British Columbia issues environmental assessment for Vitreo’s $300M silica sand mine 

The Province of British Columbia has issued an environmental assessment certificate to Vitreo Minerals for its proposed $300 million Angus silica sand mine north of Prince George.  

Silica sand, also known as proppant, is used during crude oil and natural gas extraction. The mine would produce silica sand used in hydraulic fracturing to open the fractures that are created during crude oil and natural gas extraction. 

The Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) concluded that the Angus project would not cause significant adverse effects once mitigation measures and proposed conditions are applied. The EAO determined that the mine would provide economic benefits through jobs, business activity and government revenue, as well as supply product domestically that is currently imported from the US. 

The Angus project will provide a local source of silica sand and have a mine life of approximately 20 years. The project is expected to generate approximately 150 jobs during construction and nearly 140 jobs throughout operations, supporting local and First Nations employment and training, along with the $300 million in investment. 

The EAO said it sought consensus with participating Indigenous Nations throughout its assessment at key milestones. First Nations participating in the assessment included Lheidli T’enneh First Nation, McLeod Lake Indian Band, Tsay Keh Dene Nation and West Moberly First Nations. 

The Angus project entered the environmental assessment process in July 2023, and the assessment took less than three years to complete. Under the environmental assessment certificate, the mine project must be substantially started by 2036, the EOA said.  

The project will produce as much as two million tonnes of silica sand annually over its 20-year mine life.