[Newsbot]

Title: Coal mine creates controversy on Vancouver Island
Category: Misc CDN
Posted By: Hyack
Date: 2011-07-05 22:42:23
Canadian

[Hyack]

WOW, I'll bet ole Bobby Dunsmuir is just spinnig in his grave over this...

[saturn_656]

Drill, baby, drill.

[Freakinoldguy]

What scares me about this whole Raven Project is the transport of coal to Port Alberni, Duke Point Nanaimo, or Campbell River by truck for shipment to the far east.

$1:

Transportation

How would coal be transported?

The project has considered transporting the coal to one of three port options: Middle Point in Campbell River, Duke Point in Nanaimo, and Port Alberni. Following initial review of transportation options, Port Alberni has emerged as the preferred port option due to its available facilities, proximity to markets, environmental considerations, and accessibility by either road or rail. Further studies are required to confirm this option best meets the needs of the project.

Would the coal be transported by road or rail?

The preferred transportation method is by truck, although transporting coal by rail to Port Alberni is still an alternative if the public prefers it and it is cost competitive to trucking.

How many trucks will travel from the mine site to Port Alberni?

Recent studies indicate two to threee truckloads per hour would be required to transport coal to the Port at Port Alberni. This is down from earlier estimates, and is based on expected mine production of 0.7 to 1.1 million tonnes of processed coal per year.

That's 48 trucks per day minimum for 365 days a year which comes to 17520 truck trips per year. So with the life expectancy of the mine to be at least 20 years that means there could possibley be 350400 truck trips between the Raven mine and the Port, Duke Point or Campbell River. So the question becomes who's gonna pay for the road repairs and upkeep from this vast amount of traffic which will far exceed even the benefits to the local economy.

$1:

Would the proposed project provide local employment?

New studies indicate the project will create 200 construction jobs, 350 well-paying, full-time mine, port and transportation jobs and 500 indirect jobs. Up to 50 of those jobs would be in transportation, including truck driving. The average salary in the mining industry is more than $100,000 per year, including benefits. The project expects to pay out about $30 to $35 million in local and direct salaries and wages.

It's nice to have all the jobs and work but the fact of the matter is that the company and not the taxpayers of BC should be made to pay for the transportation implementation and upkeep.

Here's the link for those interested.

http://www.theravenproject.ca/index.php?id=166

[martin14]

sounds like a good deal for the Island,

let's hope the eco-tards dont scupper it.


However, we should not be selling coal to the East, we should be selling
finished steel.

We have ore too, you know.

[QBall]

Freakinoldguy Freakinoldguy:

That's 48 trucks per day minimum for 365 days a year which comes to 17520 truck trips per year. So with the life expectancy of the mine to be at least 20 years that means there could possibley be 350400 truck trips between the Raven mine and the Port, Duke Point or Campbell River. So the question becomes who's gonna pay for the road repairs and upkeep from this vast amount of traffic which will far exceed even the benefits to the local economy.

How about the massive amounts of tax revenue the government will receive from all the gas/diesel the trucks will be using?

[Zipperfish]

I think the other coal mine on the island wants to expand too.