| Statement in the B.C. Legislature May 16, 2011 Mining Industry Award Recipients VICTORIA - Each year during Mining Week, the miner of the year is announced and recognized. Last week was Mining Week in British Columbia, and this year two giants of the industry were recognized. Rob Pease has been a miner for over 30 years, working the bulk of his career in senior management with Placer Dome. In 2006, he formed Terrane Metals to develop the Mount Milligan mine northwest of Prince George. This is a copper-gold project. It's been fully permitted and is now under construction. Last year Terrane was acquired by Thompson Creek Mining, and that project is moving ahead and going to provide employment and an economic boost to the area. Mr. Pease is now a director and strategic adviser to Richfield Ventures, a gold exploration in northern British Columbia. The irrepressible Jim O'Rourke was part of a team that brought in the Endako mine, Gibraltar mine, Quinsam Coal and Huckleberry mine. Jim managed the Similco mine in Princeton in the '90s when the mine closed. He later acquired a lease on the minesite and began planning for the Copper Mountain mine. This major redesign and expansion of the old Similco site has given a new lease on life for the people of Princeton. This pine beetle–ravaged area had been suffering, but the jobs and investment provided by Copper Mountain have turned the local economy around. Copper Mountain has been a game changer for the Princeton area and its people. Mr. O'Rourke is also a director of Compliance Energy that is working to develop the Raven coal project on Vancouver Island. While this project has its opponents, they should be comforted by Jim's past. He's always shown great respect for the communities in which he has developed mining projects. Sustaining families requires jobs and revenue to government to pay for the services those people require. Rob Pease and Jim O'Rourke have supplied both in abundance. Congratulations to each for the well-deserved miner-of-the-year awards. | |
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