City of Kamloops

Expert Panel to Review Environmental Assessments

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on October 25th, 2016 5:24am

Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna, has appointed a four-person expert panel to review environmental assessments for projects from pipelines to new mines across Canada. Consultations with communities and individuals will begin in September, 2016.

Goose Lake Road Closure - Comments Requested

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on March 7th, 2016 1:31am

Along with the Application, KGHM Ajax has submitted requests for various permits, including a permit to permanently close approximately 6.8 km of Goose Lake Road where it would be under the wet tailings storage lake. The company has no plans to replace this road.

Controversy Surrounds Application Release

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on March 7th, 2016 1:29am

The application for the Ajax mine was submitted on January 18th.   The submission comes amidst a background of controversy.

Government is failing to implement key Mt. Polley Panel recommendation

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on December 2nd, 2015 10:16am

The Government of British Columbia is failing to apply a key recommendation of the Mount Polley review panel in the assessment of new tailings dams in the province.

The Federal Election and What it Means for Environmental Assessment in Canada

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on November 12th, 2015 11:31am

There will be a presentation today, November 12th, 2015,  in the Science building Room 203 at 4:00 pm with Kevin Hanna, Director, UBC Centre for Environmental Assessment Research, The University of British Columbia.

First Nations implement own Assessment Process

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on September 30th, 2015 10:46am

Stk’emlupsemc te Secwepemc Nation implement its own Assessment Process for the proposed Ajax Project

Stk’emlupsemc of the Secwepemc Nation (SSN) file Title Case for Ajax Project

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on September 30th, 2015 10:45am

Stk’emlupsemc of the Secwepemc Nation (SSN) file Title Case for Ajax Project

Town Hall Meeting, September 28

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on September 30th, 2015 10:44am

Town Hall Meeting, this Monday, September 28.

Social Impact Assessment Update

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on June 29th, 2015 11:44am

Following the presentation on Social Impact Assessments (SIA) by Dr. Michael Mehta in April, the Stop Ajax Mine letter-writing team wrote to our MLAs, our MP, and Kamloops City councillors pointing out the urgent need for an SIA of the Ajax Project.

Local First Nations Lay Claim to Jacko Lake and Environs

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on June 18th, 2015 11:45am

In a stunning move, June 17, Stk’emlupsemc te Secwepemc Nation declared title at Jacko Lake and surrounding area.

Business owners send letters of concern to Minister Bennett

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on June 16th, 2015 12:08am

 During a month-long campaign in May, 150 Kamloops business owners who are known opponents of the proposed Ajax mine, were asked to sign a letter of concern to Minister of Energy and Mines, Bill Bennett. Signees personalized their letters with additional comments and sent them individually by Canada Post to the Minister. Many chose to write their own letters of concern under company letterhead. Organizers felt that individual letters would have more impact than a single letter with 150 signatures. The campaign was conducted by members of Kamloops Area Preservation Association and Kamloops E-mail Network of Concerned Citizens. Names of the signees are being kept confidential.

Bennett has no intention of following recommendations of Mount Polley expert review panel

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on May 3rd, 2015 11:11am

The truth comes out…. Bennett has no intention of following the recommendations of the Mount Polley expert panel when it comes to wet tailings. And in fact is trying to indicate a different recommendation from the expert report, which was very clear. These quotes are completely in contradiction to Bennett’s recent statement that all the panel recommendations would be implemented.

So looks like the plan for BC is “Business as Usual.”

BC to Implement All Independent Panel Recommendations Following Mount Polley

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on February 23rd, 2015 4:16am

BC to Implement All Independent Panel Recommendations Following Mount Polley
Teresa Matich, Copper Investing News

Dry-Stack vs. Wet Tailings

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on February 23rd, 2015 4:16am

Earlier this week, the Mount Polley Review Panel recommended that BC mines use dry-stack tailings storage instead of wet tailings storage.  Today’s Kamloops This Week announced that KGHM Ajax will be studying a return to the dry-stack storage facility which was part of the orginal mine plan.  This study could take 2-3 months, which may cause a delay in the company’s application which was expected in May, 2015.

Here is the article.  Note that the Tailings Storage Facility in the present mine plan would not only cover Goose Lake, but also the Antoniak ranch and a portion of the Goose Lake Road.

