Blackwater Gold Mine

British Columbia

The Blackwater Gold Mine is an open pit gold and silver mine located in central British Columbia, southwest of Vanderhoof. While the mine site itself does not overlap the Traditional Territories of the Nadleh Whut’en, Stellat’en, and Saik’uz First Nations (collectively the Nechako First Nations), the Project’s transmission line directly crosses the Nations’ Territories.

As the Nechako Nations are located downstream of the mine site footprint, there is high potential for downstream impact to the communities as a result of mining activity. Source contributes our expertise in surface and groundwater management, water treatment, bonding, and closure planning to ensure the appropriate environmental plans and permit conditions are in place to prevent and mitigate potential impacts to the Nations.

During permitting, Source provided input to guide the development of a fulsome Care and Maintenance Plan. The outcomes of this work have been incorporated into the design of the Blackwater Gold project and included as permit conditions in their Mines Act permit. This sets an important precedent for care and maintenance planning for mines in the Province, and is indicative of meaningful collaboration between mining proponents, the Province, and Nations.

Source has been providing technical support to the Nechako First Nations on this project since 2014, from the Environmental Assessment through to permitting. Today, Source continues to work on the Blackwater Project, supporting life of mine commitments and permit requirements, during the mine’s construction phase.