The Nova Scotia government has announced a new provincial wilderness area in Guysborough County, protecting a lake that has been eyed as a water source for a proposed gold mine. Agriculture Minister Greg Morrow said Monday that the Archibald Lake Wilderness Area will cover nearly 700 hectares of old-growth forest, lakes and wetland near Nova Scotia’s eastern shore. The area includes Archibald Lake, McDonald and Rocky Lake, which feed into Archibald Brook, a tributary of the St. Mary’s River. Atlantic Mining Nova Scotia Inc., a subsidiary of Australia-based St Barbara Ltd., had proposed a temporary gold-mining site on Cochrane Hill, using Archibald Lake as its primary water source and discharging treated wastewater back into the river system. Morrow, who is also provincial representative for the region, said the importance of protecting the area was impressed on him when he was door-knocking during the 2021 provincial election campaign.

Government of Nova Scotia press release: Province Announces Archibald Lake Wilderness Area