Goldcorp re-submits rejected application to build Yukon mine

Mining giant Goldcorp has re-submitted its massive application for environmental permitting to build a gold mine 130 kilometres south of Dawson City, Yukon.

The original proposal wasfiled last March and rejected by the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board (YESAB) a few months later.

YESAB foundthe application inadequatebecause Goldcorp had not properly consulted fourpotentially affected First Nations.

• Tr'ondk Hwch'in FN and Goldcorp spar over mine proposal

• Goldcorp moving ahead with Coffee Gold mine project near Dawson City

The re-submitted application a document of more than 20,000pages says that since then, the company has been meeting with the Tr'ondk Hwch'in, Selkirk, Na-Cho Nyak Dun and White River First Nations.

The talks and technical meetings went well, said Buddy Crill, Goldcorp's project manager for the Coffee Gold mine.

"It's very important that we all share our views and opinions and facts, and everything completely openly and transparently. And to the degree that there are issues, we just have to work through those issues," he said.

YESAB has until around the end of February to decide whether the newapplication is adequate. The actual environmental review of the project could take another year or more.

Crill said the company still hopes to begin producing gold in 2021.

"We think we've done everything we can to set ourselves up for success in the assessment process," he said.

"Now we just have to follow the process, and it ultimately it comes back to what kind of feedback is received through the process and the answers."