Alexco Resource goes shopping ....
Yukon Faces Renewed Mining Problems
Monday March 21, 2005 12:13 AM
On March 18-19, MiningWatch Canada facilitated a meeting in Whitehorse to assess resources and capacity in the Yukon to work on mining, prioritize issues, expand working relationships and work on strategies. Invitees included a number of individuals and representatives of local organizations.
1. ensuring that the proposed placer mining regime is consistent with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ legal responsibilities to protect fish and fish habitat;
2. effective reclamation of closed hard rock mines;
3. Threats and opportunities presented by the development of regulations for mining under the new Yukon Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Act (YESAA) and the proposed Mine Reclamation Policy;
4. Proposed new mines in the Yukon.
Proposed Placer Mining Regime
The proposed new Placer mining regime is expected to be based on watershed assessments and classifications from important to non-fish habitat. A “watershed analysis” will document the Valued Components in each watershed, including fish and gold, and a list of “Best Practices” for placer mining will be developed. A set of limits for suspended solids for the watershed will be set. Authorisations under the Fisheries Act will then be issued without any Environmental Assessment as long as the total limits for the watershed are not exceeded by the placer application, and as long as the company commits to “best practices”.
A number of serious questions were raised by the meeting. Will the limits that are set be low enough really to protect the health of all fish in the watershed? Will they protect all stages of fish life? How will Best Practices be determined? Will they drive improved technology? What kind of monitoring and enforcement will be in place? What kind of public consultation is planned on the proposed regime when it is released?
Abandoned Mines in the Yukon
There are seven really significant “Type II” abandoned mine sites in the Yukon. Some of them are mired in ownership questions which have to be resolved before the final decommissioning can take place. The seven are: United Keno Hill, Clinton Creek, Mt. Nansen, Faro, Ketza, Sa Dena Hess and Brewery Creek.
With the exception of Brewery Creek, these sites had inadequate reclamation bonds and cleanup will depend on the federal government Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP). The Brewery Creek Mine is in the process of decommissioning, and the Yukon government has already returned a portion of their reclamation bond. Three of these mines are:
United Keno Hill. This silver property with over nine different mines came under the management of the Yukon government when its most recent owner - United Keno Hill Mines - went bankrupt. The mine had operated from 1921-1982. When the price of silver plummeted world wide, the mine then operated sporadically with many different owners, and stock plays. It is for sale by the court-appointed receiver. The federal government has severed the environmental liability from the site, although any new owners would be required to manage it.
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