British Columbia First Nation, Coeur, sign Silvertip mine agreement

Coeur bought the Silvertip mine in 2017. (Image courtesy of Coeur Mining.)

The Tahltan Nation and Coeur Silvertip Holdings, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Coeur Mining, (NYSE: CDE), have announced the signing of an Impact-Benefit Agreement (IBA) in connection with the company’s Silvertip silver-zinc-lead mine in northern British Columbia.

The IBA provides a framework for a mutually beneficial, long-term relationship between the Tahltan Nation and Coeur Silvertip, and supports Coeur’s commitment to socially and environmentally responsible mining, the miner said in a media release.

“We have a shared vision of empowering Tahltan workers, entrepreneurs and companies while working together to mitigate the mine’s impacts to our Tahltan Territory, culture and values”

Chad Norman Day, President, Tahltan Central Government

“The Tahltan Central Government is very pleased to establish an IBA with Coeur Silvertip for the Silvertip mine located in the northern portion of Tahltan Territory,” said Chad Norman Day, President, Tahltan Central Government.

“Our nation will work collaboratively and in partnership with the company to fully implement this agreement immediately. We have a shared vision of empowering Tahltan workers, entrepreneurs and companies while working together to mitigate the mine’s impacts to our Tahltan Territory, culture and values,” Day said.

“We are honored to have the Tahltan Nation’s support for Silvertip and take our commitments to uphold Tahltan values, including respect for the land, very seriously,” Terry F.D. Smith, SVP and Chief Development Officer, Coeur Mining said.

“The IBA lays the foundation for a strong partnership and shared benefits between Coeur Silvertip and the Tahltan Nation by aligning our interests across several key measures of success at Silvertip, including environmental protection, employment and economic opportunities for surrounding First Nations communities and financial returns, among others. This agreement is also an important step towards a potential restart and expansion of operating activities at Silvertip,” Smith said.