Major ore mine reopens near Kamloops

The Afton Mine near Kamloops held its grand reopening on Sept. 16, 2012 (CTV)

The New Afton mine began operations earlier this summer, but its grand opening is being held Sunday about 15 kilometres outside Kamloops.

The open-pit major metals mine is being reopened after laying dormant for more than a decade.

In its press release about the project, the B.C. government boasted about the reputation of the company behind the mine -- Toronto-based New Gold.

B.C. Environment Minister Terry Lake told CTV News that New Gold has been honoured with environmental stewardship awards in the past.

He said company saved all the top soil from the area of the new project and, once the project is finished, will put it back so it can be reclaimed as grassland.

“Companies that do business in B.C. understand the need to have a social licence, and that means looking after the environment in a way that makes sense to the people of B.C.,” said Lake.

The release said 75 per cent of the employees at the mine were hired locally and more than 100 of those hired are First Nations.

New Gold has invested $200 million to reopen the project.