Image Credit: KGHM Ajax

By James Peters

Ajax Mine

KGHM to ‘devote more attention’ to relaunching Ajax project: minority owner

Feb 3, 2022 | 9:57 AM

KAMLOOPS — The owners of the proposed Ajax copper-gold mine project south of Kamloops says, four years after the project was rejected by the federal and provincial government, they are ready to ramp up planning once again.

The information comes via a news release issued by Abacus Mining and Exploration. Abacus holds a 20 per cent interest in the project, with the remaining 80 per cent held by Polish mining giant KGHM Polska Miedz.

In the release, Abacus President and CEO Paul Anderson says he recently learned that KGHM “plans to devote more attention to the project, including continued engagement with First Nations.”

Proponents estimate there is 2.7 billion pounds of copper and 2.6 million ounces of gold ready to be mined at the Ajax site just south of the Kamloops neighbourhood of Aberdeen.

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The Ajax project underwent a joint federal-provincial environmental assessment process beginning in 2011. In December, 2017, the province announced it would not issue an environmental certificate for the project. Major barriers included the project’s proximity to residences in Aberdeen and First Nations opposition to the project’s potential impacts to Jacko Lake (Pipsell), which the Stk’emlúpsemc te Secwepemc Nation designated as a heritage site in 2017.

Even so, KGHM and Abacus believe they can relaunch a project that will properly address those concerns.

“I am pleased that the Ajax project remains a priority for our partner and that they continue to engage about the project with First Nations,” said Anderson. “With copper and gold prices near all-time highs we would be happy to see this project advance more quickly, to the benefit of all stakeholders.”

Since Ajax was rejected by government in 2017, Anderson says the proponents have re-evaluated the project, “taking into account relations with all project stakeholders, especially First Nations.” A new project superintendent has been appointed and a new Kamloops office was opened in 2020.