Goldboro gold mine project approved with conditions in Guysborough County

Nova Scotia's minister of Environment and Climate Change has approved the Goldboro gold project in Guysborough County, but with conditions.

"I am satisfied that any adverse effects or significant environmental effects of the undertaking can be adequately mitigated through compliance with the attached terms and conditions as well as through compliance to the other licences, certificates, permits and approvals that will be required for operation," Tim Halman wrote in his decision to Signal Gold president Kevin Bullock.

Signal Gold wants to develop the mine. The project includes two open pits, a processing facility, a tailings management facility, waste rock storage areas, as well as water management infrastructure such as collection ditches, culverts, settling ponds and water treatment systems.

Among the list of conditions is for Signal Gold to develop a wildlife management plan with Nova Scotia's Department of Nautral Resources and Renewables as well as Environment and Climate Change, developing and implementing a complaint resolution plan for receiving and responding to complaints related to the project, and have a Mi'kmaw communication plan.

The company also plans to bring in trailers to house employees, with 350 beds expected during the construction phase and 175 beds during the operations phase. 

The project will create 735 new direct and spinoff jobs a year in the province for 15 years, the company said in June after it submitted for environmental approval. It expects the project to generate $528 million in income and mining taxes at the federal, provincial and municipal level from direct and spinoff economic activity.

The company anticipates construction will begin in late 2023, with the mine being commissioned in 2025 and operations continuing until 2035. The closure process would begin in 2036.

Signal Gold, previously known as Anaconda Mining, had sought environmental approval for a gold mine development at the site in August 2018.

But the environment minister at the time said the company's submission didn't contain enough information.