Imperial Metals

The Mount Polley Mine located 100 km northeast of Williams Lake, British Columbia is an open pit copper/gold mine that started operation in 1997. Exploration on the property continues concurrent to mining operations with the expected lifetime of the mine expiring in 2025.[3] In August 2014 the Mount Polley Mine was the site of the Mount Polley mine disaster. Since the 2014 disaster the mining company has faced substantial protests mounted by local indigenous activist Kanahus Manuel and other members of the Secwepemc Nation.[4]

Map of the Red Chris Mine Property

The Red Chris project is an operating open-pit copper/gold.[5] The mine property is located outside of the community of Iskut, with the Klappan River flowing through the property less than 20 km from its confluence with the Stikine River. The mine's proximity to the Sacred Headwaters and the transboundary nature of environmental management in this region has raised concerns across the border on the Alaskan panhandle. On February 1, 2015, the Globe and Mail reported that commercial fisherman, native organizations, and the mayors of Sitka and Petersburg have released a joint statement requesting an "equal seat at the table with Canada in discussions about how and if watersheds shared by both countries are developed."[6]