Editor:
Living among you are the nearly 700 men and women who work at the Gibraltar Mine.
Let me tell you something about them.
For more than two years now they have worked around the clock, 365 days a year, and not one of them has lost any time at work due to an on-the-job injury.
Rarely, over my 35-year career in mining have I heard of such a lengthy period of safety success at a large mining operation in Canada.
Their accomplishment is a tribute to their adherence to safe work practices and to the high regard they have for each other.
The Gibraltar Mine is one of the lowest grade copper mines in the world, which means it has one of the most difficult ore bodies to mine at a profit.
For five years world copper prices have been steadily declining to the point where every day now is a financial challenge.
Yet the men and women working at Gibraltar, particularly during this past two-year period, have set new production records while at the same time lowering costs and maintaining the financial viability of the operation.
And they have done so without cutting any corners, without any compromise to their safety or the safety of others.
It is my pleasure to pay tribute to these exceptional people and to let all Cariboo residents know of the special talent and dedication of their fellow citizens who work at Gibraltar.
You should be proud of them, I am.
Russell Hallbauer
President and CEO
Taseko Mines Limited