One of the opponents has also accused the Australian proponent of trying to "intimidate" those calling for an independent environmental review during a press conference.
Layers of sediment, sand and rock in the Saint-Mathieu-Berry esker naturally filter rain and snow and provide pristine drinking water to six local municipalities, including about 13,000 residents of the town of Amos.
Mayor resigned over council’s u-turn on mine approval Among others calling for an environmental review are the Regroupement Vigilance Mines de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue (REVIMAT) and a group representing citizens of La Motte, the village closest to the mine site.
The groups are calling on Environment Minister MarieChantal Chassé to subject the project to an independent review by Quebec’s environmental review agency, the Bureau d’Audiences Publiques sur l’Environnement (BAPE).
"We just want more information," he told National Observer.
“That esker is a huge source of drinking water for the region, and it is at a big risk of contamination now.
There are risks of contamination through the sub-soil.” She said she was also concerned that Sayona would not be able to clean the “huge amount of water” the mine would need for its operations before putting it back into the environment.
He told National Observer on Nov 22 that the company planned on making the demand “in the next few weeks,” with a view to starting construction in September next year.
‘An atmosphere of intimidation’ At a Quebec mining convention, held in Montreal Nov. 19-22, proponents of the mine created “an atmosphere of intimidation," according to the CCPE’s Rodrigue Turgeon, who held a press conference about Authier on the second day of the convention.
Sayona’s Segal told National Observer Thursday that he was "stunned" by Turgeon’s allegations.