John Metzger’s Post

Canada’s Mining Industry — Bringing Environmental Risk to You & Your Community?⚠️⛔️ ☠️⛏️😳⚠️ Globe & Mail - Niall McGee: Failure of Victoria Gold processing plant in Yukon spurred by rock collapse inside gold mine. An internal rock collapse at a gold mine in the Yukon was a major factor in the collapse of a gold processing plant operated by Victoria Gold Corp., The Globe and Mail has learned. 
Whitehorse-based Victoria Gold on Monday said that its heap leach pad had failed at its Eagle gold mine, and that part of the infrastructure had breached the containment region, raising the possibility of environmental damage from cyanide leaking into the environment. 
Heap leaching involves stacking mined ore into giant piles and then sprinkling it with hundreds of litres of water laced with cyanide. Assisted by gravity, the toxic solution causes gold to leach from the ore. The resulting “pregnant” solution then drips into a lined outdoor pond. The solution is finally pumped to an enclosed facility where the gold is collected.

The company did not say what caused its heap leach pad to fail, but images that have circulated online indicate that a significant rock collapse had occurred. 
A source familiar with the situation confirmed that a major rockslide had occurred. The source said it wasn’t an external, naturally occurring event, but one that started when the stacked rocks collapsed. 
The Globe is not identifying the source because the person was not authorized to speak publicly.
John McConnell, chief executive of Victoria Gold, did not respond to multiple requests for comment. 
Heap leach plants must be monitored continuously to make sure that the cyanide solution is percolating through the rock. In the event of a buildup of solution, the weight of the rock can increase exponentially, and it can collapse, causing a rockslide. 
Investigators with the Yukon government arrived on site shortly after the heap leach failure and are working to ascertain the extent of the damage.
John Thompson, senior communications analyst, energy, mines and resources with the Yukon government wrote in an e-mail to The Globe that part of the slide spilled outside the heap leach containment area at the base of the facility.

Who pays to clean up an old mine? The Inactive Mine Reclamation Program (IMRP) reclaims, safeguards, and restores lands impacted by past mining; specifically coal mines abandoned prior to August 3, 1977 (under the Surface Mining and Control Reclamation Act, or SMCRA), as well as hard rock and uranium mines in partnership with other state and Federal agencies. The IMRP is funded through Department of the Interior by reclamation fees paid by current coal mine operations on each ton of coal mined in Colorado. DRMS receives, on average, $3 million each year in "fee based" funding for safeguarding and program operations, in addition to approximately $10 million for coal related reclamation from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. There is no other program to address past mining hazards, and minimal funding is available for environmental projects. In all, the IMRP spent approximately $6.2 million in Fiscal Year 2023 on all reclamation investigations, designs, and safeguarding work. In addition to coal mine reclamation, the DRMS leverages their expertise in reclamation in non-coal projects with local, other state, and Federal organizations. Those projects are funded through a combination of grants, cost-sharing agreements, and other legislation.

We designed, supervised, implemented, and reported a multi-phase investigation to support the site remediation and construction a Place of Worship in Consett. The seemingly straightforward scheme encountered a range of challenges, including potential ground subsidence associated with historical coal mining, generally poor ground conditions and contamination including “Blue Billy” and hydrocarbons. Read on at: https://lnkd.in/ekVFKKfi #contaminatedland #investigation #siteinvestigation #remediation

The State of Alaska, along with many other states for whom coal is an important natural resource, today filed a petition in U.S. District Court, District of Washington D.C., asking the court to vacate a recently adopted U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) rule that would, if left unchecked, severely undercut Alaska’s exclusive jurisdiction over the regulation of surface coal mining and reclamation operations within Alaska. “In this new Final Rule, the Secretary is overthrowing a longstanding deference to States on State-regulated mining programs. It also seeks to make the federal government the first regulator. But worst of all, it requires the Secretary to ignore vital information from States that could verify or disprove whether violations exist,” said Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor. The DOI Final Rule amends the existing “Ten-Day Notice Rule.” This rule allows, and has always allowed, DOI’s Office of Surface Mining (OSM) to become involved if states do not promptly respond to criticisms about coal mining operations or permit compliances. For decades, Alaska has worked cooperatively and successfully with OSM and the public under the rule – responding to notices, working with mine operators, and working with the concerned citizenry. OSM has praised Alaska for its regulatory practices with respect to both active mines and abandoned mine reclamation (restoration). Yet under the new Final Rule, OSM would prematurely insert itself into Alaska’s response actions, unreasonably expand the circumstances in which OSM would interject itself and invite citizen complaints without requiring the interested citizen to notify the state. #WeAreAKLaw

