This is a pretty serious and technical posting. No scandle here; yet. Hopefully this is all about continuous performance improvement in the world of heap leach pad design; maybe.
The Proposed Carmacks Copper Mining Project, Yukon Environmental Assessment Act, Additional Information Requirements asks for ten sets of data about heap leach pad reclamation, namely:
1. Discussion of the methods of testing done on the spent ore; 2. Presentation of all data generated from the tests; 3. Interpretation of test results, geochemical modelling, and discussion of the feasibility of detoxification of the spent ore, time estimates for how long it will take to detoxify the heap and implications of precipitate formation; 4. Details of leach rinsing and detoxification procedures including volumes, scheduling, duration, and factors that indicate when rinsing and detoxification will cease; 5. Design criteria and preliminary design for the closure treatment system; 6. Discharge effluent quality that protects the aquatic resources in the surrounding environment, and sludge disposal; 7. A discussion of the risks and uncertainties associated with the conceptual plan; 8. A evaluation of possible failure modes, contingencies in place, and an evaluation of any risks or uncertainties; 9. Description of ongoing or planned studies, objectives, and scheduling; and how study results will be incorporated into the heap decommissioning plan; and 10. Activities to be implemented in the case of a temporary closure including criteria to define when temporary closure constitutes permanent closure and final reclamation measures are to be implemented.
The heap leach in question is described in the Project Description and Environmental Assessment Report, Carmacks Copper Project, June 2005. Other documents about the project are readily available on the Yukon Government website.
The Western Copper Carmacks Project has been under scrutiny by the local folk. One report reads in part: “Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board was told yesterday that it must stop the approval process for a controversial copper mine planned in the Traditional Territory of the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation until the company proposing it addresses a number of serious environmental issues. ”We are not against mining, but we will not accept a mine on our Traditional Territory that threatens the very existence of our land and water,” so says Eddie Skookum, Chief of the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation located approximately 180 kilometers north of Whitehorse, YT.”
I suspect we will read more about this project at time passes.
I did make a remark on your blog on Saturday, and saw the post you noted. It didnt make me feel unwelcome, in fact I appreciated the fact that you gave me a heads up.
To be honest, I think that one more time the local folk will have to suffer from industrial nuisances. Industry will win, money will win and as always, the little local folk will just have to shut up.