VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - April 29,
2010) - The Mining Association of British Columbia (MABC) is celebrating
approval of the expansion of the MAX Molybdenum mine, operated by Roca Mines
Inc., marking the next step in the mining renaissance currently driving the
economic recovery of BC.
"The approved expansion of Roca's
MAX Molybdenum mine near Revelstoke is good news for BC and for the Regional
District of Columbia Shuswap and the Kootenay region," stated Pierre Gratton,
President and CEO of MABC. "This approval effectively means that MAX graduates
from a small mine to a major metal mine – BC's first in over a decade."
The Roca expansion comes on the
heels of last month's approval of the Copper Mountain project, which will be
BC's first major copper-gold mine since Huckleberry in 1997 when it commences
operations in 2011. The New Afton project outside Kamloops, another major
copper-gold mine, is also in full construction with operations commencing in
2012. Other major mines, including Mt. Milligan, Prosperity and Red Chris, are
in final stages of permitting and/or environmental review, with Mt. Milligan
starting construction this summer.
"This new mining activity brings
new hope and opportunity to BC's rural communities hard hit by the mountain
pine beetle infestation and general downturn in the forestry sector. The MAX
mine's expansion, in particular, will mean a 30% increase to its workforce and
a much longer mine life, providing jobs and spin-off benefits to the region and
the province for a long time to come," added Pierre Gratton.
MABC represents companies
involved in the exploration and development, mining and smelting of minerals,
metals, coal and industrial minerals in British Columbia. It is regarded as the
pre-eminent voice of mining in the province.