The Government of Yukon provides update on heap leach failure at Eagle Gold Mine

Press Release

April 30, 2025

Spring melt has begun at the Eagle Gold Mine site. The Government of Yukon has been informed by the court-appointed Receiver that it is discharging untreated contact water from the mine site, in accordance with the mine water strategy submitted to the Government of Yukon and supported by the First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun. This action is being taken to maintain safe water levels and to ensure water storage ponds do not overtop during the spring melt.

Contact water is melt water that has come into contact with the open pit and waste rock storage areas. The amount of contact water increases each spring due to melt. This water does not contain cyanide, but it contains sediments and metals that may exceed regulatory levels. Interim mitigation is in place to reduce sediment impacts. This includes filtering the surface water as it is being discharged through hay bales and flocculant, (used to attract and aggregate particles in a solution, allowing them to be more easily removed).

The Government of Yukon recognizes that releasing untreated contact water was necessary to prevent the uncontrolled release of water containing cyanide. A large amount of additional water is currently being managed at the mine site due to spring melt. The decision to discharge was made after consultations with technical experts hired by the Yukon government and the First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun.

The main concern on-site is preventing uncontrolled release of water containing cyanide, which could occur if storage capacity is exceeded. Efforts are underway to manage this risk, including water treatment, the construction of additional storage, sumps, ditches, and pipelines to divert clean meltwater away from cyanide-affected areas.

Water treatment of cyanide contaminated water is occurring at the same time and treated water is being discharged ranging from 3,000 to 6,000 cubic metres per day. One additional storage pond was recently completed, and it holds approximately 91,000 cubic metres of storage space. Another pond is expected to be completed in mid-May and it will increase storage capacity by a further 110,000 cubic metres

Quick facts

• Following the heap leach failure at the Eagle Gold Mine on June 24, 2024, the Government of Yukon has taken essential actions to safeguard the environment, secure assets on site, and protect the safety and well-being of workers and contractors.
• In August 2024, the Government of Yukon requested the appointment of a court-appointed Receiver. The Receiver’s duties include overseeing all assets, coordinating environmental monitoring and remediation, and ensuring proper oversight of the mine.
• Water containing cyanide continues to be treated and discharged from the mine site. This water is non-toxic and meets federal water quality standards but does not meet site water licence conditions because it is high in copper, cobalt and nitrite.

Media contact

John Thompson
Communications, Energy, Mines and Resources
867-332-6042
john.thompson@yukon.ca

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