Taseko Mines is taking the next step in a bid to open the proposed Yellowhead Copper Mine, and announced on Tuesday (July 8) that the environmental assessment process has now been launched.
The process has been filed and accepted by the B.C. Environmental Assessment office (EAO) and the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC), which now formally starts the environmental assessment.
In a media release from Taseko on July 8, the company explained that the mandate of the EAO and IAAC is “designed to be comprehensive, inclusive and transparent, ensuring that the Yellowhead Project meets the robust regulatory requirements while balancing environmental, social and economic values.”
When asked about the announcement, mayor Merlin Blackwell of the District of Clearwater told Black Press, “The EA process is the beginning of the race towards an operational mine. There are many hurdles, like three different levels of government, and their constituents that need to be okay with it.
“What it does mean is that Yellowhead is now an official project. It is something we need to start preparing for as a community with infrastructure, with classrooms, with social services, with the needs of a one-third to two-thirds larger community 10 years from now. These are the concerns that council will be taking to the province to address. This is our responsibility.”
The company has an office in the new Barriere Business Centre at 4609 Barriere Town Road, and has been inviting residents of the North Thompson to “drop in” for a visit to learn more about the project and what it could mean for economic growth, new job opportunities and infrastructure development in the communities of Barriere and Clearwater. Taseko has also been hosting community open house events in the North Thompson since the fall of 2024, with plans to hold regular public events often in the future, so that local residents can ask questions and learn more about the Yellowhead Copper Mine proposal.
The company is known for its large Gilbraltar Mine located at McLeese Lake, B.C., which is the second-largest open-pit copper mine in Canada and the largest employer in the Cariboo. Projections for the proposed Yellowhead Mine are that it could be even larger than Gilbraltar once completed.
Taseko is predicting that if the company receives government approval for the mine (which would be located approximately 150 kilometres north of Kamloops) it could potentially employ over 2,000 people in the start-up phase, upwards of 500 people full-time.
“This next step for the Yellowhead Taseko Project is is extremely exciting, and it means we are getting closer to realizing a potential economic boom for our whole valley," said Barriere mayor Robert Kerslake. "With the downturn in the forest sector this is welcome news.
"Of course, the environmental assessment is the most important part of getting this project off the ground, and it’s encouraging to see that process moving forward. It's critical that it be thorough, transparent and science-based, ensuring that the project can proceed in a way that protects the land, water and communities we all care about. Responsible development like this can create much-needed jobs and economic stability for our region while balancing the environmental stewardship that’s so important to us all.”
According to geological assessments, Taseko has estimated that up to 90,000 tons of copper ore could be extracted from the site daily, creating one of the largest open-pit mining operations in Canada.
Since the project is in the territory of Simpcw First Nation, Taseko and Simpcw have signed a Relationship Negotiation Agreement, and the project will be subject to the Simpcw Process, which is an Indigenous-developed assessment procedure initiated by Simpcw leadership.
The Taseko announcement states that the Relationship Negotiation Agreement "will define Simpcw’s role in the project oversight and planning and establish an economic partnership between the parties.“
