Feasibility Study and Technical Report - Pretivm

16 corridor is recovering from the economic downturn of the 1990s, and has excesscapacity with respect to social service infrastructure. The respective communities areincorporated providing a framework and capacity to plan for, finance, and deliver servicesthat might be required, and meet incremental growth from new mine developments.Highway 37 CorridorHighway 37 connects with Highway 16 at Kitwanga and runs northwards to the Yukonborder. Highway 37A branches off from Highway 37 at Meziadin and connects to the Portof Stewart. Highway 37 communities include Iskut, Dease Lake, and Good Hope Lake.With the exception of Stewart, the majority of the population belongs to First Nations (e.g.Good Hope Lake). These communities rely heavily on public sector and miningemployment. Since 1996, Highway 37 communities have experienced an overall declinein population. Stewart is located 60 km west of Meziadin Junction on the west coast ofBC, at the head of the 145 km-long Portland Canal and the terminus of Highway 37A.The Stewart Bulk Terminals are used by the mining and forestry industries to shipproducts from northern BC and Yukon to international destinations. Much of the town ofStewart was built for the development of the Granduc Mine. The town’s population hasfallen dramatically in the past 20 years, coinciding with the closure of the Granduc andPremier mines.TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND TRADITIONAL USEThe Project site is located on Crown land in an area historically used by several Aboriginalgroups. A desk-based ethnographic overview for the potentially affected First Nationsand Treaty Nations was implemented between May 2012 and March 2013. In addition,a Traditional Knowledge/Traditional Use (TK/TU) study was completed for the Skii km LaxHa and will also be pursued for the Tahltan Nation. These studies will identify areas andseasons where Aboriginal groups have engaged in traditional interests and activitiesincluding hunting, fishing, gathering, and spiritual activities. The outcomes of thesestudies will be used to inform the overall design and operation of the Project.NON-ABORIGINAL LAND USEThe western part of the Project area is included in the Cassiar Iskut-Stikine LRMP, whichwas approved by the province in 2000. The LRMP is a sub-regional integrated resourceplan that establishes the framework for land use and resource management objectivesand strategies, and provides a basis for more detailed management planning. The LRMPoutlines the management direction, research and inventory priorities, and economicstrategies for the Cassiar Iskut-Stikine area, and presents an implementation andmonitoring plan to reach the established objectives. Detailed planning initiatives andresulting outcomes are expected to be guided by, and be consistent with, the LRMPmanagement direction. Part of the Project area lies within the boundaries of the SouthNass Sustainable Resource Management Plan (SRMP) area, finalized in June 2012. TheSRMP is a landscape-level plan that addresses the sustainable management of land,water, and resources while considering economic interests.Pretium Resources Inc. 20-14 1291990200-REP-R0012-02Feasibility Study and Technical Report on the BrucejackProject, Stewart, BC