Concerns surround Ross River mine proposal

A veteran miner with a questionable record in the Yukon wants to re-open another mine in the territory.

Graham Dickson operated the BYG mine near Carmacks up until 1999.

Now he's hoping to get back in business at the Ketza River property near Ross River.

The Ketza River gold mine operated for just a couple years in the late 80's.

Dickson's company owns it now, and he believes the previous owners left a lot of gold in the ground.

"It was basically a misinterpretation of the geology that has made it possible for us to go back and have a good chance of finding enough ore to make it viable to start mining and milling again," he says.

Dickson's company, YGC Resources has applied for a water license.

He also says the local First Nation, the Ross River Dena Council has already given his plan the thumbs-up.

"A very positive reception, yes. They would be very happy to have us back operating the milling facility," he says.

But Dickson's plan is raising eyebrows with Yukon regulators.

Dickson's last Yukon operation, the BYG mine, was bankrupted and abandoned before it was convicted and fined a record $300,000 for licence violations.

It's now an orphaned mine, that Ottawa is spending millions of dollars to maintain.

• LINK: Orphaned mines in the Yukon (.pdf file)