This report develops a model for assessing the compatibility of proposed mines with the requirements of sustainability. The model is then applied to the Tulsequah Chief Mine reopening project proposed by Redcorp Ventures Ltd. 

Assessing whether proposed mines contribute or detract from sustainability is a challenging undertaking. Mines involve the extraction of non-renewable resources, an activity that by its very nature is not sustainable. However, it is generally accepted that mineral extraction can, under certain circumstances, contribute to sustainability, though there has been a shortfall in rigorous work to set out those conditions.

This report helps fill two gaps: the lack of a rigorous sustainability assessment framework for proposed mineral developments, and the need for a sustainability assessment of the proposed TCM that goes beyond a conventional environmental assessment’s focus on identifying and mitigating environmental impacts.