Dave Ogilvie
Last Wednesday (Oct. 6) marked the official opening of the Rainy River Resources Ltd. office in Emo.
On hand for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony were representatives from the Fort Frances Chiefs Secretariat, as well as reeves, councillors, and members of various organizations from across the district.
“We chose Emo as the location for our office because it is centrally located and easily accessible by both company employees and individuals from the district that have questions and concerns,” explained company president and CEO Raymond Threlkeld.
The office, located in the Corner Closet Building across from Cloverleaf, is staffed by administrative assistant Andrea Curtis and First Nation engagement specialist Stacey Jack.
It is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Threlkeld and other staff from Rainy River Resources encouraged those at last Wednesday’s opening, as well as interested individuals from across the district, to drop by the office at any time for a cup of coffee or just to catch up on the latest company news.
An information meeting then was held that evening at 7 p.m. in the Emo Legion to inform members of the various district communities of the company’s plans for its “Rainy River Gold Project.”
Company reps informed those on hand of the project’s progress to date, and of the company’s plans for the next few years.
A slide show presentation was followed by a question-and-answer period.
Since taking over the project site from Nuinsco Resources, Rainy River Resources has added roughly four million ounces in total gold resources to the deposit in this emerging gold district of Canada.
The company believes the Rainy River Gold Project has a tremendous future because of its untapped potential and because of the area’s excellent infrastructure, which includes year-round road access, the proximity of power lines, and an existing railway line which is only 21 km away.
Company officials also believe the district’s population of more than 20,000 people, including skilled tradespeople, will become a valuable asset in the event the property becomes a mine.
Back in May, Rainy River Resources signed a memorandum of understanding with the Fort Frances Chiefs Secretariat, which represents the various First Nations in this part of the province.
The company’s Rainy River Gold Project is located within the traditional territory of these seven First Nations’ communities.
As a result, the First Nations and Rainy River Resources have entered into this agreement “to demonstrate their commitment to forge a mutually-beneficial relationship, founded on respect, through a process of ongoing dialogue and regular interaction.”
The company has agreed to inform the First Nations in advance of its exploration proposals and timetables, and to conduct all exploration activities in an environmentally-responsible manner.
It and the First Nations also have agreed to develop and implement an Impact and Benefits Agreement (IBA).
Over the past two years, Rainy River Resources has been busy developing and implementing an environmental baseline study focused on the following areas: aquatic assessments, terrestrial environment, wetlands, geochemistry, soils, climate, hydrology, hydrogeology, water quality, air quality, and noise.
The baseline study is designed to establish the existing environmental condition of the area, and to provide the company with practical suggestions on how to minimize any potentially negative impacts from the project.
In the coming year, Rainy River Resources will continue to carry out an aggressive exploration plan, including advanced exploration. This will involve the excavation of a tunnel/decline ramp from the surface to a depth of roughly 330 metres.
The purpose of this part of the program is to establish access into the deeper areas of gold mineralization, as well as to allow for further exploration drilling and the collection of bulk samples.
This work will happen over a two-year period, commencing in early 2011.
The excavated rock will be stored at the site, with water management methods such as settling ponds, containment berms, and impermeable liners used to control water flow and quality.
The company also will be completing a preliminary economic assessment in the first quarter of the coming year, and will continue to focus on metallurgical testing and the continuation of its environmental baseline and geotechnical studies.
With this kind of positive commitment and a stable price for gold, the Rainy River Gold Project just might be the economic stimulus the district needs to create jobs and encourage further growth for Northwestern Ontario.
