Access to lands vital to industry’s future

This is the first of a regular monthly column from the British Columbia and

Yukon Chamber of Mines The 1990s present a number of challenges for the mineral exploration industry in British Columbia and the Yukon Territory. Among these is that several major base metal mines are expected to exhaust their ore reserves before the end of the decade.

A number of undeveloped porphyry deposits in British Columbia have low copper grades and only those with significant byproduct gold values are likely to be developed. In order to maintain current copper production levels, higher-grade deposits will have to be found and developed.

The most attractive targets are volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits with good copper, lead and zinc grades and the possibility of locally significant concentrations of gold and silver. Examples of this deposit type are known to occur in a variety of geological terrains throughout the Cordillera.

Levels of exploration activity in the search for massive sulphides and other deposit types in the 1990s will depend on several factors including metal prices, availability of risk capital for junior companies and access to lands considered to be prospective for mineral deposits.

Alienation of lands for single use purposes which prohibits exploration and mining is an issue of ongoing concern to the chamber and related organizations across Canada. Public pressure is growing to double the 6% of Crown lands in British Columbia that are currently closed to mining and other extractive resource users.

Proponents of this plan commonly cite the recommendations of the United Nations Brundtland Report which also promotes the concept of sustainable development and integrated use of resources.

This topic was prominent during the recent annual general meeting of the chamber held in conjunction with the Cordilleran Geology and Exploration Roundup. The seventh annual roundup, held in Vancouver, attracted more than 1,500 delegates. Included during the roundup were reviews of activities by the Geological Survey of Canada, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and The British Columbia Ministry of Energy Mines and Petroleum Resources. The 1990 Roundup also included “Snapshot 90,” a collection of brief descriptions of significant exploration projects in British Columbia and Yukon, and an international session with presentations on significant prospects in such diverse locales as Chile and Wales.

The British Columbia and Yukon Chamber of Mines advocates multiple resource use for most Crown lands and the detailed assessment of mineral and other resource values prior to withdrawal of lands for parks and other single use purposes. The chamber and its related organizations across Canada must continue to inform and educate the public of the industry’s need for an adequate land base in which to carry out exploration.

Given the right environment, exploration in British Columbia and the Yukon in the 1990s will be successful in replenishing ore reserves in established mining areas and in finding new deposits in the “frontier” regions. New deposits in remote areas will be viable only with government support for infrastructure costs. This investment by government will result in increased development and consequent enhancement of revenues. N.C. Carter is the past president of the British Columbia and Yukon Chamber of Mines.