Environment Minister Mary Polak has suspended the environmental assessment of the proposed Morrison copper-gold mine pending the outcome of the Independent Expert Engineering Investigation and Review Panel in relation to the tailings dam breach at the Mt. Polley mine.   

The investigation and review panel were announced earlier today by Energy and Mines Minister Bill Bennett.

Under the Environmental Assessment Act, the Minister of Environment can suspend an assessment until the outcome of any investigation, inquiry, hearing or other process that is being conducted by the Government of British Columbia and is material to the assessment.

A copy of the order suspending the assessment is available at: http://tinyurl.com/o6hraqs

The proposed Morrison mine is located 65 kilometres northeast of Smithers. The project is a conventional open-pit mine with a planned extraction rate of about 30,000 tonnes a day and a mine life of 21 years.

Media Contacts:

Communications
Ministry of Environment
250 953-3834