MNDM Releases Draft Mining Class Environmental Assessment For Comment

Article by David Hunter, Nalin Sahni and George McKibbon (McKibbon Wakefield Inc.)

The Ministry of Northern Development and Mines ("MNDM") has released the revised Draft Class Environmental Assessment for Mining (the "Mining Class EA") for public comment until February 21, 2012.¹ The Mining Class EA replaces two declaration orders on discretionary land tenure decision‐making and mine rehabilitation.² While the main purpose behind the Mining Class EA is to reduce the environmental impact of mining, those that hoped this document would help resolve competing land use issues and facilitate mining exploration and development may be disappointed.

Rather than reducing uncertainty by creating a clear set of workable rules to balance environmental protection and mining development, MNDM has left all major components of the Mining Class EA up to their discretion. Over the next few months we will release a series of articles on whether increased government