Editor:
Brian Battison insists the New Prosperity application is for a 20-year mine. The TNG (Tsilhqot’in National Government) says it will almost certainly become a 33-year mine. Let’s look at some facts.
In 2009 Taseko announced a 70 per cent increase in mineral reserves; 487 million tons to 830 million tons.
It said this extends the life of the mine from 20 years to 33 years.
These are the reserve figures that Taseko puts out to this day when discussing New Prosperity, even though its present application is for a 20-year mine.
On its New Prosperity website Taseko says “an approval by Taseko to extract all (a 33-year mine) or a portion of added reserves is supplemental to those contemplated by this application and would, before moving ahead, consider a number of factors such as metal prices at the time … .”
Scott Jones, vice president of engineering for Taseko Mines Ltd., has stated that it will be impossible to save Fish Lake if the mine goes to 33 years.
At year 21 approximately half of the mineral reserves will still be in the ground.
These are the facts.
We agree with the TNG that TML will almost certainly apply for an extension that, according to its own expert, will destroy Fish lake.
An assessment must consider the cumulative impacts of a 33-year mine.
David Williams,
president,
Friends of the
Nemaiah Valley