BC fast-tracked permitting: implications for North Island, Berg and Wicheeda mine plans
Reviewed by Tom Sullivan
First reported on MINING.com
30 Second Briefing
British Columbia’s Critical Minerals Office has fast-tracked three projects for early environmental assessment co-ordination: Northisle Copper and Gold’s North Island copper-gold project at Port Hardy, Surge Copper’s Berg copper-molybdenum project in the Tahtsa Ranges, and Defense Metals’ Wicheeda rare earths project near Prince George. North Island and Berg each carry PEAs with about C$2 billion after-tax NPV (7–8% discount), with North Island’s three deposits totalling 6.3 billion lb copper-equivalent and Berg scoped as a 30-year, 191 million lb/year Cu-eq operation. Wicheeda’s pre-feasibility study outlines 25.5 million tonnes at 2.4% TREO, a 15-year mine life producing 31,900 tonnes TREO concentrate annually, and a C$1 billion after-tax NPV.
Technical Brief
- BC Critical Minerals Office support focuses on early regulatory scoping, permitting-pathway alignment and engagement planning.
- Northisle is already in early-stage environmental assessment, so Office input targets process streamlining rather than initiation.
Our Take
With Northisle Copper and Gold and Surge Copper both showing billion‑dollar‑scale NPVs in British Columbia, these fast‑tracked permits signal that the province is willing to prioritise large copper and critical minerals hubs rather than only smaller, incremental projects.
The Wicheeda rare earth project near Prince George, with its defined TREO reserve base and 15‑year mine life, positions Defense Metals as one of the few rare earth names in our Canada‑focused critical minerals coverage, contrasting with the lithium‑heavy supply deals such as the Elevra Lithium–Mangrove Lithium MoU on 9 February 2026.
Northisle’s 29% IRR and sub‑two‑year payback at North Island, alongside Surge Copper’s 20% IRR at Berg, suggest that BC’s permitting fast‑track is being applied to projects that already screen competitively on economics, which may raise the bar for earlier‑stage or marginal copper and nickel projects in the province.
Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.
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