Ivanhoe’s Kipushi zinc mine in the DRC officially reopens
The restart marked exactly a century since the mine first went into production.
The Surrey Board of Trade is throwing its support behind a proposed expansion of a coal terminal on the Fraser River.
Fraser Surrey Docks has applied to Port Metro Vancouver to add capacity to its existing coal handling facilities to handle an additional four million tonnes of coal. The terminal handles thermal coal, which is shipped by rail from the U.S and used to generate power.
The project has attracted protest from a citizens’ group called Voters Taking Action Against Climate Change (VTACC), as well as concern from the municipalities of Surrey, White Rock, Vancouver, Delta and New Westminster. Opponents of the expansion are concerned about local pollution risks from coal dust as well as its connection to global greenhouse gas emissions.
But in a letter signed by CEO Anita Huberman, the Surrey Board of Trade says that it is satisfied that Fraser Surrey Docks will be able to safely handle the extra coal capacity, based on its track record with the coal it already handles. The chamber of commerce noted that Fraser Surrey Docks will implement dust-reduction measures, like spraying a coating on top of the coal, cleaning out railcars and moving the coal through a water-spraying system.
VTACC is planning to present several petitions against the project today at Port Metro’s office in downtown Vancouver.
By Jen St. Denis