An Alternative to Open-Pit Mining

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on February 23rd, 2015 4:15am

What are In-situ Copper Recovery Projects?

Staff writer, Copper Investing News. Feb. 15, 2015

Anatomy of an Open-Pit Mine Blast

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on February 23rd, 2015 4:14am

Blasting Video

For a fascinating look at open pit mine blasts, Google search “open pit mine blasting video”.  Run time is 4:31 minutes.  To help you understand what is happening in these blasts, Tony Brumell has put together this commentary:

Mt. Polley - factors leading to a failure of a geowaste facility

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on January 12th, 2015 2:19am

The following article is from Jack Caldwell's blog, I Think Mining – Sharp Opinions About Mines and Mining. Caldwell has spent most of his life as a consulting civil engineer to the mining industry and makes his home in Vancouver and the US.

City of Kamloops Public Comment Submission

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on January 8th, 2015 2:20am

Many thanks to everyone who contributed comments during the Public Comment Period from November 18 to December 22.  The City of Kamloops also made a submission on December 22.  This was prepared by Jen Fretz, Director of Public Works and Utilities and the City’s representative on the Technical Working Group which gives input to the environmental assessment of the proposed Ajax mine. Here is the text of the submission:

Tips & Topics for Public Comment Submissions

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on December 9th, 2014 11:11am

The deadline for submission of public comments to the BC Environmental Assessment Office is December 18.  We all know how busy December can be!  Why not take some time now before you get too busy to submit your comments?  We hope to inspire you with some Tips and Topics:

Interesting Comments in Abacus Sept 2014 Financial Report

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on December 5th, 2014 5:08am

Interesting Comments in Abacus Sept 2014 Financial Report

Public Comment Period Nov 18 - Dec 18

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on December 5th, 2014 4:33am

BC Environmental Assassment Office

Election results a blow to the pro-Ajax crowd

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on December 5th, 2014 4:30am

Election results a blow to the pro-Ajax crowd

Governments Ignoring Public Concerns about Proposed Ajax Mine

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on August 20th, 2014 11:10am

News Release

The Kamloops Area Preservation Association (KAPA) is asking the federal and provincial governments to correct major deficiencies in the environmental assessment for the proposed open-pit Ajax copper-gold mine on the edge of the City of Kamloops.

Federal Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq Rejects Federal Review Panel on KGHM Ajax Mine

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on February 24th, 2014 4:02pm

The Prosperity Mine near William's Lake was approved by the povincial assessment, then it was rejected by a federal review panel... then after Properity resubmitted, the federal review panel rejected it again! Perhaps that is why so many are concerned about this provincial assessment that the KGHM Ajax mine is going through?

Here's the response from the Minister for you to review.

Letter Shows Province has Ignored IHA Requests for Third Party Consultants

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on May 9th, 2013 8:19am

Through a Freedom of Information Act Request, we have found that Interior Health Authority had requested that "qualified third party consultants experienced in human health risk assessment be engaged to participate in the review of the study design and methodology plans and associated sub working groups. "

That request was made in July, 2012, and has been ignored by the Environmental Assessment Office as of March of this year. Because of the lack of transparency in this process, we had to file a Freedom of Information Act request to even get access to it, but we have attached the letter as well as an associated press releases sent out to the media last night. 

BC Hydro and Ajax Power Usage

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on October 7th, 2012 11:14am

UPDATED: We've updated some of our calculations to try determine the real tax revenues based on the subsidy we've calculated the mine will receive.

There has been a lot of discussion about the amount of power the Ajax mine will be using and how this affects us in Kamloops. Here's the facts we know: 

1. The Ajax mine is estimating that it will use 470,538,348kWh/year (from page 228 of the Ajax Mine Feasibility Study), at a rate of $0.035/kWh USD (or $0.0343/kWh CDN as of October 7th, 2012) from BC Hydro. http://www.ajaxmine.ca/pdfs/Ajax_Feasibility_Study_43-101.pdf

2. We pay for our power in a 2 step process. The first 1,350kWh we use is at a rate of $0.068/kWh CDN, and after that we pay $0.1019/kWh CDN.  Note that this has increased since our previous infographic was released earlier this year. https://www.bchydro.com/youraccount/content/residential_bill.jsp

KGHM Ajax Liability and Compensation

Posted by Michael Hewitt on September 10th, 2012 10:10am

In Councillor Arjun Singh's recent blog on www.yourkamloops.com in which he states his position on the proposed KGHM Ajax Mine, he appears to support the need to address compensation for adverse effects caused by the proposed mine. 

