Ginoogaming First Nation Signs Exploration Agreement with Silver Spruce Resources Inc.

BEDFORD, NS / ACCESSWIRE / September 23, 2021 / Ginoogaming First Nation ("Ginoogaming" or "First Nation") and Silver Spruce Resources Inc. ("Silver Spruce") (TSXV:SSE)(FRA:S6Q1) are pleased to announce entering into an exploration agreement by which Ginoogaming in exercising its inherent jurisdiction has issued its permit and approval to Silver Spruce to undertake mineral exploration in part of Ginoogaming's territory known as Melchett Lake, in northwestern Ontario.

"We are happy to see things progress the way they should be done," says Chief Sheri Taylor. "The company sought our community's consent and is prepared to meet the conditions required to obtain that consent, so we the government of the First Nation community issued our permit containing those conditions."

"The Ontario Crown government, through ENDM, routinely does its "consultation" on exploration through a form letter and formula timeframes with little else. This is not near enough. So First Nations are compelled to turn to the company. If the company is respectful of our right to free, prior and informed consent, then this gets us a positive result, as is the case in our current collaboration with Silver Spruce," says Ginoogaming lands staff person Peter Rasevych.

"The agreement with Silver Spruce contains measures to accommodate and address Ginoogaming's concerns about our cultural and heritage values in the area including through a study and a First Nation monitor to identify and protect such values prior to intrusive exploration activities. It provides for high standards and First Nation input on land use, environmental management and plans of the company. This is all to prevent and minimize impacts. And for those impacts that remain, it provides offsetting benefits like priority access to training, employment, contracting, and compensation and coverage for process costs. If the company wants to move toward a mine, then the exploration agreement provides for the need for a mine impact benefit agreement first," says Ginoogaming's lawyer Kate Kempton from OKT Law.

"We are very pleased to be in this mutually respectful and consent-based relationship with Ginoogaming and look forward to working with them over the years to come," stated Greg Davison, Silver Spruce VP Exploration and Director. "With Silver Spruce fully engaged in this collaboration, it will ensure smooth operations as we advance our mineral exploration programs in and around Melchett Lake."