WILLIAMS LAKE, B.C. — A government progress report into a voluminous wastewater spill at a south-central B.C. gold and copper mine calls for quick completion of human health and environmental risk assessments.
B.C.'s environment ministry says the Mount Polley Mine Corporation must undertake a number of activities in its efforts to clean-up the summertime tailings pond breach.
The province's latest report outlines a list of items that require more immediate action, and details what work has already been completed to the ministry's satisfaction.
The report says a number of measures are already underway in phase one of the mitigation plan, including the installation of a silt fence and other steps to protect the area from environmental damage that could occur due to increased water flow from the spring snow thaw.
Environment Minister Mary Polak says full environmental remediation will take years, but many parties are already working at a plan to restore the land as close as possible back to its original state.
Imperial Metals Corp. (TSX:III) has reported to the government that about 17 million cubic meters of water and eight million cubic meters of tailings materials discharged into Polley Lake and Quesnel Lake in August, a substantial increase from its original estimates.
