Cliffs unsure when environmental assessment to resume
Talks are continuing around the future of the Ring of Fire chromite project. Frank Iacobucci and Bob Rae have been representing the province and First Nations in on-going discussions.
Mining company Cliffs Natural Resources said it’s happy with the progress that’s been made, but still can’t say when it may resume its environmental assessment. “I think it’s encouraging to have those kinds of discussions and certainly those kind of people involved in that,” Bill Boor, Cliffs vice president said.
“So certainly, it gives me some optimism that we will be able to find a good path forward and get things started like we talked about.”
The company temporarily put its environmental assessment process on hold in June, citing unfinished agreements with the province as one of the reasons for the delay. Speaking on the CBC television program Power and Politics earlier this month, Bob Rae said he had very specific goals for the ongoing negotiations.
“We’re trying to get to a place where all of the environmental issues can be addressed, that we can actually be certain that whatever developments take place are going to be sustainable,” he said. “That’s a very critical issue.”
But, Boor said until terms of reference with the province are finalized, the future of the ferrochrome smelter north of Capreol in Greater Sudbury also remains up in the air.
“I’m certainly not working alternative approaches, but it certainly isn’t final until we’re able to put together the right situation for the project,” he said.
After the environmental assessment resumes, it could still take another year and a half to get permits for the project, Boor said.
Cliffs still posting jobs for project
More than 1,200 people have applied for jobs at the proposed ferrochrome smelter and the advertisement for jobs is still posted on the Cliffs website.
Positions with the company range from human resources to engineering to janitorial works.
Boor said he hopes the public understands this is a long process for a project like this.
“In the phase that we’re in, there are hurdles and uncertainties that have to be gotten through,” he explained.
“So people have a sense of that and we can do our best to make sure the communications are as good as possible.”
The total number of applications for both the mine and smelter are more than 2,300, Boor said.
For the original version of this article, click here: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/story/2013/08/12/sby-sudbury-ring-of-fire-talks-continuing.html