A proposed gold mine near Wells has won approval from the provincial government.
A Mines Act permit was issued to Barkerville Gold Mines Ltd. (BGM) on Nov. 29, the Ministry of Energy and Mines said in a press release issued Thursday, for open pit gold mine at its Bonanza Ledge property.
It's expected to yield about 73,000 tonnes of ore per year over its four-year lifespan and will provide 30 direct jobs at Bonanza Ridge and a further 40 jobs at the QR Mine where the ore will be processed.
The mining, trucking and milling of ore at the nearby QR Mine could potentially begin within a month following the start of construction at Bonanza Ledge, which is expected to begin next year.
"Approval of the Bonanza Ledge Gold Mine is one of the first major outcomes in close to 20 years of BGM's exploration in the region," said BGM CEO J. Frank Callaghan in a statement. "The company has invested its resources in development of the property and the QR mill, and it's great to see this project come to fruition."
A memorandum of understanding is in place between the company and the Lhtako Dene First Nation providing for continued close co-operation and benefits related to development of the company's projects in the Cariboo region.
Premier Christy Clark said earlier this year that the province expects to see eight brand new mines and another nine mining expansions operational in British Columbia by 2015.
