Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Gold/Mining/Energy : byg -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: M5PRO who wrote (705)	4/16/1998 10:09:00 AM
From: Scock	Respond to of 769

Denied!.............tailings dam questions.......... Denied! By Chuck Tobin The Yukon Territory Water Board has denied another emergency amendment to the water licence for the company operating the Mount Nansen gold mine near Carmacks. But the manager in charge of the federal water enforcement arm says BYG Natural Resources Inc. may already be in full compliance with its licence, and in no need of a second 60-day amendment. David Sherstone said Tuesday BYG has been working toward correcting its inability to have at least five out of 10 juvenile rainbow trout live for four days in the water it's discharging into the environment. "We suspect they are (meeting all requirements), but we are testing," Sherstone said. "We are testing on a regular basis." The board granted BYG an emergency amendment in February, retroactive to Jan. 26. It required the company to meet all discharge conditions set out in the licence, except for the fish test, known as the LC50 test. Concerns with the company's water treatment system arose last year after the tailings pond was unexpectedly filled quicker than anticipated during spring runoff. Last November, facing an increasing level of water in the pond, and the inability to meet discharge standards, the company shut down its mining and milling operations. Last January, after almost two months of focusing on the water treatment system, BYG began spilling water from the pond, although it was still unable to consistently pass the LC50 test. Company president Graham Dickson said recently he was applying for another 60-day exemption from the fish test to give the mine breathing room, and not because he didn't think the company could pass it. Dickson was unavailable to comment on the board's rejection of an extension. Sherstone, however, understands that BYG is now treating the pond with hydrogen peroxide, which department officials had recommended previously. "That should allow them, if done right, to meet their discharge limits," he said. BYG is continuing to spill effluent to make room in the pond for this year's runoff. Sherstone said effluent samples were taken two weeks ago for the first federal fish test, following the end of the emergency 60-day period. Results, he added, should be available by next week. Meanwhile, instruments have been placed in the tailings pond structure to measure its stability. While Dickson maintained recently that everything is OK, and that seepage through the dam was within licence limits, Sherstone adamantly disagreed. The manager of the regional water resources office said last week seepage was above what was allowed for, and the instruments were placed there to provide a clearer picture. But there is no danger that the dam is about to break. All content c1997 The Whitehorse Star Here's hoping the tailings dam structure is solid and the fish don't die..............then we have a chance.