Sabina Gold & Silver asks Ottawa to hold off on Nunavut mine decision

A mining company isasking the minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs to hold off on making a decision on whether or notto let the project move forward, after its proposal wasrejectedby theNunavutImpact Review Boardoverconcerns about caribou.

• Nunavut board rejects gold mine over concerns about caribou

SabinaGold &SilverCorp.'s president and CEO sent a letter to MinisterCarolyn Bennett Thursday, a day after the boardissued its recommendation requesting the Back River gold mining project not proceed to the licensing stage at this time.

The minister now has to decide whether to accept that decisionor reject it and send the project back to the board for reconsideration. Under the Nunavutland claim agreement, she can do so "onthe grounds that the project should have been approved because of its importance in the national or regional interest."

"We are writing torespectfullyrequestthat you defer any decision in response to the report until we have had a chanceto review the report indetail, to determine if we wish to make any submissions to you inresponseto the report," writes BruceMcLeod.

Sabinaestimatesthe proposed open-pit gold mine nearBathurstInlet,Nunavut,could recover3.4 million ounces of gold worth about $4 billion over a 10-year life span while employing up to 900 people.

The review board began assessing the mining proposal in 2012. In its report, itcites the mine'spotentialto adversely affect the Bathurst caribou and Beverly caribou herds.

"The board's mandate is neither pro-development or pro-conservation,"said Ryan Barry, theNunavutImpact Review Board's executive director. "It's both."

"We will be waiting to see how the minister responds to the recommendation."

Indigenous and Northern Affair said it's currently reviewing thatrecommendation.

"A decision on the report will be taken and announced following a thorough examination of the contents of the report,"reads astatement from the ministry.