Rejection of controversial project 'a pretty hard blow,' says Yukon miner

NicolaiGoeppelsaid he's ready to throw in the towelafter his second attempt to operate a placer mine south of Whitehorsewas rejected by the Yukon government.

"I really don't know if it's worth putting any more money and time into it," Goeppelsaid.

Goeppel'sinitial application for aplacer mine in the Judas Creek areawasrejected by the governmentin 2016, largely because of a potential negative impact on the Carcrosscaribou herd.

His second application reduced the number of claims to be mined from 45 to 15, the period of mining was reduced from 10 years to five years, and the timing of the operations was adjusted to minimize impact on thecaribou.

But that still wasn't good enough for the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board (YESAB). The board recommended the project be killed, and the Yukon government has agreed.

YESAB's reviewsaidthe Carcross herd, currently estimated to consist of about 775 caribou, is vulnerable, and thatone of its biggest threats is loss of habitat.Goeppel's claims overlap withcritical habitat areaanda migratory route for theherd, according to YESAB.

'My sweat, blood and tears'

"It's devastating," Goeppel said. "It's a lot of time, it's my heart and soul I put into that property, that project and my sweat, blood and tears, really."

"It's a pretty hard blow, because you know, it's like building a house and then getting told that you don't own the house and can't live in it."

He said the experiencehas left him frustrated and uncertain about what to do with his claims, which he said "is actually some of the best ground I've ever tested." Healso feels thatYukon has become less friendly to miners.

He said the big mining companies "should just take their money, cut their losses, and go find somewhere else to go explore because right now it doesn't look good for the mining industry."

"And it's not just me saying that."