A12 - The Terrace Standard, Nem Scay. December 13, 1995 Happy with houses THE DEVELOPERS OF a proposed copper and goid mine near Iskut up Hwy37 have finished the first batch of open houses. Wayne Roberts of Amer- ican Bullion says the major- ity of the people who came out in- five towns are in favour of the project. ‘We've distributed questionnaires and they're due back Jan. 16,” he said, American Bullion estimates it has enough ore to justify an open pit opera- tion employing 300 people. . The requirement for open houses falls under the provincial govemment’s new environmental approval process. They're meant to pick out any potential problem. areas which will then be ad- dressed by the company and other regulatory agencies. American Bullion will retum in the new year for more open houses in addi- tion to the ones held in Is- kut, Telegraph Creek, Dease Lake, Stewart and Smithers. It has also started work on a pre-feasibility. study to determine exactly what size and shape the mine should take and what that means in terms of costs. American Bullion is confi- dent of its. plans, saying ae _ velopment costs will - cheaper because the propel: Pa MAP the north Is dotted with potential mines as. companies have picked up efforts at finding and ex- ploring promising properties. That's Chris Turek fram International Skyline Gold Corporation, a company with property in the Iskut Waly. ty is close. to-Hwy37 whe. ©”. compared to other mineral SE deposits. The company | has 80 per eae cent of the property and. on Teck Corporation the rest: . Teck retains the right to. .-: increase its inlezest to 55 per cent should it finance the project from final feasibility into production. — The property’s located — 17km southeast of Iskut. 9" which is on Hwy37 north of ‘Kitwanga. - American Bullion. 2 estimates it'll produce up to. * 1,000 tonnes a day of con-. . centrate which would be : trucked out to a port for ©. shipment to a smelter over- Seas. ofits closeness. HUGE SALE ON FURNACES YES! The Competition »FURIOUS SUST CHECK THESE PRICES COLEMAN AND GOODMAN £00,000 BTU 125,000 BTU "1198 | 150,000 BTU "250 MOBILE ITOME SIZES AVAILABLE PRICE INCLUDES BLOWER AND HIGH ALTOIUDE KIT INSTALLATION EXTRA "035 | NOW SEE WHO SELLS FOR LESS! BEAVERLY APPLIANCE eee PRINCE GEORGE mise 564-6854 “YOUR COLLEGE IN -. BRITISH COLUMBIA LUNG ASSOCIATION Support the Christmas Seal _ Campaign For more inforination on lung disease or to make a donation, - call 73 }-LUNG or toll-free 1-800-665-LUNG |. The company has tagged oes the Stewart port as iis prob- ~ abiy shipping point becass, Fig SHARE FOR ~ WORKING FAMILIES "Two new benefits guarantee “a fair share for all low income families with children—making - Work a better deal than welfare. ‘BC BENEFITS * FAMILY BONUS — A new monthly cheque of up to $103 a per. child will help to support 168,000 low.i income families with children. . BC BENEFITS « HEALTHY KIDS | ‘New basic dental and vision care ~ benefits will be provided for children ~ in all low income families not covered by a federal or employer- sponsored insurance plan. tory. Benefits replaces most of our outdated welfare system. with os ada’s most balanced and progressive set. of social programs. a Miners say business chances show bright signs up north | JUST TWO years ago the mining industry was ‘predicting a dry time in B.C. when it came to exploration and develop- ment, Citing high costs, uncertainty due to native land claims and stringent environmental conditions, companies began sending their money overseas. But now exploration and development activity in the northwest has picked up substantially with as many as seven major projects underway, One mining company official isn t surprised at the renewed interest in the northwest. “There was no question mining companies. were going overseas, South America proved to be very attractive,” says Chris Turek of International Skyline Gold Corpora- lion. “But companies found it’s very, expensive to go overseas and to do business.”’ And what’s happening now, Turek continued, are com- panies returning home with cash generated by overseas op- erations, “They’ve got operations up and running with quick cash flow and they’re now willing to use that for exploration,”’ he added. Turek and other International Skyline officials were in town last week explaining their proposed mine — a $130 million copper and gold property in the Iskut Valley. The company has now begun the environmental approval phase of the project which could employ up to 105 people if developed. Turek said International Skyline isn’t worried about the new environmental approval process brought in this year by the provincial government. “It’s tough, but not impassible to deal with. You have to go in with the right attitude,”’-he said. As for native land ‘claims, Turek said International mine's 5 Bronson n Slope property sits within Tahltan torris - British Columbians want to work, and value the independence that a job brings, BC Benefits provides programs and financial support to give people a hand-up to jobs rather than a 1 handout io welfare dependency. | ~ HELPING PEOPLE MOVE “FROM WELFARE TO WORK "BC BENEFITS * YOUTH WORKS Any young person in need will get the sup- port they require when they participate in job search and work preparation programs. _ BC BENEFITS * WELFARE TO WORK _ Welfare to Work provides adults 25 and over with the tools to achieve independence. New job search and training programs will help people get off welfare and into the work force. SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE 70 LIVE INDEPENDENTLY BC BENEBITS » ACCESS TO INDEPENDENCE Supporting those with disabilities and seniors is a priority. They will continue to receive the current levels of assistance. - and new benefit programs will be developed to improve services. PAITECTNG OME ; AT RISK | Children who have left home will no longer go on welfare. Instead, they: will ’ ‘ be provided with enhanced services’: _ under the new Child, Family : and | Community Service Acti in n that Portion of the Iskut River, _ _ make it easier to work outside the home. 7 ir O00-704-0055 “T think what they're afler is a stable community and a a stable lifestyle for themselves and for their families,’” he said. “That’s no different than anyone else who. lives uw here.”” Intemational Skyline’ s plans call for a road to their prop- erty and for an in-river hydro generator to provide power. Turek says it'll get all of its workforce from the north and. operate a fly-in, fly-out operation from a ‘orthem air- i port. . There is a road leading from Hwy37 North into the Iskut “Valley but it stops 30km from Skyline’s property. . The road isa contentious issue between the company and the provincial government because the latter wants what it calls a ‘‘bankable feasibility study” before itil consider financial assistance. Turek says the province should build the road as part of its respoasibility to provide infrastructure for development. That stems from a commitment from the previous Social Credit government to build the main portion in from Hwy37 into the Iskut Valley, the connector to the Bronson Slope Property and a route south to the Eskay Creek gold area, The main route and the route south was built in- 1992 _ Homestake Mining, the owners of the Eskay Creek proper- ty. It also built the connection south two years ago. Homestake never did receive money from the province but docs have control over the roads and does receive — revenue from timber logged along the right of way. “Qur project won't go ahead without a-road. But we'll © build it ourselves. It isn’t a show stopper,’ said Turek. He said road construction starting as scOn as ‘possible. means it'll be ready when the mine’s ready for construc: tion. fA International Skyline ist concemed about its plans for an in-river hydro power generator. because there are no off sh. INVESTING IN PEOPLE BC Benefits helps people move from’ dependence to independence. All. savings from rate reductions—including. «...... those for employable adults—are being“. reinvested to double training and «= | rehabilitation programs. For families with children, new child care programs FIGHTING FRAUE hi ABUSE. Tough new measures such as early. detection programs and expanded data matching will ensure that every cent goes to people in need by. preventing fraud and abuse. before 2 it starts, and tracking it down: where it's already happening. - AC BENEFITS. RENEWING OUR SOCIAL’ SAFETY NET. 0/50 For more information, please phone For internet access visit the BC Government home page at http://www.gov.be.ca/