Hudbay Minerals announced Feb. 20 that it had received the permit from the B.C. Ministry of Mines to expand its operations at Copper Mountain Mine near Princeton.
The permit process received an accelerated timeline from the province as part of its Look West initiative, despite pushback from local First Nations, and will see the mine’s estimated lifetime expand decades.
“The New Ingerbelle permit ensures that we’ll be able to advance this major project while extending our partnership with local communities to facilitate additional growth investments at Copper Mountain and further adds to our 99 years of successful operations in Canada,” said Peter Kukielski, president and CEO at Hudbay.
Just 10 days prior to the announcement of the permits issuance, the Upper and Lower Similkameen Indian Bands and Hudbay issued a joint release on the signing of renewed cooperation agreements, which replaced ones signed with the bands in 2019.
The new agreements include, but are not limited to, terms for protection of the Similkameen River, benefits for the community, stability for the ongoing operations at the mine, and structured processes for the bands to work with Hudbay to monitor the mine’s operations and address its impact on the environment.
That announcement noted the bands were not giving advance consent to the New Ingerbelle expansion through the new agreements, following the province moving up the timeline for its approval and giving a shortened deadline for feedback.
The Upper and Lower Similkameen Indian Bands had blasted the province, and the province alone, for its accelerated timeline.
READ MORE: Similkameen First Nations sign renewed agreements with Copper Mountain Mine
READ MORE: First Nations blast B.C. for ‘hurrying’ Similkameen mine
Following the Feb. 10 release, the Keremeos Review reached out to get information on an update to the bands’ triggering of a dispute resolution process over the deadline issue that had aimed to push it back a few months.
Given the Feb. 20 announcement, it is clear that the accelerated timeline stuck. The new cooperation agreements included structured processes for addressing the New Ingerbelle Pit expansion.
Over the mine’s extended lifespan, it is projected to produce approximately 750,000 tonnes of copper, 900,000 ounces of gold, and 5.5 million ounces of silver based on current reserves, according to Hudbay’s Feb. 20 release.
The expansion will also preserve more than 800 direct jobs, Hudbay’s release states. The mine employees many local Similkameen residents, including members of the local First Nations.
“The Ingerbelle expansion will ensure hundreds of good jobs are retained for the Princeton community, providing economic benefits to the community and the province for years to come,” said Minister of Mining Critical Minerals Jagrup Brar. “We are happy to see Hudbay continue its commitment to B.C. and to see this mine continue operating into the future.”
The expansion of the mine will see the existing pit extend to within 50 metres of the Similkameen River and to reach a final depth more than 160 metres below river level, making it the first ever allowed to mine below the level of the Similkameen River, and would require the buildup of the tailings dam, already visible from Highway 3, by an additional 63 metres or the equivalent of 19 stories.
The New Ingerbelle pit would extend the Copper Mountain Mine’s operations for several decades. The mine has been in operation continuously since 2010 and was acquired by Hudbay in 2023. It had operated previously for much of the 20th century.
The mine has been fined for environmental violations, particularly around discharges out of its tailings pond, in recent years, including six fines in 2024.
READ MORE: Hudbay says no danger from spills at Copper Mountain Mine near Princeton