The Chief of a First Nation near a copper and gold deposit in the Cariboo is skeptical of a company’s proposal to mine in the area.

Chief Jimmy Lulua of the Xeni Gwet’in Nation First Nation claims Taseko Mines has ulterior motives to explore the New Prosperity deposit – west of Williams Lake.

“It’s basically a waste of time. A waste of time for us, a waste of time for investors. But at the end of the day, the big picture, if anybody’s educated enough to see it, they’re not mining for gold anymore, they’re mining to sue somebody. They’re mining to sue B.C. or mining to sue our nation.”

Taseko was supposed to start a $15-million-dollar test-drilling project yesterday but a blockade was set up by area First Nations.

The project has been denied twice at the federal level by the previous Stephen Harper government, largely because of environmental concerns.

Lulua points out the previous Liberal government approved the test-drilling not long before the last B.C. election.

“I feel that Christy Clark gave them that gift, and John Horgan has the ability to make this problem go away. For us, we’ve knocked out Taseko in the first round and the second round, it’s a TKO and there’s no getting back up. This mine will not be built, it doesn’t matter what they do.”

Taseko Mines vice president of corporate affairs told NL News last week the New Prosperity Mine is important for B.C. and Canada, and says it’s the largest undeveloped copper and gold deposit in the country. He says the economic impact the mine would bring would be tremendous for B.C.’s Interior, which he says is crucial given the downtown in forestry.

NL News has reached out to Taseko for further comment.

– with files from Brett Mineer