Image Credit: File Photo/KGHM Ajax

By Adam Donnelly

AJAX MINE PROJECT

KGHM hires new Ajax Superintendent, as company plans to resurrect mine application

Sep 2, 2020 | 11:11 AM

KAMLOOPS — Situated less than a kilometre and a half from dozens of homes in the Aberdeen neighbourhood of Kamloops, the Ajax Mine Project application was rejected by BC’s Environmental Assessment Office in December of 2017. Now, nearly three years later, the project that was once thought to be dead has been resurrected. On Tuesday, Abacus Mining & Exploration Group put out a media release, announcing KGHM, the majority owner of the project had hired a new superintendent.

“It’s such a divisive issue, I’m surprised it’s being reopened and that Kamloops has to think about it again,” Dr. Jill Calder told CFJC Today. “It was so divisive in our community and most of us were very tired and exhausted by the end.”

Dr. Calder is one of the key voices behind the Kamloops Physicians for a Healthy Environment Society. The group was formed in 2013 to “share [their] concern over the potential health impacts of the proposed Ajax mine that would be located in close proximity to [the] city.” Dr. Calder feels the reasons given in the initial rejection by the province haven’t changed.

“The environmental study showed it couldn’t be operated safely without a health impact,” Calder says. “As well, not to forget our First Nations colleagues who showed a big cultural impact to Pipsell, or Jacko Lake, which is one of the main reasons why this mine and it’s location can’t be changed. Those impacts will remain the same.”

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Michael Wypych, who previously worked as the Chief Mine Engineer for KGHM International from 2012 to 2018, has been named to the role. CFJC Today reached out to Wypych for a response to his role with KGHM. Wypych said he wasn’t doing interviews at this time, but did provide the following statement:

“KGHM International is looking forward to establishing a presence within the Kamloops community to continue meaningful engagement with Indigenous Communities and other Ajax Project Stakeholders. We will have more information to share as we develop a path forward for the Project.”

Arjun Singh was on council for much of the saga surrounding the proposed mine.

“City council, for many years, spent a lot of time on Ajax,” Singh says. “Obviously we have some planning and development up there in the Aberdeen neighbourhood, so… tall order. Hopefully, if the proposal comes forward again in a new form, it comes forward in a way that can build a lot more community support and isn’t so divisive.”

In the release, Abacus Mining and Exploration Group say the duties of the new superintendent will be focused on First Nations, community and governmental engagement in order to advance the project towards resubmission of the environmental application. If that’s the case, Singh says the companies have some tough work ahead.

“It definitely is incumbent upon the company now to understand what the concerns were around the last plan to try and come up with something that really meets the vast majority of concerns,” Singh says.

For now, the many stakeholders involved on both sides of the project will wait and see what’s in store moving forward.