Dawson City is heading to the Supreme Court of the Yukon Territory to force miner Darrell Carey to stop work on his Slinky placer mine.
Thursday, city bylaw officers served Carey a stop-work order for clearing trees and brush from his claims on Dawson’s Midnight Dome. The trees border Mary McLeod Road and act as a screen to nearby residents living on the Dome.
Carey ignored the stop-work order and continued clearing the land. In doing so, he was breaking zoning and heritage bylaws, said town manager, Jeff Renaud.
Monday afternoon, city council held an emergency meeting to discuss the situation. That’s when councillors passed a resolution to seek a court injunction against Carey.
Before Carey can continue clearing trees he must first get the necessary city permits, said Renaud.
However, according to the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, Carey is legally entitled to clear his placer claims, said director of the department’s inspection branch, Robert Thompson.
Carey is permitted a minimal amount of clearing with his current placer permit, he said Friday.
There has been a “proactive approach” to the Slinky mine, said department spokesperson Mark Roberts.
“We’ve been on the site very regularly and monitoring it very closely,” he said.
But to residents who live near the mine the situation has created a great deal of stress.
“There seems to be a difference of opinion of what is allowed and what isn’t,” said Renaud.
“The municipal stance is that, since the operation is located within the municipality, they have to comply with EMR requirements and are required to obtain necessary municipal permits.”
The government has so far been silent on whether it will allow Carey to step up production on his Slinky mine.
His 10-year mining project still must be reviewed by the Yukon Water Board. A date has yet to be set for that.
Contact Vivian Belik at
vivianb@yukon-news.com