The Other Side of the Economic Argument

Posted by Dianne Kerr on July 6th, 2012 1:03pm

Is the Ajax mine really an economic boon to the community if examined through the lens of cost/benefit?   

Not This Mine, Not This Place

Posted by Dianne Kerr on July 6th, 2012 8:57am

What is happening in Kamloops is a microcosm of what is happening in many parts of Canada with respect to gutted environmental legislation and the determination of both the federal and provincial governments to facilitate exploitation of Canadian resources whatever the costs.  The proposal for a giant open pit copper/gold mine to locate within the City limits is also a precedent in that this is a healthy moderate sized community of 87,000 people with a balanced economy and attractive lifestyle. The City was here first with its university, regional hospital, and status as a Tournament Capital in Canada.  It currently attracts both new business and new residents without any mine in its midst.   If the senior governments can put a mine in Kamloops, no city with even low grade mineral resources like this one will be safe.  

In Response to Nancy Bepple's Column: Reduction in energy use a good investment

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on April 26th, 2012 11:29am

Nancy Bepple wrote the following article in the Kamloops Daily News on April 23, 2012, (http://www.kamloopsnews.ca/article/20120423/KAMLOOPS0304/120429970/-1/kamloops/bepple-reduction-in-energy-use-a-good-investment) encouraging us to reduce our energy use. We found this interesting considering her position in the Ajax mine, and the amount of energy they will be using at a drastically reduced rate. Our response follows:     

City of Kamloops Air Quality Survey

Posted by Michael Hewitt on February 1st, 2012 11:17am

The City of Kamloops Air Quality Survey is an interesting and informative document. It raises a number of air quality health-related issues which, in light of the proposal to develop a huge open pit mine with the city limits, should be treated very seriously. Dust is one form of particulate matter (PM), and the proposed mine will generate lots of it, much of which will be blown over Kamloops by the prevailing southwest wind. Dust from the mine could include such toxic elements as arsenic, chromium, uranium, lead, manganese, mercury, and strontium. It should be noted that the Abacus Feasibility Study states that the rock at Ajax can be reground as fine as between 8 to 17 μm, (micrometres, 1000th of a metre) with a median of 12 μm. That is finer than the diameter of a human hair, which ranges from 18 to 180 micrometres. The Air Quality Survey makes a few very interesting statements regarding PM, and ends with an almost poignant vision of Kamloops in the future, ("Where We Are Going") a vision which KAPA strongly supports, and which demonstrates  exactly why the proposed mine should not be approved. Here are some extracts from the Air Quality Review.

Cathy McLeod Letter to Peter Kent - Dec 1, 2011

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on December 6th, 2011 1:17pm

Attached is a copy of the letter MP Cathy McLeod delivered to Federal Environmental Minister Peter Kent on December 1st. We have posted it here for public viewing. 

Potential City of Kamloops Regulatory Powers over the Proposed Ajax Mine

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on October 31st, 2011 2:34pm

A lot has been said about the mine not being entirely in the City of Kamloops boundaries, and such the City of Kamloops has no say, in the end, about whether the mine will go through or not. We strongly believe this is not the case, and after consulting with a lawyer, we received the following:

City of Kamloops Sends Letter Requesting Federal Review Panel

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on October 26th, 2011 11:35am

Today we received a copy of the official letter that was sent by the City of Kamloops to formally request a federal review panel from the federal government. We would like to thank the City of Kamloops, Mayor Peter Milobar, and council for their support. The letter has been included here for reference.

City of Kamloops Formal Request For Federal Review Panel  (pdf)

Letter to Cathy McLeod from KAPA RE: Ajax Mine

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on October 12th, 2011 2:29pm

The following letter was sent to Cathy McLeod on October 12, 2011 after she publicly stated in the October 6th edition of the Kamloops Daily News that she would take the city's request for a federal review panel however she did not believe a federla review panel was warranted. 

"McLeod said while she's willing to take the City's concerns to Kent, she doesn't believe that Ajax requires a review panel."

City of Kamloops Request for More Information

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on August 31st, 2011 1:07pm