KITSAULT MINE PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT APPENDICES APPENDIX 9.0-A Heritage Background Baseline Report VE51988 – Appendices KITSAULT MINE PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL BACKGROUND HERITAGE BACKGROUND TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................................................... I ACRONYMS, ABBREVIATIONS AND DEFINITIONS ......................................................................... III UNITS OF MEASUREMENT ................................................................................................................. IV GLOSSARY ........................................................................................................................................... IV EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................ V 1.0 HERITAGE BASELINE INFORMATION .................................................................................. 1 1.1 Principles of Heritage Resource Management ............................................................. 2 1.1.1 Research Objectives ....................................................................................... 3 1.1.2 Kitsault Mine Project Description ..................................................................... 3 1.1.3 Information Sources and Methods .................................................................. 3 1.2 Biophysical and Cultural Setting ................................................................................... 4 1.2.1 Landscape and Terrain.................................................................................... 4 1.2.2 Geology ........................................................................................................... 5 1.2.3 Hydrology ........................................................................................................ 5 1.2.4 Modern Vegetation .......................................................................................... 5 1.2.5 Wildlife Resources ........................................................................................... 6 1.2.6 Ancient Environments...................................................................................... 6 1.3 Cultural Setting ............................................................................................................. 7 1.3.1 Ethnographic Background ............................................................................... 7 1.3.2 Traditional Habitations ..................................................................................... 7 1.3.3 Traditional Subsistence ................................................................................... 8 1.3.4 The Contact Period .......................................................................................... 9 1.4 Archaeological Background ........................................................................................ 10 1.4.1 Archaeological Site Types ............................................................................. 10 1.4.2 Regional Cultural Chronology ....................................................................... 13 1.5 Baseline Assessment Results .................................................................................... 15 1.5.1 Document Review ......................................................................................... 15 1.5.2 Evaluation of Archaeological Resource Potential ......................................... 19 1.5.3 Archaeological Research in the Kitsault Area ............................................... 22 1.5.3.1 Local Study Area .............................................................................. 22 1.5.3.2 Regional Study Area......................................................................... 22 1.5.4 Archaeological Data Gap Analysis ................................................................ 24 1.5.4.1 Archaeological Resource Inventory - Level of Effort ........................ 24 1.5.5 Potential Archaeological Resources .............................................................. 25 1.6 Study Limitations and Recommendations .................................................................. 27 1.6.1 Study Limitations ........................................................................................... 28 1.6.2 Remaining Information Gaps ......................................................................... 28 REFERENCES ..................................................................................................................................... 30 Version 1.0 VE51988 – Baseline Appendix 9.0-A November 2011 TOC i KITSAULT MINE PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL BACKGROUND HERITAGE BACKGROUND List of Tables Table 1.4-1: Sequence of Complex Cultural Characteristics from Tsimshian Territory .................. 14 Table 1.5-1: Identified Archaeological Sites in the Regional Study Area ........................................ 23 Table 1.5-2: Potential Archaeological Remains in Proximity to the Proposed Project .................... 27 List of Figures Figure 1.5-1: Archaeology Baseline Local Study Area and Kitsault Mine Project Layout ................ 17 Figure 1.5-2: Archaeology Baseline Regional Study Area ............................................................... 18 Figure 1.5-3: Baseline Assessment Archaeological Potential and Kitsault Mine Project Layout ..... 21 Version 1.0 VE51988 – Baseline Appendix 9.0-A November 2011 TOC ii KITSAULT MINE PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL BACKGROUND HERITAGE BACKGROUND ACRONYMS, ABBREVIATIONS AND DEFINITIONS Abbreviation Definition Agency (the) Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency AIA Archaeological Impact Assessment AIR Application Information Requirements AMEC AMEC Earth and Environmental Application (the) The proponent‟s Application for an Environmental Assessment Certificate for the proposed Project, made under section 16 of the British Columbia Environmental Assessment Act. AOA Archaeological Overview Assessment BC British Columbia BC EAO British Columbia Environmental Assessment Office BCEAA Environmental Assessment Act 2002 of British Columbia BC MFLRNO British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations BP Before Present (i.e., radiocarbon years before present) CEA Act Canadian Environmental Assessment Act CMT culturally modified tree CWHws1 Coastal Western Hemlock Wet Submaritime Submontane variant CWHws2 Coastal Western Hemlock Wet Submaritime Montane variant EA Environmental Assessment GIS Geographic Information System HCA Heritage Conservation Act HIP Heritage Inspection Permit LSA Local Study Area MEM Meziadin Mountains Ecosections MHmm1 Mountain Hemlock Moist Maritime Leeward variant MHmm2 Mountain Hemlock Moist Maritime Windward variant MHmmp Mountain Hemlock Moist Maritime Parkland variant Millennia Millennia Research Limited n number / number of sites NCTSA North Coast Timber Supply Area NLG Nisga‟a Lisims Government NRA Nass Ranges Ecoregion NTS National Topographic System proponent (the) Avanti Kitsault Mine Ltd. proposed Project (the) Kitsault Mine Project Rescan Rescan Environmental Services Ltd. RSA Regional Study Area RAAD Remote Access to Archaeological Data Version 1.0 VE51988 – Baseline Appendix 9.0-A November 2011 Page iii KITSAULT MINE PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL BACKGROUND HERITAGE BACKGROUND Abbreviation Definition TMF Tailings Management Facility TRIM Terrain Resource Inventory Mapping VC Valued Component WRMF Waste Rock Management Facility UNITS OF MEASUREMENT Abbreviation Definition km kilometre m metre Mt million tonnes % percent GLOSSARY Abbreviation Definition Biface Stone tool which has been worked or used on both sides Intensification Refers to archaeological evidence as reflected in the increase and specialization of the exploitation of a resource such as salmon; may also be reflected in advances in technology for the exploitation of the resource Landscape Integrity The relative measure of the landscape as a reflection of past historic alterations to the landscape. High landscape integrity indicates that the lands in question are pristine and have not been altered by historic development. Low landscape integrity indicates that the lands have been greatly impacted by historic activities. Lithic(s) Stone tool or fragments resulting from stone tool manufacture Orthophoto Aerial photograph manipulated to lack topographic distortion, like a map Sedentism Archaeological term meaning “living in one place”; refers to the development of long term settlement at one location Social Differentiation Refers to archaeological evidence as reflected in status items suggesting a ranked or stratified society Storage Refers to archaeological evidence that features such as pits or specific perishable remains (e.g. salmon bones) were indicators that storage of such resources was occurring 10‟ 10 minutes when used in reference to a latitude or longitude (i.e., degree, minutes, seconds of latitude or longitude) Version 1.0 VE51988 – Baseline Appendix 9.0-A November 2011 Page iv KITSAULT MINE PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL BACKGROUND HERITAGE BACKGROUND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A baseline review of archaeological information related to heritage resources for the proposed Kitsault Mine Project (proposed Project) was conducted by the Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Resources group of AMEC Earth and Environmental (AMEC). The review has been conducted in support of Avanti Kitsault Mine Ltd.‟s (proponent) Application for an Environmental