PROVINCIAL environmental officials are in the final stages of reviewing a plan to develop a molybdenum mine at Kitsault, north of Terrace, BC.
The review began the end of April and was to conclude the end of October but the developer Avanti Mining asked for a three-week extension so officials had more time to review the information it submitted.
An assessment of the information submitted by Avanti will be reviewed over a three-week period by federal and provincial agencies, First Nations and other interested parties who can then make comments.
"The BC Environmental Assessment Office will consider these comments prior to finalizing its report that refers the Kitsault project to the BC Minister of Energy, Mines and Natural Gas and the Minister of Environment for issuance of the Environmental Certificate," a press release from Avanti stated this afternoon.
"Avanti expects the referral to take place before December 21, 2012. Ministers will then have up to 45 days to make their decision on the Kitsault Project EA certification."
Company officials earlier said they are confident the mine project will be approved.
Avanti has so far spent $70 million on the Kitsault project, including approximately $15 million on environmental studies.
Also underway is a federal review which Avanti estimates will be finished within two months of the provincial review. A decision by the federal environment minister would follow within three months, Avanti said.