Mountain mines face major setbacks as the First Nation fights to prevent another environmental crisis

The British Columbia Supreme Court has ordered Polley Mining Corporation to stop its plans to stalk its tailings dam high. The court said the expansion will not be carried out until at least July 1, 2025.The decision is a legal challenge for the Xatśūll natives. First Nation said the province approved the dam expansion without proper consultation or a comprehensive environmental review. They believe that the decision violates British Columbia’s indigenous rights rules.
Please read also: Another strike in Canada? This is what may happen after May 22
The province allowed the company to raise the dam four meters. It said heavy spring runoff needs to be increased and technical inspections and some consultations were conducted.

But the Xatśūll First Nation disagrees. The process was rushed, they said, and serious environmental problems were ignored.

Their fear is not without basis. In 2014, the tailings dam at the Tongyishan Mine collapsed. That disaster released about 25 million cubic meters of mineral waste into nearby lakes and rivers. It has become one of the worst environmental activities in British Columbia’s history. Imperial Metal, a company that owns the mine, says it still has plenty of room in its tailings facility at the moment. It says it does not require additional capacity to be expanded until July 2025. The company also agreed to wait and not raise the dam until then.Please read also: The “twins” on Earth are not dead, but are very “living”. NASA’s latest discovery explains

Hearings on the issue are scheduled to resume on June 24, 2025. The XatśūllFirst Nation program requires the court to keep the barriers to expansion in place until the entire legal review is over.

The case highlights the growing tension in BC between mining projects and indigenous land rights. It also raises greater questions about how governments consult Aboriginal people about decisions affecting their land and environment.

At present, the court has sent a clear message: more cautious and in-depth consultation is required in projects that assume environmental and cultural risks.