GOLD-COPPER: Court decision allows Taseko to resume work at New Prosperity

[caption id="attachment_1003724621" align="aligncenter" width="494"] The site of what Taseko hopes will become the New Prosperity mine. (Image: Taseko Mines)[/caption] BRITISH COLUMBIA – Taseko Mines has successfully defended its First Nation consultation process. The Supreme Court of British Columbia Aug. 23, 2018, decision allowed the company to proceed with investigative work at its New Prosperity gold-copper project, located 125 km southwest of Williams Lake. Taseko believes this decision reaffirms that the provincial government has authority over mine development in the province. As much as New Prosperity benefits from the decision, it also is a boon to the B.C. mining industry in general. Taseko’s next step is to gather hydrological data and other information required for the B.C. Mines Act permitting process. The information will address many of the concerns addressed by the Tsilhqot’in First Nation during the federal review, including outstanding environmental protection questions and the New Prosperity water management plan. The federal government has twice rejected the environmental submission for New Prosperity amidst heated opposition from Indigenous communities. Taseko president and CEO Russell Hallbauer said, "Taseko is confident that with the further information gathered under this permit, we will have the additional scientific evidence needed to satisfy key elements of the federal government's 2014 decision." The Court also affirmed that Taseko’s tenure is secure until at least 2035. Having tenure means the company can apply to build a mine for many years in the future if the current version of New Prosperity is rejected. The New Prosperity deposit contains 831 million tonnes of proven and probable reserves grading 0.35 g/t gold and 0.23% copper with 11.0 million oz. of contained gold and 4.2 billion lb. of copper. Measured and indicated resources (0.14% copper cut-off) total 1.0 billion tonnes grading 0.41 g/t gold and 0.24% copper containing 13.3 million oz. of gold and 5.3 billion lb. of copper. The project is development ready. For further information, visit www.TasekoMines.com.