb2O5 cutoff, the HWM-2 deposit contains 2.3 million tonnes of 0.53% Nb2O5.
The news sent shares in Niocan soaring 20, or 25%, to a new 52-week high of $1 in late afternoon trading on Nov. 25.
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