Marathon mine builder Generation Mining should know inside of two months whether it can green-light its open-pit copper and palladium mine project.
The Toronto company issued a Sept. 6 news release that the provincial mines ministry has invited them to submit its mine closure plan following consent for the $1.1-billion project being granted by Biitigong Nishnaabeg, its First Nation neighbour.
The proposed mine is 10 kilometres north of the town of Marathon.
Construction on the mine could begin early next year with pre-production and mine commissioning tentatively scheduled for mid-2025.
Receiving approval of a closure plan is key for a mining company in Ontario. Mining operations can't start unless a certified closure plan is in place.
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A closure plan describes what measures a company will take over the life of the mine to rehabilitate the site and restore it to a natural state. The company must also post financial assurance to cost the costs of rehabilitation.
The province has up to 45 days to approve Gen Mining’s closure plan or return it for revisions.
Gen Mining calls the invite a “significant milestone” in the permitting process. Indigenous groups were consulted and participated in the development of the mine closure plan. More permits and approvals are coming in this fall.
“This is the conclusion of months of working together to define the social, environmental, and technical elements of the Closure Plan to achieve the land use envisioned for the property after mining concludes, including establishing a self-sustaining ecosystem, re-establishing access through the area for traditional land use and providing future economic development opportunities,” said company president Jamie Levy in a statement.
“The Closure Plan reflects the significant amount of work undertaken by all parties to produce a plan that achieves the objectives of all stakeholders.”
