Ms. Sofie McCoy-Astell of the CEAA reports

KIPAWA RARE EARTHS PROJECT - FEDERAL FUNDING AVAILABLE

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency is making available funding to support participation of the public and aboriginal groups in the federal environmental assessment of the Kipawa rare earths project located in Quebec.

Funding will be provided to eligible individuals and groups to enable their participation in upcoming steps of the environmental assessment such as consultation related to the environmental impact statement and consultation on the draft environmental assessment report.

Applications received by July 3, 2013, will be considered. Recipients and the amount of funding allocated will be announced at a later date.

To apply for funding, or for more information on the project and the environmental assessment process, visit the agency's website (registry reference No. 80029) or contact the Participant Funding Program by e-mail or by calling 1-866-582-1884.

As part of the strengthened and modernized Canadian Environmental Assessment Act 2012 put in place to support the government's Responsible Resource Development Initiative, the agency is conducting a federal environmental assessment of this project.

This project is being assessed using a science-based approach. If the project is permitted to proceed to the next phase, it will continue to be subject to Canada's strong environmental laws, rigorous enforcement and follow-up, and increased fines.

The proposed project

Matamec Explorations proposes the construction, operation and decommissioning of a rare earths open-pit mine about 40 kilometres east of the municipality of Kipawa. The proposed project would process 1.5 million tonnes of ore per year over a 13-year operation period with a daily average extraction rate of 4,200 tonnes. The concentrate would be shipped by train and then by boat to Asian or European refineries. The proposed project would also include the construction of a concentrator, as well as ancillary buildings such as storage, a laboratory and administrative offices.