PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Junior Jameson Resources has inked a landmark environmental assessment process and consent agreement with the Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi ‘it First Nation (YQT) over its Crown Mountain hard coking coal project, in British Columbia.
Under the landmark agreement with Jameson subsidiary NWP Coal Canada, YQT will act as a regulator and reviewer of the Crown Mountain project and in so doing will fully engage in the environmental assessment of the project for the purpose of providing or withholding free, prior and informed consent to the project following completion of the environmental assessment.
Jameson said on Monday that this agreement paved the way for a new era of relationship-building with Indigenous Nations throughout the environmental approvals process and for the lifetime of the project, garnering a mutual respect partnership between both parties.
“This is a huge step in the new era for natural resource development in British Columbia. NWP Coal Canada is committed to designing and operating an improved project that incorporates building environmental controls from the beginning with learnings from the past and taking input and advice from Indigenous Nations,” said Jameson MD Michael Gray.
“Having support and a strongly built relationship with YQT throughout the process and timelines of the project, ensures that NWP Coal Canada will understand the impacts of the project on Indigenous Nations in natural resource development.”
Crown Mountain could produce 1.7-million tonnes a year of coal over a mine life of nearly 15 years.