Video: Quebec rises as a top investment destination for miners
The province has committed hundreds of millions in funding for mining projects through agencies like Investissement Québec, Soquem and Sidex.
Anti-mining activists from Cookstown, Northern Ireland, were escorted out of a hotel by police after they tried to enter an invite-only conference where they thought representatives from Dalradian Resources (TSX:DNA) (LON:DALR) would be in attendance.
The protesters belong to a group called Greencastle Community Voices and, together with another local organization called Save Our Sperrins, they oppose Toronto-based Dalradian’s plans to build a gold mine at Curraghinalt, in County Tyrone, due to its potential environmental impact.
Dubbed “The Future Search,” the event the activists broke into is being held this week under the sponsorship of four different local governments, which spurred the activists’ fury. They say that there was a lack of transparency in releasing both the guest list and a detailed account of how the district councils involved are spending the £40,000 destined to cover the costs of the meeting.
“This conference is being sold as a forum to reach compromises between stakeholders but as far as we can see this is simply a means to facilitate the unwanted industrialisation of our region of the Sperrins. What compromises have Dalradian or SSE ever made to the people of this area? We don’t matter to them. These companies can promise the planners that they will only build a small plant or only erect 10 turbines as a ‘compromise’ but everyone knows that once they have a foothold in the region they will pursue further planning amendments to achieve their ultimate goals, leaving the hoodwinked taxpayers wondering where it all went wrong,” Greencastle members wrote on their Facebook page.
In response to such allegations, a spokesperson for the Mid Ulster District Council told the Belfast Telegraph that the event is designed to bring together representatives from the community, voluntary, public and private sectors with the idea of “establishing common ground and agreeing next steps towards the sustainable development of a valued and valuable natural asset.”
On this note of resource development, Canada’s Dalradian is advancing applications to build a mine expected to produce 1.36 million ounces of gold and 380,000 ounces of silver, using an average overall gold recovery of 94.3% over the time frame.
The mine would be located at Curraghinalt, which is considered to be one of the world’s top ten undeveloped gold deposits by grade.
5 Comments
Matthew
Yes…..stop mining…..we can all make a living riding around on bamboo bicycles and selling organic, free-range cotton candy to one another. Large modern mines seldom have a negative impact and the benefits far outweigh the negative. My guess is the that the vast majority of persons in the area support the mine and the jobs.
Steven Walker
Hey Matthew…..Bamboo bicycles and organic free range cotton candy..now that’s FUNNY!!
I can see a portion of the populous thinking that would be great, as they have been living in Fantasy land
and apply fictional books they read to real life….not knowing what the difference is…College educated in the U.S. no doubt about it!
Alastair Lings
Save Our Sperrins were invited to attend the conference about sustainable development, but preferred to protest. I hope the mining company can successfully engage with those protesters, for everyones benefit.
Muire
The Sperrins is a government designated area of outstanding natural beauty, to quote the government website about The Sperrins,
‘The area is rich in historic and archaeological heritage and folklore.
Further information on this AONB can be obtained from [email protected]
This enables the Department of Environment formulate proposals to:
-conserve or enhance the natural beauty or amenities of the area
-conserve wildlife, historic objects or natural phenomena within it
-promote its enjoyment by the public
-provide or maintain public access to it.
Allowing a foreign mining company to destroy the mountains themselves, and industrialize and pollute this area, is against everything the Department Of Environment stand for as published on their website.
Ireland is a rural and agricultural economy, the land must be protected and the peoples health and way of life must be protected.
Access is being denied to sacred holy places of generational worship on the mountainside by the Canadian mining company.
Canadian mining companies calling themselves Irish names to make them sound less threatening and local is a con. They are there to funnel Irelands resources out and away from Ireland and the people. And I am referring to a 32 county island before anyone jumps on my political geography.
There is no place for industrial mining in the designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty that is The Sperrins.
https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/sperrin-aonb
http://www.irishnews.com/news/2016/10/21/news/dalradian-stays-silent-on-access-to-co-tyrone-mass-rock-748469/
http://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2017/09/08/news/gold-mining-firm-denies-hibernians-access-to-co-tyrone-mass-rock–1131086/
Muire
‘Cry’ by Mairead Duffy, watch the video to see the local landscape, Dept Of Environment Northern Ireland AONB, a government department officially designated Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty, no place for mining, no place for toxic waste. Support the Locals. Support the Land. The Emerald Isle must be protected from destruction at foreign hands. Stand With Us. https://vimeo.com/241330482?ref=fb-share&1