Energy and Minerals
Hydro-electric facilities on the Bridge and Seton rivers are the third largest in the province. Expansion opportunities are limited. There is, however, good potential for smaller hydro-electric developments. Other energy resources such as solar, wind, co-generation, oil, gas, coalbed methane and geothermal are untested or untapped.
South Chilcotin has a long history of mining and some of the best mineral potential in the province. Future mines could produce metals (gold, silver, copper, tungsten), industrial minerals (limestone, dimension stone, talc), aggregates (sand, gravel, crushed rock) and gems (jade, agate).
Three mining/tourism areas will be designated in the Southern Chilcotin Range (see map) to ensure sustainable management of these industries in key locations. A management plan, guided by the intent of the 2004 Mining/Tourism Memorandum of Understanding, will be prepared for these areas. To optimize resource development, these areas will be closed to industrial logging.
Issues:
- Uncertainty of access for mineral and energy resource development.
- Land use planning processes focused on surface values fail to adequately account for mineral exploration and development opportunities.
- Land use designations and constraints favouring other resource values can reduce opportunity for, and increase the cost of, mining development and add to investor uncertainty.
- Shortage of designated placer areas.
- Limited public understanding of exploration and development activities, project review processes, and ways of protecting the environment and resolving disputes.
Goals:
- Prosperous mineral and energy sectors with full access to Crown land for exploration and development.