Phase 1 cleanup done at site of Mount Polley mine disaster: B.C. government

VANCOUVER – The company responsible for the collapse of a tailings dam at the Mount Polley mine site in central B.C. last year has completed the first stage of a massive recovery operation.

The B.C. Ministry of Environment released a report Wednesday that says Imperial Metals Corp. (TSX:III) has taken steps to stabilize a creek and to ensure water entering nearby Quesnel Lake meets provincial standards.

About 24 million cubic metres of mine water and waste gushed into area waterways when the pond failed last August.

Environment Minister Mary Polak said the government has already spent about $6 million on its share of the work, while Imperial Metals’ tally is nearing $67 million.

“Some of our costs, such as for investigation, are not recoverable because they fall within our regular duties but we will be seeking to recover our costs for salary, overtime, travel, sampling costs and other expenses related to that,” she said.

The company has performed much of the work, which is being overseen by the ministry, but Polak said the ministry has done its own sampling.

An Imperial Metals spokesman was not immediately available to comment.

Polak said the water in the lake continues to be safe for drinking, fishing and recreation.

The ministry said stabilizing Hazeltine Creek during the first phase of the remediation work was meant to make it “safe” over the winter and when spring delivers higher water levels.

Polak said the company has removed wood debris from the lake, contained the remaining tailings, protected archaeological sites and fish habitat, treated water and participated in ongoing monitoring and reporting.

The next phase of the work is to continue through next summer.

The company must finish work to stop erosion, install fish habitat. It must also continue to collect and test water samples, submit human and ecological risk assessments, as well as spill impact-zone remediation plans.

Polak said there’s a long way to go before life returns to normal for people who live in the area.

“This is going to take decades to really get to a place where we see full remediation,” she said.

Earlier this month, Mines Minister Bill Bennett said the government granted the company conditional approval to reopen, although he said it still had to apply for further permits before it can operate fully.

He said the company must apply this fall for a second conditional permit to treat and discharge water from a so-called Springer pit, which is essentially an empty quarry.

By the end of next June the company must submit its final permit application, detailing its long-term plans for water treatment and discharge.

Company spokesman Steve Robertson said earlier this month that he expected the mine to recall as many as 30 workers immediately, and estimated it would take a month to start production.

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