BC has metals everywhere, but what are the chances that any of them will get developed? Last big mine I saw anyone take a stab at apart from III was the Big Ledge in 1981 which was supposed to employ 6,000 people in the building of it. (Cominco) The government of the day keyboshed it, as Cominco wanted a guarantee from the government that they could make 16% rate of return from the project, by adjustment of the then-high mining taxes. The province bravely and wisely demurred and Cominco began to look elsewhere than Canada for zinc resources. Alaska won out and the largest richest open pit and underground zinc mine in the world was started there. The Red Dog. A friend of mine had a hand in gathering up ground for that one. We have far seeing governments in BC. They can see as far as their own tail, so they chase it constantly. So far no catchee. To be more accurate metaphorically, at least they have the mining companies chasing their collective tails. I don't think the government of BC gets it. And I don't think the voters get it. They have resources in BC. That is what makes the province tick at least minimally. All their manufacturing and services, (were) dedicated to supplying the resources. Their high tech is maybe 10% of the economy. Guvmint is the rest. Where is their money going to come from if they don't do anything? If they keep voting in anti resource governments cause it don't hurt their guvmint save the whales job, then eventually the party will be over when the last light goes out.
There are crazy big amounts of zinc and lesser lead and some silver in the sed ex type deposits within about 100 miles of Revelstroke. There have to be about 12 deposits some from 30 million tons to almost 100 million tons. Most are low grade. They exist in a big arc around that area. Most of them have names to them, and somewhat although not 43-101 drilled resources. Most of them were or are owned by Cominco. I took at look at an analog of such that existed in the NWT, 60,000,000 tons of 6% combined lead-zinc with silver, open pit. It was a grand idea when lead and zinc and silver soared a couple of years ago. Not so grand now, although it runs $94.10 dollars a ton US or $116.12 CDN per ton. Open pit to make a con - the cost would be about $15 a ton. Add about 3 dollars to ship the con etc. Need roads, or winter roads, or river by barge.. It looks economic but few have the snoose to tackle large base metal projects these days.
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