Yukon mining proposal draws flood of objections

Hundreds of people from across Canada are objecting to a proposal which wouldallow mining exploration in Tombstone Territorial Park inYukon.

Canadian United Minerals, which staked claims in the area before it became a park, wants to do some exploration and drilling on the claims.

The Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board, which is collecting public input on the proposal, has received more than 500 comments in the last three days, most of them expressing concerns about the proposed development.

The comments came flooding in after the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, a charity that advocates for public wilderness protection, asked members to let the assessment board know their opinions about the proposal.

The society also sent out a call for help on a Yukon email newsgroup.

Many of the submissions echo concerns raised by the wilderness society in its communications.

A June 7 letter from the Tr'ondek Hwech'in, Na-Cho Nyak Dun and Gwich'in Tribal Council also opposes the proposal.

The letter says the area has great historical significance for aboriginal people. Itexpresses concern about the amount of disturbance that would be caused by trail building, and expresses doubts about the effectiveness of rehabilitation plans.

"We respectfully ask you to recommend that the Canadian United Minerals proposal be rejected," the letter from Tr'ondek Hwech'in Chief Eddie Taylor, Na-Cho Nyak Dun Chief Simon Mervyn and Gwich'in Tribal Council president Richard Nerysoo says.

"We have inherent constitutional rights to continue to rely upon the resources within Tombstone Territorial Park for our sustenance and well being," the letter concludes. "Our rights take precedence over the interests of the miner."

The Yukon Conservation Society has also asked that the proposal be rejected.

The assessment board will consider public input in its recommendations, but the final decision rests with the Yukon government.

The proposal is to do five years of quartz exploration on 18 claims in the park, according to assessment board documents. The company plans to get to the sitesvia helicopter and, during winter months, on snowmobiles and snow cats.

The companywill drill about 20 trenches of 100 cubic metres each, 20 diamond holes, and an underground structure that will displace about 120 cubic metres of material.

Explosives use will be limited to 350 kilograms in 30 days. About 300 cubic metres of water will be used daily, and some new trails will be added to existing trails.

An existing camp will be reactivated to accommodate eight people, and reclamation activities will take place to restore the area at the end of five years, the assessment board information says.