First Mining Gold has secured the Canadian Government’s environmental assessment (EA) approval for its Springpole Gold Project in north-west Ontario.
The announcement, made by Federal Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature Julie Aviva Dabrusin, allows the company to advance the project, following the issuance of a federal “Decision Statement”.
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Located around 110km north-east of Red Lake, the Springpole Project is among the largest undeveloped gold resources in the country.
It spans an area of roughly 800 hectares (ha). In total, the larger project area encompasses 41,943ha and includes 30 patented mining claims, 282 regular mining claims and 13 mining leases.
The federal decision comes after an environmental review process that began in 2018.
It involved input from indigenous communities, the public, and several government bodies including Environment and Climate Change Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Natural Resources Canada and Transport Canada.
First Mining is progressing with additional engineering work and optimisation activities required after the completion of the EA, aiming to prepare the project for construction.
The company stated that the federal authorisation sets conditions in line with its earlier commitments for environmental mitigation and management during the assessment process.
These requirements address areas such as project design, protection of water and land environments, ongoing monitoring, adaptive management and community engagement.
The company will maintain compliance with all conditions necessary to move forward with construction and operations within the expected timelines.
First Mining CEO Dan Wilton said: “This is a monumental day for First Mining, the local indigenous communities and municipalities who are positioned to benefit economically and socially from the project, First Mining shareholders and all of north-western Ontario.
“The Springpole Project approval by the federal government validates that this project will be the biggest economic driver of north-west Ontario in a generation, providing significant economic opportunity to the surrounding communities.”
