INNOVATION May-June 2016

Cutting core samples at the Brucejack Mine site.

Spectacular gold grades and a motivated team of people have allowed Pretium to thrive during the recent, prolonged downturn. And when that first gold bar is poured at the Brucejack mine site next summer, it will be an exciting moment for all involved, and a good news story that lends hope to a BC industry. v

“During the peak construction period, which we expect to occur in early summer, we’re looking at having as many as 900 people employed at the site,” says Quartermain. “They’ll be on rotation, so a maximum of somewhere over 500 people on site.” Many of the employees at Brucejack are from northern BC communities, including Terrace, Stewart, Prince George and Hazelton. Pretium has established good relationships with the First Nations in the area, and a cooperation and benefit agreement is in place with the Nisga’a Nation. The site access road off Highway 37 crosses the asserted traditional territory of the Skii km Lax Ha First Nation and a portion of the Tahltan First Nation territory. It is also located in the Naas Area, as defined by the Nisga’a Final Agreement. “We want to ensure we’re hiring First Nations as well as individuals who live and work in the area,” says Quartermain. People from the Skii km Lax Ha First Nation and Hazelton region have been working at the site since 2010. Susan Flasha has worked on the project since Pretium’s first summer at Brucejack in 2011. She agrees the onsite team is diverse and dynamic. “For all of the years I’ve worked there, the mood’s been excited,” she says. “I think people just feel like they’re part of something big when they get to Brucejack. There’s always been a lot of momentum behind this project. We’ve always had big goals, big focus—when you go there, there’s always a big end goal for that year.” She adds, “The fact that you still get to see these spectacular gold specimens helps, as well.”

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