B.C. approves underground mining expansion at Red Chris Mine
The province cleared block-caving at the northwestern copper and gold mine where three workers were trapped 500 metres underground last July.
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The British Columbia government has approved an amended environment assessment certificate for block-caving at the Red Chris Mine in northwestern B.C., the same site where three workers were trapped underground last July.
The copper and gold mine is already operating as an open pit operation. Block-caving is an underground mining method that allows extraction from deeper deposits.
Last July, three workers were more than 500 metres down when two collapses trapped them. They remained safe in a refuge station until rescue crews brought them to the surface more than two days later. The workers were performing specialized exploratory drilling for the mine's planned transition to block-cave mining when the incident occurred.
The government says its decision to approve the amended certificate came after reviewing a report from the Environmental Assessment Office and receiving consent from the Tahltan Central Government. The approval includes 27 binding conditions for the certification, including monitoring water and air quality and ground stability.