Eagle Gold Mine June 2024 Heap Leach Failure, Independent Review Board Final Report
Press Release
The Heap Leach Facility
The Eagle Gold Mine heap leach facility (HLF) was constructed in Ann Gulch and included a containment dam to both buttress the south slope of the heap and impound process solution within the heap. The dam was constructed of compacted rock and soil fill to a height of about 65 m (downstream toe to crest). At the time of the failure, ore had been stacked within the facility to an elevation of 1,065 m, plus a small quantity to 1,077 m, with a height from the toe of the dam to the crest of the heap of about 200 m.
At around 5:36 a.m. on June 24, 2024, a substantial failure occurred in the south slope of the HLF, mobilizing 5,946,000 m3, or approximately 11,297,000 dry tonnes (dt), of ore. About 1,774,000 dt crossed over the crest of the dam and left containment. The failure was sudden and included a large liquefaction flow slide. This failure has halted all mining and processing at the site. It did not lead to any loss of life, but it did cause ore and cyanide process solution to be transported about 1,000 m down the Dublin Gulch Valley, contaminating local groundwater and Haggart Creek.
IBF4
