Zeev's Turnips Patch-No Politics (ZEEV)

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*** Gold related post (MNG) ***


Miramar Announces Nunavut Impact Review Board Decision

Monday August 16, 9:11 pm ET

Miramar Announces That the Nunavut Impact Review Board Requires Further Studies before Recommending Approval of the Environmental Impact Statement for Doris North Project at Hope Bay

VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 16, 2004-- Miramar Mining Corporation (AMEX:MNG - News; TSX:MAE - News) today announced that the Nunavut Impact Review Board ("NIRB" or the "Board") has issued its hearing report for the Doris North Gold Mine Project following the public hearings held in the West Kitikmeot Region of Nunavut during the week of July 11-16, 2004. NIRB has recommended to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development ("DIAND") for his consideration accordance with Part 12 of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement that the Project should not proceed on the basis of the current application. However, NIRB encouraged Miramar to file another application with additional information to bring the Project for another review.
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NIRB determined that based on the level of information in the current application, they could not conduct an informed assessment of the impacts of the Project. Information deficiencies related to the assessment of potential adverse environmental impacts and related mitigation and monitoring for wildlife, the consideration of alternatives to the use of Tail Lake as a tailings impoundment, the Tail Lake water quality and water management strategy the jetty design, and to a lesser extent the socio-economic impact assessment. As this work would be required either now or at later permitting stages, Miramar started this work in July and is confident that it will be able to meet these requirements within an efficient time frame so that NIRB can proceed with a recommendation to approve the EIS. Miramar is currently assessing what impacts NIRB's decision might have on the Doris North production schedule.

In its decision document NIRB noted: "For clarity, the Board is not saying this project should not eventually be built, but rather that there is a threshold level of information that Miramar Hope Bay Ltd. must table with the Board before that decision can be made. Miramar does have the option of re-filing its application. If so, that application need only focus on the outstanding environmental assessment matters; the FEIS could be supplemented through a new application accordingly."

The Board also noted: "In closing, the Board encourages MHBL to fill the gaps in environmental assessment and bring this project forward again for screening. In this regard the Board wishes to draw to the attention of the Proponent that section 12.5.3 permits the Board flexibility in the procedures used to conduct a review if that is the result of a new application and screening. The Board hopes that with the information exchanged during this review process and the diligence of all parties involved in this matter, the outstanding issues can be resolved without significant delay to the project."

For more information on Miramar Mining Corporation and its projects visit our website at www.miramarmining.com.

http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/040816/166026_1.html