Government of Yukon provides update on heap leach failure response at Victoria Gold’s Eagle Gold Mine
Press Release
Activities on-site
- Work continues on site to advance critical environmental protection and human health and safety measures in the four priority areas of: contaminated water storage, water treatment, groundwater monitoring, and heap stability.
- Efforts have also focused on ensuring safe camp facilities for the workers on site.
- Construction of the berm continues.
- Yukon government wishes to acknowledge the work that site staff and contractors are doing to progress remediation efforts.
Water monitoring
- From August 29 to September 5, low and “non-detect” concentrations of cyanide were observed at all water monitoring locations in Haggart Creek.
- All concentrations of cyanide detected in Haggart Creek during this period were below the relevant guideline for the protection of aquatic life.
- Water monitoring in the receiving environment is ongoing to ensure any changes to current conditions are detected
- Numerous groundwater wells have been installed and water quality data is anticipated to be available next week.
Fish monitoring
- Mitigation measures continue to be in place to prevent fish from entering the area adjacent to the mine site, on Haggart Creek.
- These measures consist of installed fish fences, prohibiting fish passage into this area.
- The Government of Yukon and the First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun are working closely with Fisheries and Oceans Canada to ensure fall migration patterns of fish are not disrupted.
- There have been no new reports of further fish die-offs in Haggart Creek.
Media contact
John Thompson
Communications, Energy, Mines and Resources
867-332-6042
john.thompson@yukon.ca
Simon Kishchuk
Communications, Environment
867-334-3988
simon.kishchuk@yukon.ca
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