The BC IHA / BC EAO report review is in. KGHM will of course respond, and mitigate the concerns.
The last statement within the KTW article gives KGHM the opportunity to mitigate the concerns.
KHGM Ajax’s claim that the proposed Ajax mine will not affect air quality in Kamloops — which underpins much of its health-impact studies — is not scientifically valid and should be withdrawn, according to a federal technical report made available Wednesday.
And a related report from the Interior Health Authority calls the mine’s proposed dust-suppression assumptions an “extremely optimistic level not likely to be obtained.”
The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency wrote to KGHM International CEO Marcin Mostowy with a report that concludes its technical review. Supporting federal departments to the review include the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Natural Resources Canada.
Some of the greatest skepticism of studies from the mining company and its consultants comes from Health Canada, with the federal agency concluding KGHM Ajax cannot state the mine will not harm air quality in Kamloops.
Health Canada officials conclude the mine has failed to look at pollutants other than PM 2.5, ozone and nitrogen dioxide.
“It is not appropriate to state that the project will have little effect on overall air quality in Kamloops based only on the AQHI [air quality health index], as there are other pollutants and factors to consider,” the report states.
More importantly, Health Canada takes issue with KGHM Ajax’s claim air quality will not be impacted.
It has requested the company change the statement.
“Remove or revise the statement that ‘an analysis of the predicted change in the federal Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) demonstrates that the Project has little effect on the overall air quality in Kamloops,’”the report states.
“This assertion is not valid, as the effects of the project are apparent in showing a deterioration of air quality in sites 1 to 3 [Aberdeen].”
The comments by federal and provincial health officials are the latest by a number of experts to question KGHM Ajax’s claims on air quality.
That includes city reviewer SLR Consulting, as well as a crowdfunded scientific report also released yesterday (see related story on page A4).
Much of the company’s air-quality models depend on the mine reducing by at least 90 per cent the amount of dust emanating from roads and the tailings beach.
Federal officials call that number “unreasonably high” and “unrealistic.”
In another report issued through the B.C. Environmental Assessment Agency’s website, Interior Health Authority specialist environmental health officer Greg Baytalan also takes issue with dust suppression.
Baytalan’s draft report states the mining company cannot provide an example of an operation with 90 per cent dust suppression.
“The proponent is unable to supply an example of a mine functioning to this level, and is noncommittal on the specific operational procedure involved to achieve such,” Baytalan’s draft report states.
Environment Canada uses a maximum level of 70 per cent dust suppression.
It has asked the company to conduct new modelling using lower dust-suppression models, including a worst-case scenario of zero per cent.
Under the federal process, KGHM Ajax is given an opportunity to respond to criticism and submit revised information.
GB