Yukon First Nations unite against controversial mining project http://www.turtleisland.org/front/_front.htm Opposition to proposed heap leach mine that could pollute Yukon River grows as Yukon Grand Chief vows to take issue to Ottawa if Yukon Government does not act.. CARMACKS, YUKON, MEDIA ADVISORY Oct. 30, 2008 Opposition to Western Copper Corporation's Carmacks Copper mine is growing. At a meeting of Yukon First Nations in Whitehorse last week the Chiefs demanded that Yukon Government not issue any licenses or permits to the proposed heap leach mine. Andy Carvill, Grand Chief of the Council of Yukon First Nations, will assist the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation with taking their case to Ottawa if licensing proceeds. Outstanding concerns of pollution that were raised by the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation (LSCFN) during the environmental screening by the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board have still not been addressed. The Chiefs are asking Yukon Government to provide a detailed response to the serious environmental issues raised by the LSCFN experts. Until now opposition to this mine was mostly limited to the local First Nation, the Yukon Conservation Society and the Village of Carmacks' objections to all the truck traffic passing down their main street. With this new resolution, the other Yukon First Nations are uniting to both preserve the Yukon River and also fight for a fair environmental screening process. "This is really an issue of concern to all Yukoners," Chief Eddie Skookum says, referring to the potential for release of heavy metals into the nearby Yukon River. "In fact, it could affect the people downstream in Alaska as well as all the people on the Yukon River watershed". Western Copper Corporation (TSX:WRN), a Vancouver based mining company, has proposed an open-pit mine on LSCFN traditional territory. It wants to build a heap leach pile as high as a thirty storey building and covering 38.5 hectares on the side of a mountain. The creek below the heap drains straight into the Yukon River just nine kilometers away. As part of the environmental review process, the First Nation has had specialists including University Professors, engineers and PhD geochemists warn them and the Yukon Government about the project. Concerns raised are related to the serious potential for run off of heavy metals into the Yukon River. Copper in particular is highly poisonous to salmon. A healthy salmon population is critical to the culture and heritage of Yukon and Alaska First Nations, as well as tourist operators and all Yukoners who rely on the Yukon River watershed. These concerns remain largely unanswered. "It is insulting that the government rushes to give away resources and huge profits to a mining company based in Vancouver without accommodating the legitimate concerns of the people who live near the mine", says Chief Skookum. "We have been here for generations upon generation. Even when we hire the most distinguished experts in the field we are not respected. It's like shouting in the wind. This has to change". BACKGROUND -Western Copper Corporation (TSX:WRN), a junior mining company headquartered in Vancouver, B.C. plans to build a large open pit copper mine entirely within the traditional territory of the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation (LSCFN). Carmacks is located 180kms north of Whitehorse. -While the First Nation is supportive of mining, it is not supportive of this mine because in its current design state there are serious environmental shortcomings. -The proposed open pit mine will use a massive heap of ore mixed with concentrated sulphuric acid and leached with dilute sulphuric acid to recover copper metal -The mine should create approximately $123 Million Dollars after tax profits for its owners during its 17 year start to finish life based on copper at C 2.73$/lb -The company plans on starting construction this spring 2009 -Traffic to and from the mine will pass through LSCFN Traditional Territory, including settlement land, fish camps, heritage sites, trap lines, LSCFN cemeteries and burial sites, special habitat protection area, and the largely First Nation community of Carmacks. -The Community of Carmacks opposes the current plan of having all the mine traffic, including the heavy truck traffic, run through town on the main street. Over 80% of the residents of Carmacks have signed a petition against allowing the traffic to go through town -The Yukon Conservation Society opposes the mine on the grounds that there is no example in the world of one of these heaps being successfully detoxified of its load of toxic heavy metals. -Western Copper Corp is claiming that they will achieve a world first and detoxify this heap, thereby avoiding the expense of dealing with pollution trapped in the heap. -Extremely small concentrations of copper measured in parts per million, are highly toxic to fish. The already threatened salmon in particular lose their sense of smell at very low levels seriously impairing migration, mating and predator avoidance. -The Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board has recommended that the project proceed, but in recognition of the detoxification issue have stipulated that the full scale mine proceed on the basis of it being a "field scale trial" (i.e. experiment). -Yukon Government has decided to allow the mine to proceed and the company is anticipating the issue of a quartz mining license shortly The Issue: -Recent legal cases indicate governments have a strong duty to consult and accommodate First Nations' legitimate concerns where possible. How come the legitimate concerns raised by this First Nation are being ignored? -Will the First nation be forced to take their concerns to Ottawa and ask a Joint Federal Territorial Environmental Review Panel to resolve the issue? -Another issue is whether a full scale mine should proceed on the basis of it being an experiment. About the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation: -Located in Carmacks, Yukon, the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation are Northern Tutchone, part of the Athabaskan language group -The people are very dependent upon the Yukon River salmon runs - The First Nation is committed to protecting the environment and teaching its young people about traditional law and knowledge. - The First Nation has had very bad experiences in the past with mine operators walking away leaving them to deal with environmental disasters. /For further information: Chief Eddie Skookum, 867-863-5576 or Robert Moar, 867-863-5576 ext 262 Council of Yukon First Nations 867-393-9200