The Eagle Gold Mine is located 85 km north of the Village of Mayo and within the Traditional Territory of the First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun. Victoria has worked with community representatives, the First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun and other interested parties to consult and keep people informed.
Victoria has held various community meetings, workshops, and open houses with the First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun leadership, staff, and citizens as well as the Village of Mayo leadership and residents, and other interested parties. These sessions provided Eagle Gold Mine updates as well as specific presentations on key aspects of the proposed operation. Victoria also publishes the Potato Hills Press newsletter and continues to meet on a regular basis with the First Nation and the community.
Victoria and the First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun (FNNND) signed a Comprehensive Cooperation and Benefits Agreement (CBA) on October 17, 2011. The CBA replaced an earlier Exploration Cooperation Agreement, and applies to the proposed Eagle Gold mine development and all exploration activities conducted by Victoria anywhere in FNNND Traditional Territory south of the Werneke mountains which includes all of Victoria's existing mineral exploration properties. The CBA does not apply to any exploration or mining activities on FNNND Settlement Lands or within FNNND Traditional Territory that are north of the Wernecke Mountains, unless FNNND provides its prior consent.
The objectives of the CBA are to:
- Provide certainty for development of the Eagle Gold Project and on-going exploration;
- Provide the FNNND with employment and economic development opportunities while respecting and promoting FNNND's desired environmental protection objectives;
- Establish a process for ongoing communication between Victoria and the FNNND so both parties can identify and pursue contracting and partnering opportunities;
- Provide the FNNND with employment and training opportunities; and
- Provide financial support and profit sharing opportunities that may result from a successful project.
- Following the CBA Victoria and the FNNND entered into a further agreement. On November 20, 2011 Victoria and FNNND signed a Letter of Intent for the purposes of staking FNNND Category B Settlement Lands adjacent to Victoria's Dublin Gulch property, of which the Eagle Gold project is a part of. As Settlement Lands were not part of the CBA the Letter of Intent provided FNNND consent to Victoria to stake the FNNND Category B Lands to the west and south of the Dublin Gulch property. The Letter of Intent also establishes that Victoria and FNNND will negotiate an agreement for the purposes of carrying out exploration on these FNNND Category B Lands. These negotiations are underway.