CZN-TSX
CZICF-OTCQB
VANCOUVER, Jan. 23, 2018 /CNW/ - Canadian Zinc
Corporation (TSX: CZN; OTCQB: CZICF) reports that the Minister
of Crown Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, has
invoked a two-month extension to the timeline for the Minister's
decision on the Report of Environmental Assessment for the Prairie
Creek All-Season Road, originally due by February 12, 2018.
"Extending the time limit by two months will allow the federal
and territorial governments to complete aboriginal
consultations…including around section 35 [Constitution] duties to
consult", said the Minister in her letter to the Mackenzie Valley
Environmental Impact Review Board ("Review Board").
The Minister "remains hopeful that the full two-month extension
will not be required, however, my colleagues and I wanted to give
you and all interested parties sufficient warning that we likely
will not be able to complete all the required Crown consultation
and all related analysis within the five-month decision timeline
window".
In connection with such consultations Indian and Northern
Affairs Canada ("INAC") has written to Canadian Zinc with certain
information requests, pursuant to section 130 (4.06) of the Act,
identifying specific issues raised by indigenous groups that need
further clarity through proponent engagement, so the Ministers "can
be confident that the Crown has discharged its legal duty to
consult by meaningfully and completely consulting with impacted
indigenous groups".
INAC has directed Canadian Zinc to engage the Nahanni Butte Dene
Band, Liidlii Kue First Nation and the Dehcho First Nations to gain
an understanding of the indigenous groups' requests, discuss and
determine how the indigenous groups will be included in monitoring
and discuss the indigenous groups' requests for support to
participate in implementation of the measures recommended by the
Review Board and the commitments made by Canadian Zinc in the EA
process.
The various measures principally relate to the sharing and
inclusion of Dene traditional knowledge and values, how indigenous
groups will be included in environmental monitoring of the Project
and the implementation of related measures.
Canadian Zinc had expected and assumed that these matters would
be addressed and resolved during the permitting phase with the
Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board and Parks Canada, as in
previous applications, however INAC has indicated that the
responsible Ministers want them addressed at this stage. As such,
the engagement requested is not a new or unexpected requirement but
rather one brought forward to the current stage of the process.
"Canadian Zinc will be cooperating with the request from INAC
and will seek to engage with indigenous groups to clarify how these
matters can be addressed as part of the implementation of the
recommended measures" said Alan
Taylor, Chief Operating Officer of Canadian Zinc.
Herb Norwegian, Grand Chief of the Dehcho First Nations, said
that "DFN is willing to engage with Canadian Zinc in this ongoing
consultation process concerning the Prairie Creek Project".
The full texts of the Minister's letter and the INAC letter may
be viewed on the website of the Mackenzie Valley Environmental
Impact Review Board.
About Canadian Zinc
Canadian Zinc is a TSX-listed exploration and development
company trading under the symbol "CZN". The Company's key project
is the 100%-owned Prairie Creek Project, an advanced-stage
zinc-lead-silver property, located in the Northwest Territories.
Cautionary Statement – Forward-Looking Information
This press release contains certain forward-looking
information, including, among other things, the expected completion
of acquisitions and the advancement of mineral properties. This
forward looking information includes, or may be based upon,
estimates, forecasts, and statements as to management's
expectations with respect to, among other things, the completion of
transactions, the issue of permits, the size and quality of mineral
resources, future trends for the company, progress in development
of mineral properties, future production and sales volumes, capital
costs, mine production costs, demand and market outlook for metals,
future metal prices and treatment and refining charges, the outcome
of legal proceedings, the timing of exploration, development and
mining activities, acquisition of shares in other companies and the
financial results of the company. There can be no assurances that
such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and
future events could differ materially from those anticipated in
such statements. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do
not have demonstrated economic viability. Inferred mineral
resources are considered too speculative geologically to have
economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to
be categorized as mineral reserves. There is no certainty that
mineral resources will be converted into mineral reserves.
Cautionary Note to United States Investors
The United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC")
permits U.S. mining companies, in their filings with the SEC, to
disclose only those mineral deposits that a company can
economically and legally extract or produce. We use certain terms
in this press release, such as "measured," "indicated," and
"inferred" "resources," which the SEC guidelines prohibit U.S.
registered companies from including in their filings with the
SEC.
SOURCE Canadian Zinc Corporation