A proposed magnesium mine seven kilometers southwest of Rossland will not be subject to a full-blown environmental review.
The decision by a senior bureaucrat on the Record Ridge application confirms the findings of a draft report. In a written decision this week, Alex MacLennan, the chief executive assessment officer, said he doesn’t think the review is necessary.
“I appreciate the strong public views on this project and the desire for the [office] to carry out an environmental assessment of Record Ridge,” he wrote.
“Given the size and scale of the project, however, I do not believe it is reasonable or necessary to replicate much of the process that has been led by [the Ministry of Mines] over the past several years.”
WHY Resources originally applied for an open-pit operation with a capacity of 200,000 tonnes of ore per year, but in September 2024, the company amended its application to a capacity of 63,500 tonnes annually. The revised amount was 15 per cent below the threshold that would trigger an automatic environmental assessment.
However, the Save Record Ridge Action Committee Society and the Sinixt Confederacy both formally requested an assessment.
A public comment period on the original application received 184 comments online as well as eight personal submissions, most of which supported an environmental assessment. Top concerns included the potential impact on ecosystems, air and water quality, tourism and recreation.
The environmental assessment office decided a second public comment period under the revised application wasn’t necessary.
The decision not to designate the project as requiring an environmental assessment doesn’t mean that it has the go ahead to begin operating, MacLennan noted, as it still requires permitting. He said he believes that process can “fairly, effectively, and appropriately” address the concerns raised.
In addition to the Sinixt Confederacy, the office consulted the Ktunaxa Nation Council, Okanagan Nation Alliance, Shuswap Band, and Splats’in. MacLennan said he agreed with the office’s view that Record Ridge could have both positive and negative consequences for Indigenous nations. While he acknowledged differing opinions among First Nations, he said the permitting process should also provide for “meaningful and ongoing consultation.”
The review process took 134 days, where it is only supposed to take 30, but MacLennan said he believed the extended timeline was “reasonable and necessary.”
In a news release posted on the company’s website, WHY Resources CEO Frank Marasco Jr. said he was “extremely pleased” with the decision, “which validates the rigorous review our project has already undergone.”
“This outcome provides the clarity and certainty we need to advance toward final permitting and development of the project,” he said.
“We remain committed to building a sustainable operation that delivers critical minerals for Canada while protecting the environment and creating lasting benefits for local communities and Indigenous partners.”
Chief Clarence Louie of the Osoyoos Indian Band, which has signed a co-operation agreement on the project, said in the same release that he was pleased the project has been allowed to proceed to the next stage.
“We look forward to working with the leadership of West High Yield to ensure this project is of the highest standards in keeping with the traditions and expectations of our people,” he said.
The proposal calls for a mine that would operate eight months per year with a workforce of 30 to 40.
