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Water board approves licence for Hope Bay Aboriginal Affairs Minister reviewing recommendation
Shawn Giilck
Northern News Services
Published Saturday, August 24, 2013
IKALUKTUTIAK/CAMBRIDGE BAY
The Hope Bay gold project is living up to its name as TMAC Resources Inc. continues to develop the site it took over from Newmont Mining subsidiary Hope Bay Mining Ltd., this past March.
The Nunavut Water Board recommended that a Type A water licence be granted to TMAC Resources Inc. for the Doris North mine, which is located within the Hope Bay gold project. The board sent its decision to the minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development for approval. - photo courtesy of Hope Bay Mining Inc.
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The junior exploration company, which specializes in narrow-vein gold mining, activated all four of its surface diamond drills throughout July as workers dug into "greenfield" sites, in which little or no drilling had previously occurred, according to the company's August investor update.
A public hearing regarding a Type A water license renewal and amendment for the project's Doris North deposit wrapped up on July 17.
On Aug. 16, Nunavut Water Board chair Thomas Kabloona sent a letter to Bernard Valcourt, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, recommending TMAC be licensed to "use water and deposit waste in relation to the construction, operation, closure and reclamation of the Doris North Project."
Doris North is an underground gold mine about 75 kilometres northeast of Bay Chimo and is the most developed of the three deposits identified along the Hope Bay Green Stone Belt within TMAC's project.
The former owner, Hope Bay Mining Ltd., had started the renewal and amendment process in September 2012. The Nunavut Water Board determined a full environmental review of the application was necessary under the Nunavut Waters and Nunavut Surface Rights Tribunal Act in October 2012.
"We have followed our time-line, everything has been completed, and the recommendation has been given to the minister," said Damien Côté, executive director of the water board.
The minister can approve or reject the recommendation or send the report back to the board for further amendments.
The board's draft licence requires TMAC to provide $13.09 million in security to the minister's office within 30 days of his approval.
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