Miner sues Yukon Government over Mount Lorne claims
A Yukon miner is suing the Yukon government because he says he's not allowed to mine his own claims.
Barry Ernewein owns Lobo Del Norte Ltd., a company with mining claims in the Mount Lorne area south of Whitehorse. He says last year he became aware of zoning changes that were made by the Yukon government in 2006.
"In the legislation it's abundantly clear that mining is one of the things that's not going to be allowed," says Ernewein.
According to documents he filed to the Supreme Court of Yukon, Ernewein acquired the claims in 1998. In 2006, an area that includes Ernewein's claim was designated as "Hinterland," which does not provide for certain activities associated with mining.
"You got one branch of the government saying to the miner: 'Go ahead you can mine, these are your claims, just make sure you keep your claims up to date,' which they were," Ernewein says.
"Then the other branch of the government saying 'uh-uh'. So the miner is left in a hell of a quandary."
Ernewein says the main mineral deposit is ready to mine.
"A lot of the work has been done," he says.
Ernewein wants the government to void the zoning legislation affecting his claims. Failing that, he's asking for damages. He says the resource estimate of what's in the ground is $130 million.
The Yukon government has not yet filed a statement of defence and government officials are not commenting on the case.
