Constantine receives approval for Phase II: Underground Operation

On July 31 Constantine Metals Ltd. received the necessary permits to commence Phase II: Underground Exploration.

The plans were approved by three major entities. The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) issued a Wastewater Management Permit. The Alaska Department of Natural Resources (ADNR) approved the Reclamation Plan. The Alaska Department of Mental Health Trust Land Office approved the overall Plan of Operations. 

Highlights of the plan include an underground ramp (tunnel) and two settling ponds while also the continuation of exploratory drilling, according to their Plan of Operations.

While the permits were approved by agencies, the plan may not become a reality. In order to proceed, Constantine requires unanimous approval from joint venture members (including Dowa), according to their news release. Constaintine must also acquire the necessary funds. According to Constantine’s Liz Cornejo, “it’s going to require a lot of capital,” as stated in Henry Leasia’s article.

Constantine released full Preliminary Economic Assessment

Constantine Metals Ltd. released their full Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) on Thursday, July 18. The document outlines projected mining methods and economic details of the Palmer VMS Mine. 

None of the projections in the PEA are guaranteed to transpire. The PEA is only the first step, and will be followed by two other studies over the course of years, said Liz Cornejo at the Harbor Bar Chamber of Commerce Luncheon on July 12. 

Some highlights of the PEA include: 

• An anticipated operational life of 11 years with 260 full time jobs. 

• An underground storage system for potentially acid generating rock. 

• The project will require $418 million of funding over its life. 

In order to gain a better understanding of this large document, CIV is pursuing a more in-depth analysis. When this is complete, CIV will review and share the information. 

To view the full PEA, click here.

Watch the new documentary "ROCK-PAPER-FISH"

Every year all five species of salmon return to Southeast Alaska’s Chilkat River to sustain the communities of Haines and Klukwan, as well as insatiable grizzly bears, hordes of fascinated tourists, and the world’s largest gathering of bald eagles. But now a modern day gold rush is underway in the mountains above the river’s headwaters, and locals are reckoning with the changes that could come with a hard-rock mine. “Rock-Paper-Fish” offers a vivid look into the lives of Alaskans grappling with questions as immense as the place they call home. Due to the threat of industrial mining, the Chilkat has been named one of "America's 10 Most Endangered Rivers of 2019" by the nonprofit American Rivers.

Co-directors, Cinematography & Edit - Colin Arisman & Connor Gallagher

Studios - Wild Confluence Media & Nomad Island

Supporters - Patagonia, Peak Design and Southeast Alaska Conservation Council

Motion Graphics & Color - Luke Kantola

Thumbnail & Poster Design - Lawrence Lander

Learn more and watch the film at www.rockpaperfish.com

CHILKAT NAMED AS ENDANGERED RIVER

“American Rivers today named the Chilkat River among America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2019, citing the grave threat that mining poses to the river’s salmon, culture and economy. American Rivers and its partners called on the Japanese investment firm DOWA to back out of this harmful mining project.

“The America’s Most Endangered Rivers report is a call to action to save rivers that face a critical decision in the coming year,” said Jessie Thomas-Blate with American Rivers. “Now is the time to stop this mining project that could devastate the Chilkat River and an entire way of life.”

Learn more at American Rivers

Chilkat River in National Audubon Society

Proposed Mine Threatens the World's Largest Concentration of Bald Eagles

“The drill rig looks tiny, insignificant: a small yellow machine on a makeshift wood platform clinging to a near-vertical rock face in the northern part of the Alaskan panhandle. The structure, however, is far from inconsequential. It represents development that could threaten the world’s largest congregation of Bald Eagles, which gather less than two miles away in the Chilkat River Watershed.”

Click here to read to the story.

Klukwan featured on National Public Radio

A Native Village In Alaska Where The Past Is Key To The Future

“What does it mean to lose your land, your language, and your heritage? For Alaska Natives, these are existential threats. On a trip to Southeast Alaska, I traveled to one village that is finding new ways to survive: Klukwan, ancestral home of the Tlingit tribe. Nestled along the banks of the Chilkat River, Klukwan is quiet and tiny, home to about 90 people. The Haines Highway runs through town, but on the day we visited, you could walk right down the middle of the two-lane road without worry of passing cars. On a tour of the village, we pass by small homes and trailers: some abandoned, some with rusted old trucks out front, sinking into the soil. "It's a struggle," says tribal president Kimberley Strong. "You see the buildings, some of 'em are falling down and dilapidated. But we're working at it. We're working very hard at trying to keep the village alive."

Click here to listen to the story.