British Columbia to Fast-Track Permitting on Three Critical Minerals Mining Projects

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Written by Eric Funderburk for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas)

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Summary

British Columbia has named three mining projects that it will fast-track through environmental and regulatory permitting, in line with the province's Critical Minerals Strategy that was implemented in early 2024.

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New Fast-Tracked Mining Projects

British Columbia late last week listed three mining projects that it will fast-track through the environmental and regulatory permitting processes. The projects include two copper mines and a rare earths mine. All of the facilities include on-site processing plants. The mines' developers will now work closely with the province's Critical Minerals Office to help the facilities break ground and begin producing as soon as is feasible.

B.C.'s Critical Minerals Strategy

British Columbia established the opportunity to fast-track mines producing minerals and metals deemed "critical" by the federal and provincial governments in its Critical Minerals Strategy, which went into effect in early 2024. The announcement of the first group of fast-tracked projects was a little more than a year later, when the province selected 18 projects for the process.

Last week's announcement of three new projects represents a smaller number of projects than those early days but demonstrates that more than two years later, British Columbia is still examining, selecting and paving the way for projects it considers important.

"British Columbia has been a leader in supporting critical mineral project development and is one of several provinces implementing policy to support mining and refining projects in Canada," according to Joe Govreau, Industrial Info's vice president of research for Metals & Minerals. "Ontario has a similar program named 'One Project, One Process' and has selected several projects for that program. And that's not to mention the federal support making Canada and rest of the Americas a hotbed of activity in this space."

The Most Recent Selections

The three projects named for fast-tracking in British Columbia's latest announcement include:

• Northisle Copper and Gold's North Island copper and gold project.
• Surge Copper Corporation's Berg copper, molybdenum and silver mine and mill.
• Defense Metals Corporation's rare earths mine.

The Projects

Northisle's proposed copper and gold mine and processing plant near Port Hardy has been in planning for more than a decade and is being developed as an above-ground mine. The facility is planned to be developed in two phases, with the first phase establishing basic infrastructure for the mine and processing plant while the second phase would be completed within five years to extend the mine's total operating life to nearly 30 years. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Project Database can learn more by viewing the related project reports.

Surge Copper's Berg complex near the town of Houston, British Columbia, targets two elements found on Canada's Critical Minerals List, copper and molybdenum, with the bonus of an expected 3 million ounces per year of silver. Industrial Info's most recent update to the report covering the Berg mine and mill forecasts construction will kick off in earnest in a couple of years, followed by an in-service date in 2030; however, the mine's new fast-tracked status may put it on course to break ground and begin production sooner. Subscribers can click here to learn more about the project.

Defense Metals' Wicheeda rare earths mine and processing plant near Bear Lake is being established to produce mixed rare earth carbonate (MREC), a high-value composite of various elements found in this deposit of primarily light rare earth elements (LREE). In this case, Defense Metals primarily is targeting neodymium, praseodymium, cerium and lanthanum--all LREEs. In addition, the MREC will include a small minority of heavy rare earth elements.

Industrial Info's project reports on the Wicheeda development show an above-ground mine established in three stages: a pilot plant that could break ground by the end of this year, followed by its conversion into a full-scale commercial operation and then the addition of a hydrometallurgical plant.

Codified Timeline

British Columbia's fast-tracking of mine development will be enhanced further beginning April 1 of this year, when the province will begin requiring that mineral exploration permits be processed within 40 to 140 days, depending on the complexity and scope of a project as well as First Nations input.

Key Takeaways

• British Columbia has named three mining projects that it will put on a fast-track permitting process as part of the province's Critical Minerals Strategy.
• The newly fast-tracked projects include two copper mines and a rare earth elements mine.
• British Columbia will begin fast-tracking mineral exploration permits beginning April 1.

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About IIR News Intelligence
IIR News Intelligence is a trusted source of news for the industrial process and energy markets, powered by Industrial Info Resources' Global Market Intelligence (GMI).

About Industrial Info Resources
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 250,000 current and future projects worth $30.2 Trillion (USD).