Respect communities, all people and the natural environment.
Exploration at Ballarat and quarrying at Mineração VMC take place in and alongside real communities. This principle governs how we operate in the Yukon and in Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Stakeholder Gold Corp. (TSX-V: SRC · OTC: SKHRF · WKN: A2QEP1) is a critical-materials discovery company exploring Skye and Loki at the 100%-owned Ballarat Gold-Copper Project, Yukon, supported by cash flow from Mineração VMC's quartzite production in Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Field programs at the Ballarat Gold-Copper Project operate in the White Gold District under Yukon regulatory and First Nations engagement requirements.
Mineração VMC's quarries in Dom Joaquim operate as part of the local community, providing employment tied to the quartzite trade.
Ballarat Community
Ballarat straddles Ballarat Creek, a tributary of the Yukon River, in the heart of the White Gold District — a Tier 1 mining jurisdiction with a storied history of development since the first Klondike gold discoveries in 1896. Stakeholder holds a Class 1 exploration permit covering its planned exploration initiatives.
The project also sits on the traditional territory of the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in and Selkirk First Nations. The Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in — "people of the river" — are largely descendants of Hän-speaking peoples who have lived along the Yukon River for thousands of years; many Selkirk First Nation citizens today live in Pelly Crossing.
Mineração VMC Community
VMC, Stakeholder's subsidiary in Brazil operates a quartzite quarry in a region locals call the Riberao (the stream) on the border between two municipalities: Alvorada de Minas and Dom Joaquim. The region is primarily agricultural producing milk, cheese and beef.
Soon after the start of commercial production at the company's first quarry in 2021, VMC participated in several projects to improve local infrastructure and support the community. Though each project was small in scope, VMC has endeavoured to focus on initiatives which deliver the maximum possible benefits to our neighbours.
Responsible development
The Government of Yukon and the Territory's 11 self-governing First Nations are committed to the long-term responsible management of Yukon's mineral resources. An independent panel ran a nine-month public engagement process — regional open houses, focus groups, surveys and elder sessions — to shape the Yukon Mineral Development Strategy, a framework for sustainable resource development that benefits Yukoners while minimizing social and environmental impact.
Yukon Mineral Development Strategy ↗Community initiatives
- Roadworks
- Historically, rainy-season washouts around Alvorada de Minas left families cut off for weeks, blocking school buses and milk and freshwater deliveries. Together with the municipalities of Dom Joaquim and Alvorada de Minas, VMC shored up roughly 30 km of roads and three bridges through 2022–2023.
- Social
- VMC helped the Associação dos Moradores de Ribeirão de Trás purchase an industrial stove, renovate its meeting hall and cover community-related legal work, supporting a resident-led plan to start a bakery for the women of the Riberão.
- Soccer field lighting
- Lighting was installed at two soccer fields in Dom Joaquim, letting residents play after school on a safe, well-maintained pitch.
- Environment
- VMC supports the Secretary of the Environment's annual Caminhada Ecológica, a 9–12 km guided hike through the forests of Alvorada de Minas that draws more than 350 participants.
- Renovations
- In 2023, Alvorada de Minas' main church, Igreja Matriz de Santo Antônio, was professionally renovated; VMC workers and neighbours also replaced the rectory's roof tiles.