Mine plans seem like pilot project: YCS

It's looking like the Carmacks Copper proposal is something akin to an experiment, says the executive director of the Yukon Conservation Society.

It’s looking like the Carmacks Copper proposal is something akin to an experiment, says the executive director of the Yukon Conservation Society.

Karen Baltgailis said today the society’s mining critic, Gerry Couture, is Outside and has not had the opportunity to review the recommendations by the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board (YESAB) to enable the project to proceed.

The report and recommendations were released last Friday and forwarded to the two decision bodies, the Yukon government and Natural Resources Canada.

But even in the YESAB’s words, it appears the proposal will involve some uncertainty in the mining process, she said.

The society, the Little Salmon-Carmacks First Nation and others have challenged the soundness of the technology Western Copper Corp. is proposing to employ for removing copper from the ore.

There is concern that the company will not be able to entirely neutralize the sulphuric acid left behind in the heap leach pads once mining ends.

Stephen Mills is one of three executive committee members of the board that conducted the assessment.

He explained during a press conference Monday that there is general agreement regarding the soundness of the technology, though it’s not certain how long it would take to detoxify the heaps.

As a mitigating measure, the YESAB recommends in its report that:

“The proponent shall design, build and manage the first cell of the heap as a field-scale trial of the heap leach process.

“This trial will be designed as an investigative approach to clearly show that ore is being leached and if there are zones that are not leached. If non-leached zones are identified, the proponent shall make alterations or refinements to the leaching process to increase leaching efficiency and minimize the creation of non-leached zones in the heap. The proponent shall provide the design and results of this leaching trial to regulators.“

Baltgailis: “The only thing both Gerry and I agree we can say at this point is that it looks like what YESAB is proposing is large, field-scale trial, so in other words, an experiment.“

Yukoners, Baltgailis added, might want to ask themselves if they are willing to proceed with mine development in an experimental fashion, or would they prefer to see proven technology for mining in the Yukon.

There is no example anywhere of where a sulphuric acid heap leach has been used on this scale in the climatic conditions, she said.

Baltgailis said at stake are the integrity of the environment and the salmon-bearing tributaries of the Yukon River.

“This is a really big decision.“

The YESAB’s report and recommendations have been couriered to Couture. Baltgailis expects he’ll be better prepared to offer a technical assessment of the board’s decision in a couple of days.

Robert Moar, the director of lands branch for the Little Salmon-Carmacks First Nation, said today he was preparing to issue a press release this afternoon.

With the devolution of authority for lands and resources from Ottawa to the Yukon in 2003, Yukoners are now on the hook for any environmental liabilities left behind by mines permitted by the territorial government under the new assessment regime.

Formerly, Ottawa was responsible, and continues to be responsible for the mammoth environmental liabilities left behind in Faro, where mining ended in 1998, and other areas of the Yukon.

The executive committee of the assessment board has recommended the mine be permitted to proceed providing it meets 148 conditions to mitigate environmental and social impacts.

The Yukon government and Natural Resources Canada have up to 60 days to either accept the recommendations, reject them or change them.

Western Copper welcomed the YESAB report and recommendations in an announcement Monday.

Company spokeswoman Claire Derome said in an interview Western Copper will wait for the verdicts from the two decision bodies before proceeding through the permitting stage.

It also needs to raise the $140 million in capital financing to bring the open-pit project into production, which she expects will occur in 2011.
Western Copper estimates construction will take two construction seasons.

The company is currently estimating a mine life of eight years. Initially, it’s expected employment at the mine site will start out at 115 and peak at 181 in years four through six.

Employment during construction is expected to peak at 300.

The 148 mitigating measures address a wide range of areas, from closure and reclamation to potential impacts on wildlife. The report also recommends measures to reduce the social impacts on the village of Carmacks.

Ken McKinnon, chair of the board and a member of the three-member executive committee which conducted the Carmacks Copper Review, suggested if he wasn’t convinced the mining proposal was sound, he would be the last guy to support it.

His wife, Judy, is a member of the local first nation, and through the years he’s spent many a day at Grandma’s fish camp off the Freegold Road, as have his offspring.

He said he wouldn’t accept anything that would jeopardize the environment and that traditional lifestyle, and is certain that what Western Copper is proposing is environmentally safe and sound.

The proposed mine site is located 38 kilometres northwest of Carmacks, off the Freegold Road.