About three hours away from Vanderhoof, northern B.C.'s newest mine is officially open. On May 30, the CEO of Artemis Gold, representatives from the region's First Nations and Premier David Eby were on site at the mine for a ribbon cutting ceremony.
Blackwater Mine extracts both silver and gold, two metals that are not only highly valued for their decorative uses, but also in technology.
At the mine's opening event Artemis Gold CEO Steven Dean said throughout the process of creating Blackwater, Artemis was committed to working with First Nations. Representatives from several First Nations were at the mine's opening event, including Lhoosk'uz Dene First Nation Chief June Baptiste.
"The opening of the Blackwater Mine represents a new chapter for our territory," Baptiste said. "The Blackwater gold project lies at the heart of our traditional lands and we have been actively engaged in all aspects of its development. From mineral explorations to environmental assessments and permitting, our involvement has been rooted in commitment to ensure the project proceeds with respect to our culture and our environment and our people."
Baptiste went on to say Lhoosk'uz and the other First Nations of the area pushed for strong environmental safeguards and to ensure Indigenous voices are at the table as the mine's lifecycle continues. She added that Blackwater Mine is one of the biggest projects to bring the area's First Nations together and she hopes it makes all of those nations stronger moving forward.
As important as the economic aspect of the mine is, Baptiste said the agreements Lhoosk'uz has in place are about reconciliation, environmental stewardship and preserving Indigenous culture.
"While economic development is important, it must be in balance with commitment and conservation and reconciliation. For our nation, that means government engagement is meaningful and respectful," she said. "We expect the province and all proponents will continue to engage directly with Lhoosk'uz Dene Nation and our free, prior and informed consent will be sought in a spirit of partnership and respect."
Dean said around 25 per cent of the mine's staff comes from First Nations around the area.
"It is a good precedent for responsible and sustainable development of natural resources," Dean told Black Press Media of what makes the mine special. "It's not been an easy path to forge, but it's been one where we've arrived at a successful place."
He added Artemis is committed to continuing to working with First Nations on the Blackwater project. "We can do better and we will continue to do better but it's an excellent precedent for responsible mineral resource development in association with Indigenous Nations in this province."
Ulkatcho councillor Corinne Cahoose also spoke at the mine's opening and offered a gift to Dean, Eby and several other people, including the mine's Indigenous relations liaison. The gift was a necklace with a piece of obsidian inside.
Cahoose explained the story of Anahim Peak, a volcanic mountain, that has been passed down through generations.
"When that mountain erupted, way before we were all here, when that mountain erupted and the lava came flowing and the smoke came out, there was a man and wife and a baby and they got separated," she said. "The wife and baby were petrified. (At) Anahim peak it's got the peak and it's got a little flat area and it goes down and that flat area is the baby on the mother's back."
She went on to explain why the gift of obsidian from Anahim peak was significant to give the various partners who worked with First Nations on the project. The site of the mine is located on Mount Davidson.
"It's significant to present that today because the ancestors believe that the father of the family is here in Mount Davidson. That's how significant it is and that's how sacred this mountain that we're working on is to our people," she said. "We are going to remove tons and tons of rocks and dirt, we have to ask for permission from our Creator and this is significant in honouring that."
Dean said when Artemis purchased the mine in 2020, the company had the goal and vision to build the mine with a modern lens.
"It was clear from the beginning that this mine had the potential to provide generational opportunities for First Nations and communities in the mine region. For me, this was pivotal," he said. "We had the opportunity to build a modern mine that met social and environmental standards of today's times. Being in close proximity to clean, renewable hydroelectricity from BC Hydro, encouraged us to build a new 135 km transmission line."
He said connectivity to BC Hydro has given Blackwater one of the world's smallest carbon footprints for the type of mine it is. Artemis' website states they have the goal of having zero-emission ore and waste haulage options by 2030. The mine has also invested in a fully-electrified processing facility with all traditionally carbon-fuelled processes replaced with electric equipment.
With the mine sitting at around 5.5 million hours worked so far, Dean reported there have been zero major safety incidents, which he said is especially significant because construction tends to be one of the more dangerous parts of mine activities.
The mine has over 400 employees, Dean said around 25 per cent of those employees identify as Indigenous, 40 per cent of employees are from the region and 80 per cent of mine employees are from British Columbia.
"We are able to provide jobs and careers for our Indigenous workforce on ancestral lands, making it easier to stay connected to culture, language and remain in close proximity to family," Dean said.
He said the mine is expected to be a huge boon for B.C.'s economy.
"The economic study written in 2020 predicted that Blackwater Mine was expected to contribute $13.2 billion to the provincial economy over the life of the mine, including $2.3 billion to provincial revenues and $1.5 billion in federal tax revenues," Dean said and then spoke directly to the premier. "I'm pleased to say, those numbers are likely to be well exceeded."
He said the 2020 numbers were using prices that are around half of what they are today.
Since 2022, Dean said Artemis has invested $1 billion with Canadian contractors and service providers, including large amounts with British Columbian and First Nation-owned companies.
Before handing off the mic to Eby, Dean unveiled two large bars of gold and silver that had been in front of the podium where people were speaking throughout the event. After the bars were unveiled, people at the event crowded around the precious metals to take photos ahead of the premier's speech.
Eby addressed Baptiste, Cahoose and the other Indigenous delegates at the mine's opening, saying he heard the pride they have in their communities and the work they have done to get Blackwater to where it is.
"I heard a caution too," he said. "If we want to move quickly, we're not going to be able to do it without those strong partnerships with Indigenous people and we're not going to do it at the expense of our environmental commitment."
The premier said the project is employing many, many people with well-paying jobs and doing it while having strong partnerships with First Nations and commitments to the environment, including that no untreated water is leaving the mine site.
"British Columbia is going to be the economic engine of the new Canada that is emerging," Eby said. "It is because of where we are geographically. Facing two thirds of the world's population, it's because of the amazing resources in this province like the clean energy that Steven and his team have had the vision to tap into to ensure economic operations but also clean operations."
Eby congratulated the Artemis team on their success and their ability to get the mine up and running despite difficult fire seasons which led to an evacuation of the site while it was under construction.
"It brings prosperity to the whole province at a moment when we need it for the whole country," Eby said. "We're at a crossroads right now, delivering projects like this across the country is essential."
B.C.'s minister of mining and critical minerals, Jagrup Brar, said the mine will create extremely well-paying jobs for people in the region.
"The mining sector provides 40,000 good, family-supporting jobs to the people of British Columbia. (They) supply critical minerals, critical to grow the green economy and advance reconciliation," he said. "Mining can help to grow the economy of the province and provide revenue to improve our education system, our healthcare system and so on. That's very important."
With the Blackwater Mine specifically, Brar said it shows resource extraction at its best, giving a boost to the industry's reputation by the commitment shown to working with First Nations and preserving the environment.
He said mining is crucial to the province's, and the country's, economy with B.C. producing 60 per cent of Canada's copper and 19 of the 30 critical minerals Canada lists as being important to the economy.
“(Blackwater is) a project that creates good jobs, supports local and Indigenous communities and takes crucial steps to minimize the impact on the environment. It shows how responsible mining can move our economy forward in the right way,” he said.
For 2025, Blackwater is expected to extract between 190,000 to 230,000 ounces of gold. The mine had its first pour in January.
Artemis Gold is a Vancouver-based company, the company's largest shareholders are British Columbians.
