We have recently seen an oped from a Rossland mom with concerns about the Record Ridge south mine and a rebuttal from a Castlegar man claiming this newspaper should have done a better job of background checking.
(Rossland mom: ‘Record Ridge magnesium mine is not a sustainable choice’ published as Opinion online on Oct. 14, and on Trail Times’ Opinion page, Oct. 17. and Letter: Record Ridge magnesium mine will bring good paying jobs published online and in print as Opinion on Oct. 24)
I think Cliff French should have done a better job of looking into this before he said there were a few cheap shots by this Rossland mom.
I too have been in the mining/smelting industry, 31 years at Teck/Cominco. Other older men have questioned her technical competency.
How can you question a person with a Masters Degree of Science in Environmental Management and worked in Mining Regulation and Reclamation for a decade?
I am 77 years old and I have known this young woman for two years and have the utmost respect for her and what she is doing. She is a very nice, qualified, person.
I have lived in the Big Sheep Creek Valley for 47 years now and you can see from the EMLI’s map my house is 3.4 kilometres from the open pit.
Cliff you said, ” As far as the effect on the community, it is out of the way; most people won’t even know it is there.”
That statement is wrong, there are 15 properties on or near the Cascade Road west of the mine site, some closer than me and people in Paterson close to the mine site.
You said you “doubted that asbestos and silica would be a problem.”
I worked on an asbestos removal crew at Teck and have looked at a core sample report done for WHY Resources and see there indeed is Chrysotile Asbestos at this mine site.
I have a water licence on East Corral Creek which starts close to the Seven Summits Trail, and is meters from the proposed open pit.
I am concerned I will get wind blown contaminates in my water system coming out of my taps.
Sophia Creek is at the mine site, which flows into Little Sheep Creek and goes to Paterson and Washington.
They will be effected by this mine.
You said that problem can easily be dealt with.
Please explain that to me.
At the Teck Tadanac operations there is a truck wash that all Teck’s trucks must use before entering the highway system.
There is nothing WHY’s application about a vehicle wash station.
Cliff you said, “There is very little run-off in that area.”
Maybe you should take a drive out there at spring breakup when the mine will be starting production each year and see all the water running down off of Record Ridge.
Why is the Cascade Road under weight restriction every year into June?
Tell me what is going to happen with the sedimentation pond when the pumps are not running in the six months of winter and there is six or more feet of snow on it.
In spring, breakup it will be running down the Cascade Road.
Cliff you said, “Most of the wildlife you mentioned is not close to the mine.”
That is not true. I have seen elk, deer, bears, cougars and porcupines in this area.
Why are there two traplines and plenty of hunters in the area of the mine?
I have two main concerns about this mine and many others that I have sent to the EMLI for their Mine Development Review Committee to discuss with the proponent.
My water source and safety on the Cascade Road. In WHY’s latest Mine Plan they show no improvements to the Cascade Road.
It is funny that MOTI has been negotiating with WHY resources for two years now and we are a little over a month away from the decision on the mine permit by the BC Chief Mine Inspector and we have had no information about WHY’s traffic plan.
To me, a representative from the CVSE Castlegar office described the Cascade Road as a “wagon road.”
This road will not support the 60 B train ore trucks per 12 hour day seven days a week that is described in the 2023 Mine Plan. WHY also suggested talking to MOTI about removing radio protocol signs from the Cascade Road.
Most of us valley people use VHS radios to navigate this dangerous road, including the ministry of forests, utility providers, hunters, and more.
This road is our life line, and the removal of radios from this road is a huge safety concern.
In the future, WHY has plans for operations on both sides of the Cascade Road so we will be travelling right through the middle of a mine site.
What a great idea!
As far as the good paying jobs: WHY Resources has already made a deal with the OIB to run the mine.
Are there lots of miners still in this area or will they be brought in from other locations?
I believe very few people from this area will be employed at this mine and the high paying jobs will be management jobs sitting in the office.
How do you support a family on six-month wages with our economy and inflation?
Rob Murdoch,
Big Sheep Creek Valley
