n January 2005, the Province's new on-line staking system for new mineral claims became operational. Within 48 hours, the entire Sechelt Peninsula (District of Sechelt to Earl's Cove - see map below) was staked by a new consortium of mining interests; Pan Pacific Aggregates. These new mineral claims included all private property on the peninsula including Premier Gordon Campbell's home in Halfmoon Bay.
Heavy machinery was moved in very quickly and environmental damage from exploration activities began to mount. An announcement followed quickly that a huge deposit of high grade limestone had been discovered and that PPA would enter the Province's Environmental Assessment process prior to establishing one of the world's largest limestone mining operations.
PPA's "Sechelt Carbonate Project" collapsed in September, 2007 when the company declined to continue with the environmental assessment process. The following documents describe the successful efforts of the SCCA and many other groups, to stop this destructive proposal.
Documents:
- Opposition Mounts to Pan Pacific Aggregate's Mine Proposals - (SCCA Newsletter #12, Sept 2006)
- Issues Backgrounder (PDF) - July 2006
- Great Pan Pacific Ordeal Coming to an End (SCCA Newsletter #13, May 2007)
- Paul Griffith's Letter re Karst Landscapes - August 2007
- Tracking the Sechelt Carbonate Process: A Report on PPA's Approval Process - July 2007
