The McIlvenna Bay base and precious metals project, in Canada, is leading the copper development project pack by achieving its carbon-neutral status.

TSX-V-listed Foran Mining announced this week that it had completed carbon offset purchases to offset emissions from exploration activities undertaken at the deposit over the past ten years.

The total emissions for exploration between 2011 and 2020, including land use changes, fuel use for exploration and travel-related emissions, was 5.74-million tonnes of carbon dioxide.

The transaction will provide revenue for two offset projects, the Kariba forest protection project, in Zimbabwe, and the NL climate and ecosystems conservancy project, in Canada.

The offset projects were specifically chosen because they are verified to a high standard and incorporate Canadian and international projects.

“Our actions taken to date - in offsetting the carbon emitted in the exploration phase, to ensure that the entire impact of the project from day one of development, through to operations, to eventual closure is carbon neutral – evidence our commitment to zero harm, not only because it is the right thing to do for the environment and people alike but also because there is a wealth of research that clearly demonstrates that sustainable, responsible businesses have greater corporate longevity and create superior returns for shareholders, stakeholders and society in the long term,” said Foran executive chairperson Dan Mayerson.

Canadian businessperson and investor Pierre Lassonde congratulated Mayerson and his team for reaching the milestone.

“This is important because this might be a world first, it is certainly a first for mining, a first for copper and a first for me.

“They are really taking mining in a new direction, leading by example, and showing what is possible for the future of the industry.”

Foran is in the feasibility stage of developing its McIlvenna Bay project in eastern Saskatchewan. McIlvenna Bay is a copper/zinc/gold/silver rich VMS deposit intended to be the centre of a new mining camp in a prolific district that has already been producing for 100 years. McIlvenna Bay sits just 65 km from Flin Flon, Manitoba and is part of the world-class Flin Flon Greenstone Belt that extends from Snow Lake, Manitoba, through Flin Flon to Foran’s ground in eastern Saskatchewan, a distance of over 225 km.