Letter to the editor
I READ WITH INTEREST YOUR ARTICLE Power to Change in the recent Canadian Mining Journal [May 2022]. I notice that you did not mention the Windy Craggy copper-cobalt deposit.
This is the largest undeveloped copper-cobalt deposit in North America (British Columbia). This deposit would rival those in the DRC and would be ethically developed. I remember being onsite in 1990 when the U.S. Geological Survey paid a visit looking for cobalt resources. At that time, it was for military purposes.
This potential mine in British Columbia would have significant Indigenous participation and have significant benefits for all stakeholders. I refer you to the two articles that I wrote regarding Windy Craggy and published on the website www.ResourceWorld.com (search Windy Craggy). I have given three virtual talks on this subject, Roundup (Vancouver 2021), PDAC (Toronto 2021) and SEG100 (2021) conference in Whistler. I have been working with James Allen (former chief of the Champagne Aishihik First Nation) since 2011 on this project.
This is an interesting story to be told (An Inconvenient Truth and Reconciliation). I could help in many ways as I was project geologist at Windy Craggy and have been involved since 1975.
I look forward to your reply.
Regards
Bruce Downing, MSc, PGeo, FGC, FEC (hon)
Note: I was the geologist who drilled the Turnagain deposit in 1997-99 and interpreted the deposit as a low-grade bulk tonnage nickel-cobalt-PGE deposit. I was met with skepticism from many in the investment community at that time.
From editor: Former CMJ editor Jane Werniuk, who wrote the Point in Time piece, chose only to include in the timeline projects that went on to become producing mines.
Comments
Edward John Mahoney
There’s no doubt that Windy Craggy is a world class deposit. It could be mined from underground in a way that wouldn’t be visible by the wealthy ecotourists as they flash down the Tatsheshini river in guided rafts. If copper and cobalt are to be mined in the world, and we need both, it should be done in a place like British Columbia, where environmental regulation will minimize its impact.
Also, if there ever was to be a potential issue with something like acid mine drainage, the place where you should mine is where the rivers flowing past are a slurry of carbonates, like the Tatshenshini.