The Save Record Ridge Action Committee (SRRAC) is sharing its concerns about recent developments surrounding Rossland’s Record Ridge mine project.
West High Yield (WHY) Resources has submitted an application to the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Low Carbon Innovation for a magnesium mine at Record Ridge.
In August, the BC Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) determined that the project would require a full Environmental Assessment (EA) because its production capacity would exceed the allowable annual threshold for a mineral mine.
In response, WHY amended its initial mining plan to ensure the production capacity falls below the 75,000-tonne-per-year threshold. The company submitted an amendment letter in September with an updated plan showing a reduction in production capacity from 200,000 to 63,500 tonnes per year.
Based on this, WHY declared that the project no longer requires an EA, as it now falls below the 75,000-tonne-per-year threshold.
However, when SRRAC completed its own detailed study of the proposed amendments, spokesperson and director Elissa Ferguson stated that the changes are minimal and do not align with the 68.25 per cent reduction claimed by WHY.
“We do not believe they have demonstrated a reduction in their production capacity to below threshold. What we see is largely a reduction in their production rate. The footprint, equipment, and components of the mine are very much unchanged.”
She noted that WHY’s amended application claims the project no longer needs an EA because the company is changing its rate of production to produce ore below the threshold. However, Ferguson emphasized that the EA threshold is based on the system’s capacity to produce ore, not the rate of production.
Ferguson stated that SRRAC’s calculations indicate the system’s capacity can still produce more ore than the 75,000-tonne threshold.
“Based on our analysis of the amendment, the Record Ridge mine project still requires an environmental assessment. Production adjustments are not the same as changes to production capacity. Our analysis indicates the infrastructure, equipment, and operating potential still support production well above the threshold, making it clear that the production capacity of this project hasn’t been reduced to a level below the threshold for environmental assessment.”
Ferguson highlighted that the changes are significant to the project, but the provincial government has not required WHY to notify the public or provide a period for public comment on the amended project details.
As a result, SRRAC has formally called on EMLI to halt the permitting process until a comprehensive EA is completed. Ferguson also noted that WHY has not addressed concerns raised during the public review period held in the spring, nor has EMLI conducted the public meeting promised to the community last summer.
“The ministry has not allowed the public to have a public comment period, and the ministry has not come to our community to give us the public meeting they committed to. Many people in the community do not know that they have reduced their production capacity or that the project potentially won’t have to go through an EA process because they haven’t been required to notify anybody of the change.”
In response, SRRAC hosted a community event on November 7 at the Rossland Miners’ Union Hall. The event was at capacity, and Ferguson thanked community members for their support.
“It was standing room only, and to have the community’s generosity in terms of donations to the cause to help us continue this work is overwhelming. We’re really appreciative of our community and their support.”
SRRAC encourages concerned citizens to review the amendment for themselves on the BC Mine Information website and develop their own understanding of the project’s production capacity.
Vista Radio reached out to WHY for a comment, but have yet to receive a response.
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