New gold mine in tiny Wells, B.C., gets approval but some residents worry it will change their town forever [Video]

A proposed gold mine near the small community of Wells in central B.C. has passed a major development hurdle.

The B.C. government has granted an operating permit for the Osikso Development Corporation’s Cariboo Gold Mine, a project that’s expected to process 1.1 million tonnes of gold-bearing ore a year.

But even though it has support from several key local leaders and First Nations, it still faces opposition from people concerned about the social and environmental impacts of the new industrial project.

“These permits are just another step in a long, frustrating process that involves throwing our community under the bus,” said Dave Jorgenson, a longtime Wells resident and spokesperson for a group of residents opposed to the project.

The B.C. government said in a statement that Barkerville Gold Mines, owned by Osisko Development Corp., was issued the permit for the underground mine in a process that took 13 months to …