Post by
uptowndog1 on Mar 20, 2022 4:26pm
Mount Polley mine applies to extend waste water discharge
Mount Polley mine applies to extend waste water discharge past 2022 as it gears up for restart
“Mount Polley’s permit for mine waste discharge into the lake should never have been approved in the first place. The discharge of wastewater into the once pristine Quesnel Lake affects the fish, wildlife and community members who rely on the lake.” — Christine McLean, coordinator of Concerned Citizens of Quesnel Lake
Imperial Metals is seeking a three-year interim extension to discharge mine effluent into Quesnel Lake while it works through a major regulatory amendment to extend the life of the Mount Polley gold and copper mine.
The extension of the B.C. Ministry of Environment discharge permit, which is set to elapse on Dec. 31, 2022, is opposed by some mine-area residents.
The mine, in B.C.’s Interior, was the site of a catastrophic collapse in 2014 of an earth-and-rock dam that released 24 million cubic metres of water and tailings containing potentially toxic metals. That was enough water and material to fill nearly 9,800 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
The company rebuilt the dam and was allowed by the province to restart production two years later.
“Mount Polley’s permit for mine waste discharge into the lake should never have been approved in the first place,” says Christine McLean, coordinator of Concerned Citizens of Quesnel Lake. “The discharge of wastewater into the once pristine Quesnel Lake affects the fish, wildlife and community members who rely on the lake.”
The company says that all water being discharged into Quesnel Lake from Mount Polley is being treated and meets permit guidelines.
As part of the provincial permit, Mount Polley must treat water containing metals such as copper, called effluent, to levels determined by the environment ministry before it is discharged into Quesnel Lake via a pipe at a depth of 45 metres, 250 metres from shore.
Imperial Metals ceased operations at the Mount Polley mine in May 2019 due to low copper prices but has announced it is planning for a restart of the mine this year.
In a written response to Postmedia questions, Imperial Metals president Brian Kynoch confirmed the company is seeking an interim extension of its discharge permit and then an extension for the life of the mine.
B.C. environment ministry officials said an application process has been initiated by the province’s Major Mines Office for the review of an updated mine plan, including a proposed extension to discharge treated mine effluent to Quesnel Lake.
Oct. 16, 2014: The collapse of Imperial Metals Mount Polley gold and copper mine’s dam and release of water has left a barren landscape of tailings. Part of the tailings dam collapsed Aug. 4, releasing more than 24 million cubic metres of water and tailings into Hazeltine Creek, Polley Lake and Quesnel Lake.
Oct. 16, 2014: The collapse of Imperial Metals Mount Polley gold and copper mine’s dam and release of water has left a barren landscape of tailings. Part of the tailings dam collapsed Aug. 4, releasing more than 24 million cubic metres of water and tailings into Hazeltine Creek, Polley Lake and Quesnel Lake. PHOTO BY GORDON HOEKSTRA /Vancouver Sun
That mine expansion application is not expected to be formally received until the summer or fall, said provincial officials.
At the same time, the province is considering the three-year interim extension request.
But extending the mine life is considered a major amendment to existing Environment Management Act and Mines Act permits and requires extensive public notification and engagement, said ministry officials.
“The application process, by requirement, must consider among other things long-term water management aspects,” environment ministry spokesman David Karn said in an email.
“For any mine to be successful in the application process, the proponent must confidently demonstrate both to the ministry and through public consultation that the environmental protection and safety of water quality levels are adhered to and maintained,” said Karn.
Residents opposed to discharging effluent into Quesnel Lake say, at a minimum, the mine should beef up its treatment of the effluent.
Doug Watt, a mine area resident, said he’s concerned the mine could operate for another 12 to 15 years and use the lake as a form of dilution for the effluent.
“If you let Mount Polley use dilution as their solution to their effluent instead of putting in proper water treatment, then probably the next mine down the road is going to ask for the same thing,” said Watt.
Recently, three B.C. engineers were disciplined for their role in the Mount Polley mine spill in 2014.
One of the largest mining-dam failures in the world in the past 50 years, the Aug. 4, 2014 dam collapse shook the industry and caused concern among the public, First Nations and environmental groups that aquatic life would be harmed, particularly salmon that use the Quesnel Lake system to spawn.
Imperial Metals disagrees and says studies undertaken on the effects of the spill by its engineering consultants, which includes work by Golder Associates, concluded the effects of the failure were primarily physical and not chemical.
The release of tailings and water from the dam collapse scoured nine kilometres of Hazeltine Creek, where trout and coho salmon spawned and dumped much of the tailings into Quesnel Lake.
Studies on the effect of the spill are expected to continue for years.
Imperial Metals has spent $71 million on rehabilitation work, including on Hazeltine Creek.
The collapse of the Mount Polley mine's tailings dam in 2014 allowed toxic contents from the tailings pond to flow into Hazeltine Creek, with some reaching Quesnel Lake.
Three engineers disciplined for their role in 2014 Mount Polley mine spill
Researchers from the University of Northern British Columbia use a net to collect plankton for metal analysis from Quesnel Lake.
Research into Mt. Polley mine dam spill indicates environmental effects on Quesnel Lake
Contents from a tailings pond are seen going down Hazeltine Creek into Quesnel Lake near the town of Likely, B.C., in August, 2014.
More regulatory changes introduced in wake of Mount Polley mine disaster