Red Chris mine expansion advances as Tahltan partnership model
$3 billion copper and gold project approved; expected to create 1,800 construction jobs and boost Canada's annual copper production by 15%.
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British Columbia's approval of a multi-billion-dollar expansion of the Red Chris gold and copper mine sets owner Newmont Corp. up for a final investment decision later this year, advancing the province's critical minerals strategy through a model it says proves Indigenous partnerships can accelerate major projects.
The Red Chris Block Cave project, located southeast of the community of Iskut in northwest BC, will extend the mine's life by more than a decade and increase ore processing from 11 million to 15 million tonnes annually. The expansion is expected to increase Canada's annual copper production by more than 15 percent.
Newmont, the world's largest gold producer, holds 70 percent ownership; Imperial Metals owns the remaining 30 percent. The company estimates the project's cost at approximately $3 billion. The project is expected to create about 1,800 construction jobs at peak and sustain existing 370 mine jobs plus contract and spinoff work until at least 2040.
The approval came through a "consent-based framework" with the Tahltan Nation, whose traditional territory includes the mine site. Tahltan Central Government president Kerry Carlick said the announcement answers critics who questioned whether recognizing Indigenous rights would make it harder to advance major projects in BC.
"The approval of the Red Chris Block Cave Project, developed in partnership with the Tahltan Nation, the province, and Newmont, shows that meaningful Indigenous involvement creates certainty, strengthens projects and delivers benefits that are shared by all British Columbians," Carlick said.
Newmont CEO Natascha Viljoen called the project "a compelling long-term opportunity," citing the region's "significant mineral endowment, availability of clean hydroelectric power, port access, supportive governments, and strong Indigenous economic leadership."
The BC government has conditionally promised $44 million for power transmission upgrades and $195 million for roads in northwest BC to support the mine. The project was on both provincial and federal fast-track lists meant to boost critical mineral production for the technology and clean energy sectors.
