Image Credit: Sydney Chisholm / CFJC Today

By Dylana Kneeshaw

MINE LIFE EXTENSION

Proposed extension of Highland Valley Copper Mine of great interest to nearby Logan Lake

Jan 31, 2025 | 5:13 PM

LOGAN LAKE, B.C. — Highland Valley Copper (HVC) near Logan Lake is Canada’s largest copper mine and a recent fourth-quarter update from Teck highlighted its plan to extend the life of the operation to at least 2040.

The extension hasn’t been approved yet, as the project’s environmental impact is still under evaluation. But from an economic standpoint, Logan Lake is keenly interested in what happens with the mine site, as keeping the mine operational could keep existing jobs in the community and maintain a large portion of the District’s annual tax base.

Teck Senior Community Affairs officer Jacqui Schneider says extending the operational lifespan of the Highland Valley Copper Mine is a key way the company intends to grow copper production in Canada.

“HVC [mine life extension] would allow for the continuation of social and economic benefits, sustaining an average of 1,300 jobs and $65 million GDP annually during the operation,” she notes.

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The mine currently has an extension to 2028 and Schneider says the plan to continue could produce about 137,000 tonnes annually to 2045. Part of that desire to keep the operation going comes from projections that copper demand will surge over the next several years.

“Estimates suggest global copper demand is likely to double by 2050 and from 25-million tonnes per year to 50-million tonnes per year,” adds Schneider. “And this is driven by energy transition, [artificial intelligence] and global population growth.”

Teck’s Highland Valley Copper Mine is the largest taxpayer to the District of Logan Lake, so from an economic perspective, any discussion of extending the mine’s life piques the district’s interest.

“I mean, we always know there’s an end of life so you always have to plan for that but just knowing a little bit more about when that might be is definitely helpful,” says Logan Lake Mayor Robin Smith.

Knowing what sort of taxation revenue is coming in over the next several years can help when the district has to consider which community projects to move forward on and when.

“A lot of our infrastructure is starting to age and that’s the expensive stuff — the water, the sewer, the roads, those sorts of things and those sorts of thing don’t go down in cost. They always go up,” notes Smith. “Just being able to plan out for that kind of stuff (is important).”

As of the start of 2025, the mine life extension project is still undergoing an environmental assessment. Whether it’s approved or not, Logan Lake hopes to hear of an answer relatively soon.

“A lot of what we do does depend on what they do there. They contribute to our tax base in a big way, which allows us to provide services to the community at an affordable rate. And if they didn’t exist, it might be a different scenario for us. It’s definitely welcome from our perspective,” she adds.

Meanwhile, the proposal has been met with mixed support from local area First Nations. So far, ten bands have written letters of support or consent for the extension, while two area bands have stated they do not approve of it.

The Citxw Nlaka’pamux Assembly (CNA) is a joint organization formed in 2013 to manage agreements relating to Teck Highland Valley Copper Mine (HVC) on behalf of Ashcroft Indian Band, Boston Bar First Nation, Coldwater Indian Band, Cook’s Ferry Indian Band, Nicomen Indian Band, Nooaitch Indian Band, Shackan Indian Band and Siska Indian Band. CNA, along with Lower Nicola Indian Band and Kanaka Bar Indian Band have written in support of the project in the past several months.

However, in November of 2024, the Stk’emlúpsemc te Secwépemc Nation (SSN) stated the current plan does not have SSN consent. The governance group consists of representatives from Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc and the Skeetchestn First Nation. In its November statement, SSN explained that it felt the ‘impacts of the proposed HVC MLE Project are neither reasonable nor sustainable.’

SSN entered into dispute resolution with the Environmental Assessment Office last month. After resolution is completed, the EAO will finalize its assessment, and give that report to the province, who will then decide whether or not to approve the expansion project.