Yet another dispute on the issue of resource exploitation and land, between a mining company and a First Nations group. The potential New Prosperity mine project at fish lake may be scrapped due to a supposed land violation of the Tsilhqot’in people’s claim on the area as a tribal park. 

The $1.1 billion copper-gold project came to a halt after Tsilhqot’in people declared the area to be a part of their land. Whether or not the claims of their declaration are valid, Native land has long been a sensitive issue that natural resource companies are hesitant to act upon. This is an external threat factor (on the SWOT analysis) that could potentially harm the project and the company’s revenue. Due to the fact that aboriginal issues are highly regarded especially in British Columbia, it is also a distinctive cultural/social issue. Even if their tribal park claim deems invalid, this still might become a loss for the company from years of court disputes and law suits. Another important factor is that this is also a environmental issue which the company must deal with very careful to avoid any type of consequences. Needless to say that mining will exhaust the ecosystems around it, which in the long run, may cost the company more resources to take preventative measures to damage the lands, especially where the First Nations group depend on their abundance of natural resources to thrive. There’s no way around the issue of aboriginal land disputes, except to negotiate the First Nations and hopefully work out a solution that is beneficial to both parties. The fate of the New Prosperity mining project remains undetermined.

image: http://www.vancouversun.com/business/2035/mine+opponents+fight+survival/8880792/story.html