A Quebec court has reject an appeal by the Union of Agricultural Producers (UPA) Outaouais-Laurentides against an earlier ruling in favour of Niocan‘s (NIO-T) niobium mining project in Oka, Quebec.
The group had voiced concerns over potential effects on the environment and public health arising from the radioactivity associated with Niocan’s proposed mining and concentration operations.
Last August, after 32 days of hearings, the Quebec Administrative Tribunal concluded, “the operation of a niobium mine did not create a risk of contamination for the sector and its agricultural activities.”
Niocan says the latest decision paves the way for the Quebec Ministry of the Environment to grant the project a certificate of authorization before the end of the year.
Niocan already has in hand a mining lease and other approvals from Quebec’s Ministry of Natural Resources. The Quebec Agricultural Lands Protection Commission has also okayed the use of 9.2 hectares of agricultural land for mining infrastructure.
The plan at Oka envisages annually mining 892,000 tonnes of ore grading 0.63% Nb2O5, with mill recovery figured in the mid-70s to produce 4,500 tonnes of ferroniobium for 17 years.
Reserves in the S-60 deposit are estimated at 12.3 million tonnes running 0.63% Nb2O5, based on a cut off grade of 0.44% Nb2O5. At a 0.5% Nb2O5 cutoff, the HWM-2 deposit contains an estimated 2.3 million tonnes of 0.53% Nb2O5.
The news sent shares in Niocan soaring 20, or 25%, to a new 52-week high of $1 in late afternoon trading on Nov. 25.
Be the first to comment on "Quebec court rejects Oka appeal"