COMMUNITY & FIRST NATIONS

Fireweed believes in engaging with local communities and First Nations toward building respectful relationships though dialogue and collaborative processes.

The Tom and Jason properties lie within an area of unsettled territorial claim by the Kaska First Nations. Negotiations between the Kaska First Nations, and the federal and territorial governments are continuing but have not affected Fireweed’s ability to carry out work on the project.

The nearest community to the project site is the First Nations community of Ross River (population 350) located 215 kilometers to the west. There are no permanent settlements at or near the project site. Fireweed believes in preferential hiring of Ross River based businesses and personnel whenever practical, for work on the Macmillan Pass Project. Brandon Macdonald, Fireweed CEO, hails from Ross River where he grew up as a child and is known in the community.

ENVIRONMENT

At Fireweed we are committed to carrying out our work programs to high standards of environmental stewardship. We aim to prevent or mitigate as much as reasonably possible, the impacts of our operations on the environment through effective and scientifically sound operating practices while at all time complying with applicable environmental legislation.

Environmental baseline studies by Hudbay Minerals toward eventual development of a mining operation began at the Tom site in 2000 and were expanded in 2008. These include 12 surface water monitoring stations in the local streams, 3 ground water monitoring wells and a weather station. The Tom-Jason project site has a Class 4 Mining Land Use Permit and a Type B Water Licence. Much of the historic surface disturbances from previous work have been reclaimed. Fireweed assumed these environmental functions and costs when it fully acquired the project in 2018.

Tom site water monitoring station

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Fireweed embeds core values of health and safety throughout its operations. Nothing is more important than the health and safety of our people. Every person arriving at our work site is first taken through a health and safety orientation before any other activity is begun. Every morning begins with safety “toolbox” meetings and weekly safety meetings are attended by everyone in camp to re-enforce a safety first mindset. We emphasize that safety is the responsibility of everyone on site. We have highly trained first aid personnel in camp with a dedicated and well equipped first aid facility, and strict protocols for timely medical evacuations by air to a hospital if required. The Company works to identify and mitigate potential health and safety risks at all work sites. Our excellent safety record over years of operations is the result of prioritizing and instilling a culture of safety first in every person at our work site and constantly seeking to improve our health and safety protocols and procedures.

Environmental baseline studies by Hudbay Minerals toward eventual development of a mining operation began at the Tom site in 2000 and were expanded in 2008. These include 12 surface water monitoring stations in the local streams, 3 ground water monitoring wells and a weather station. The Tom-Jason project site has a Class 4 Mining Land Use Permit and a Type B Water Licence. Much of the historic surface disturbances from previous work have been reclaimed. Fireweed assumed these environmental functions and costs when it fully acquired the project in 2018.