The call to reject the Prosperity Mine proposal has received strong support from the Union of British Colombia Indian Chiefs in Canada. It is also supported by the Tsilhqot'in Nation, Esketemc First Nation, Canoe Creek Band and the Northern Shuswap Tribal Council.
Grand Chief Stewart Phillip who is the President of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs said that the Taseko Mining Limited’s proposal for the Prosperity Mine is the poster child for everything that is wrong with the mining industry in B.C. The mining project will destroy the pristine Teztan Biny fish lake that is a traditional First Nations fishery and sacred ceremonial site near Williams Lake in B.C.
This lake has sustained six member First Nations communities for generations. AFN national Chief Shawn Atleo said that the proposed mine would not bring prosperity to the First Nations in the region, but would devastate their communities and way of life.
The leaders of the First Nations Tsilhqot’in Nation Government were in Ottawa to deliver their message to the federal government. The federal government has to decide next week if it will allow Taseko Mines to proceed with its Prosperity Mining project.
The Prosperity deposit is a gold-copper porphyry with a 1.0 billion tonne measured and indicated resource containing 5.3 billion pounds of copper and 13.3 million ounces of gold.
Taseko’s Prosperity project is located 125 km southwest of Williams Lake (approximately 175 km from Gibraltar).