Mining firm, First Nation and provincial government continue discussions
A facilitator has been brought in to help mediate discussions involving Solid Gold Resource Corporation, Wahgoshig First Nation and the provincial government.
Solid Gold is a mineral exploration company that was forced by an injunction to halt drilling on a 200 square-kilometre claim outside the boundary of the Wahgoshig reserve. Darryl Stretch, president of Solid Gold, said the discussions held in the presence of a facilitator were an
“attempt to honour the court order that says we need to do consultation” with Wahgoshig. However, it appears both sides are still far from reaching an agreement.
“In their Statement of Claim, the First Nation is asking for a declaration that no one will explore on that Crown land there unless they get written permission from that First Nation,” said Stretch.
“That’s going to be very hard to make that fly because that in a sense gives the First Nation a veto over Crown land. That’s a very tenuous position in my view.”
Stretch said his company spent significant dollars to conduct mineral exploration on its mining claim around Lake Abitibi area only after receiving the green light from the provincial government.
“That 200 square kilometres that we have claimed up there at Lake Abitibi is probably one of the most important pieces of real estate on the planet with respect to mineral deposits,” said Stretch. “We feel very fortunate to have made a discovery there. We expect to make several more.
“This is not nickels and dimes we’re talking about here. There is a very significant region of Ontario that produces very significant gold deposits. That’s what it is we’re after and we believe the government gave us the right to discover and exploit that exploration activity so that’s why we’re very strong in our defence of our position on that ground.”
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