From Monday, June 3 to Friday June 7, at the Smithers Sandman Inn, an arbitration hearing takes place between Donald Christmann and New Nadina Explorations Limited.
The public hearing was scheduled to determine if New Nadina is working on cultivated land owned by Christmann.
Christmann operates Mission Outpost Ranch, a cattle ranch adjacent to New Nadina’s Silver Queen Mine.
Both properties are approximately 40 kilometres south of Houston.
New Nadina has explored Christmann’s land under permit permission.
Christmann claims the land being drilled by New Nadina is used for hay production for his cattle.
If arbitrators side with Christmann, the Mineral Tenure Act can prohibit exploration activity.
“It’s a central force for our operation,” Christmann said.
Ellen Clements, president and CEO of New Nadina Explorations Ltd says Christmann began these concerns once she discovered the large “Itsit” copper-moly-gold-porphyry in 2011.
“He tried to block me by every ministry,” Clements said.
According to Clements, the land under question has not been used to cultivate hay for at least ten years, stating she has only seen cattle occasionally graze on this land.
In addition to the cultivated land issue, Christmann is concerned with invasive weeds being tracked onto the property from the mining activity.