Today, gold deposits in the USA are excavated in huge #openpitmines and tons of gold-bearing rocks are piled on impermeable pads. Safety is paramount , as a cave-in or leak could have serious health, safety and environmental consequences. Find out how Worldsensing solved the challenge of effectively monitoring the water level, drainage and pumping stations in a gold mine in Nevada. Read the full story https://loom.ly/pG4_uGg #Mining #RiskManagement

Advancing Reclamation, Mining, and Social Impact in British Columbia The Province of British Columbia (Government of British Columbia), Teck Resources Limited, and the Taku River Tlingit First Nation Government are partnering to remediate the former Tulsequah Chief mine site. This initiative marks a significant step towards environmental stewardship, reconciliation, and sustainable mining practices. The project will be set up at Tulsequah Chief mine, within TRTFN territory, approximately 100 km southwest of Atlin. The area is a historic copper, lead, and zinc mine. The main objective of all actions is to address acid rock drainage and restore the site according to Tlingit values. The remediation Cost is estimated at C$48 million and annual monitoring cost at C$27 million. Key Actions: 2024-25 Work: Teck will undertake site investigation, establish safe access, assess underground conditions, monitor water quality, and evaluate waste rock disposal. Collaborative Planning: Teck and TRTFN are co-developing the reclamation and closure plan, ensuring it aligns with TRTFN’s vision for future use. Social and Environmental Impact: Reconciliation: This partnership underscores a collective commitment to reconciliation and incorporating Taku River Tlingit First Nation’s rights and laws into reclamation planning. Sustainability: Reflects modern, responsible mining practices aimed at protecting the Tulsequah River and restoring the land for TRTFN’s beneficial use. Josie Osborne stated, “We are dedicated to ensuring the Tulsequah Chief mine site is remediated to meet high environmental standards, fostering sustainability and reconciliation”. Teck's VP of Environment, Scott Maloney, added, “This cooperative effort highlights the importance of all parties working together to advance remediation in support of reconciliation and sustainability.” #mining, #miningnews, #reclamation, #environment, #britishcolumbia

📢 Dewatered Tailings: A Risk Reduction Solution for Australian Miners? Following the 2019 Brumadinho disaster, the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM) emerged, pushing miners to explore safer alternatives. Dewatered tailings, reducing fluid content and risk, offer a promising solution. Notably, Australian mines, situated in low-rainfall areas, are ideal for this technology. In our newest edition Heidi Vella explores why Australia might lead in dewatered tailings technology, exploring new initiatives from major players like BHP and innovative approaches from Clean TeQ Water, aimed at creating safer and more sustainable tailings management. Read here: https://lnkd.in/gEijBzWP #Mining #Sustainability #Innovation #Australia #DewateredTailings #MineAustralia #MiningTechnology #GlobalData #Safety

Environmental issues, including land degradation, continue to affect local mining communities. Regulatory authorities must step up their game in ensuring appropriate monitoring and enforcement of environmental laws and regulations. Though there are lines in concession agreements that call for land reclamation, these lines remain insufficient and inadequate. The need for resource-rich countries to develop comprehensive land reclamation policies to address environmental issues in mining communities can not be overemphasized. Moreover, anecdotal evidence has shown that land reclamation, when done appropriately, can result in economic growth and sustainability. A life was reportedly lost in a local mining community in Liberia due to a company not reclaiming the land. https://lnkd.in/eSWsgn2A

Lawyer Rangi Jeerakathil discusses costs associated with cleaning up mining sites in B.C. in The Globe and Mail's article "B.C.’s multimillion-dollar mining problem." The article looks into the increasing costs of cleaning up mine pollution in the province and the new interim policy aimed at bridging the gap between estimated cleanup costs and financial securities. Rangi explains, "the province has made progress toward closing the liability gap," and describes the securities system as a balancing act between forcing companies to tie up too much capital and protecting the environment. Read more ➡️ https://hubs.ly/Q02lZZvF0 #MiningCleanup #BritishColumbia #EnvironmentalProtection #EnvironmentalResponsibility