Yukon gov't rejects contentious Dome Road placer mine proposal

The Yukon government has rejected a controversial proposal to establish a new placer mine operation on the Dome Road in Dawson City, but said the project may be able to go ahead if cross-country skiers who use the area can be accommodated.

In rejecting the proposal, the government followed the recommendation of the Yukon Environment and Socio-Economic Assessment Board (YESAB). The board concluded the plan for the mine fails to reasonably address the disruptions it would cause for skiers.

• Yukon assessors recommend against contentious Dome Road mining proposal
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Miner Darrell Carey wants to mine his placer claims under the community ski trails on the east side of the Dome Road.

Carey is already unpopular with Dawson's Dome Road residents because of his neighbourhood Slinky Mine.

In its written decision, the government says the rejection of Carey's new proposal "does not mean that mining activity cannot occur in the area, provided suitable mitigation can be identified" to protect the ski trails.

Those mitigation measures could include "buffers, enhanced reclamation and revegetation, replacement of trails, and an altered 'footprint' of mining activity," the decision reads, but also says it is not the government's role to tell Carey what to do. 

But it said a new proposal, designed in consultation with the First Nation and the town of Dawson City, would get due consideration from its assessors.

'A complete expropriation'

That's not likely to happen, says Carey's agent, Randy Clarkson.

"I don't think it's a legitimate option at this point," he said. "I don't think there's any room for negotiation or smoothing it over.

"They've tried to leave the door open, but it's really kind of like, what's the expression? 'Don't let the screen door slam you on your ass as you leave.'"

Clarkson said Carey did offer to build new trails, but they were rejected as inadequate to replace the existing ones.

"So I'm not sure what further consultation or meetings... what benefit that would provide. I'm sure the government put that in there so it doesn't look like a complete expropriation, but that's de facto what it is," he said.

Carey bought the claims earlier this year for $752,000, and Clarkson thinks the government should compensate him for at least that amount.

"I don't see what else is available," Clarkson said.