MONTREAL - After years fighting against the opening of a mining project with ties to the Pentagon, Louis Saint-Hilaire is breathing a sigh of relief.

That’s because this week, the Quebec government rejected the mining company’s application for public funding, a decision Saint-Hilaire says reflects the will of many of the people who live near the proposed site in the Laurentians region.

“It’s a big victory for us, but it’s not a total victory,” he said in an interview Wednesday.

Lomiko Metals Inc., a mining company based in Surrey, B.C., wants to mine graphite — one of the world’s most sought-after minerals — at a site near Duhamel, Que. Initially, residents’ main fear was about the potential harm to the environment.

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