Yukon害羞草研究所檚 deputy mining minister says it害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所渦nfortunate and frankly unhelpful害羞草研究所� that the owners of the Eagle Gold mine have been 害羞草研究所渟ilent in general害羞草研究所� about action to remedy a disastrous ore slide that spilled hundreds of millions of litres of cyanide solution.
Lauren Haney said Victoria Gold had been 害羞草研究所渄oing a lot of work害羞草研究所� to treat and divert contaminated water, but it may not be enough, and the Yukon government was contemplating stepping in to 害羞草研究所渃omplement and supplement害羞草研究所� the company害羞草研究所檚 work.
She told a briefing on Thursday that officials were 害羞草研究所渞elying heavily害羞草研究所� on the advice from technical experts to keep them apprised of the situation at the disaster site, and the territorial government hasn害羞草研究所檛 ruled out taking on a greater role.
害羞草研究所淲e are looking at all the scenarios right now, and one of those scenarios is where we would be taking over activities at the site in a more complete way,害羞草研究所� she said.
害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 a lot of complexities there with the company still being on site and again, to the extent we can, we must complement what the company is already doing and supplement where necessary.害羞草研究所�
Haney said an independent review panel would be appointed to investigate what happened at the mine on June 24, with the government already in contact with 害羞草研究所渨orld-class experts.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淭his is similar to what害羞草研究所檚 done with any mine failure in the world, this type of independent review panel is struck to ultimately get at the heart of what happened,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淎nd absolutely it害羞草研究所檚 with a view to lessons learned and implementing that in our legislation as well as our enforcement regulatory practice.害羞草研究所�
The government has estimated the ore slide allowed 300 million litres of cyanide solution to escape containment at the mine害羞草研究所檚 heap leach pad, which uses the chemical to extract gold from ore. Eagle Gold mine is about 500 km north of Whitehorse by road.
Yukon mineral resources director Kelly Constable said the situation at the mine site is in flux, and the company is running out of storage space for contaminated water in the mine害羞草研究所檚 ponds.
She said Victoria Gold is creating more storage space as a 害羞草研究所渢emporary measure,害羞草研究所� pumping contaminated water through the mine害羞草研究所檚 heap as it tries to buildup additional capacity over the next 10 to 15 days.
Constable said the firm害羞草研究所檚 water treatment facility is also unable to currently handle the volume of contaminated water, but it害羞草研究所檚 working on upgrading it while increasing monitoring of the stability of the heap leaching facility.
Victoria Gold hasn害羞草研究所檛 provided a public update since July 12, saying further information will be provided 害羞草研究所渁s it becomes available.害羞草研究所�
The company said then it was uncertain if it would ever resume production or if it had the financial resources to repair damage and fix the environmental impact of the disaster.
The company did not immediately respond to phone and emailed requests for comment Thursday.
Yukon Mines Minister John Streicker told Thursday害羞草研究所檚 briefing that the Yukon government had sought more information from the Na-Cho Nyak Dun First Nation, whose territory the mine is on, about their call for a mining moratorium on their lands.
害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 speak for the First Nation, but I will share our understanding that following the heap leach failure, the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyak Dun does not want any new mineral claims, licenses, exploration, development authorizations or ongoing mining activities on their traditional territory,害羞草研究所� Streicker said.
害羞草研究所淭he Yukon Government is now working to understand rights and obligations under Canadian and territorial law.害羞草研究所�
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