46°

Sound off on the important issues at

The feasibility study instead proposed the use of a barge to ship equipment, supplies and concentrate to and from the mine. The barge would be able to operate year-round on the Taku River, according to a press release.

During both the construction and operating phases of the mining operation, materials would be shipped to Tulsequah Chief mine via Juneau. During operations, a barge would haul mineral concentrate from the mine to Juneau to be transferred to a commercial ocean barge service to Skagway.

Redcorp, formerly Redfern Resources, has been working since the mid-1990s to reopen the multi-metal mine, which operated from 1951-57.

In August 2006, an alliance of environmental groups filed a lawsuit to stop the proposed mine, saying it would harm Alaska wild salmon and a Canadian caribou herd. The suit was filed in Canadian federal court against Transport Canada and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

Mine officials said at the time that it had taken the necessary steps to obtain required approvals from the federal government.