First Mining Gold Corp said it has received a Notice of Approval from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks on the Environmental Assessment Terms of Reference (ToR) for its Springpole gold project in Ontario.
The approval marks the formal commencement of the Ontario Environmental Assessment (EA) process and allows it to advance the regulatory process which will assess the benefits and potential environmental effects and associated mitigation measures for the project, the company said in a statement.
It has worked closely with local and indigenous communities and government agencies to develop the final ToR that considers their feedback, it added.
READ: First Mining Gold restarts activity at Springpole following closure due to wildfires in Ontario
"This is an important milestone for the Springpole gold project as we formally enter the provincial EA process," CEO Dan Wilton said.
"First Mining is grateful for the hard work put in by our indigenous communities and their advisors throughout the ToR process and recognize the significant role they will play in the advancement of the project.
“We are eager to continue the dialogue with our communities to discuss how we can strengthen our partnership and bring sustainable economic development to the region.”
First Mining said the ToR provides a framework for the preparation of the provincial EA documents under the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act, describing the purpose of the project, alternative designs for the project and how they will be evaluated, as well as the potential effects of the project to be considered and assessment methodology, as well as how indigenous communities, government agencies and all other public stakeholders will be engaged and consulted throughout the process.
With the approval of the ToR, the company said it can now more effectively advance the provincial EA in a coordinated manner with the federal EA process.
First Mining is a Canadian gold developer focused on the development and permitting of the Springpole project in north-western Ontario, one of the largest undeveloped gold projects in Canada.
The results of a positive pre-feasibility study for the Springpole project were announced by First Mining in January 2021, and permitting activities are ongoing with submission of an Environmental Impact Statement for the project targeted for 2021.
The company also holds a large equity position in Treasury Metals Inc (TSX:TML), which is advancing the Goliath Gold Complex toward construction.
First Mining's portfolio of gold projects in eastern Canada also includes the Pickle Crow, Hope Brook, Cameron (NYSE:CAM), Duparquet, Duquesne, and Pitt gold projects.
Contact the author at stephen.gunnion@proactiveinvestors.com