A controversial mine planned for an area northeast of Ketchikan just won environmental approval from the British Columbia government.
Toronto-based Seabridge Gold was granted what’s called an Environmental Assessment Certificate Wednesday. The corporation is developing the Kerr-Sulphurets-Mitchell prospect, not far from the Southeast Alaska border.
Seabridge still needs similar approval from Canada’s federal government. It got a provisional OK earlier this month. The final public comment period for what’s called the KSM mine ends August 20th.
Provincial approval was granted on the same day the National Council of American Indians released a statement opposing the KSM and similar developments near transboundary rivers. That came in support of efforts by a Southeast tribal coalition critical of a half-dozen projects planned for near the border.
Seabridge Gold still needs to raise much of the $5.3 billion needed to develop what it calls one of the largest copper and gold deposits in the world.