Teck obtains environmental approval to expand copper mining operation in Canada through 2043

The government of British Columbia has granted an environmental assessment certificate for Teck’s Highland Valley Copper mine extension.

Teck Highland Valley Copper Partnership has received an environmental assessment certificate from the Province of British Columbia for its Highland Valley Copper Mine Life Extension Project, located near Logan Lake. The decision was jointly announced by Environment and Parks Minister Tamara Davidson and Minister of Mining and Critical Minerals Jagrup Brar.

The approval will allow the existing open-pit copper mine to continue operating until 2043—15 years beyond its previously scheduled closure in 2028. The expansion is expected to enable the extraction of approximately 900 million additional tonnes of ore, yielding nearly two million more tonnes of copper.

Currently employing 1,320 people, the mine will add 200 permanent jobs and between 500 and 1,250 temporary jobs during construction.

This is the first major project to undergo a fully integrated review under British Columbia’s Environmental Assessment Act of 2018. The Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) coordinated a streamlined process with multiple regulatory agencies, allowing Teck to submit a single application for the environmental certificate and key provincial permits. This approach could shorten the permitting timeline by up to two years.

The assessment included input from technical experts, local governments, the public, and 17 First Nations. Ten First Nations granted consent to the project, while two groups representing six other Nations initiated a dispute resolution process.

While the expansion itself is not expected to cause significant adverse effects beyond those of the long-operating mine, the ministers acknowledged cumulative impacts on water resources and Indigenous land access.

As a result, the environmental certificate includes 17 legally binding conditions aimed at preventing or mitigating potential environmental, economic, social, cultural, and health impacts. Key requirements include:

• Managing effects on local watersheds
• Avoiding or reducing wetland and riparian loss
• Protecting food sovereignty for the Nlaka’pamux Nation
• Minimizing light pollution during operations
• Reducing pressure on local housing during construction